With the desperate plea of a druid boy tugging on his heartstrings, Merlin is led into dangerous territory on a mission of mercy, leaving just as Camelot prepares for the arrival of a fearsome warlord. A testing moment for Arthur, the King’s usual bravado is absent as he wears his heart on his sleeve and leans heavily on both his wife and physician for support. He is clearly daunted by taking on the challenge of meeting his guest. Of course, one of those trusted confidants is only paying lip service.
After the failed attempt on her husband’s life, puppet queen Gwen managed to divert the blame on first an innocent stable hand, then Merlin and finally a potion seller. Her second attempt is a little more complex: knowing that Merlin suspects her, she has contrived to get him out of the way and use the visiting warlord to do the dirty work for her.
With Gwen continuing her role as Morgana’s agent, there is plenty at stake and this is a generally more serious endeavour. Her betrayal is all the more shocking as she still clearly enjoys her husband’s affections and it makes us wonder how their relationship can ever survive this once the truth is revealed.
Merlin’s absence escalates the tension and Gaius steps into his role of Arthur’s sometime counsellor and also Gwen’s sparring partner. It also offers the opportunity for some great work from Richard Wilson who thrives in delivering understatement and subtly raised eyebrows.
Visiting warlord ‘The Sarrum of Amata’, and we never quite discerned whether that was a rank, a title or actually his name, is a grizzled beast of a man. With a reputation built up from the start, it is a good thirteen minutes before he makes his impressive entrance on horseback, surrounded by his warriors.
John Shrapnel plays the character for all its worth. Calculating and sadistic, he delivers a terrifically monstrous performance and is more than a match for Gwen. Sarrum too holds an enmity for magic and a hatred for Morgana, which unlocks a pair of this series’ ongoing questions.
For Merlin himself, it is wonderful to see him out of the castle confines and acting as a lone agent, rather than fulfilling his subjugate role to Arthur. Uther’s long shadow falls over the boy, but Merlin easily wins his confidence and gets to enjoy genuinely heroic moments for his trouble, as well as demonstrating both his medical and magical talents.
Daegal (Alfie Stewart) is well cast and is quite the innocent, though there is something of a certain young wizard about him. As the elder in the dynamic, Merlin gets to espouse his views and his faith in Arthur, as well as properly enjoy his role of leading man. Despite the consequences on this occasion, and as much fun as the Clark Kent stuff is, he really ought to get out of Camelot on his own more often!
Once again pulling the strings of her puppet, Morgana operates on the periphery of the action. Despite tantalisingly promising a proper magical confrontation, the story does not quite deliver. However, the consequences of this encounter will surely raise questions that threaten Merlin’s secret identity further.
Out in the forest, there are some beautiful transition shots of dappled sunlight through the forest canopy. The episode offers a good balance of Gwen’s machinations at court and Merlin’s forest journey. Both strands get the time to breath and Colin Morgan fans should be thrilled with this more Merlin-centric episode.
Director Alice Troughton clearly knows how to get the best from the cast and although the episode promises more heartbreak for our hero, it also brings a renewed sense of purpose.
Airs at 8pm on Saturday 24 November 2012 on BBC One.
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