Merlin: Recap of S5:Ep.2 – Arthur’s Bane – Part 2
Friday, January 11th, 2013Synopsis: Merlin fears that the ancient prophecies about Mordred might come true as even he is not able to sway Arthur from his chosen path.
Alone and close to exhaustion, Merlin and Arthur struggle to carry on as dawn breaks across the icy tundra. With each tortured step bringing them ever nearer to the looming fortress of Ismere, Merlin’s fear intensifies. What are Mordred’s real intentions? And what powerful secrets are Morgana and the druid Ruadan interested in finding amongst its twisted catacombs? It might be that this time not even Merlin can prevent Arthur from stepping right into the lion’s den… for only one thing seems certain in such bleak and transient wilderness: the great trial for Albion has finally begun.
Recap: When the episode opens we see the course of the season split into 4 storylines:
1. Gwen’s issue with the treacherous handmaiden
2. Merlin’s fear of what’s to come
3. Morgana’s continued want to claim Camelot
4. The alien?
I am not even going to touch #4 until it fully makes sense to me and I know that Alien is the “key,” but why?
The highlight of the episode is the psychological warfare that Merlin is undergoing regarding the vision he had of Mordred and Arthur. Yet, he comes out trumps when he and Arthur find their chance to escape the clutches of Morgana’s henchmen, but when Arthur allowed Mordred to live for another day it drives Merlin batty. Of course, these two make it to their destination and attempt to save their knights… yet it is when they are separated the fun happens. Merlin finds the missing dragon and Arthur is attacked by Morgana.
In a predictable move, the handmaiden begs for her life, but Gwen is using this plight to force her father to come out into the open. Gwen is playing a dangerous game, but a smart one at that. Of course, when the handmaiden’s father learns of his daughter’s fate and then hears from Morgana that her death will be heralded because she died for the cause… that did not sit well with him. So, he goes to Camelot and rescues her, but dies in his attempt.
The moment Morgana sees Mordred was possible the best scene, this is a woman that is utterly alone and when she sees Morderd… there is someone she feels will help her. However, in a shocking turn of events, Mordred stabs Morgana and saves Arthur. Nice twist. But, we all know that this is just the first move in Mordred’s attempt to off Arthur. As the “key” stated, Arthur’s bane is not Mordred, but Arthur himself… meaning he started the events that will lead to his death.
The big question is how did Morgana survive? Was she not stabbed?
Next week: King Arthur finds himself torn between head and heart when a stranger gives him the power to summon the dead.
Unable to turn down such a tempting offer he seizes the opportunity to speak to the person that he misses the most: his father.
However, the spirit world is dark and dangerous and such a decision will come to a terrible price. Defying all odds, it’ll come to Merlin to put right Arthur’s mistake before everything they have fought for and built together is forever destroyed.
.