Merlin 'Arthur's Bane Part 1': A Despairing Merlin

Merlin is finally back Merlin fans! Merlin returns in it's fifth, and final season as three years have past since the events of season 4. With this season's premiere, writers really did keep their promise of taking Merlin to a darker place as Merlin was burdened yet again with an a vision of Arthur's death. I know it has aired in Britain like last year, but all I ask you Merlin fans across the pond to please not spoil it for us. Same goes for you who watched it online. Thanks.

Merlin comes back as it usually does with Merlin running around some task for Arthur. This time it's looking for the Gwen, the Queen, who comes after Arthur insults Merlin for not looking hard enough. Arthur calls a meeting with his knights and advisers about knights going missing after being sent on a mission to investigate some lands. Little did Arthur know that his men were attacked and kidnapped by Morgana and her men, and forced to search the mines for something. Arthur, Merlin and the knights soon head out to recuse the captured men.

On their journey they find a village that Morgana obviously plundered, and Merlin hears a voice calling for him. He soon finds a dying man who warns Merlin of Arthur's Bane, and hows Merlin a vision of Arthur's death by an unknown man (cough cough Mordred). So adding more to Merlin's burden he carries, this causes Merlin to be down in the dumps and worrying himself silly over Arthur's safety. Not that you can blame Merlin, he saw his best friend die in the vision, and not to mention Arthur will help bring magic to the land. Woe is thy name Merlin. Anyways, Arthur still won't give on his men and continues on his journey to Morgana's tower.

With this being the final season of Merlin, Arthur's Bane Part 1 begins to set the legend into motion, and with it, major character developments. There is obvious change in Gwen as she really steps into her role as Queen. She gives Arthur advice, and even gives out her first on screen sentence of death. No one likes a push over queen, cause those get annoying real fast. Gwen was also able to root out the source of the information leak in Camelot. Arthur's Bane Part 1 also gave some of the knights time to shine such as Gwaine and Percival. Which I must add that we must have a moment of appreciation for how much these actors work on their appearance, and bodies.

Ok done. Arthur's Bane Part 1 also delivered the usual Arthur/Merlin banter, as well as great bonding moments throughout the episode. You can see that Merlin is clearly getting a bit frustrated at being underestimated by Arthur despite all Merlin has done for Arthur (insert list all the times Merlin saved Arthur). Arthur's Bane Part 1 showed Arthur noticing Merlin sulking and tries to cheer him up. The fun moments came when Arthur forced Merlin to juggle, and was surprised when Merlin could (with a little help from magic). The best moment came when Arthur and Merlin were trapped in a net after Merlin got tricked with some rabbits as bait. It is very amusing to see Arthur trying to break free and Merlin keeps getting in the way.

I felt though that Arthur's Bane was not the strongest of premieres for Merlin. Sure it had a darker tone, but for me it didn't have the same feeling of intensity that I got from season 4's premiere, The Darkest Hour Part 1. Merlin didn't waste time with yet another traitor in Camelot, but at least that didn't take too long to find out who. The thing I did have a problem with this episode was the introduction of a new creature that looked like, well, an alien. I get you need to be creative, but there is a line you need to draw. Alien looking things don't fit into the world of Merlin. That's all I'm saying, but I guess there is some really good explanation out there about it. That and how Morgana gets all her henchmen.

So with the situation looking grim for Arthur and Merlin as they head towards Morgana's tower to recuse the captured knights. How is Merlin and Arthur gonna weasel out of this one? I really feel that Arthur's Bane Part 1 was setting up the roots for the final part of the myth and the end of Merlin. Still really sad to hear that this is the final season of Merlin, but it can't be helped. Shows have to end at some point. Very few though get to end the way they want. Next week, Arthur's Bane Part 2.

Did you like the season premiere? Should Arthur appreciate Merlin more? How did you like Gwen as Queen of Camelot?