Merlin (Good TV series)
Merlin is a television miniseries which originally aired in 1998 that retells the legend of King Arthur from the perspective of the wizard Merlin. Sam Neill stars in the title role in a story that covers not only the rise and fall of Camelot but also the phase in the legendary history of Britain that precedes it.
The film deviates from more traditional versions of the legend, notably by including new characters such as Queen Mab and by keeping Merlin through the whole reign of King Arthur over Britain (whereas in older versions Merlin left earlier on in the king's reign). The film was followed by a sequel in 2006, Merlin's Apprentice, which was more loosely connected with traditional Arthurian legend.
Plot
The film opens with an aged Merlin narrating his story. Britain faces civil war and the Saxon invasion. Meanwhile, the spread of Christianity has weakened the power of the fey goddess Queen Mab (Miranda Richardson). Coupled with the destruction of both Christian and pagan holy sites due to the turmoil, Mab's world of magic faces imminent extinction. While her sister, the Lady of the Lake (Richardson in a dual role) accepts the inevitable, Mab vows to resist.
She decides to create a half-human/half-fey being, a wizard, that she believes will bring people back to the "Old Ways" and save her. Merlin is created by Queen Mab and is born to a human mother, Elissa, though he possesses no mortal father. Elissa dies shortly after giving birth to Merlin, leaving the child to be raised by Ambrosia (Billie Whitelaw), an old woman who used to be a pagan but has since rejected Mab and the Old Ways. Ambrosia refuses to give the infant Merlin to Mab, arguing that love is needed to raise a child, and that Mab is not capable of providing it. Mab seems to agree and leaves, but warns Ambrosia that one day she will return and take him away once he manifests his powers.
Merlin grows up with no knowledge of his true heritage, until he uses magic for the first time to save a nobleman's daughter named Nimue (Isabella Rossellini). For saving her life, she grants him a kiss. They exchange names and Merlin vows never to forget her. On returning home he tells Ambrosia of him saving Nimue. Ambrosia realizes it is time for Merlin to go to Mab, and tells him of his past. Merlin is taken to Mab's underground palace, where she plans to train him in magic until he becomes the greatest wizard of all time. Merlin spends some time learning magical skills from Frik (Martin Short), Mab's shape-shifting gnome servant. But in his heart, he wants nothing to do with Mab or magic, which infuriates her.
Out of boredom, Merlin unknowingly calls the Lady of the Lake, who "accidentally" blurts out that Queen Mab let his birth mother die, and that Ambrosia is dying. Merlin arrives in time to see the end of an argument between Mab and Ambrosia; Mab, furious at Ambrosia's refusal to convince Merlin to return to her, lashes out with her magic, severely injuring Ambrosia. She is unable to survive, and in her last breath, makes Merlin swear to only listen to his heart. Merlin vows to defeat her, and whilst Mab expresses seemingly genuine regret for the deaths of his mother and Ambrosia, she merely describes them as "casualties of war" and reminds Merlin that she and her people are rapidly facing extinction. She swears she will make Merlin help her, whether he wants to or not. On Ambrosia's grave, he makes a blood-oath that he will never use magic except to defeat Mab.
Many years later, Merlin is summoned to see the tyrant King Vortigern (Rutger Hauer). Upon his arrival he learns that a pagan soothsayer has promised the King that Merlin’s blood will prevent the destruction of his ever-collapsing castle. This soothsayer had earlier asked Queen Mab for help in solving the tyrant King’s request, and she suggested finding a man “with no mortal father”, thus leading him to Merlin. However, Merlin informs the King that his castle is being built on water, and that he would be more useful alive since his dreams can predict the future.
The King spares Merlin but throws him into a dungeon. Nimue recognizes the captive Merlin and persuades King Vortigern to release him. Merlin and Nimue grow close, but Mab, determined to make Merlin break his oath, plots against their union and has Nimue sacrificed to a great dragon, with Merlin watching. Merlin ends up using magic, breaking his oath, to tie down the dragon, but can't save Nimue from getting injured by the dragon. She is sent to Avalon to recover, and Merlin leaves to defeat Vortigern and his new ally, Mab.
Soon Merlin dreams of two dragons, a red defeating a white. The red dragon is that of Uther Pendragon, whose father, King Constant (John Gielgud) was murdered by Vortigern to seize his throne. Merlin helps Uther win his war against Vortigern, by informing him of Vortigern's unprecedented winter attack, and leading Uther's forces to confront him on a frozen river. Merlin himself kills Vortigern with the aid of the magical sword Excalibur, given to him as a gift by the Lady of the Lake. He believes that Uther will be a just, decent king and gives Excalibur to him.
However, Uther soon becomes obsessed with Igraine (Rachel Colover), the wife of the Duke of Cornwall. Merlin, worried about Uther misusing Excalibur, tricks Uther out of the sword and places it within a living mountain, the Rock of Ages (James Earl Jones), who promises to keep it until a true king arrives, a man with a good heart. But after Merlin leaves Uther without Excalibur, he returns later to see madness and lust have clouded his mind.
Uther lays siege to Cornwall's castle, but cannot break through, and while his attention is focused there, the rest of England falls back into civil war. To stop the insanity, Merlin strikes a deal with Uther. He will help Uther bed Igraine, in exchange for guardianship of the child born from the union, and for the Duke and his men to be spared. Once this is agreed, Merlin uses magic to transform Uther’s appearance into that of the Duke's, while Uther's forces lead Cornwall and his men away. Uther enters the castle and sleeps with Igraine. Igraine’s young and disfigured daughter, Morgan le Fay (Helena Bonham Carter), is the only one who sees through Uther’s disguise.
But Uther betrays Merlin, going back on his word and having Cornwall and his men slaughtered. Merlin forever regrets allowing this to happen. Igraine eventually begins to give birth to the baby, while Frik meets and amuses Morgan through his magic; in return she promises to place a black stone beneath the baby’s sheets in his crib, thus cursing his life. Igraine then gives birth to Arthur, but at the cost of her own life. Mab then confronts Merlin, proclaiming Arthur to be damned, but Merlin vows to raise him for the good, and help bring her down.
In time, Arthur, now living with Sir Ector and unaware of his heritage, is tutored throughout his childhood by Merlin. He teaches him ethics and morals, hoping to make Arthur the image of goodness and a perfect king. Uther during this time meanwhile, goes mad and finally commits suicide, which leaves the kingdom in turmoil over who will be the new King. Merlin informs Arthur of his rightful place as the only son of Uther and true heir to the throne. Mab attempts to assassinate Arthur by unleashing a pack of griffins; though Merlin foils the attack by directing a swarm of wasps to drive the monsters off, he is reminded Mab is still an ever-present threat. Mab, likewise, is goaded to take more direct action in the wake of her assassins' failure and the realization she is losing her power more and more quickly.
With the throne vacant, all the noblemen in the kingdom try to take Excalibur from the Rock of Ages, but none can. With Mab and Merlin watching, Arthur arrives and tries to take the sword. Mab pleads with the rock to not let Arthur have the sword, saying he will bring bloodshed like his father, and will destroy all the old ways. But Arthur replies that he doesn't know what he will be, only what he is. This wise response makes the Rock of Ages see the goodness in Arthur, and it loosens its grip, but Mab heats the sword. Arthur persists in removing it, and with burning, blood-soaked hands, raises it for all the surrounding people to see (Mab uses it to claim that just as Arthur's reign begins in blood, so shall it end the same way).
When Merlin presents Arthur to the noblemen, not all recognize him as their rightful king. But some, including King Lot's son, declare him king, through both his revealed heritage and the sword Excalibur. But many of the nobles refuse to heed Merlin's words to end the cycle of violence; they storm off to fight for the throne, with armies now mobilized. Arthur avoids a battle against Lord Lot by daring the latter to use Excalibur to kill him; the magic of the sword convinces Lot to submit. Arthur is crowned King and institutes the Round Table.
Arthur then decides to build Camelot and fulfill Merlin's dreams. Merlin leaves, thinking the kingdom is finally at peace, but Mab comes up with a counter-plan of her own. She instructs Frik to seek out Arthur's half-sister Morgan Le Fay and poison her mind by making her beautiful, and has her seduce the young King, who is unaware of their relationship. Morgan and Arthur's act of incest eventually reaches Merlin, who races back to Camelot to confront Arthur. After learning the sickening truth, Merlin tells Arthur that Morgan will give birth to Arthur's abomination of a son, Mordred, whom Mab raises to become Arthur's downfall and bring back the Old Ways. As the demonic Mordred is from a cursed union, he is exceptionally strong and grows at an abnormally fast rate.
Arthur starts construction of his castle Camelot and marries Guinevere (Lena Headey). He then wishes to take his knights on a quest for the Holy Grail, so he holds a tournament to find a champion who will defend and complete Camelot in his absence. Knowing that Arthur's enemies would take advantage of his absence, the Lady of the Lake guides Merlin to a “good man”, and he finds Sir Lancelot with his wife Elaine and their son, Galahad. Misunderstanding the Lady of the Lake's message, Merlin assumes that the head of the household, Lancelot, is the chosen man, not his son, Galahad. Merlin brings Lancelot back to Camelot, where he then wins the tournament.
Unfortunately, in Arthur's absence, Guinevere and Lancelot become infatuated with each other and embark on a love affair, despite Merlin warning of the consequences. Mab magically makes sure Lancelot’s wife can see his betrayal, and she is found dead at the shores of Camelot not long after. Merlin accuses Lancelot of killing her through heartbreak and he flees Camelot in his guilt and shame. Arthur and his knights return to the city shortly afterwards, their quest a failure.
Mordred then makes his presence as Arthur's son and heir known and reveals Guinevere's betrayal to all. Outmanoeuvered by Mordred, Arthur is forced to condemn her to be burned at the stake for treason. Mid-way through the execution, Arthur changes his mind and begs Merlin to save her, so Merlin makes it rain, which saves Guinevere long enough for Lancelot to fight his way into Camelot and ride off with her to safety. Furious, Mordred confronts Arthur, who denounces and banishes him. Mordred begins to raise an army among those dissatisfied with Arthur and Merlin.
Meanwhile, Frik and Morgan le Fay have fallen in love after Mab’s magic makes them both beautiful. When Morgan refuses to allow Mab to further use Mordred for her own ends, Mab kills her with Frik watching. Frik holds the dying Morgan and their true ugly forms return, but they both call each other beautiful anyway and she dies in his arms. Frik vows revenge on Mab, so she takes his powers away. He later joins Arthur's army.
Queen Mab then lures Nimue into a magical wilderness and removes the scars from her past injury, explaining she wishes to keep Merlin out of the way so that he cannot intervene in the battle to come. Wanting to be with him, Nimue agrees and sends for Merlin. He comes to her, but senses a trap when he realizes that the idyllic paradise they are in is a creation of Mab's. However, Nimue compels him to give up his war with her and simply be at peace.
Meanwhile, the armies of Mordred and Arthur prepare themselves for the battle. Many on both sides are slain, and in a climatic duel, Arthur defeats Mordred. Mordred deals Arthur a fatal blow before Arthur kills him. Merlin, having heard the screams of battle and knowing Arthur is dying, leaves Nimue to go to his aid. However, once he leaves their haven, it seals behind him (Mab had already warned Nimue that once they were inside, they could never leave). Knowing he has lost her forever, Merlin races to Arthur's side, and to seek retribution against Mab.
At the battlefield, both Mab and Merlin witness the deaths of their protégés; Mab's dark magic is unable to save Mordred, while Arthur lives long enough for Merlin to arrive. Arthur tells Merlin to return Excalibur to whence it came, as no-one can be allowed to wield its power. Merlin comforts Arthur with the knowledge that he was a great king and the right man to wield Excalibur. He leaves Arthur to return the sword, grief-stricken as his king, student and friend dies behind him.
Merlin gives Excalibur back to the Lady of the Lake, who has been slowly dying as the Old Ways are being rejected and forgotten. Angry and sorrowful, Merlin accuses her of lying to him about the guardian of Camelot, but he realizes the Lady had meant Galahad instead of Lancelot. She comforts a grieving Merlin with the words “It's human to make mistakes, Merlin and part of you is human...the best part”. She then bids Merlin farewell, saying that her sister Mab was right about one thing, "When we're forgotten, we cease to exist".
Merlin encounters Frik among the survivors of Arthur's army, who warns him that although Mab is greatly weakened, she is still dangerous. Furious, Merlin returns to Camelot with the intention of confronting Mab, where he finds her sitting at the Round Table. With nothing more to lose, the pair engage in an intense magical duel that destroys the Round Table. Unable to vanquish Merlin, Mab mocks him and tells him that he and his human followers can't destroy her, but Merlin knows that there are few people that believe in the Old Ways. He turns his back on her telling her that everyone will forget her, and in forgetting, she will no longer exist. Everyone leaves, ignoring Mab's furious calls, and soon, she fades away into nothing, just the way she had feared from the beginning.
At the film's conclusion, the wizened Merlin is shown as a pauper telling his story for money. An aged Frik finds him, mentioning, "It's not exactly as I remember," to which Merlin replies, "They like it better this way." After following Frik, he finds his aged magic horse. Frik then says it will lead him to his love, Nimue. When Merlin asks how, Frik says that when Mab disappeared forever, so did the remnants of her magic, allowing Nimue to escape her magic prison. Merlin thanks his old friend and mentor for everything, but Frik modestly replies, "Oh, there's no need to thank me. I just love happy endings". So Merlin rides off to find Nimue. Merlin finally finds and embraces Nimue, at the old forest home of Ambrosia. Both lovers are now old, but Merlin uses the last of his power to restore their youth after which he says "There is no more! This is the End Of Magic...". Merlin and Nimue then walk into the house and finally start their lives together.
