Merlin: The Beginning of the End

What is it about little children on screen that just make them so creepy? I’ll tell you what it is: these little on-screen terrors use their big, innocent eyes and pouty lips to pull at our heartstrings, yet turn your back for one second and they’re planning world domination.

In this episode, Merlin discovers he can communicate telepathically with a young druid boy who has a set of very mesmerizing blue eyes. The boy’s father has been captured by King Uther’s army, but the young boy, Mordred, has managed to evade them and he is now begging for Merlin’s help. Unable to withstand the boy’s pleas and desperate look, Merlin brings Mordred to the kind-hearted Morgana. If there’s something this episode isn’t missing, it’s the use of “M” names.

King Uther has now set Arthur in charge of searching Camelot for Mordred. Arthur does not believe it is necessary to initiate such a large manhunt for a young druid boy, especially since the druids are a peaceful people. Uther refuses to cooperate – magic is magic, after all – and Arthur continues his search, even to the point where he is about to search Morgana’s chambers. I say about to because Morgana quickly outwits Arthur, getting into some playful banter and striking at his pride until he leaves, insulted, and having never even searched.

Meanwhile, the young boy refuses to speak but continues communicating telepathically with Merlin and Morgana (as per last week’s episode, she is starting to come into her magical abilities). For reasons unknown to him (much like everything), Morded refers to Merlin as “Emrys.”

Merlin is intrigued on how the druid boy knows about him, and seeks out the advice of the Dragon who announces that he must let the young boy die. As long as Mordred lives, Merlin cannot fulfill his destiny to protect Arthur. As you can expect, Merlin is at a loss because he doesn’t want to send an innocent-looking boy to his death. Who would?

Morgana, however, is absolutely enraptured by this child. She is beginning to feel like an outsider now that her magical powers are starting to come to the surface and sympathizes with the boy. “What if magic isn’t something you choose; what if it chooses you?” she confides in Merlin, who only knows too well what she’s talking about. Morgana is willing to risk everything to bring the boy back to his people.

During one such escape plan, Morgana and Mordred are caught by Arthur and the guards. Tough luck! Morgana gets off fairly easy considering what Uther is capable of, although Mordred is sentenced to death. Arthur, once again, shows his sensitive side and tries to convince his father not to kill the boy. Although perhaps this time, Uther’s got it right…

Morgana refuses to back down. Even though she is in hot water with Uther, she still manages to convince Arthur to take her side and help smuggle Mordred out of Camelot and back to the druids. The escape plan goes a little something like this: Morgana is to apologize and dine with Uther so he cannot suspect her while Arthur goes into the dungeons, frees Mordred, and meets up with Merlin who breaks them out of the dungeon passageway and brings a horse to escape on.

At first, Merlin agrees to help out. Later on, though, we see he has fallen back on his word. Merlin remains in his bedroom while Arthur breaks Mordred out of the dungeon. Being the sneaky little child he is, Mordred telepathically calls out to Merlin to come save him and Arthur before they are caught by the guards. Again, who can resist a child’s cries for help? Mordred clearly knows how to manipulate Merlin. This is the first time we see Merlin not follow the dragon’s advice as he eventually caves and brings them a horse. Arthur then successfully returns Mordred to the druids.

Who is Mordred, though, and what about his character made him so eerie? Why did he call Merlin “Emrys” and why did the Dragon tell Merlin he should let the boy die? Mordred seemed innocent enough, and we never see him perform any magic. None of these questions are answered in this episode, and we can only assume they won’t be next week either. However, a little research shows that, according to Arthurian legend, Mordred is the one who eventually kills Arthur later in life. Then again, Mordred is also supposed to be the son of Morgana and Arthur. Luckily for the show’s writers, nothing in Arthurian legend is set in stone so they’re able to take several liberties with the storylines and characters. And this has been your short history lesson for the day!

Season 1, Episode 8: The Beginning of the End (July 26, 2009)

For more on Merlin, click here.

Sundays at 8/7c on NBC

Photographs courtesy of NBC