franticsga

Merlin
Episode 4
The Poisoned Chalice
US Air Date:  June 28, 2009


Oh, Poisoned Chalice. 

You know, I consider myself a pretty seasoned slash fangirl.  I've been poking around looking for homosexual subtext in my entertainment for just over five years.  I've read dissertations on the underlying emotion in facial expressions and body language, on television shows where the writers would probably go on strike if the word "gay" came into contact with their precious self-inserts characters.  And on the other end of the spectrum, there's Torchwood.

Merlin in general falls somewhere between the two extremes.  The writers admit that they're aware of the subtext, and they play neither to nor against it.  Looking at episodes 3, 5, 6, and 12, I probably would only see mildly slashy undertones (which is why it's probably no surprise those are my least favorite episodes).  I'd say "Well, this is an interesting show," and I'd still watch it, but I'd be much less entertained.

Episode 4, however, makes up for the lack in such a big way that it's hard to encompass in a recap.  I will admirably try to contain my pointing and going "HA!" but I warn you that I am shamelessly biased.  Uh, in case you couldn't tell by my previous recaps.

So let's get started.

We begin with Nimueh again.  She's dripping her own blood-- I assume-- into her cauldron and swishing it around.  Still smiling, I see.  She's plucking the petals of a flower and reciting a spell, using the phrase "to Camelot ye comen," like she did with the spell that called up the poo monster last episode.  I like that the spells are all in Old English (not to be confused with Ye Olde Englyfh), although I do think that level of detail could have been applied elsewhere on the show.  Like, say, the costuming department?  Just a thought.  Nimueh pulls a now-clear petal from the cauldron and sticks it to the side of a goblet, saying "Meeehlin."  A British accent comes in so handy when sounding villainous.  Americans can't attain quite that level of sinister intention, but then our greatest villain comes from Texas, so what do I know.

Next scene.  We see a bunch of people riding into Camelot, and go immediately to the throne room, where the Jets square off against the Sharks.  Seriously-- Uther and his cronies are all dressed in red and the other guy and his crew are all in blue, and they have some sort of competitive walk-off until they meet in the middle of the throne room.  Uther can strut like no other, but I think the other king wins the walk-off simply due to his gloriously flowing locks.

Uther:  Camelot welcomes you.  Our treaty will be signed the moment you tell me who does your hair.
Bayard:  I employ seven stylists at any given time, and kill them once they've passed on their secrets to the next.
Uther:  I admire your methods.  In Camelot we're known for our tailors, who make the most perfectly fitting trousers in the land.  As you can see, the Pendragons are not Jewish.
Bayard:  I noticed the fit from miles away.  I hope we two peoples can share our cultural strengths.  *shakes hands*
Arthur:  *slow clap*  Thank god, my roots are about a centimeter away from letting everyone know I'm not a natural blond.

Nimueh watches the action disguised as a servant.  She glares at Merlin, probably because of his neckerchief.  Girl, look to the turban on your own head before you start pointing out the stupid blue scarf on someone else.

Back from credits, Merlin is carrying something heavy into the castle and grumbling about it to Gaius, who's like, "Haha, you're a servant and I'm old so I don't have to carry stuff."  Nimueh passes by them and fake trips.  Ah, the old "oops, I spilled all my stuff in front of you and gave you a chance to look down my shirt" method.  Not that I've ever utilized such a maneuver, but television shows would have you believe it works every time.  Merlin makes eyes at Nimueh as he helps her with her little pile of pillows.  With their dark hair, pale skin, and super super blue eyes (although I know Michelle Ryan's are contacts), the two of them look a bit like relatives.  Toss Morgana in there and it looks like the casting directors are trying to make a point about sorcerers.  

Merlin attempts to flirt with Nimueh, who calls herself Cara, while Gaius watches and rolls his eyes.  Nimueh, having gotten Merlin's attention, moves on and sneaks into the room where some sort of ceremonial goblets are being stored.  She switches out one of them for her goblet and smiles.  Seriously, the smiling.  I like Michelle Ryan, but the smiles get on my nerves. 

Next scene, Arthur's chambers.  Merlin's dragged some of Arthur's clothes out of...storage?  Yeah, I don't know.  Wherever they've been, they haven't been washed, Arthur tells him, since "last year sometime, before the feast of Beltane."  Maybe they should have stayed in storage, because the jacket Arthur tries on looks like something Janet Jackson's backup dancers in Rhythm Nation would have worn to the company Christmas party. 

Ah, the conversation that spawned a hundred fanfics.  Arthur, who apparently engages in food fights at most banquets, tells Merlin that tonight he will be attending as well.  Merlin's excited for a moment, until Arthur tells him he'll be there to fill Arthur's wine glass. 

Arthur:  Don't you want to know what you'll be wearing?
Merlin:  Well, I have a dress neckerchief for fancy occasions.
Arthur:  I have a better idea.  *holds up foofy hat and cape*
Merlin:  WOT.
Arthur:  Daddy wouldn't let me play with dolls when I was little. 
Merlin:  NO WAY.
Arthur:  I'll let you touch my--
Merlin:  Done.




At the ceremony, Bayard signs the official treaty allowing Camelot two of his hair stylists in exchange for two of Camelot's tailors, while Uther and Arthur look on.  Merlin, on the sidelines next to Gwen, stands in his red pointy-collared robe and Three Musketeers hat, looking adorable.  Gwen is openly giggling at him, which makes me wonder where Arthur got this getup.  Obviously it's not really the ceremonial robes of the servants of Camelot if Gwen's pointing and laughing.  Merlin shakes his head and gives the most adorable dimply pouty face to Arthur, who smirks and nods.

Nimueh, meanwhile, being a bored sorceress with nothing better to do than hang around Camelot watching treaties get signed, glares at Merlin.  Merlin immediately takes off his floofy hat and smoothes down his hat hair.  He needs to talk to JD from Scrubs so he can get a Hair-met for the next time Arthur makes him play dress-up.

Finally, Bayard is done signing the treaty.  Everybody claps, and Bayard starts to babble about how the blood of his men has stained the ground between the walls of Camelot and the gates of Mercia.  So...still not quite over that yet, I see.  But he's willing to put it all behind him!  And we're not sure why!  As a token of his new-found, though inexplicable, affection for Camelot, he presents Uther and Arthur with ceremonial goblets.  Arthur's is significantly smaller than Uther's.  I can just see that conversation. 

While Bayard is presenting the phallic symbols goblets, Nimueh books it across the throne room so she can tell Merlin that the goblet is poisoned.  Merlin, as usual, shows that he is not the brightest wand at Ollivander's.

Nimueh:  The goblet's poisoned.
Merlin:  Whoa, slow down.  Wot?
Nimueh:  The goblet.  Is.  Poisoned.
Merlin:  You're talking nonsense.  Whose goblet?
Nimueh:  LOOK.  LOOK WHERE MY FINGER IS POINTING.
Merlin:  Ooooooh.  Well.  What am I supposed to do then?
Nimueh:  Seriously?  Maybe it's a good thing I'm trying to kill you.  
Merlin:  What?
Nimueh:  Nothing.  You idiot.

After commercial, Bayard is toasting everybody, their mother, their dog, and some of the ants on the floor, while Arthur keeps trying to have a sip of his wine.  I know that feeling.  I was at a wedding a couple of weeks ago where something similar happened.  Plus, you know how there's always one guy who keeps hitting his glass with his fork even after the bride and groom have kissed?  And they keep banging away at it until somebody finally says, "Shut it, they're trying to eat"?  Well, this wedding had like seven of those guys. 

ANYWAY.  Bayard delays long enough so that Merlin is able to come rushing in to take Arthur's goblet away, shouting that it's poisoned.  Somehow he's lost both the cape and the feathered hat, leaving us to admire his adorableness in a blue shirt with too-long sleeves and the Official Tunic of Camelot.  Bayard and his men are not too happy to be accused of poisoning the goblet, drawing their swords.  AWWWW YEAH, it's time for a dance-off.  When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way!

Uther starts to yell at Merlin, but Arthur says he'll handle it.  I'll bet you will.  He asks Merlin if he's been at the sloe gin again.  Aww, Arthur knows him so well.  Actually, I want somebody to write me a story where Merlin and Arthur sneak in alcohol all the time when nothing else is going on and it's really boring in Camelot, and end up staggering through the castle all giggly and playing pranks on people and they keep waking up hung over with bits of clothes missing, but they refuse to talk about it.

Bayard, fed up, sheaths his sword and motions for the goblet to be given to him so he can drink the wine, but Uther says that if the wine is poisoned, Uther wants the pleasure of killing Bayard for himself.  Instead, he says, Merlin will drink it.

Arthur:  *wibble*  Daddy, we've been through this.  He's my favorite, remember?
Uther:  He keeps piddling on the floor, Arthur.  It's time to get a new one.
Arthur:  *pitches a temper tantrum*
Uther:  It won't work on me.  I've been watching Supernanny.
Arthur:  Damn.  That's dash cunning of you.

Merlin takes the goblet, and Mr. Boyfriend and I both exclaim, "Holy wow, look at how long his fingers are!"  Seriously, it looks like he's got an extra couple of knuckles there somewhere.  Arthur tries to stop him, but Merlin scootches him away and toasts first Bayard, then Uther.  Oh, snap.  He drinks the whole goblet, like, damn, Merlin, leave some for the rest of the table.  I suppose now isn't the time to mention that I hate slurping noises?  I don't know why, but it provokes some sort of primal embarrassment in me, and it's especially bad on television shows when I know the noise is being created by the sound effects people. 

Anyway, I half expect Merlin to burp afterward, because he just guzzled it like an experienced frat boy.  It appears he's fine for the first few seconds, and Uther tells Bayard he can do as he pleases with Merlin.  But then he starts to choke, and here's where you can tell Colin Morgan really is allergic to everything, because that's the classic "Oh my, I appear to be going into anaphylactic shock" pose.  He passes out from manly poisoning, and Arthur rushes over to him while Uther's men surround Bayard, and Nimueh practically has an orgasm of happiness.

Gaius tells Arthur they need to get him back to his chambers, so Arthur hauls Merlin over his shoulder and they head out.  In Gaius's chambers, Arthur carries Merlin over his shoulder like a pile of rags (which might very well be the case, given their budget), and I swoon a little.  I swear, I never used to swoon over the muscley guys, but Bradley James is just, like, phwwooargh.  Shut up.  I also like his personality, okay? 

Gaius looks at the goblet and sees the flower petal stuck inside of it.  It takes him about 5.2 seconds to track down the type of flower and its source.  He has great potential as a tabloid journalist.  I'm really jealous of this book Gaius has, because not only does it give detailed descriptions of how to cure the poison, it also shows a picture of the cave in which it grows, and the monster that guards it. 

Arthur points out the monster, and I wonder if this is the first time we've seen the silver ring he always wears?  I think it might be, unless I'm just used to it and didn't notice it in episodes 1-3.  It's extremely sexy.  Again.  Dude, I don't get it, okay?  Against all odds and inclinations I've somehow become a Bradley James girl instead of a Colin Morgan one.  I think it's because we seem to share a similar strain of lunacy.  I like people who are as daft as I am.  Libras are total narcissists, don't even deny it.

Gaius drones on and on about how dangerous and impossible it is to get the Morteus flower, which he should know is like catnip to Arthur.  Arthur looks conflicted for a moment, for form's sake, but then says it sounds like fun and la, he's off to get a flower for Merlin. 

Gaius:  But I said it was dangerous and impossible.
Arthur:  So what happens to Merlin then?
Gaius:  A slow and painful death.
Arthur:  So I should have time to get him some really nice flowers, then.
Gaius:  Oops, did I say slow?  I meant five days.
Arthur:  Bugger, I hope he doesn't mind those crap daisies you get for 5p at the supermarket checkout.

There's a really bizarre scene between Morgana and Gwen, where Gwen is really apologetic for leaving Morgana for a little while, and Morgana tells her it's all right and she should go be with Merlin.  I think it's sort of odd, how heavily the writers are implying the Gwen/Merlin in this episode.  Actually, I think Gwen/Merlin is a bit odd in any case, because as if the poor girl hasn't got enough men to worry about choosing between, am I right?

Meanwhile, Uther and Arthur are arguing about Arthur going off on a quest to find the Morteus flower.  Uther wonders what the point of having food testers is if Arthur's going to go off and get himself killed at every opportunity anyway.  Which brings me to tonight's Word:  Paranoia.  Why doesn't Uther have food testers?  It's not like he's so popular nobody would ever think of poisoning him.  And why, if he's so concerned about Arthur's well-being, does Uther try to get him slaughtered every episode?

But whatever, Arthur tries to get Uther to agree to let him ride off to fight a monster and go into a cave for a flower, and Uther is like "..."  Arthur goes into his room for a sulk, which in his case takes the form of leaning sexily against his fireplace, and Morgana comes in for her weekly pep talk. 

Arthur:  Blah blah sexism disguised as chivalry blah
Morgana:  *yawn*  Pussy.
Arthur:  I know.
Morgana:  Do we have to do this every week?
Arthur:  Yeah, I'm getting sick of it.  Let's say that Merlin gets to be my moral compass from now on, yeah?
Morgana:  Deal.

Arthur knocks over the guards to get out of the castle, and Nimueh watches through her cauldron...you guessed it, smiling.  

While Arthur is off on his quest, Gwen and Gaius are slowly figuring out that Bayard isn't the one who started all this ruckus.  Gwen checks Camelot's jail cells to see if the pretty handmaiden who was flirting with Merlin is still hanging around, but of course she's gone.  Gaius takes about two weeks to realize that since Nimueh knows exactly where the Morteus flower comes from, she's probably going to encounter Arthur.  "Arthur could be walking into a trap!" Gaius says, while the rest of the universe figured it out half an hour ago.  BOM BOM BOMMMMM.

Merlin interrupts the Exposition Fairy by beginning to whisper Arthur's name. 

Melissa:  Okay, he's lying in bed, sweaty, calling out Arthur's name. 
Mr. Boyfriend:  He's sick!  And he's magic!  And Arthur's in danger!
Melissa:  PRETEND FOR A MINUTE THAT YOU ARE A WRITER.
Mr. Boyfriend:  I am a writer.
Melissa:  Okay, pretend you write screenplays.
Mr. Boyfriend:  Fine, I'm a screenwriter.
Melissa:  Imagine writing the stage direction:  Merlin, lying in bed, moans Arthur's name.
Mr. Boyfriend:  ...
Melissa:  Yeah, that's what I thought.

Merlin continues to mumble nonsense words, or maybe spells, while Arthur leads his horse through the woods and a CGI cockatrice stalks him.  He finds Nimueh sitting on a branch, crying about as realistically as Katie McGrath.  He ties his horse up (and I must really be infatuated because I'm like, "Awww, he's so nice to his horsey!") and goes to see what she's fake crying about.  She cringes away from him, and then in comes the cockatrice.

I actually find the special effects people on Merlin quite endearing.  They had some guy spend a bunch of time kicking up the leaves to make it look like the cockatrice was really stomping through, and the CGI team actually did a pretty good job on the cockatrice itself.  However, as soon as another person is shown next to any of the CGI stuff, it automatically turns into Clash of the Titans.  It's kind of sweet.  I know there are a lot of people who are really hung up on special effects, but dude, I spent my formative fandom years with Buffy.  And anyway I don't understand how someone can even pay attention to the cockatrice when Arthur is going swishy clang.

Arthur does that fantastic move where he rolls, jumps to his feet, and throws the sword at the cockatrice without even looking.  The cockatrice falls over dead, and Nimueh stops smiling, thank god.  Now she's all talkative, and Arthur says of course he'll protect her, although Nimueh looks about as helpless as a rattlesnake.  He only gets a little suspicious when she cheerfully says she can lead him straight to the Morteus flower.  Oh, sweet trusting Arthur.  Enjoy that level of faith in humanity while it lasts, bb, because eventually everyone you know will betray you.  The horse is like, "Except meeeee!  I don't like her, she smiles too much.  Let's get the fuck out of here!"

They wander through the cave with some torches (fleem action!) which they got from...um, somewhere.  Arthur is starting to look more suspicious as Nimueh confidently leads him.  Remember how confidence is a trait of evil?  Arthur has clearly read the recaps. 

Meanwhile, Merlin is still lying in bed moaning about Arthur and muttering spells.  Gaius keeps sending Gwen off to fetch him more this and that, but she doesn't seem to realize he's trying to get rid of her.  Gauis tells Merlin he must fight it, and Merlin opens his eyes like he's about to say, "No, really?  I was just going to give in and die, but now that you've said that I suppose I'll actually try not to.  Thanks."

Nimueh points out the flowers to Arthur.  Conveniently, they grow in a little cluster high on the cave walls, over a crumbly bridge.  Arthur, who is really seriously suspicious now but ever the optimist, goes across the crumbly bridge even as Nimueh starts to recite a spell.  I'm curious about this spell, actually.  Is there something that specific?  Is there a section in the magic books on making crumbly things get even crumblier?  He finally hears her bellowing and asks what she's doing as the bridge collapses completely.  Instead of falling back, he drops his torch and jumps across, hanging onto a ledge even though he's got gloves on.  

He asks Nimueh who she is, and she pulls back her hood to reveal...nothing, because he still doesn't know who she is.  "The last face you will ever see," she says as the cave spiders start coming out.  Yeah, cave spiders.  Arthur does not scream and do heebie-jeebies like I would, but instead kills the first one while he hangs off the ledge one-handed.  Nimueh is impressed, but says more will come.  Then she tells him it's not his destiny to die at her hand.  Not that she'll stop trying, apparently.

She leaves with the last torch, and Arthur screams after her, "Who are you?" which seems to me not to be the pertinent question here.  My question would be, "Why the fuck are there spiders?  Why are there always spiders?" 

Merlin is still moaning away, telling Arthur it's too dark.  Gaius watches intently.  Dude, don't you know it's creepy to sit and watch someone while he's obviously having, um, a personal type of dream?  Merlin recites a spell and this time, it actually does something.  Gaius pulls back the covers (aaack don't do it!  Trauma for everyone involved!) and in Merlin's hand is a glowing ball of light. 

A corresponding light rises next to Arthur in the cave, and Arthur thinks it's Nimueh back to finish him off.  I'm sort of curious as to why Merlin didn't send him something slightly more helpful.  Like maybe a ladder?  Eventually Arthur realizes the light is there to help him, and he pulls himself up onto the ledge.  Merlin tells Arthur to leave the flowers, but Arthur's not having that nonsense.  Arthur's sheer determination to get that flower is either a sign that he is demented, or a sign that he really, really wants to save Merlin's life.  Personally I think he's a bit demented.

He finally snaps off one of the flowers and gives a little smile as he tucks it away.  The spiders, who have kindly waited for him to scale the wall and get the flower, now come on full force.  Arthur's like, "Oh, shit, I'm suddenly realizing these gloves were a bad idea," and peels them off with his teeth even as Merlin is yelling, "Arthur, go faster, go faster."

It's about this time that I become incredibly uncomfortable with watching this episode, because suddenly it's all very pornographic.  Yeah, it's not intentional (...I think?), but it still feels like I'm a big pervert, sitting in someone's bedroom watching him make sex faces.  Much like Gaius is doing.  It's just-- I find Colin Morgan quite attractive and all that, but I'm sort of uneasy about watching him writhe around in bed all sweaty and moaning and looking like he's having sex.  It does not help to have Bradley James providing a background soundtrack of grunts of physical exertion.  Mainly I'm uneasy about it because I'm trying to imagine how the filming of this must have gone.  I suppose it's a good thing that apparently Colin Morgan is an innocent little Catholic boy and doesn't read too much into his scripts. 

The ball of light leads Arthur out of the cave, and when he's finally out Merlin collapses back onto his bed, panting as the ball of light fades.  And there's your weekly softcore porn, ladies and gentlemen.  I stop blushing and pause the show to go get some water, while Mr. Boyfriend is curiously silent.

Next scene.  Arthur rides back into Camelot and is seized at the gate and tossed in a cell. 

Uther:  You disobeyed me to save a servant?  Why do you even care about him?
Arthur:  Daddy, I love him.  He's got something wrong with him but he's really pretty.
Uther:  Really?  I mean, with all the knights at your disposal, you like the skinny bloke with the ears?
Arthur:  If you saw those cheekbones by firelight you'd never question my judgment again.  Also, I don't think it was Bayard who tried to poison me, it was this girl who smiles all the time.
Uther:  Of course it was Bayard.  Just look what his hairdresser did to you, son.  Donald Trump wouldn't touch that shit.
Arthur:  It is pretty bad, but can you just please give Merlin this flower I picked for him?
Uther:  *smoosh*  NO SON OF MINE PICKS FLOWERS.
Arthur:  Nooooooo! 




Arthur gets on his hands and knees and reaches through the bars of the cell, crawling and straining to get the crumpled little flower.  Without even looking at me, Mr. B automatically says, "BUT IT'S JUST BECAUSE HE WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET IT."  Mr. B knows what's what.

Back from commercial, Merlin is actually looking sick now rather than perpetually mid-coitus.  Gwen says Uther won't allow anyone to see Arthur, so they don't know if he's got the flower.  But Gwen is wily and decides to sneak down in the guise of giving Arthur his meal. 

Arthur is sitting in his cell looking ridiculously sexy, having somehow lost the laces to his shirt so it's split practically to his waist.  Gwen is taken aback, either by his sexiness or by the fact that Arthur is really bad at acting nonchalant.  Seriously. 

Gwen:  Aren't you supposed to be sort of a cool, calm guy?
Arthur:  I know right?  I'm British for god's sake, I wasn't even born with sweat glands.
Gwen:  And yet you might as well be holding a giant sign that says HALLO GUARDS, LOOK AT THIS FLOWER I'M SNEAKING INTO THE FOOD.
Arthur:  It's all Merlin's fault.  He makes me have these emotion thingies.
Gwen:  Well, if it's any consolation, he's spent the last three days in bed moaning for you.
Arthur:  That's awfully sweet of him.  He's such a good friend.
Gwen:  You haven't by any chance been talking to Melissa's boyfriend, have you?

Gwen takes the plate with the flower out of the cell just as the real food-server comes along, and the guards half-heartedly chase Gwen away.  She runs into Gaius's chambers with the flower.  Gaius, realizing he's going to have to make the potion with magic, gets rid of Gwen again by asking for more water.  He looks around nervously several times before finally reciting the spell that puts baking soda in the potion so it will fizz.  I really like this part of Gaius's character.  He's obviously a bit of a coward, but cares enough about Merlin to use magic again to save his life.

Which is a good thing because Merlin really looks at death's door now.  Gwen rushes back in and holds Merlin's nose while Gaius forces Merlin to swallow the magical concoction made from Arthur's flower.  What?  I'm just reporting the facts here.

Merlin stops gasping for breath and, in fact, as Gwen says, stops breathing altogether.  Gaius leans down to listen to his heart and says his heart has stopped, although Colin Morgan's belly rises and falls quite clearly.  Plus, hello, Colin Morgan is transparent.  You can see his heartbeat in his throat.  I find that whole bit almost as endearing as the special effects guys kicking up leaves for the cockatrice.

Gwen:  It's my fault.  I should have gotten here faster.
Gaius:  No, it's Arthur's fault.
Gwen:  Yeah, you're right.  *hugs Gaius*

Merlin wakes up just then and is appropriately ooked out at the sight of Gwen and Gaius in an embrace.  He tries to make fun of them, but Gwen is overcome by emotion and kisses him.  Merlin is nonplussed and is like, "Hmm, could you try that again when I'm less sweaty?"





Gaius interrupts Uther's strategy meeting, as Camelot is about to be attacked by Mercia because Uther's locked Bayard away in the dungeons.  Gaius explains about the poison and says he thinks Bayard is innocent, because it's obvious all Bayard really wants is to have nice hair and well-cut trousers, and here Nimueh is trying to start a war.  Uther actually sees sense and tells his men to back off.  You know, Gaius, you couldn't have told him this whole thing a little earlier?  Like maybe when he figured out it was Nimueh?  And how exactly are they going to explain to Uther how Merlin is suspiciously still alive?

But whatever, Gaius sows the seeds of mystery when he asks Uther, "Do you think that Arthur should be told the truth about Nimueh?"  Oooooeeer.  I mean, I already know the truth about Nimueh, but it still gives me goosebumps.

Later, Morgana, Arthur, and Uther are watching Bayard's men leave.  Uther waves sadly to the hairdressers.  Gaius really tries, but he can't quite capture the raffish windblown look the way Bayard's men can.

Katie McGrath dials down the intensity in this scene, making me like Morgana a whole lot more. 

Morgana:  Oi prick.  How'd you get away with it?
Arthur:  Dunno.  But a pretty ball of light with big ears helped me.  I wish I knew who sent it.
Morgana:  Do you think it could have been someone who's saved your life at least twice before?  Like maybe someone you know? 
Arthur:  Yes, Morgana, I get it, sometimes you're very helpful.
Morgana:  I don't even know why I bother.

Uther comes over after Morgana leaves to ask Arthur what happened during his encounter with Nimueh.  He looks sort of freaked out when Arthur admits that Nimueh said it wasn't his destiny to die at her hand, but when Arthur gives him an opening to tell him who Nimueh is, he just babbles on that sorcery and enchantments are evil.  But he pats Arthur on the shoulder and tells him he did the right thing, and he's proud of him.  Awww.  See, Arthur, daddy loves you. 

Favorite scene!  Arthur comes to see Merlin, who's wrapped in a blanket drinking something warm.  Merlin looks up at him in a sort of besotted way and says he's heard that he has Arthur to thank for his life.  Arthur fondly replies that it was nothing, and a half-decent servant is hard to come by.  He starts to leave, and Merlin stops him and says a very heartfelt thank you. 

Merlin:  Thank you for engaging in three days of highly metaphorical sex with me.  We should do it again sometime.
Arthur:  Yeah...
Merlin:  *is about five seconds away from resorting to the "I'm really cold and your bed is warmer than mine" trick*
Arthur:  *really wishes he wasn't so British*
Merlin:  So...
Arthur:  Hmph.  Yes, yes, jolly good.  Be back to work tomorrow then.

Gaius takes a moment to preach to Merlin about how honorable Arthur is.  Merlin is like, "Yeah, honorable in his pants."  Merlin is still a bit confused as to why Nimueh created such a complicated plot.  Join the crowd, sweetheart.  Gaius tells Merlin that obviously Nimueh was trying to kill him, not just Arthur.  We cut away to Nimueh's cave, where she's looking into her cauldron and NOT SMILING YAY.  Merlin looks up and it seems he's looking directly at her, and Nimueh breaks the fourth wall and turns her eyes straight at the audience.  It's the first genuinely creepy thing she's done, and it actually gives me shivers every time I see it.

Next week:  Mister Isaac from Heroes shows up with poofy hair and Arthur, Merlin, and Gwen all develop the hots for him.  Understandably.