I'm not a British nor an American, so trying to watch the show online is pretty tough as I have to dig deep to find a website that doesn't ask for money. And because I'm a Malaysian so I do not know much about the Arthurian legend. Frankly I don't even know this legend exists until I watched an episode of Merlin.
The Diamond Of The Day
I loved the episodes. The first part focuses on Merlin trying to gain back his power after it is seemingly absorbed by a creature sent by Morgana while the second part centres on Merlin and Arthur friendship, the discovery of Merlin's sorcery and the final battle.
The first part was great. Honestly I got tricked by the trailer. I actually thought Merlin is going to join the battle without his magic. Trailers.....
Merlin knows he is vulnerable and practically useless without his magic, so he decides that the best solution to gain back what is being robbed is to go to where magic is born - the Crystal Cave. It slightly annoys me why Morgana didn't just kill him there. She has a chance and no resistance, so killing him off should be exceedingly easy, and yet she chose to trap him there, giving him a chance to regain his power and escape.
Well, we later on realise that Merlin is much more powerful than he has been portrayed. He is magic himself.
I liked how Arthur reacts when he knows that Merlin isn't joining him for battle. The truth moments between this two best friends have always been my favourite. Arthur confesses that Merlin is the bravest man he has ever encountered, and is deeply disturbed and sad he couldn't join him. Obviously Gwen shares the same view, but perhaps she is a bit more understanding and knows that Merlin would never abandon Arthur in time of needs.
The second part was the best one. It begins with the battle that ends in the first part. It appears that Camelot is going to fall as the enemy marches on, until Emrys interferes and uses his magic to topple the enemy. Mordred, filled with revenge, uses the sword that was forged with the dragon's breath to kill Arthur, and Arthur did likewise. Perhaps Arthur doesn't know his sword isn't an ordinary one, but it certainly does its trick. By the way, is it just me, or Arthur seems a little bit too calm and strong for a person who has a sword run through him?
Anyway, he collapses and Emrys takes him away. Merlin later tells Arthur his secret and Arthur understandably does not want him to be around, until Gaius appears the next day and convinces Arthur that Merlin is his only chance of survival. He reluctantly agrees and sees what Merlin does throughout the journey. He dies after saying thank you.
Morgana, on the other hand, dies after being killed by Merlin using the same sword Arthur killed Mordred. In my book the battle between Morgana and Merlin is very anti-climatic. They both are extremely powerful sorcerers and yet they fight like a human.
I like the moments between Arthur and Merlin. You could see how afraid Arthur was, and then how he slowly accepts who Merlin is. Despite the fact that he fears Merlin, his subconscious still wants to protect him like he always did. You could see it when they come across the Saxons and despite his wounds he wants to fight with them. Of course Merlin wouldn't allow it, and now that his secret is out he could use magic and single-handedly destroy his enemies.
The chemistry between them is simply fantastic. Arthur later realises Merlin has always been helping them, and yet never once did Merlin seek for credits and recognition. Merlin promptly replies that's not what he is after, and that stuns Arthur. Their moments together are so touching I almost shed a tear.
Like I said, I didn't know much about that Arthurian legend so I really didn't know Arthur was going to die. It saddens me to watch him die, because I would really love to see how Merlin and Arthur live together when Arthur accepts him as a sorcerer.
I would also prefer to see how Camelot would be a few years later, now that Gwen is the Queen and that she knows who Merlin is.
It's sad that the series has ended. Anyway, it's a great show, and I'll always remember it as one of the best television drama ever aired.
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