Merlin - 3x06 - The Castle of Fyrien

[fembuck]

So much Morgana/Morgause!  Twas a delight for the senses!

The Good

The Morgana and Morgause interactions in this episode were mint!  They were almost too gay to function. I swear to god the hand-holding and longing gazes between them were out of control.





.gifs by lovepb 

And Morgana's wooby look when Morgause got was too adorable for words!  She looked like a lost little puppy.  I wanted Morgause to get up and hug her forever after that look.



.gif by lovepb 

I also happen to have a ton of love for Cenred (who I fondly refer to as King Mean Girl, because it so is!) and I found his interactions with Morgause just as, if not more enjoyable, than the last time they were on screen together.  They are just so catty and delicious and Emilia Fox and Tom Ellis seem like they have tons of fun in their scenes together.

I like Gwen and Arthur together as well, I happen to think that Bradley and Angel have good chemistry together so the Gwen/Arthur awkward but adorable romantic scenes didn't bug me (I wanted to scream at Morgana and Merlin for the kiss-blocking).

And though it was a small moment, I really enjoyed Morgana covering her cup when Merlin was serving breakfast and tried to fill her glass.  I don't think that she thought he would try something since he'd just served Arthur and Uther from the same jug, but it was a nice little dig at Merlin letting him know that she remembered what he had done.  Merlin is really the only person besides Uther who Morgana has a justifiable grudge against so I can enjoy her bitchiness in regards to him.

The Bad

Morgana being EVIL.  I hate, hate, hate that they have made Morgana so cartoonishly, so cloak swishingly evil.  I'd say I don't understand why TPTB have done this, but I do know why.  It's because they're lazy hacks and making her completely evil is just easier than giving her depth.  But it's really, really, irritating because they could give her a little humanity without having to devote tons and tons of screen time to it.

They could have shown Morgana looking hesitant when talk of killing Arthur came up, and maybe showed Morgause trying to convince her that it was necessary.  They could have have given a brief shot of Morgana maybe wrapping up Gwen's injured wrists or something to show that she still cares about Gwen even though she is using her. We're talking about mere seconds of screen time here that could give Morgana back some humanity.

The only thing that stopped me for raging for this whole episode was how pretty Katie looked, and the Morgana/Morgause interactions.


Overall, I think I'm just going to have to resign myself to the fact this is a ridiculous show that will never really be satisfying because TPTB are more interested in fart jokes, and having Arthur throw things at Merlin than they in character development and internal logic.  *sigh*

Comments

[tempest819.livejournal.com]

It's because they're lazy hacks and making her completely evil is just easier than giving her depth. But it's really, really, irritating because they could give her a little humanity without having to devote tons and tons of screen time to it.

THIS! I enjoy this show. It's not my favorite, it's not the best (I could do without all those troll/fairy episodes that inevitable induce some character with gastro-intestinal problems) but it is enjoyable. I'm not sure how I feel about Morgana this season. I understand her turn against Uther. That can be justified. But the way she is so cool and calm about also turning against Gwen and Arthur, I don't really buy that. I would have liked to see her struggle with that more. Every time they close out on scene with her she flashes one of those cliche ''muaahhhh, I'm evil now and you are fools muahhhh' grins and I just want to slap her across the face and be like 'Molly, you in danger girl!"

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I totes understand exactly how you feel. In season one I was mistaken under the impression that Merlin was a well-written show, but season 2 freed me of that perception (though I still enjoyed the show enough to keep watching).

I was excited for the Dark Morgana arc, but the way they've handled it (and so many other things) has been really, really inept and disappointing. Her hatred of Merlin and Uther makes sense and I'm fine with her ruthlessness in regards to them (even though Merlin is the hero of the show), but her behavior towards Gwen and Arthur just does not make any sense and smacks of bad writing and bad plotting.

*sigh* I think the only thing in regards to Morgana that won't piss me off this season is her relationship with Morgause and the fact that Katie gets prettier the more evil they make her. Poor, poor Katie though having to evil grin her way through the season as they assassinate her character.

[mistressdenna93.livejournal.com]

This is what I don't understand... Morgana used to be good. I mean, they spent almost two entire seasons building her up into a sympathetic character that everyone could like and cheer for. And considering the fact that she's essentially one of the most famous villains in Arthurian legend... that took some work. Thus, they obviously wanted the audience to like her. And now they're doing this to her? I don't get it. What was the point of building her into a good character if the intention all along was to turn her into a two-dimensional caricature of a person whose only notable character trait is her ability to grin maliciously? It's just ridiculous.

The writers had so much to work with, too. Her hatred for Uther = totally justifiable. He's an asshat. However, there should have been at least a little conflict in her head when it came to Gwen and Arthur. Even Merlin, I suppose. They did used to be really close... before he tried to kill her, anyway. I get that she hates Uther and loves her sister. It's impossible not to get how much she loves her sister (and you're right... their interactions are pretty much the only thing making the show tolerable right now... I love them...). However, those two emotions shouldn't negate every other feeling she's ever had.

Sorry for the rambling. She's my favorite character and I just really hate what they're doing to her. It's just so very wrong. Stupid writers.

[lovepb.livejournal.com]

I agree, I so wish they would add some depth to the female characters. Morgana would still love Arthur and Gwen and would falter when it came to them. Gwen's a much to blame as she hasn't seemed to care about Morgana at all when in the first series, after her father died, Morgana was practically her whole world. And Morgause needs some humanity injecting back into her, like she had in The Sins of the Father.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Morgana used to be good. I mean, they spent almost two entire seasons building her up into a sympathetic character that everyone could like and cheer for...And now they're doing this to her?

I know. It's super frustrating. It's like why did they even bother making her a sympathetic character if they weren't the least bit interested in tracing HOW she turned into the iconic Morgan le Faye? She's so cartoonish now that the first season presentation of her seems to be completely useless because there are virtually no elements of that character people loved in this incarnation.

I feel so bad for Katie, because like all of us she obviously has a deep love for her character, but week after week she has to basically assassinate the character she spent two seasons building up because the writers are lazy.

However, those two emotions shouldn't negate every other feeling she's ever had.

This is it! It's not like she's become cold to everyone. She is still capable of love as seen with Morgause, so it makes no sense that she would so callously turn on people who had been so good to her. Honestly, I can see her loathing Merlin, but Arthur and Gwen? Come on. Arthur being a Daddy's boy shouldn't be enough to eclipse the years they spent growing up together. Plus, he's her half-brother and you'd think that would mean something to her considering how close she and Morgause are. And Gwen, Gwen has never been anything but loyal to her. Turning on Gwen especially is just low and there's no reason for it.

Don't worry about the rambling, as you can see my disgust with the presentation of Morgana leads to rambling too!

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I so wish they would add some depth to the female characters.

Season two really made me begin to suspect that TPTB didn't really give a shit about the female characters, and this season is just really cementing that. It's like Arthur, Merlin and Uther don't really get much character development, but there are numerous episodes that try to trick us into thinking they are developing. Morgana and Gwen have gotten no such character study moments. Gwen's episodes are usually all about the men in her life, and Morgana has had all personality except of EVIL and (possibly incestuous love) stripped from her. It's like the writers were too bored to bother explaining how this slightly spoiled but generally decent and kind woman could slowly turn into one of the biggest villains in Arthurian legend.

Gwen's a much to blame as she hasn't seemed to care about Morgana at all when in the first series, after her father died, Morgana was practically her whole world.

So much word! It's like they have Gwen thrown a few confused looks are Morgana and that's supposed to represent their friendship. Where's the episode where Gwen and Morgana have to go on a quest together and talk out their issues? Where are the scenes where Gwen questions Morgana about her distance? The only time this season Gwen has seemed to really care about Morgana was in the Crystal Cave when she was dying, and even then I feel like the writers just had her be concerned so that they could get that shot of Arthur hugging Gwen to comfort her.

And Morgause needs some humanity injecting back into her, like she had in The Sins of the Father.

*sigh* I know. I'd love to see the ideological Morgause come back. The only that was concerned with justice and safety for those with magic, instead of this Morgause who just wants to see Morgana in a shiny crown. But of course, Morgause had a legitimate point of contention with Uther/Camelot last season so of course they had to assassinate her character as well in order to try and make the baby-drowner seen sympathetic.

[mistressdenna93.livejournal.com]

I feel so bad for Katie, because like all of us she obviously has a deep love for her character, but week after week she has to basically assassinate the character she spent two seasons building up because the writers are lazy.

Exactly. It's so sad to watch her sacrifice so much of the character she created just so the writers don't have to put forth the effort to write a meaningful character arch. I seriously keep waiting for her to look into the camera and just be like, "I'm sorry, but this is just too much. I am NOT smirking anymore. Do you hear me? NO MORE EVIL SMIRKING! I'M DONE!"

She is still capable of love as seen with Morgause, so it makes no sense that she would so callously turn on people who had been so good to her.

What bothers me the most about this is that is makes it look like she's suffering from some medieval form of Stockholm Syndrome. It's as though all the love she ever felt for anything/anyone is now focused entirely on Morgause, to the exclusion of everything else... which might actually have been an interesting idea to explore, had the writers cared enough to find a rational explanation for her behavior. Which of course they didn't.

Honestly, I can see her loathing Merlin

Agreed. Merlin (and Uther, of course) is really the only one who honestly deserves her loathing. Part of what's been bothering me about him lately is that he doesn't appear to feel any actual remorse over the fact that he tried to kill her. BEFORE he knew for certain that she was evil. It's as though, because she's evil now, it's somehow okay that he poisoned her then. He doesn't even take into account the fact that his poisoning/betrayal of her might very well have been one of the things that drove her to become the sociopath she now is. He's so fixated on Arthur and his "destiny" that he can't see how hypocritical he's being.

Arthur being a Daddy's boy shouldn't be enough to eclipse the years they spent growing up together. Plus, he's her half-brother and you'd think that would mean something to her considering how close she and Morgause are.

I don't see why Morgause gave up on her original plan to use Arthur against his father. She's not exactly the type of person who abandons a plan just because it failed once (or she would have given up overthrowing Uther three attempts ago), so why did she abandon Arthur? It seems to me that the best way to make use of Arthur and Morgana would have been to manipulate Arthur's bond with her. Arthur falls in love (magical or real, it doesn't matter) with Morgana... Morgana reveals that she has magic... Uther turns on Morgana and forces Arthur to choose between his father and his love... the result? Arthur overthrows his father to defend Morgana. Now Arthur is on the throne and Morgana (and Morgause, vicariously) is in a position of power in Camelot. I'm not sure how Merlin and Gwen would have fit into all that, but I'm sure Morgause could have figured something out. Then they could have reintroduced Mordred and started playing with that bit of the Arthur/Morgana/Merlin dynamic. That's what I would have done, anyway.

Again with the rambling... I think I'm done now.

[theagonyofblank.livejournal.com]

I agree with everything you've said here. What makes me sad is that the general public? Probably has no problem hating Morgana. I don't care that she's evil - she's supposed to be - but I just want her to be sympathetically evil, or relatably evil. Like, I want a proper explanation and development, not this crap they just threw at us and expect us to believe.