Merlin 4x09 - Lancelot du Lac

[castalia]

WOW. I was so, so worried about this week, but for once I don't have to hate a version of the Arthur/Gwen/Lancelot love triangle. I can't believe this show gave it to me, but they did. A fake Lancelot plus an enchanted Gwen, which makes the whole betrayal thing NO ONE'S FAULT. No one within the triangle, anyway. Just, wow.

It still deeply, deeply sucks for all involved, of course. Lancelot seems well and truly dead now, so I doubt we'll be seeing him again. Arthur is hurt beyond measure, despite choosing to deal with it in a relatively mature fashion (minus the sword fighting). I was so relieved that even when he briefly lost it and shook her, he backed off right away and apologized for losing his cool. Not something you usually see in your typical tv heroes. Very glad banishment was the result instead of anything worse, and I hope it will be resolved eventually. Poor Gwen is leaving for who knows where and doesn't even have any family left now that Elyan doesn't seem to be supporting her (I still long for a proper brother&sister scene between them). Merlin has all this direct evidence of Agravaine being a traitorous shit but nothing he can use to prove it to Arthur. No one's happy now.

I kinda love not knowing where they'll decide to go with the show. They've stomped all over the traditional parts of the legend, mostly for the better. I also can't believe we only have four more episodes left in the season. It feels like it just started!

ETA: Damn, I probably shouldn't be surprised, but the response from other areas of fandom is EPIC. I didn't realize people were so attached to the Guinevere/Lancelot "romance", especially considering Lancelot was such a late addition to the legend. I'm starting to feel like destina and I are in our own lonely little corner.

Comments

[destina.livejournal.com]

Man oh man, Arthur's restraint in this with Gwen, and his contrasting lack of restraint when he first found them, was chilling. Literal chills, running up and down my spine. The power he holds in check is frightening, and the way he's controlling his emotions...eeeeep. He's a good man, and a good king, but OMG now he's going to start compartmentalizing, and that is not good.

SUCH A GREAT SEASON!

[castalianspring.livejournal.com]

IKR? You have to wonder if that hurt and anger is going to start spilling over into other areas. I was glad he didn't take any of it out on Merlin, at least.