Merlin: Sword Fight

Two exciting things this week on Merlin.  First, there’s only one episode aired this week and that makes me happy.  Second, we are introduced to Lancelot, who’s a welcomed introduction into the blandness of Camelot.  Our story begins with Lancelot saving Merlin from a rogue griffin.  Lancelot is slightly injured but he won’t let that stop him on his way to becoming a knight of Camelot.  The catch?  Lancelot is not of noble birth and under Uther’s strict constructionist view of the laws of Camelot, only nobles can be knights of Camelot.

So Merlin, grateful for his new bromance with Lancelot, forges some patents of nobility for Lancelot to compete to be a knight.  With Gwen taking good measure of Lancelot’s, ahem, inseam, Lancelot stick fights with Arthur and wins the respect of the prince.  (You Arthurian folklorists must love the metaphors in these two scenes.  And for those not in the know, Arthur and Gwen marry and she has an affair Lancelot, who is Arthur’s best friend and most trusted knight.)  Anyway, Lancelot is knighted after he fends off another attack from the griffin.

Of course King Uther, being the gloomy gus that he is, suspects Lancelot is not really noble and then strips Lancelot of his knighthood.  Again, Arthur doubts his father’s actions and allows Lancelot to join Arthur and his men as they head out to stop the griffin approaching Camelot.  Merlin also joins along because he knows (thanks to Gaius) that the griffin can only be killed by magic.  Will Merlin use his magic?

For those who’ve been following these episodes, you will not be surprised to learn that Merlin again uses magic to help Lancelot kill the griffin.  Lancelot, being smarter than the inbred nobility, figures out Merlin’s secret (not a stretch since he heard the incantation), but he promises not to say anything.

We end with Arthur getting in trouble (again) with his father the king, and Lancelot opts to leave Camelot and his new best buds.  I, for one, am disappointed since he was the first interesting thing to happen on this show.  May he have a swift return.

Until next week, huzzah!

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Season 1, Episode 5: Lancelot (aired July 5, 2009)

For more on Merlin, click here.

Sundays at 8/7c on NBC

Photographs courtesy of NBC, The BBC, and Nick Briggs