kaydeefalls | whoa, merlin.

Just watched Merlin 3x03-3x05 in one sitting. NNGK.

-Despite the fact that I know canon will never go there, I am completely convinced that Arthur knows about Merlin's magic now. When he arrests Merlin in 3x03, everything about his demeanor absolutely screams you fucking idiot, how did you let yourself get caught. The way he immediately jumps aboard the goblin explanation to clear Merlin -- which, let's face it, sounds incredibly implausible at the time -- just backs that up. He knows. Merlin doesn't know he knows, but he knows. And will continue to willfully ignore it until Merlin fesses up. Or, actually, even then he'll probably find a way shut him the fuck up for as long as Uther reigns.

-Morgana is Uther's daughter, and no one is surprised. I admit, show, you swung me around a bit for a while there by making it so blatantly clear that she wasn't Ygraine's daughter (what can I say, the Mists of Avalon mythology is hard for me to shake), but blood will out. Morgana and Arthur's quasi-incestuous half-sibling relationship stands. The beginning of S1 just got that much creepier in retrospect. I LOVE ALL OF THIS.

-SPEAKING OF THINGS I LOVE. I LOVE HOW FUCKING DARK 3x05 IS. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. Oh, my God, Merlin, you are going to doom us all. The way I watch this show, Merlin is as much the villain in his own story as the hero. And despite its all-too-frequent forays into pointless silliness (ugh, a lot of the goblin episode hit my embarrassment squick a little too hard), the show realizes how fucked up and morally ambiguous Merlin's choices and actions really are. I already need to do another character study vid for him where he is the villain in this story.

-I ship all permutations of the OT4, still, but I have to say, Merlin/Morgana is winning these days. By a long shot. They are so fucked up and strangely...codependent isn't quite the right word, but they're just so hopelessly entwined together in so many interesting ways. GOD I LOVE THIS SHOW. Arthur/Gwen still wins for my n'awwww ship, and Merlin/Gwen is my friend!ship of great BFFness, and Merlin/Arthur has the most emotional resonance for me, and I yearn tragically for the golden days of Gwen/Morgana, but yeah.

-I don't find Colin Morgan particularly attractive for the most part -- adorable, yes; sexy, no -- but when he gets all dark and malicious, hoo boy. It's a little disturbing how attractive Merlin is when he's making bad choices. NNGK.

-So, I have freeze-framed Merlin's very first vision in the crystal cave:

This is Colin Morgan in old dude makeup, y/y? MERLIN. YOUR FUTURE. I SEES IT. I was wondering if they'd ever address that part of the legend. Now I'm guessing -- season finale, maybe? This will definitely come into play eventually.

-On another note, I would pay good money to see the spin-off adventures of Gwaine and Lancelot, Not-Quite-Knights For Hire (While We Wait For Arthur To Become King). Buddy cop comedy, Camelot style! Lancelot would be all noble and shit, and Gwaine would be all SEE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, JUST HOW YOU BEHAVE and Lancelot would be like OH MY GOD THERE WAS LIKE A WHOLE BARREL OF WINE LEFT FIVE MINUTES AGO, I CAN'T TAKE YOU ANYWHERE. They would wax philosophical about how pure and true their love for Gwen was, and then Gwaine would hit up on some barmaid with great tits and Lancelot would be like I THOUGHT YOUR LOVE FOR GWEN WAS PURE AND TRUE and Gwaine would say IT IS, BUT IN THE MEANTIME CHECK OUT THAT RACK and Lancelot would just sort of shake his head in a noble and long-suffering sort of way but then ...OKAY, HER TITS ARE KIND OF AMAZING BUT NOT AS AMAZING AS MY PURE AND TRUE LOVE FOR GWEN.

It would be EPIC, is all I'm sayin'.

-Seriously, where is the Merlin/Morgana fic of darkness and deceit? This smut won't write itself, you know.