Sins of the Father's Baneling ... Merlin and Legend of the Seeker

[fembuck]

This was a thoroughly enjoyable morning of fantasy television!



bling pic fromla_esmeralda_

First thoughts .... Mm, Morgause.


Emilia Fox was delicious, especially when she was all dirty and/or dressed in men's undies. Pretty much all of her outfits when she was at Camelot made my pants happy.

Oh, hai Morgana! I almost forgot you existed. I'm glad that you could reintroduce yourself to us with crazy incestuous sexual tension! I was actually sad for a minute when it was revealed that Morgause was Morgana's half-sister because their scenes together were so crazy gay.



From Morgana being completely entranced (and looking a little uneasy about it) by her during the scene where Morgause challenged Arthur, to Morgana watching Morgause out the window and Morgause looking back up at her. Then Morgana, MORGANA, getting all stuttery and coy and Morgause's presence in her room while Morgause was being all suave and shit and circling around her like Morgana was a succulent steak. Then of course, Morgause watching Morgana sleep, because leaving expensive jewelery for her. For a while there Morgause was a total pimp!


Merlin screecaps yanked from

majorrogue

Still crazy chemistry being incestuous have never stopped me from shipping it before, and Morgana doesn't know about the relation to each other which could lead to interesting developments in Femslash-land.

And my non-femslashy/non-incesty thought for the episode ...

Aw, poor Merlin. He was so happy when Arthur seemed to be changing his mind about people who weld magic.



Legend of the Seeker - 2x02 - Baneling

This show is so my new crack! I was super disappointed that I was so drunk I had to wait until this morning to finish watching the episode. I'd been looking forward to it all day.

First of all, Zedd and Kahlan sleeping with her Sexy Blades of Death under their pillows at night cracked me up. Especially Zedd doing it.



Secondly, I found it very interesting how Cara was studying Kahlan trying to learn how to be 'a good person' from observing her. I liked that it showed that Cara has respect for Kahlan, and understands that there are things she can learn from Kahlan even though they are very different people.



I also liked that Cara letting that douchebag go 'to bury his brother' happened with no one around to impress, because it showed a genuine desire on her part to do something 'good', and that it wasn't just a power-play or a manipulation technique. It makes me sad that that asshat lied to her, so that her first time trying to be a decent human being ended up with her figuratively getting spit in her face.



It did allow for this brilliant exchange though:

Cara: A man came to the stables asking for a horse so his brother could be buried.
Kahlan: And you believed his story?
Cara: (to Richard) The Confessor told me I had to show more compassion.
Kahlan: (indignant) Are you saying this is my fault?
Cara: (deadpan) Yes.

Kahlan in Mother Confessor mode, comforting people and stroking their legs and hugging them and shit, is the best. I dig 'mothering' Kahlan just as much as I dig Weilding the Sexy Blades of Death Kahlan, for serious. I want Kahlan to hug me!!!

Cara's smile when Richard told her to go after that douche who stole the treasure cracked me up. She looked so happy, like a kid on Christmas morning. She was all like, "Yay! Torture and blood!"



I probably shouldn't be so amused by her malicious glee, but I am. I can't help it, she's just awesome. I'm going to totally enjoy watching her jab that asshole with her Agiel next episode, hopefully multiple times. Egads, he is an irritating person.

Speaking of that clotpole, I really wish I knew what Cara whispered to him though. I'm sure it was sexy as hell. Mm, seductress Cara. I'm liking her layers.

I also like that she fights with two Agiels.

Did somebody order a double helping of PAIN???

I love how Kahlan managed to touch Richard's bare man-chest like twice this episode. It's like 'damn, gurl. Keep it in your flowing white robes!' lol. Aw, poor Kahlan, she's horny. And now that Cara's always hanging around camp at night she can't even 'get to know herself', lol. Seriously though, her slowly stroking his chest was pretty hot.



Oooh, killing your enemies give the Keeper more soldiers. Quite the predicament our heroes find themselves in, quite the predicament.

CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPY! I knew the ending with William was coming, but it was still freaking as hell when that knife came out and then watching him walk away. Little kid killers are always the creepiest things ever. I wonder how that thing with William worked, did he die first and accept the Keeper's offer, and then his mother had to die so she could come back as Baneling and help him? Either way, creepy.

Question about the No Undies World: Does every get sent there? If that priest guy and a little boy could end up in the Keeper's pit of naked writhing bodies, then is there a shiny, happy alternative? Cause, if so that sucks hardcore.

Richard was consistendly smart this episode. I was like O_o But I'm happy for him. Really ;

Comments

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

re: Merlin

Thank GOD! I was like *thisclose* to bailing on this show (still haven't watched eps 6 and 7) because of the lack of Morgana and/or Gwen.. and my feeling/fear that both Gwen and Morgana's story arcs are going to be mostly handwaved. Honestly, at the rate that EVERYONE is lying to Morgana, I think I'm going to be happy when she goes all medieval on everyone's asses.

But, this episode was *really* good and the Morgana/Morgause bits were like the icing on the cake.

Although, I had a hard time feeling sorry for Merlin at the end. Mainly because I feel, while keeping Arthur from killing Uther was the right thing, making Arthur believe magic is bad makes Merlin complicit in Uther's tyranny against magic. That, by saving Uther, he's condemned those around him who practice magic.

But, this is more a criticism against the writing more than anything else.

Still crazy chemistry being incestuous have never stopped me from shipping it before...

Plus, it's the Middle Ages/Fantasy Land, it was practically *required* that family members sleep with each other!

re: LotS

Could the PTB at LotS give the PTB at Sanctuary like a week long seminar on 'How To Create Morally Ambiguous and Badass Female Characters THAT DON'T SUCK'!?!

What I really like is that the conflict between Cara and Kahlan ISN'T all about Richard. And, symbolically, what both Richard and Kahlan represent to Cara. I like that they're establishing a character arc for Cara as opposed to just throwing her into the mix as 'the badass chick in leather.. who gets between the TWU WUV of our heroes'.

And now that Cara's always hanging around camp at night she can't even 'get to know herself', lol.

I'm pretty certain Cara would be more than willing to help Kahlan 'get to know herself'!

If that priest guy and a little boy could end up in the Keeper's pit of naked writhing bodies, then is there a shiny, happy alternative?

I assumed it was because they died so close to one of those rifts. I think Zed said something about this. But, it was kinda confusing.

[ic1pher.livejournal.com]

Although, I had a hard time feeling sorry for Merlin at the end. Mainly because I feel, while keeping Arthur from killing Uther was the right thing, making Arthur believe magic is bad makes Merlin complicit in Uther's tyranny against magic. That, by saving Uther, he's condemned those around him who practice magic.
I don't believe that Merlin did that to keep Uther alive. He did it for Arthur. He did the wrong thing for the right reasons. The only thought in his mind in that moment might've been how this would destroy Arthur, if he didn't stop it. There's no right or wrong, just keeping Arthur from getting hurt. The condemnation of magic practitioners was just an unfortunate side effect. He betrayed Arthur(!) and his own people to save Arthur.

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

Lol, yeah but as Spock once said 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one'.

I mean, I get it. It was a very dramatic choice. I guess, at this point in the show, I'm getting a bit tired of the 'OMG, Merlin must keep his secret at all costs!' because, no, he doesn't. It is, for me, a writer's choice that has already become stale. Like the fact that it was only Merlin who made it to the room when Uther and Arthur were fighting, surely the entire Kingdom heard those two clashing swords.

Like, dramatically, I would have preferred Arthur still believing Uther betrayed his mother and continue the growing clash with his own father as opposed to the complete regression caused by Merlin's lie.

Although I am interested in next week's episode to see if the plot previewed involves ramifications/consequences of Merlin's decision.

All this is my rambling way of saying I'm getting a bit, uh, impatient with the series.. and its complete inability to use subplots to further the characterizations of anyone not named Merlin. But that's a totally different topic.

[ic1pher.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you're right. They did press the reset button. Not just for any minor thing, but actual major plot development. I see the reason for grievances people might have over this. I'm myself just so into the whole Arthur/Merlin relationship that those kind of things rarely register well.

Consequences for Merlin's actions in this episode would be much appreciated. If they act like it never happened I'd feel a bit very cheated I admit.

About consequences and unexpected but logical turns of events, I have high hopes for the Song of Ice and Fire series. Having read the books, they're quite unlike any fantasy series, being that nobody is safe and the world is very brutal and nihilistic. There are no magical reset buttons there.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I don't believe that Merlin did that to keep Uther alive. He did it for Arthur. He did the wrong thing for the right reasons.

This is my take on it as well. Uther dying would have immediately helped the magical people of Camelot (and the greater Camelot area), but the damage that it could have done to Arthur would have had longer lasting repercussions. It's like, could Arthur really become the Great King Arthur of legend if he had murdered his action as an act of revenge. Could he have been a pillar of justice with that hanging over him? I think not.

In the end, what Merlin did allowed for a future with a Great Arthur as king, instead of a creating a future with a dark, flawed Arthur as King.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I was like *thisclose* to bailing on this show (still haven't watched eps 6 and 7) because of the lack of Morgana and/or Gwen..

Yeah, Morgana and Gwen are a big part of my enjoyment. The last couple episodes I waited like days before watching them because I just didn't care that much.

Also, I miss Morgana being badass. Weepy Morgana isn't nearly as fun.

But, this episode was *really* good and the Morgana/Morgause bits were like the icing on the cake.

This. They were electric on screen together.

Could the PTB at LotS give the PTB at Sanctuary like a week long seminar on 'How To Create Morally Ambiguous and Badass Female Characters THAT DON'T SUCK'!?!

Heh. Sanctuary is dead to me now. But yeah, Cara >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> x infinity plus 1 over Kate fucking Freelander.

What I really like is that the conflict between Cara and Kahlan ISN'T all about Richard.

This! I was so happy to see that their interactions this week weren't all bitchy glances over Richard.

I assumed it was because they died so close to one of those rifts.

Ah! That makes sense. Thank you!