4.05: His Father's Son

[Dave]

For the first time since his coronation, Arthur finds out what it's really like to be King. Arthur faces his first true test as King when he incurs the wrath of the formidable Queen Annis. With the lives of thousands hanging in the balance, Arthur must find the strength to be his own man and become the leader Camelot so desperately needs.

Seemed like a fairly pedestrian episode, but by the end there are some substantial changes with Arthur confirmed as King and then kissing Gwen.

They played on the fact that Arthur is alone, isolated and unsupported, way too much. I don't believe that, other than to take the advice of come-lately evil uncle, his only recourse is to take the advice of a servant and of the daughter of a blacksmith. In his Council of War there were a few familiar faces, including the man in charge of the Library who crowned him (don't know the names.) His father must have had other confidants.

Not sure on the Star Trek decide by mortal combat thing. If I was the Queen of Annis I think it would be only fair to execute Arthur for executing my husband. That isn't revenge, just an eye-for-an-eye. Then they all could have gone home.

Was Merlin aware that Arthur's sword was charmed? He didn't appear to be, which makes a huge difference. It means that he wasn't just making the fight fair, but he was actively changing the outcome of it by magic and has no second thoughts about doing so. Is Arthur still using that sword, or does the charm wear off?

As for next week, while it seems increasingly unrealistic that Merlin can keep his secret from Arthur any longer, it is even less realistic that he has kept it from Morgana at all.
Spoiler:-It looks like another slapstick episode anyway with Merlin charmed to attack Arthur but frequently missing his target.
Yawn!

 

[ctg]

What happened to my thread? I swear I made one yesterday morning.

Damn.

Mysteries.

I found this episode much more mysterious than the last week one. Mysterious and compelling ... and very intriguing. And I for one would have wanted them to extend this episode to last over two or even three parts. The whole mystery behind the young King is compelling and very intriguing, don't you think?

I don't care how much the uncle in manipulating Arthur. I really don't, but then again I feel that he is one that must die. Possibly tragically. Not horribly. And not because he's in a conspiracy with Morgana.

If I could put this episode in different light, I'd say that there was many parallels to Aragon's trials at the fields of Gondor. The army sent from the north could have easily been Saruman's army of orcs. But it wasn't. Not even by it's strength in ten thousand spears. No, to me it was showing an army of Picts or Norsemen, and the lady holding the reins was a true warrior queen; wise and swift in action.

So I guess I could say that I did like this episode much more than the last week episode. It certainly was different to the ones we have seen before, and they didn't need an army of skeletons to make it compelling to watch.

I hope that BBC keeps digging in to the history and bringing out more of these rather than the sorcerers of the week.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I thought, despite the very valid points made, this was a lot better. At least it seemed to be moving the story on, and actually the Agravaine character I thought was getting a little stronger. I think the problem is everything is stalled until they let the magic out, so it all seems a little bit time wasting. Also, I thought they missed an opportunity to give Arthur excaliber, or maybe this is where it's going, if the enchantment doesn't get lifted?

 

[Mouse]

I was out last night so I watched it on the iPlayer this morning. I thought it was all right, kinda nice to see an episode with more Arthur than Merlin.

I still find Morgana irritating with her stupid glances. And I can't get over Dunstan Thorn being evil.

 

[TL Rese]

"Then they all could have gone home." - hahaha awesome.

yup, def some valid points here. the series, in general, isn't a masterpiece, but i still think it's fun to watch. i actually thought this episode was more interesting than some of the others. i liked that they spent some time delving into arthur's feelings of isolation now that he's king. - being king is a big change and a big responsiblity that a lot of other works just ignore with a simple, "bam! he's king n he luvs it! ain't it great?"