Board Thread:Rewatching "Merlin" - Season Two/@comment-5102537-20130622090602/@comment-5102537-20130626230747

That's true, it's understandable that they wanted it to stop, and to Uther it must have been yet another example of magic's "evil" nature, especially when someone like Gaius can't resist, a wise man who shared a history with Uther and swore a solemn oath to never use magic again.

But to Arthur it must have appeared to be a harmless thing compared to other magic he had already seen, like the plagues and the creatures that were about to destroy the kingdom. He wasn't as frightened of magic as Uther was. You're right, he should have questioned Gaius and I think he also should have tried to talk Uther out of executing Gaius but imprisoning him. Let alone wondering if it was really Gaius, as you've mentioned.

Either way, Arthur accepted Gaius' death sentence much too easily and quickly. Gaius was a trusted person, if not a friend after all. I think it was weird that he let down Gaius so easily whereas he had saved a stranger, Mordred, and acted right against Uther's orders by doing so.