Brief review of Merlin the character

The opening part of the series Merlin is one of the most striking expositions in film. The first
three minutes introduce the protagonist - a boy whose destiny for greatness and contribution to
establishment and survival of a great tolerant kingdom in Camelot is fraught with
insurmountable challenges.

As the narrator casts the suspense that will sustain the plot from season 1-5, young Merlin
trudges a hilly and somewhat less travelled aisle which prevents us from seeing where he is
coming from though we soon learn that he is heading towards Camelot. It becomes clear from
the onset that his past is shrouded in mystery, something the story follows up on later.

Merlin of humble roots lugs a rolled blanket on his back and awe strikes him as he glimpses the
magnificent castle at Camelot from a distance. Through an entangling jungle, he arrives at the
castle with a broad smile. Merlin passes along a busy street of Camelot alongside citizens of
Camelot with a confident stride – a show of anticipation, relief and difference from a past yet to
be unveiled. As the road takes Merlin deeper into the centre of Camelot, one could see troubled
faces of the citizens of Camelot. The first person to speak to Merlin (in public address) was the
iron fisted king, Uther Pentragon who prides himself for being a “fair and just king.” Merlin
faces his first gruesome reality of living in Camelot as Thomas James Collins is sentenced to
death for the charge of practising magic. Merlin is thunderstruck by this and the tension in him
soars with a scowling face. Merlin learns that magic isn’t tolerable in Camelot as the ultimate
prize for its practice is death.

After the chilling speech by the feared king, Merlin spots lady Morgana - the woman who will
become Merlin’s foil and antagonist. As the accused loses his head to association with magic,
Merlin shares Morgana’s disgust at this demonstration of brute justice.

These events reveal the politics of the land as heavily defined by religion - the banning and use
of magic. Merlin would be at the centre of the continuities and discontinuities of magic – the
good and the evil of it all. The irony is that Merlin’s development on the use of magic is
expected to happen in Camelot where its use attracts death. Such is the contribution of the first
three minutes to plot.
Merlin is a particularly a interesting and a likeable character with a humble personality though,
his magic would have easily made him superior. Throughout the story’s plot, Merlin’s character
develops as he gradually embraces his magic and learns to use it for the benefit of the royal
family, who ironically hate magic. With a strict sense of duty, Merlin’s career as a character
demonstrates respect for establishment and purpose of power. With magic and the secret dragon
on his side, he secretly protects Arthur and wins battles for him. With all the twists and turns in
Merlin, the movie series, I feel the creator of the movie series shortchanged us. One would
expect to come across a naïve Merlin, transformed into a young man capable of falling in love.

If I were to reproduce Merlin, I would make the protagonist vulnerable to romantic love at least
with a young girl. With his powers, he is a heroic character, who deserves some form of
normality despite his big role in protecting the throne at Camelot.

The young servant, serving a young heir to the throne, learns in the course of his career that, the
magic he seeks to protect, (by ensuring the warm hearted prince assumes the throne), is equally
evil if possessed by an evil person. For that fact, the story makes it hard to separate good and evil
bearers of magic, something which motivates Merlin to hide his true self to his friend and master,
Arthur. Despite the danger in revealing his secret, Merlin finally opens up to Arthur moments
before Arthur dies from stab wounds of an enchanted sword.