MERLIN CLUB: The Moment of Truth

Merlin goes to Gwen and askes for a sword. And poor Merlin knows nothing about weapons, obviously…

When they camp for the night, Hunith says the girls shouldn’t be there, especially the Lady Morgana. She also makes Merlin promise not to reveal his magic. When he’s trying to sleep, Merlin hears a noise and goes to investigate, sword ready. Turns out to be Arthur. He’s come to help. (And Jess becomes an even bigger mess than before because….*whispers* Meeeeerthuuuuuur)

When they arrive in Ealdor, it’s to find Kanen and his men threatening the village again. They fight him off – or mostly Arthur does and he looks mighty fierce and fine doing it. Kane and his men leave, but not before Kanen spouting more threats. Arthur tries to talk to the villagers but Will, Merlin’s old friend, argues. He says they need to give Kanen what he wants. That fighting will get them all killed. The villagers – beginning with Hunith – say they’ll follow Arthur against Kanen. Merlin tries to talk to Will, but his friend thinks Arthur is here just for the glory. Merlin argues that Arthur is his friend, but Will asks if Arthur knows about Merlin’s magic. He says if he was a real friend,
Merlin would tell him. 

The next morning Hunith tells Merlin that she can tell Arthur truely likes him. 

MAMA SHIPS IT!

Merlin laughs this off, saying if Arthur knew about his magic, Merlin would be dead. Merlin goes to gather wood and is confront by Will. His friend tries to convinces him to use magic to defeat Kanen and his men. When Merlin refuses, Will is angry because he feels Merlin is putting Arthur before his family and friends. 

The man they had as a lookout is killed and his body sent back on his horse with a note from Kanen. It threatens to massacre the entire town the following day. Will accuse Arthur of being responsible for the man’s death and makes plans to leave before Kanen and his men get there. Merlin tries to stop him but his friend calls him a traitor for not being willing to do anything he can – magic – to save their friends.

Merlin explains to Arthur that Will’s distrust for nobility comes from his father being killed while being in the service of the king. Arthur is afraid will is right – that everyone will die. Merlin – King of the Pep Talk – convinces him that he has to have faith. That and his training will give the villagers the strength to win. 

Gwen argues with Arthur when he tells the women to leave the village before Kanen arrives. Finally he agrees that htey have just as much right to fight for their home as the men do. He gives quite the speech and pumps everyone up. 

Hunith tells Merlin she’s afraid of Arthur discovering his magic. Merlin tells her that if Arthur is a true friend, he will accept Merlin no matter what. As they ready for battle, Merlin nearly tells Arthur the truth, but is interrupted by Morgana telling them Kanen and his men have crossed the river. We see them arrive to a seemingly empty village, but they are suddenly trappped by fire and barriers yanked up by villagers, who then come out to fight. Merlin nearly gets hurt but is saved by Will. As it looks like the battle is lost, Merlin uses magic to create a whirlwind which sends Kanen’s men running. 

Kanen, though, stays, calling Arthur out specifically. They fight and Arthur ends up running him through. Arthur then demands to know who conjured the whirlwind, saying he knows magic when he sees it. (Really, Arthur, really?) A dying Kanen, not completely down, tries to fire a crossbow at Arthur. Will pushes him out of the way and ends up taking the arrow himself. He’s brought to Merlin’s home where he says he is the sorcerer and he conjured the whirlwind. Arthur leaves the friends alone. Will says now Merlin has the chance to to be a servant to a great king.

He dies and Merlin cries (which makes ME cry, dammit). As Will’s body burns on a pyre, Arthur asks if that’s what Merlin was trying to tell him before the battle – that Will was a sorcerer. Merlin says yes, that’s what it was. Arthur is upset that Merlin didn’t warn him before because he knows how dangerous magic is.