Arthur's Bane[11] is a two-part story[12] consisting of the first and second episodes of the fifth series of Merlin. They broadcasted on the BBC on the 6th and 13 October 2012.[13]
Synopsis
Part One
As the forces of fate cast a shadow over Camelot, Merlin must confront his darkest fears. Camelot basks in the halcyon days of a new golden age. But even as she flowers, so the dark seeds of her destruction are being sown... For in the frozen wastelands of the north, men are disappearing without trace.
In search of answers, King Arthur and his Knights must undertake a dangerous mission to the unknown. As the sun sets on the icy plains, Merlin finds himself locked in a battle unlike any he has fought before; a battle with fate itself.[14]
Part Two
As dawn breaks across the icy tundra, Merlin and Arthur are close to exhaustion. With each tortured step, the Fortress of Ismere looms ever nearer and Merlin's fear intensifies. What game is Mordred playing? And what powerful secrets are Morgana and the Druid Ruadan searching for amongst its twisted catacombs?
It seems like this time, not even Merlin can stop Arthur from walking right into the lion's den. For in this bleak and transient wilderness, only one thing is certain: the great trial for Albion has finally begun.[15]
Plot
Part One
Arthur welcomes his Knights, Gaius, and Guinevere to a meeting of the Round Table. Though for three years Camelot has been blessed with peace and prosperity, a shadow has been cast across the lands due to the disappearance of a patrol led by Sir Gwaine.
Six weeks earlier, Gwaine had led a patrol of sixty Knights of Camelot - including Sir Percival - to the land of Ismere. When they failed to return, Sir Elyan led a search party to the wastelands of the north, but found no trace of them; it was as though the Knights had vanished from the face of the earth.
Meanwhile, in Ismere, the missing Knights are being held captive by Morgana, who is occupying the Fortress of Ismere with her Saxon army. She is using the Knights as slave labour in the mines beneath the fortress, where she and her ally Ruadan, a Druid warrior, hope to find the Diamair, the key to all knowledge, in order to learn the secret of Arthur's bane.
Having learned from Elyan that Morgana is rumoured to have taken over the Fortress of Ismere, Arthur decides to lead a rescue party to find his missing men. At Gwen's suggestion, he plans to enter Ismere from the west, through the kingdom of Caerleon, in order to take Morgana by surprise.
Arthur tells Merlin to dispatch a rider to inform Queen Annis about their plans. As Merlin leaves to do so, he bumps into Gwen's maidservant Sefa, who was listening outside the council's door.
The rescue party leaves at dawn the following morning. As they near Caerleon, they find a village whose inhabitants have been slaughtered. They search for survivors and Merlin hears his name being called telepathically. He follows the voice to a dying Druid named Lochru, who tells him of Arthur's bane and shows him a vision of Arthur being killed in battle.
Merlin is horrified by the vision and seeks advice from the Great Dragon. Kilgharrah informs Merlin that Lochru was a Vates, a powerful Druid Seer, and that Merlin was likely singled out for a reason. He advises Merlin to heed Lochru's warning and tells him that he alone can keep Arthur safe.
The next day, Arthur and his men arrive at Annis' castle and are welcomed with a feast. Arthur informs Annis of the village they found and Annis tells him that Saxons have been raiding her villages for months. They've been rounding up the men and taking them to Ismere, where Morgana is rumoured to be tearing the fortress apart. Her account gives Arthur hope that his men may still be alive.
Annis requests that Merlin perform for them and he juggles with four eggs, much to the crowd's pleasure. Later that night, he tries to warn Arthur not to go to Ismere, but Arthur does not listen to him.
Meanwhile, in Camelot, Gwen sees Sefa leaving the castle. Sefa goes to the Temple of Earu in the Darkling Woods and meets with Ruadan, who is revealed to be her father. She informs Ruadan that Arthur and his men are planning to enter Ismere through Annis' lands and Ruadan leaves to warn Morgana, who immediately orders her men to prepare for battle.
When Arthur and his men enter Ismere two days later, Morgana and her men are waiting to ambush them. Arthur orders his men to retreat, but escape proves impossible and they are forced to stand and fight. Sir Leon faces Ruadan, who badly injures him. Arthur comes to his rescue, but is knocked out as well. Merlin drags the unconscious Arthur from the battlefield and they become separated from the rest of the Knights.
When Arthur wakes later, he and Merlin continue their journey on foot. Merlin continues to try to convince him to turn back and even admits that a Druid Seer warned him of danger, but Arthur refuses abandon his men.
Meanwhile, in the mines beneath the Fortress, Gwaine and Percival have located all their men among the slaves and have been trying to figure out what Morgana is searching for. Gwaine wakes in the night and sees a strange blue light flickering nearby. He goes to investigate, but is caught by two guards and viciously beaten. However, a mysterious creature comes to his rescue and heals him.
Leon, Elyan, and the rest of the rescue party return to Camelot. They inform Gwen and Gaius of the ambush and that Merlin and Arthur are both missing. Because the route was a secret, Gwen concludes that they have been betrayed and quickly singles out Sefa.
Sefa is arrested and dragged before the court, where she admits that she told her father about Arthur's plans. She also admits that her father is a sorcerer and declares that he deserves respect like any man. Unmoved, Gwen pronounces her guilty of treason and sentences her to death.
Merlin and Arthur continue their journey through Ismere. Merlin sees a pair of dead rabbits abandoned on the ground and, hungry, tries to retrieve them. However, his actions trigger a net trap and he and Arthur are captured.
The next morning, Merlin and Arthur are freed from the trap by the slave trader Ragnor and his men. Ragnor intends to kill them both and sell Arthur's body, but one of the men saves them by pointing out that the Lady Morgana should decide their fate.
The man realises that Arthur doesn't recognise him and tells him that he saved him many years ago. At the same time, Merlin realises who he is and reveals his name: Mordred. Mordred looks Arthur in the eye eye with a strange manner and says "Hello Arthur."
Part Two
As Morgana sleeps, she dreams of being held captive with Aithusa at the bottom of a large well. When she wakes, she calls Aithusa to her room, clearly shaken, and comforts the young dragon with promises that their troubles are all in the past and Camelot will soon be theirs.
Meanwhile, Ragnor, Mordred, and the other slave traders have taken Merlin and Arthur captive and are forcing them to march across Ismere. Merlin and Arthur argue, which angers Ragnor. He hits Arthur and orders them both not to speak and to move faster.
In Camelot, Gaius visits Sefa in the dungeons, where she is awaiting execution. He offers her a potion which would make her death easier to bear. However, Sefa does not take the potion and instead asks Gaius to arrange for her to speak to the Queen. He eventually agrees.
As they near the Fortress of Ismere, Mordred tries to convince Ragnor to give the prisoners more food, but Ragnor ignores him. The next morning, Mordred approaches Merlin and gives him bread. He also confronts Merlin about him fearing him and says the secret of his magic is safe with him. When Merlin asks what Morgana is looking for, Mordred reveals that it is the Diamair, the key to all knowledge.
At the Fortress, Morgana is upset that the Diamair has not been found and worries that Arthur escaped her ambush. She orders Ruadan to ask his spy to see what Arthur will do next, but he explains that Sefa has been arrested and sentenced to death. Morgana tells Ruadan that they must ensure her sacrifice was not in vain and orders him to double the patrols on the border.
Mordred, Ragnor, Arthur and Merlin are continuing their journey to the Fortress. Exhausted, Arthur falls down and Merlin tells Ragnor to stop and that Arthur needs water. Ragnor kicks Arthur and drags him up, and Merlin offers to help him continue the journey. However, Arthur's exhaustion was merely an act so he could obtain a dagger.
In Camelot, Sefa is brought before Guinevere and Gaius. She apologises for her actions and pleads for her life. She explains that she did all this for her father and that she does not wish to die. However, Gwen stands behind her original decision and Sefa is sent back to the prison. Gwen later reveals to Gaius that she does not mean to execute Sefa, but is instead trying to use her plight to lure her father Ruadan to Camelot.
As Ragnor and his men approach the Fortress, Merlin knocks some of Ragnor's goods off a wagon. Enraged, Ragnor tries to kill Merlin and Arthur attacks him and several of his men. He and Merlin grab some weapons from the wagons and escape, but the slaves pursue them, forcing Merlin and Arthur to jump over a large crevasse. Arthur jumps first, then, after a few moment of hesitation, Merlin follows.
Arthur shoots the approaching slavers with a crossbow while Merlin uses an axe to break the ice at the edge of the crevasse. The ice falls away just as Mordred arrives, making it impossible for him to follow. Arthur aims the crossbow at Mordred, but ultimately lets him leave unharmed. This angers Merlin, who thinks he should have killed him.
.png){kind=link}
In the mines beneath the Fortress, Gwaine wakes and notices the strange creature sitting next to him. He thanks her for saving him and asks who she is. The creature explains that she is the last of her kind and that the rest of her kin were hunted down and killed. She advises Gwaine to rest and he goes back to sleep.
Meanwhile, Ruadan travels to Camelot and sneaks inside the citadel. He uses his magic to free Sefa from prison, defeating a few guards along the way. Gwen hears the warning bells and is informed by Leon that Ruadan has arrived.
Elyan and a few other Knights intercept Ruadan and Sefa as they flee from the dungeons. Ruadan attacks them and Elyan stabs him. Ruadan then conjures a large fire, allowing him and Sefa to escape.
Sefa and Ruadan run to the Temple of Earu in the Darkling Woods. Sefa pleads with her father to heal himself, but Ruadan tells her he doesn't have the power. He conjures a message on paper and orders Sefa to attach it to a nearby raven. Once she has done so, Ruadan embraces his daughter for the last time and dies. Hearing the Knights approaching, Sefa flees into the forest, leaving her father's body behind.
The next morning, the raven arrives at the Fortress of Ismere and lands on Morgana's windowsill. Morgana reads Ruadan's message and learns that Arthur is still heading for Ismere. Ruadan also tells her not to despair, as she will soon have the Diamair and the Pendragons will be no more.
In Camelot, Gaius and Gwen examine Ruadan's body. Gaius finds a piece of paper inside a locket that Ruadan wore around his neck. The paper contains a prayer written in Druidic runes that calls for victory over the enemies of the Old Religion.
Gaius explains that some Druids blamed Uther for their suffering, and believe the same of Arthur because the laws concerning magic have not been altered under his rule. This makes Gwen realise that Ruadan thought it was his duty was to fight Arthur, and Gaius mentions that there are some who believe that a Druid will kill Arthur.
Arthur and Merlin reach the Fortress and watch from afar as Ragnor, Mordred, and the rest of the slavers also arrive. Merlin, noticing Mordred among the Saxons, tells Arthur he should have killed him when he had the chance.
Merlin and Arthur enter the Fortress through the garbage shaft. They disguise themselves as guards and use a wagon to get to the dungeons where the Knights are working. They find Percival, who tells them the men are scattered throughout the mines and that Gwaine has not been seen for days. Handing him a sword, Arthur instructs Percival to get more weapons and find the others while he and Merlin search for Gwaine.
Merlin shields himself from Aithusa's flames.
Meanwhile, Morgana recognises Mordred among Ragnor's men and is overjoyed to see him. She invites him to dine with her and they talk about how hard their lives have been. Mordred mentions that he and Ragnor had Arthur within their grasp, but lost him. This makes Morgana angry and she shouts at him. Mordred tries to calm her, and at the same time they hear the warning bell which means that Arthur is in the Fortress.
The creature also hears the bell and wakes Gwaine. They hear someone approaching and the creature hides while Gwaine attacks the intruders - who turn out to be Arthur and Merlin - with a torch. Arthur catches the torch while Merlin notices the creature and points her out as she escapes.
Percival has succeeded in his mission and leads his fellow slaves against their Saxon guards. Meanwhile, Merlin, Arthur, and Gwaine hurry to escape the mines. They hear a roar from nearby and see Aithusa running at them breathing fire. They manage to evade its attack, after which Merlin tells Arthur to get Gwaine to Percival while he distracts the dragon.
Merlin soon finds Aithusa and recognises it. The young dragon breathes fire at him and Merlin protects himself with his magic. He asks Aithusa what happened to it, then realises the dragon cannot speak. He hears Arthur calling him and commands Aithusa to leave.
While looking for Merlin, Arthur is approached by Morgana and Mordred, for former of whom attacks him with a dagger. Arthur tries to reason with her and asks her what happened to make her change so much, which only makes her attack him more. She is preparing to kill him as Merlin enters the room.
Morgana throws Merlin into a wall, stunning him, then continues her attack on Arthur. Before she can kill him, however, Mordred betrays her by stabbing her, shocking her and causing her to collapse. Mordred then helps Arthur up and escapes with him while Merlin falls unconscious. Mordred hands Arthur over to the Knights, then follows them out of the dungeons without mentioning Merlin.
The creature returns and heals Merlin, who soon regains consciousness. She assures him that Morgana will never find what she's searching for and Merlin realises that the creature is the Diamair, the key to all knowledge. Merlin asks her what Arthur's bane is and the Diamair reveals that it is Arthur himself.
Back in Camelot, Arthur knights Mordred before the Queen and court. As Mordred leaves the throne room, he is approached by Merlin, who helps him take off his cap and mentions that things would be very different if Arthur knew he had magic. He then asks why Mordred saved Arthur life, and Mordred responds that the love that binds them together is stronger than the power they wield, which something Morgana has forgotten.
Mordred is made a Knight of Camelot.
Later, Gaius and Merlin dine in their chambers. Merlin claims that Mordred troubles him and reminds Gaius that Kilgharrah said Arthur would be killed by a Druid. Gaius says they should give Mordred the benefit of the doubt, but Merlin somberly declares he feels the great trial for Albion has begun.
Meanwhile, the wounded Morgana flees Ismere with Aithusa.
Cast
Main Cast
- Colin Morgan as Merlin
- Bradley James as Arthur Pendragon
- Angel Coulby as Guinevere Pendragon
- Katie McGrath as Morgana Pendragon
- Richard Wilson as Gaius
Recurring Cast
- Rupert Young as Sir Leon
- Eoin Macken as Sir Gwaine
- Adetomiwa Edun as Sir Elyan
- Tom Hopper as Sir Percival
- Alexander Vlahos as Mordred
- John Hurt as the voice of Kilgharrah (Part 1 Only)
- Lindsay Duncan as Queen Annis (Part 1 Only)
Guest Cast
- Sophie Rundle as Sefa
- Liam Cunningham as Ruadan
- Julian Glover as Lochru (Part 1 Only)
- Stephen McCole as Ragnor
- Josette Simon as the Diamair
Continuity
Part One
- This episode marks the first appearance of the Saxons.
- This episode marks the second and final appearance of Annis.
- This episode marks the fourth appearance and return of Mordred.
- This episode takes place three years after the Second Fall of Camelot.
- Arthur has had his own Round Table constructed within the citadel; Knights of Camelot are now sometimes referred to as Knights of the Round Table.
- Guinevere has become a highly proficient Queen capable of ruling effectively in Arthur's absence.
- Morgana has become allies with the Saxons and has taken up residence in the Fortress of Ismere, where she searches for the secret of Arthur's bane.
- Camelot and Caerleon have officially become allies and Arthur and Annis have become friends.
- Merlin is shown a vision of Arthur being killed in battle and becomes paranoid for his safety.
- Merlin and Arthur are reunited with Mordred, who is working as a slave trader in the Northern Plains.
Part Two
- This episode marks the third appearance of Aithusa.
- It is revealed that Morgana and Aithusa have become allies and were imprisoned together for two years.
- Mordred tells Merlin that he owes Arthur a debt for saving his life. He also promises Merlin that he will keep his magic secret.
- Merlin fears Mordred because he is destined to kill Arthur and is angry when Arthur spares his life.
- Gaius reveals to Guinevere that the Druids who blamed Uther for their suffering now blame Arthur because the laws concerning magic have not been altered under his rule.
- Gaius also reveals to Gwen that some believe Arthur is destined to die at a Druid's hand.
- Mordred is reunited with Morgana, who is overjoyed to see him and welcomes him back to her side.
- Merlin is reunited with Aithusa and is horrified by its crippled, deformed appearance. He also discovers that it cannot speak.
- Mordred betrays Morgana and stabs her to save Arthur, seemingly averting both his own and their shared destiny.
- Merlin learns from the Diamair that Arthur's bane is Arthur himself.
- Arthur makes Mordred a Knight of Camelot as a reward for saving his life.
- Mordred reveals to Merlin that he betrayed Morgana because she has forgotten compassion and is consumed with hate. However, Merlin remains suspicious of him because of his destiny.
- Morgana survives her wounds and flees Ismere on foot with Aithusa.
Release & Reception
- Arthur's Bane: Part One premiered in October 6, 2012 - 7.45pm on BBC One and BBC One HD. 7.12 million views.
- Arthur's Bane: Part Two premiered in October 13, 2012 - 8.25pm on BBC One and BBC One HD. 6.99 million views.
Deleted & Missing Scenes
- The scene when Arthur and the Knights arrive at a raided village has been slightly cut to remove the view of a gibbet with several female hanging bodies. In the final version it can be seen just the fabric of a gown fluttering, out of focus. Behind the scenes pics reveal the full impact of what the original scene should've been (#1, #2).
Behind the Scenes
- Alexander Vlahos revealed that, in the scenes that take place in the snowy quarry, he wore a scarf to cover the military cut he still had from filming the series Privates.[16]
Production Errors
- When Merlin and Arthur sneak into the Fortress, Merlin enters ahead of Arthur, but Arthur exits first.
Trivia
- Alexander Vlahos replaces Asa Butterfield as Mordred.
- Arthur's Bane: Part One is the first episode since Morgana became a High Priestess where she isn't seen using magic.
- In the Italian version, only 2 years pass between series 4 and series 5, as stated by Morgana in both this episode and The Dark Tower.
- Starting with this episode, only five names are listed in the opening credits as opposed to the original six. These are (in order seen): Colin Morgan (Merlin), Angel Coulby (Guinevere), Bradley James (Arthur), Katie Mcgrath (Morgana), and Richard Wilson (Gaius). The clip featuring Uther has also been removed and replaced with one of Gaius.
Gallery
 |
To view the Arthur's Bane gallery, click here.
|
Transcript
See Also
- Characters: Sefa, Ruadan, Lochru, Annis, Mordred, Ragnor, Saxons
- Locations: Ismere, Northern Plains, Fortress of Ismere[17], Temple of Earu, Darkling Woods
- Magic: Scrying, Animal Control Spells, Locking/Unlocking Spells, Healing Spells, Shield Spell
- Creatures: Kilgharrah, Aithusa, Morgana's Wolves[18], Euchdag, Raven
- Objects: Royal Round Table, Crossbow, Axe, Sword
- Events: Knighthood Ceremony
References
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=468856696467287&set=a.468856376467319.112373.187828841236742&type=1&theater
- ↑ http://i.minus.com/igGvmclECo5Hd.jpg
- ↑ http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1649334
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=468856696467287&set=a.468856376467319.112373.187828841236742&type=1&theater
- ↑ http://www.tv.com/shows/merlin/forums/series-5-spoilers-thread-90585-3342857/?page=47
- ↑ http://www.tv.com/shows/merlin/forums/series-5-spoilers-thread-90585-3342857/?page=45
- ↑ http://www.sfx.co.uk/2012/08/21/merlin-series-five-wont-ape-game-of-thrones
- ↑ http://www.tv.com/shows/merlin/forums/series-5-spoilers-thread-90585-3342857/?page=0
- ↑ http://www.tv.com/shows/merlin/forums/series-5-spoilers-thread-90585-3342857/?page=0
- ↑ http://gealach-ros.livejournal.com/834499.html
- ↑ http://gealach-ros.livejournal.com/834499.html
- ↑ http://digitalspy.com.au/british-tv/s53/merlin/news/a356677/katie-mcgrath-on-the-merlin-finale-series-five-and-movie.html
- ↑ http://gealach-ros.livejournal.com/834499.html
- ↑ http://www.spoilertv.com/2012/09/merlin-season-5-premiere-date-and.html
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2012/42/merlin-ep2.html
- ↑ Alexander Vlahos reflects on ‘Merlin’ finale - Hypable.com
- ↑ http://www.tv.com/shows/merlin/forums/series-5-spoilers-thread-90585-3342857/?page=47
- ↑ http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1649334