Contributor: Gregg Wright
This is the type of episode that “Merlin” tends to do best. It’s straightforward, serious, and primarily focused on progressing the larger story arc. I suppose one could summarize it as being yet another one of Agravaine and Morgana’s nefarious plots-of-the-week, but the threat to Gaius’s life and reputation lent the episode a personal edge. The fact that this plot is about finding out who Emrys is, rather than some convoluted attempt to kill/overthrow Camelot, makes it more interesting than many episodes this season.
What makes the episode work is that it successfully creates the impression that Agravaine might actually succeed at convincing everyone that Gaius is a traitor. I’ve always wondered how Gaius avoided suspicion, considering his extensive knowledge of magic, which Uther would often utilize in his fight against magic. It’s easy to believe that it wouldn’t take much for Agravaine to plant these seeds of suspicion in Arthur’s mind. And the kidnapping, made to look like a hasty exit from the city, along with the book of magic planted in Gaius’s home, is enough to virtually seal Gaius’s fate.
Often, my annoyance with “Merlin” stems from how much effort it puts into creating the sense that something might actually result in even a minor change to the status quo, only to completely dash these hopes with unbelievable plot contrivances. I can forgive a certain number of these in any show, but “Merlin” takes it too far. However, this episode utilized a few last-minute twists in order to maintain the status quo, and they actually worked really well.
Most notable of these twists was Alator’s unexpected betrayal of Morgana and siding with Merlin/Emrys. When it happened, rather than feel annoyed at the show, I had a reaction of “hey, that’s pretty cool!”. This twist worked because after it happens, you suddenly realize that it makes damn good sense. What magic-loving individual would want to kill Emrys anyway, knowing what kind of future he’s destined to bring about? Morgana essentially tricked Alator into aiding her by exploiting his hatred for Camelot. This twist also works because it actually adds something to the story. Merlin now has a new ally who knows him for who he really is.
The other elements of the episode are also resolved rather skillfully. I liked that close call where Agravaine is about to murder Gaius, and is discovered by Gwaine. For a moment, Agravaine appears to be royally screwed, but he worms his way out of guilt rather impressively. It doesn’t feel overly contrived, because we’ve come to expect this level of guile from Agravaine. This scene also nicely plays into Gaius’s vindication. With Gwaine as a witness, Agravaine has no choice but to play the fool and admit that he was wrong about Gaius all along. And it helps that no one really wanted to believe that Gaius was guilty anyway.
Rating: 8/10
