Series Three Spoilery Link - BEWARE

[magog_83]

Er... I believe dingogrrl has just discovered the ENTIRE PLOT of Merlin, series 3, episode 1.

Apparently it was listed on Amazon as a synopsis for one of the new Merlin novelisations!

Needless to say, the link has HUMUNGOUS SPOILERS for episode 1, so do not read if you don't want to know the whole episode (or what sounds extremely likely to be it anyway).

Link to her journal

WARNING!! THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS IN MY JOURNAL TOO.

ETA: Why does the 'mood:surprised' face just look kind of... happy? And quite chilled out. Unless that's just my computer lying to me.

Comments

[giecast.livejournal.com]

Eeep! I get that every episode is action-driven. But I really want some logical character development dammit! That and the magic reveal. *Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease* Where is Arthur during all these skeleton attacks, I wonder? And of course it ends with Uther going "magic is evil" again.

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I'm sure he'll be out there fighting, until Merlin saves the day and then he'll have been knocked unconscious by a stray flying fibula :(

I love the show, I do, but WHY SO FRUSTRATING?!

I'm starting to realise that there is a lot I'd sacrifice for a magic reveal, I really think the show needs it, and that Merlin and Arthur need it, and that my head may explode if we don't get it before the show ends... But in the meantime I'm just hoping they will at least make Morgana something more than a Disney Villain, just a smidge of characterisation would be lovely, no matter how she feels about Uther and Merlin now, she cannot hate Arthur! Or Gwen, surely.

[giecast.livejournal.com]

Ugh! I don't wanna deal with conveniently-knocked-out Arthur for much longer. I'm with you on the magic reveal. If we don't get it soon, I'll probably start yelling at someone. And kicking things. I mean, Arthur and Merlin are meant to be allies/partners/bffs thingy. The magic reveal should be a natural progression of their relationship, surely? I simply cannot see why they're prolonging it. Think of all the awesomeness it can make possible. *contemplates the awesomeness sadly*

I want Morgana to be conflicted, at least. I don't think it would be believable if she suddenly wants to destroy Camelot. I mean, we saw in S1 and S2 that she's concerned of its citizens. *hopes and hopes*

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

*contemplates awesomeness with equal sadness*

I love the way they present it in the synopsis, "as they fight, he almost reveals his own gift!" like we're all going to go "OH NOES. THANK GOD MORGANA DIDN'T NOTICE!"

Pfft. I certainly made a face at that point, but it was not one of relief, I can tell you.

[tearful-eye.livejournal.com]

nooo, i can't resist spoilers like that D:

"Morgana quietly slips down to the vaults and unleashes a gruesome army of skeletons;" ... what?! *dies* this show is the crackiest thing ever. (yay)
+ maybe lj thinks all surprises are happy-making & awesome! you know, like - you wake up one sunny day and there is an army of possessed skeletons running around in your castle. SURPRISE \o/ (or the extremely surprising fact that your favorite manservant is actually a powerful sorcerer. it's awesome, right?)

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I want to know whose skeletons she's unleashing! Are they Uther's relatives? Will they have to collect them up afterwards and play Which Skeleton Goes Where in the Pendragon Family Vault?!

(or the extremely surprising fact that your favorite manservant is actually a powerful sorcerer. it's awesome, right?)

THIS WOULD INDEED BE AWESOME. Please take note Merlin writers!

[ella-bane.livejournal.com]

NOT LOOKING. NOT LOOKING. NOT LOOKING.

Er. Hi!

I'm serious about not looking. I don't want to be truly spoiled, kwim?

[zafra.livejournal.com]

*holds your hand in solidarity* We'll help each other not peek, yeah?!

[ella-bane.livejournal.com]

YES. I didn't even look at the replies to this post I'm so paranoid. I really, really don't want to be spoiled.

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

STAY STRONG

Spoilers don't bother me (in fact I really like 'being prepared', except for Harry Potter when I probably would have killed anyone who told me the ending!), but I know other people don't like them at all :)

Actually I think I'll go add a warning that there are spoilers in the comments, just in case anyone else comments, but doesn't want to know what's happening!

[shiny4love.livejournal.com]

I started to read the first line but thankfully stopped 5 words in and said NO I will not spoil myself.

I'm so proud of myself :)

I am getting desperate for the new season though. It does seem silly that the BBC would allow something like that though?

I am hoping that I can stay strong and avoid reading this, I think I can. Thanks anyway for the link if things get desperate I may come back to it.

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

:D You have WAY more willpower than I will ever have!!

I think, if the synopsis is genuine, then it's probably one of those things that has got out through the publishing company. The BBC is so huge, and the producers probably have very little to do with the day to day business of the marketing and merchandise. I remember when someone released an episode of Merlin on itunes (or possibly iplayer) a day early during series 2, I bet they got into some trouble for that ;)

STAY STRONG! September will come soon enough :) It better do anyway, I need my Merlin fix!

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I'm starting to wonder if series 1 has any continuity at all with the rest! Sometimes it doesn't feel like it :( I find it very sad, after they set Morgana up as someone who would do anything for her friends and had a very strong moral sense (stronger than Arthur even), and then in series 2 they seemed to change her character so quickly for the worse.

I suppose it might be that she thinks getting rid of Uther will free the people of Camelot?? I hope they give her SOME justification, apart from cackling and hatching plots - I prefer her complicated!

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I don't understand why people would think Morgana would come back with one shred of goodness left. She's been gone a whole year - with Morgause the manipulative bitch. She certainly knows that Merlin poisoned her and likely Morgause spun her some half-truth and made things even worse.

Morgana has been slowly becoming evil anyway. She would rather that others be killed than her return to Camelot in the Druid's camp episode. She didn't tell Uther that the druids were innocent when they were and it wouldn't have cost her anything to tell him the truth. She helped Alvarr who has said clearly that no one is innocent if they stand with Uther and after a moment's pause, she agreed. She kept lying to Merlin in ep. 12, the only person there that she could tell the truth and she didn't! She's been distancing herself from Gwen and used her (lied to her) to help get Alvarr out.

So why would anyone really think she'd come back and be the same person from series 1? That person died long ago.

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I think I have a problem with it for two reasons. The first being that I don't believe that someone who is basically good and has such a strong moral sense could lose that so completely. The Morgana of series 1 was shown from the very first episode to be someone who had great empathy and then in subsequent episodes, she was shown to be kind, and brave and loyal to her friends (can you tell Morgana is my favourite character after Merlin?? ;)). I mean, I hate characters just being 'evil' anyway, it feels so lazy, like SHE IS EVIL, HATE HER! But I don't hate Morgana, I feel hugely sorry for her. I also hate to think of her being so easily manipulated, what on earth happened to her strong mind?

The second thing is, that I agree that series 2 Morgana could easily become series 3 Morgana, but my problem is that I didn't follow the characterisation between series 1 and 2 at all. I didn't see WHY Morgana behaved the way she did in series 2, it was so weakly characterised and plotted to me. I get that we're supposed to think that her discovery of her magic made everything different, but I can't see how that makes her indifferent to the fate of everyone she loves. The way she behaved towards the druids seemed so out of character to me, and how easily she was manipulated by Alvarr too, and her treatment of Gwen. I felt like I was being manipulated as a viewer into thinking she was evil, when I just felt a bit confused about why she was behaving the way she was, and also sad that she was being manipulated by everyone around her and no-one was giving her the opportunity to make any informed decisions.

I don't know, I did enjoy series 2, but I really feel like the writers don't have a clue what they're doing with their characters. Gwen and Morgana, to me, became such different people, and I missed the series 1 versions :(

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

While I agree that season 2 Morgana is much more likely to be a self-centered person than season 1, I still think she had the seeds of it in S1. Her willingness to kill Uther in cold blood in s01.12 was chilling. I can see someone who is kind brave and loyal to her friends could also be quite ruthless to those outside her circle.

Also in s1, she's manipulative throughout, used to using her charms to get what she wants (even in s1.01), doesn't think of the consequences when she does help s01.06 (Mordred one) and s01.12, aggressive s01.10, and willing to use her friends to her own ends in s01.06. It could be considered kindness or just she's rich enough and powerful enough in s1 that it doesn't hurt her or her friends to be kind until s01.12 and then she goes ballistic.

I don't consider Morgana to be evil in any case. She's making choices that are difficult and based on what information she has, she's going for it. I see her more as a fanatic - there were times she was so in s1 - and that passion is leading her in the wrong for Merlin and Camelot direction. It's not necessarily wrong for the sorcerers, though.

I actually do like that she's being manipulated by all those around her and she's basing her actions on false information. It makes me feel sorry for her rather than think she is this evil witch.

I'm going to give the writers the benefit of the doubt for now. I don't expect Merlin to be high Shakespeare but more cheesy drama so I guess my expectations are lower - which means that I won't be as disappointed (my philosophy of life) as others might be.

[nefreed.livejournal.com]

Series 1 Morgana may have been good and kind but she was impulsive, rash and manipulative. Case in point is episode 12. She plots the whole thing with the Tauren to Kill Uther. What was so different between Tauren and Alvarr? They were both justified in their anger against Uther. But at the last minute she changes her mind and literally stabs Tauren in the back. She has not a strong mind.

She is a lot like Uther in some ways. Able to see only one side of a story and convinced only she is right and damn the consequences. Just as Uther is ready to kill innocents in his fight against magic, she is ready to the same in the fight for magic. Are they both evil? Are they both justified? Thats the question. Its shades of grey, not black or white.

I guess if one is rooting for Arthur and Merlin, then Morgana is evil, because her actions are trying to harm them. So it depends on which characters you like :)

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

I think that is it. It really depends on the characters you like and that may color what enjoyment you get out of a series. To me, Morgana had problems from the very start so I'm not that focused on her being good or evil. I'm more about Merlin and Arthur so those are the ones I focus on.

[a8c-sock.livejournal.com]

Magical people: like James Bond villans in a way.

No I'm not going to shoot you I shall put you in a highly elaborate trap which you can escape from and spoil my ridiculous fantastical high budget plans for world domination!

No I am not going to simply magic myself into the castle and stab Uther whilst he is sleeping. I shall find some ridiculous spell or magical device to help me wreak a revenge that can be easily foiled by a young wizard with trust issues.

Oh show.

*goes off to write crack!fic*

[sparksflyout.livejournal.com]

Well, crap. *covers eyes* I DONT WANT TO BE SPOILED.

But good find!