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Dec. 6th, 2010 10:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
astri13Found the Merlin Season 3 Finale to be a
After the build-up of last episode, the conclusion seemed rushed. Oooh, indestructable huge army. Nah, no biggie, get to the not-that-well-guarded cup and snap, everything's okay. Granted,
Team Evil didn't know Team Good had a weapon to explode their so-called immortals but apparently that thousand year ago army was destroyed the same way so precedence. By which I'm saying, guard that freaking cup.
Also, with a title like that, I REALLY would have liked to see Arthur do more. He basically disappeared during the first act. Yes, the round table scene was great, as was the knighting scene but on the whole, he was more a side character and I had expected better.
Which brings me to Merlin who is a great and engaging character and as far as I know popular in fandom so what the hell is it with the epic pimpage? He is a powerful magic user, he is a dragon lord and now he wields Excalibur like a swordsman. Come on, even the Merlin of legend wasn't everything rolled into one. And while I felt for his plight to Gilli in 3.11, there IS actually a shitload of acknowledgment for Merlin. He gets regularly told how the future of Albion rests on him. A burden? Possibly. But also a big "you are special". The Druids, the dragon, Gaius, Fisher King, Freya, Gwaine, now Lancelot - they all tell him how great he is so he is hardly unappreciated by all.
I just react badly when shows do this with characters. And currently, it is one of my hot button issues like nobody's buisness.
If it's Arthur's full appreciation he wants, well, at this point, open your bloody mouth and tell him. I'm so, so, SO sick of that stupid secret. I had hoped it would come out here and nothing. Not even Morgause - who is now deader than a doornail found out about Merlin. It's ridiculous. And again, with Arthur, Merlin insinsts on "not yet, bla bla" so deal with the fucking consequences of not getting praised then for who you really are. This constant lying in your face, making up dumb excuses and everything starts to remind me of Clark doing the same to Lex on SV and I felt Lex had an epic point on how a friend doesn't lie to your face for YEARS on end, playing you for a fool. At some point, you take the plunge.
So, to repeat, I HATE that bloody secret with a bloody passion and I wanna smack Merlin with a frying pan for continue to keeping it. Argh.
That said, if the sword in the stone means Arthur gets to retrieve it and properly wield it, fine. Because Excalibur is not Merlin's sword for God's sakes. It's King Arthur's sword. I know the series took a lot of freedom with the legends but there are certain parts of them you don't fucking rape. Han shot first and all.
I won't even bother to go into Morgana's character development anymore for in the year she was away, it seemed to have veered into batshit insane. In the "firing squad" scene, I know what was gonna happen since the promo pretty much all but gave it away. It led to a great scene with Uther, though. In a way, she is most truly his daughter. They have reacted with ultra-violent vengeance to wrong that happened to them, perceived or otherwise. Only difference? Uther did keep his ability to care for some people, Arthur, Morgana herself etc. I was even surprised Evol!Morgana seemed so stricken by Morgause' death, she appeared that cold in general.
Sir Leon got a bigger role. Always appreciated.
Percival, the little we saw of him, looked good. Though I feel robbed of an "introductory" episode for him named "Percival".
And for all my complaints, Arthur and Merlin had a few lovely scenes together. I like their interaction when it's banter-y yet with warm and affectionate undertones. They didn't really manage that a lot this Season but with the last batch of episodes, they have. And without the fangirling part a lot of others show towards Merlin who know his secret, their banter is more honest, I guess.
Gwen? She wasn't bad here but if she tells Arthur what a great king she thinks he will be one more time, I will kill myself. With Excalibur. I will get it from the stone and throw myself on it, I swear.
All in all, it was far from as much of a game changer as I thought. I had expected either Uther or Gaius (possibly both) to bite it and go in a fresh direction. Which is nothing against the actors but I have grown increasingly weary of Gaius as it is.
Hm, I hope next Season is a bit bolder, allows Arthur especially to grow a bit more into his own and most especially reveals that secret once and for all. And not in the last episode. Argh.
After the build-up of last episode, the conclusion seemed rushed. Oooh, indestructable huge army. Nah, no biggie, get to the not-that-well-guarded cup and snap, everything's okay. Granted,
Team Evil didn't know Team Good had a weapon to explode their so-called immortals but apparently that thousand year ago army was destroyed the same way so precedence. By which I'm saying, guard that freaking cup.
Also, with a title like that, I REALLY would have liked to see Arthur do more. He basically disappeared during the first act. Yes, the round table scene was great, as was the knighting scene but on the whole, he was more a side character and I had expected better.
Which brings me to Merlin who is a great and engaging character and as far as I know popular in fandom so what the hell is it with the epic pimpage? He is a powerful magic user, he is a dragon lord and now he wields Excalibur like a swordsman. Come on, even the Merlin of legend wasn't everything rolled into one. And while I felt for his plight to Gilli in 3.11, there IS actually a shitload of acknowledgment for Merlin. He gets regularly told how the future of Albion rests on him. A burden? Possibly. But also a big "you are special". The Druids, the dragon, Gaius, Fisher King, Freya, Gwaine, now Lancelot - they all tell him how great he is so he is hardly unappreciated by all.
I just react badly when shows do this with characters. And currently, it is one of my hot button issues like nobody's buisness.
If it's Arthur's full appreciation he wants, well, at this point, open your bloody mouth and tell him. I'm so, so, SO sick of that stupid secret. I had hoped it would come out here and nothing. Not even Morgause - who is now deader than a doornail found out about Merlin. It's ridiculous. And again, with Arthur, Merlin insinsts on "not yet, bla bla" so deal with the fucking consequences of not getting praised then for who you really are. This constant lying in your face, making up dumb excuses and everything starts to remind me of Clark doing the same to Lex on SV and I felt Lex had an epic point on how a friend doesn't lie to your face for YEARS on end, playing you for a fool. At some point, you take the plunge.
So, to repeat, I HATE that bloody secret with a bloody passion and I wanna smack Merlin with a frying pan for continue to keeping it. Argh.
That said, if the sword in the stone means Arthur gets to retrieve it and properly wield it, fine. Because Excalibur is not Merlin's sword for God's sakes. It's King Arthur's sword. I know the series took a lot of freedom with the legends but there are certain parts of them you don't fucking rape. Han shot first and all.
I won't even bother to go into Morgana's character development anymore for in the year she was away, it seemed to have veered into batshit insane. In the "firing squad" scene, I know what was gonna happen since the promo pretty much all but gave it away. It led to a great scene with Uther, though. In a way, she is most truly his daughter. They have reacted with ultra-violent vengeance to wrong that happened to them, perceived or otherwise. Only difference? Uther did keep his ability to care for some people, Arthur, Morgana herself etc. I was even surprised Evol!Morgana seemed so stricken by Morgause' death, she appeared that cold in general.
Sir Leon got a bigger role. Always appreciated.
Percival, the little we saw of him, looked good. Though I feel robbed of an "introductory" episode for him named "Percival".
And for all my complaints, Arthur and Merlin had a few lovely scenes together. I like their interaction when it's banter-y yet with warm and affectionate undertones. They didn't really manage that a lot this Season but with the last batch of episodes, they have. And without the fangirling part a lot of others show towards Merlin who know his secret, their banter is more honest, I guess.
Gwen? She wasn't bad here but if she tells Arthur what a great king she thinks he will be one more time, I will kill myself. With Excalibur. I will get it from the stone and throw myself on it, I swear.
All in all, it was far from as much of a game changer as I thought. I had expected either Uther or Gaius (possibly both) to bite it and go in a fresh direction. Which is nothing against the actors but I have grown increasingly weary of Gaius as it is.
Hm, I hope next Season is a bit bolder, allows Arthur especially to grow a bit more into his own and most especially reveals that secret once and for all. And not in the last episode. Argh.
