The Dragon was Mad...

The first season of Merlin ended last night. There were a few thoughts that crossed my mind as the magical journey came to a close. One, I want Arthur Pendragon's awesome red jacket more than I've wanted any article of clothing from any show in a while. Two, why hasn't Merlin told Arthur he is magical. Three, maybe with season two they will up their antics a tad bit more and really hit the nail on the head.

I still like the show a considerable amount. But what is drives me like for the show is the Arthur, Merlin relationship. That became slightly problematic in the few episodes where for whatever reason Arthur was suddenly not as ever present. Merlin being the protagonist of the show, carries the burden well but I would admit I would have liked to see a bit more character development over the course of 13 episodes. It seemed that Merlin learned only one lesson from the entire season, to be more careful. While an important lesson, I would have expected more growth. His youthful missteps were counted on one hand, in only the beginning episodes. While his relationship with Arthur though wonderful and greatly brought to life, seems lacking by episode 11 when Merlin still has yet to reveal his secret. Though it was wonderful to see Merlin finally set out to strike his own destiny and not be so ruled by his circumstances such as the Dragon. It's almost as if the two prince and servant (friends) grow comfortable and static. Arthur faces a similar problem, though a lesson learned in compassion he is still guided by the hand that feeds him. Arthur is still far too quick to take his father's orders and ignore the general outcry of his friends, family and people. The show was off to a great start but I was hoping for more growth.

The rest of our characters are equally one-sided in this first season. Morgana is strong willed and doesn't learn the patience of graces from her experiences. Though there is high hope that she is somehow transformed after her remorse to Uther. I appreciate her spirit and the passion that she brings to the screen. While Gwen is finally starting to become a less one dimension character, as she starts to fall apart due to the untimely death of her father. Finally Gwen is not just the nice girl, the damsel in distress, in a situation where no one can truly help her but she has to show strength. While in the last episode the audience finally gets to see Gwen with Arthur, the spark of the relationship that we might have been waiting for.

I was pleased with the ending of the season , Merlin demonstrating his strength setting the stage for a powerful second season. There are high hopes for the future of the story, and if you haven't caught up on it check it out on Hulu!

Why can't Merlin just do what he's told?

A few months ago I had lent my copy of Eclipse to a friend (yes, I might have jumped on the Twilight bandwagon) and I will probably never forget her phone call to me one night after reading a particular fight between Edward and Bella. I won't really go into what the fight was about because though I doubt there are more than a handful of people who haven't read the books, if you haven't I don't want to ruin anything. But the point is she called me livid demanding why Bella just couldn't do what she was told! My response, after the initial laughter, was because then Mrs. Stephanie Meyer would not have had such a compelling story to tell.

As I watched the first five episodes of Merlin, I find myself having the same thought. Why can't Merlin just do what he's told? But the difference was mine was not exasperated or annoyed as my friend with Bella but rather more just a mock echo and realization that our friend Merlin had disregarded a command or rule of some sort in every episode. I have no problem with this side of Merlin, he is always trying to act in the best interest of others in his own way. In actuality it is the same for many of the heroes in our modern stories, rebellion causes conflicts and conflicts create some magnificent stories. It can't be that we don't like social order, honestly I think that if society existed as an anarchy that we would be drawn to the characters trying to create social order. The charisma of a character that has to depend on themselves, go with their own moral compass, and work against the whole in their own way to achieve a better outcome is undeniably what we're drawn to in the likes of Merlin and Arthur.

In the fifth episode of Merlin enters Lancelot. Lancelot is the image that I think of when I see knights, I connect him to chivalry and loyalty almost automatically. The character of Lancelot is perfectly flawed and that just makes me love him more. Just for background, Lancelot is a knight of the Roundtable who is noted for his position as Arthur's most trusted knight and his affair with Arthur's wife. Lancelot is perfect as a knight, as a trusted and dependable friend of Arthur and then he has his one flaw, his betrayal of his friendship by having the affair. Now I know what you're thinking how can you like him after he stabs Arthur in the back like that, it's simple really. Lancelot's only flaw is his love, or some may say lust for the Queen but in every protrayal I have ever seen of him or read he does still care for the King and try to protect him. His flaw is emotional, and possibly uncontrollable. Yes, he shouldn't have acted on it but all our heroes need flaws and that just happens to be Lancelot's. I don't think he meant any harm, and I'm sure he would have liked not to have loved the Queen it would have made his life easier. None of this has happened yet on Merlin, the series may not run long enough for that part of the tale, but even in the introduction of Sir Lancelot his flawed perfection is demonstrated. Merlin's Lancelot remains true to his character, a man suited for codes and loyalty sometimes swayed by his emotions to do something dishonorable but in the end always trying to be better.

Today's muse danced around our heroes, what makes the characters friends in our memories instead of just another face or name. I know I might just have a tendency to love the trouble makers, but how can I not love those who have their own sense of direction and don't always follow the beaten path even if it gets them thrown in the dungeons a few times. It is important to note that my favorites, those trouble makers, are trying to be good like Merlin saving lives and Arthur trying to protect Merlin. There must be ups and downs, its hard to love someone who is good all the time or even bad all the time, change is what makes the story.