Destiny

"Though no man, no matter how great, can know his destiny, some lives have been foretold..."

- Kilgharrah to Merlin

Destinies are the futures of individuals that have been foretold in prophecies. Both magical and non-magical people can have destinies, and it appears to be extremely difficult (though not impossible) to avert them.

Merlin
"Your destiny is to protect the young Pendragon until he claims his crown, and when he does, magic can be returned to the realm."

- Kilgharrah to Merlin

According to Kilgharrah, it was Merlin's destiny to protect Arthur Pendragon and to help him bring about Albion's golden age by uniting the old world with the new (The Dragon's Call, Le Morte d'Arthur). The Druids also had prophecies to this effect, in which Merlin was known as Emrys (The Beginning of the End, The Secret Sharer).

Though Merlin's destiny was a secret to most, many people unknowingly sought to avert it by preventing Arthur's destiny from coming to pass. Morgana, for example, would have averted it had she succeeded in killing Arthur and seizing the throne of Camelot, and the troll who posed as the Lady Catrina might have averted it had she managed to replace Arthur as Uther's heir (The Coming of Arthur, The Sword in the Stone, Beauty and the Beast).

It is unknown whether Merlin failed or fulfilled his destiny. Though Arthur's death would appear to have averted it, the Great Dragon told Merlin that all he had dreamt of building had come to pass. He reminded Merlin that Arthur was not just a King, but the Once and Future King, and said that when Albion's need was greatest, Arthur would rise again. This may imply that the remainder of their destinies would be fulfilled upon Arthur's return (The Diamond of the Day).

Arthur Pendragon
"Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion."

- Kilgharrah to Merlin

According to Kilgharrah, Arthur was destined to become the Once and Future King and to unite the land of Albion (The Dragon's Call, Le Morte d'Arthur).

Many people sought to avert Arthur's destiny, including his half-sister Morgana, who wanted to rule Camelot herself (The Coming of Arthur, The Sword in the Stone, The Diamond of the Day). It was also because of his destiny that Aulfric and Sophia chose him as their sacrifice to the Sidhe Elders, as they considered Arthur to be the greatest prince of all (The Gates of Avalon).

It is unknown whether Arthur failed or fulfilled his destiny. Though his death would seem to have averted it, Kilgharrah told Merlin that when Albion's need was greatest, Arthur would rise again. This may imply that the remainder of their destinies would be fulfilled upon Arthur's return (The Diamond of the Day).

Morgana Pendragon
"You are destined to bring back the Old Ways."

- The Dochraid to Morgana

According to the Dochraid, it was Morgana's destiny to restore the customs of the Old Religion to Camelot, and possibly to Albion as a whole (Lancelot du Lac).

Morgana followed in her sister's footsteps and became a High Priestess, but made no move to reinstate the Old Religion during either of her reigns as Queen. However, it's possible that she would have done so had she succeeded in having Arthur captured or killed (The Coming of Arthur, The Sword in the Stone).

At the time of her death, Morgana had not restored the Old Religion to Camelot and most of her followers and allies had been lost in the Battle of Camlann. It is therefore likely that she failed to fulfill her destiny (The Diamond of the Day).

Guinevere Pendragon
"They show a ceremony in Camelot. It's my serving girl, Gwen, and she sits beside Arthur on a throne. She's crowned Queen."

- Morgana tells Morgause about her dreams

According to Morgana, who learned of it through a prophetic dream, Guinevere was destined to marry Arthur Pendragon and be crowned Queen of Camelot (Queen of Hearts).

Morgana made four attempts to avert Gwen's destiny. She led Uther to believe that Gwen had enchanted Arthur (Queen of Hearts); used an enchanted bracelet to trick her into having an affair with Lancelot (Lancelot du Lac); and tried to kill her on at least two occasions (The Darkest Hour, The Sword in the Stone).

Guinevere was crowned Queen in the aftermath of Morgana's second reign, thus fulfilling her destiny (The Sword in the Stone). Morgana, however, refused to admit defeat. She kidnapped Gwen and enchanted her into trying to kill Arthur so she could ascend the throne and then pass the crown to Morgana (The Dark Tower, A Lesson in Vengeance, The Hollow Queen). Fortunately, Merlin and Arthur discovered and broke the enchantment before her plan could succeed (With All My Heart).

Mordred
"It is his destiny to bring about Arthur's doom!"

- Kilgharrah to Merlin about Mordred

According to Kilgharrah, it was Mordred's destiny to kill Arthur Pendragon, a claim later corroborated by Merlin's vision of the Battle of Camlann (The Beginning of the End, The Witch's Quickening, Arthur's Bane).

Mordred unknowingly attempted to fulfill his destiny when he allied himself with the sorcerer Alvarr. Alvarr wanted Mordred to use the Crystal of Neahtid to strike down Uther and all who served him, which included Arthur (The Witch's Quickening).

Merlin made four attempts to avert Mordred's destiny. He tried to stop Mordred from escaping by using his magic to trip him (The Witch's Quickening); refused to heal him when he was mortally wounded and advised Arthur not to accept the Disir's demands (The Disir); abandoned him to the mercy of Morgana (With All My Heart); and tried to prevent him from losing faith in Arthur and leaving Camelot (The Drawing of the Dark).

Mordred himself appeared to have averted his destiny when he chose to save Arthur from Morgana (Arthur's Bane). He became a Knight of Camelot and one of Arthur's closest friends, but ultimately turned against him after his lover, Kara, was arrested and executed for treason and murder (The Drawing of the Dark).

Mordred and Morgana conspired to take away Merlin's magic and then launched an attack on Camelot. They later took part in the Battle of Camlann, where Mordred fulfilled his destiny by mortally wounding Arthur before ultimately being killed himself (The Diamond of the Day).

Merlin and Arthur
"He and the young Pendragon one day will unite the land of Albion."

- Kilgharrah to Gaius about Merlin

According to Kilgharrah, Merlin and Arthur were destined to unite the land of Albion and bring about its golden age (The Dragon's Call, A Remedy to Cure All Ills). Merlin was initially skeptical of his claim, as he and Arthur had gotten off on the wrong foot and he thought the prince was an idiot. When he said as much, however, Kilgharrah merely replied that perhaps it was his destiny to change that (The Dragon's Call).

Merlin and Arthur became good friends over time and Merlin eventually began to take on the role of Arthur's unofficial advisor. It was partly due to his influence that Arthur became willing to recognize the worth of commoners, knighting untitled men who he felt had proven their loyalty and skill and choosing Gwen as his Queen because of her counsel and nobility (The Coming of Arthur, The Sword in the Stone). Merlin also influenced Arthur to be more compassionate and make peace with his enemies when possible. For example, he advised him to spare Caerleon's life rather than kill him as a show of strength and urged him to make peace with Odin rather than seek revenge (His Father's Son, Another's Sorrow).

Through Arthur's actions and leadership, Camelot gradually became more united with the other kingdoms of Albion. As prince, he helped to preserve their peace treaty with Lord Bayard of Mercia (The Poisoned Chalice); ensured that peace talks with Kings Olaf, Alined, and three other rulers were successful (Sweet Dreams); and preserved their alliance with Lord Godwyn and Princess Elena (The Changeling). As King, Arthur made peace with Queen Annis of Caerleon, settled a land dispute with Princess Mithian of Nemeth, and established alliances with both kingdoms (His Father's Son, The Hunter's Heart, Arthur's Bane). He also made peace with Odin and attempted to establish an alliance with Sarrum of Amata, but the latter was assassinated during the treaty signing (Another's Sorrow, The Hollow Queen).

There were many people who sought to avert their destiny, including Morgause and Nimueh, High Priestesses who sought revenge against Camelot for the Great Purge; Morgana, who desired the throne for herself; Agravaine, who wanted revenge for his sister's death; and Mordred, who was destined to kill Arthur and turned against him after his lover was executed for treason.

It is unknown whether Merlin and Arthur fulfilled their destiny. Though Arthur's death would appear to have averted it, Kilgharrah told Merlin that all that he had dreamt of building had come to pass. He reminded him that Arthur was not just a King, but the Once and Future King, and said that when Albion's need was greatest, Arthur would rise again. This may imply that the rest of their destiny would be fulfilled upon Arthur's return (The Diamond of the Day).

Mordred and Morgana
"The ancient prophecies speak of an alliance of Mordred and Morgana united in evil."

- Kilgharrah to Merlin

According to Kilgharrah, there were ancients prophecies which foretold an alliance between Mordred and Morgana, the former of whom was destined to bring about Arthur's doom (The Witch's Quickening).

Morgana first met Mordred when she tried to help him escape execution. She was oddly drawn to him and at one point told Gwen that she believed there was a bond between them like nothing she'd ever felt before (The Beginning of the End). This bond was also evident when they were reunited in The Nightmare Begins.

They first became allies against Camelot when Alvarr recruited Morgana to steal the Crystal of Neahtid from the castle vault. He hoped that Mordred would be able to use the crystal to strike down Uther and all who served him, a prospect which initially troubled Morgana, but that she ultimately agreed to. Their alliance soon came to an end, however, after the crystal's whereabouts were discovered and Alvarr was arrested, forcing Mordred to flee (The Witch's Quickening).

Several years later, Mordred and Morgana were reunited at the Fortress of Ismere. Now a powerful High Priestess of the Old Religion and openly an enemy of Camelot, Morgana was searching for the key to all knowledge to learn the secret of Arthur's bane while Mordred was working for a band of slavers. Though he was no longer a child, Morgana immediately sensed his identity and was overjoyed to see him. But though she assumed he would once again be a trusted ally against Camelot, Mordred soon became disturbed by how bitter and hateful Morgana had become and later stabbed her in the back to stop her from killing Arthur, after which he chose to became a Knight of Camelot (Arthur's Bane).

Though Mordred's betrayal appeared to have averted their destiny, Morgana still cared for him and at one point tried to regain his allegiance, but he chose to remain loyal to Arthur (With All My Heart). He changed his mind, however, after his lover was executed for murder. Furious and betrayed, Mordred fled Camelot and went to Morgana intending to join her ranks. He proved his loyalty by revealing the identity of her enemy Emrys: Merlin (The Drawing of the Dark).

Allies once more, Mordred and Morgana conspired to take away Merlin's magic and then launched an attack on Camelot. When they learned Merlin was heading for the Crystal Cave, Mordred recognized the location's significance and told Morgana that he was probably trying to get his magic back, which allowed her to intercept Merlin and trap him within the Cave.

Mordred and Morgana carried out their prophesied alliance at the Battle of Camlann. With an army of Saxons and a dragon at their command, they appeared to have the war all but won until Merlin arrived. Having regained his magic, he struck down the Saxons with lightning, knocked Morgana unconscious, and commanded Aithusa away from the battle. However, he was unable to stop Mordred from fatally wounding Arthur (The Diamond of the Day).

Morgana and Emrys
"The one they call Emrys will walk in your shadow. He is your destiny, and he is your doom."

- The Cailleach to Morgana

According to the Cailleach, Morgana was destined to meet her doom at the hand of a sorcerer called Emrys, which - unbeknownst to her - was a name that the Druids had for Merlin. Morgana was greatly distressed by this prophecy, especially after she had a dream of herself begging an old man named Emrys for help (The Darkest Hour).

After she discovered the old man from her dream stealing her Fomorroh, Morgana became determined to discover his identity (A Servant of Two Masters). She hired Alator of the Catha to kidnap Gaius and torture him into revealing who Emrys was. He succeeded, but chose to betray Morgana and protect Emrys's identity (The Secret Sharer). About three years later, Morgana hunted down Alator and tried to torture him into telling her what he knew. When that failed, she killed him and hunted down his servant Finna, who committed suicide in order to protect the secret (The Kindness of Strangers).

Morgana was at an impasse until Mordred turned against Camelot and informed her of Emrys's identity: Merlin (The Drawing of the Dark). No longer afraid now that she knew who she was up against, Morgana conspired with Mordred to take away Merlin's magic. When she learned that he was riding to the Crystal Cave to get his powers back, Morgana intercepted him and trapped him inside so that he couldn't help Arthur during the Battle of Camlann (The Diamond of the Day).

In the end, however, her efforts were for naught. Merlin succeeded in regaining his magic and escaped from the Cave, arriving at the battle just in time to save Arthur from an onslaught of Saxons. As Morgana screamed in rage, he struck her and her army down with lightning, knocking her off the ledge she was standing on and rendering her unconscious. When she eventually woke up, her army was scattered, the battle had been lost, and Mordred was dead.

Desperate for revenge, Morgana followed Merlin and Arthur to the Lake of Avalon and attacked Merlin with her magic. Assuming that he was unconscious, she then turned her attention to Arthur, intending to gloat over his imminent death.

Merlin, however, had been unharmed by her attack and confronted her. Undaunted because her status as a High Priestess meant no mortal blade could kill her, Morgana made no move to defend herself as Merlin ran her through with Excalibur. She could only gasp in shock and pain as he revealed that the sword was not a mortal blade, but had been forged in a dragon's breath, and died soon afterwards in his arms (The Diamond of the Day).

Creatures Capable of Knowing One's Destiny

 * Kilgharrah had knowledge of many destinies and usually did his best to help Merlin fulfill his. Whether or not all Dragons had this ability is unknown.
 * Seers can foretell the future in visions and/or dreams. It is possible for them to foresee destinies (Queen of Hearts).
 * The Druids were aware of many destinies, including Merlin's. Their knowledge likely came from their Seers, who were known as Vates (Arthur's Bane).
 * According to Taliesin, he and Merlin had been destined to meet for many, many years. This may mean that he was aware of Merlin's future, and possibly Arthur's and Morgana's as well (The Crystal Cave).
 * Both the Fisher King and Grettir were aware that Arthur, Gwaine, and Merlin were destined to embark on a quest to the Perilous Lands. The Fisher King was also aware of Merlin and Arthur's destiny and that Morgana would soon attempt to conquer Camelot (The Eye of the Phoenix).
 * The Cailleach told Morgana that Emrys was her destiny and her doom. She was likely aware of other destinies as well (The Darkest Hour).
 * The Dochraid was aware of Morgana's destiny. She was likely aware of other destinies as well (Lancelot du Lac).
 * According to Ruadan, the Euchdag was known as the key to all knowledge. This likely included knowledge of destinies (Arthur's Bane).
 * For thousands of years, the Catha guarded an ancient prophecy stating that Arthur was destined to die in the Battle of Camlann. They may have been aware of other destinies as well (The Kindness of Strangers).

Oddities and Inaccuracies

 * Nimueh told Arthur that it was not his destiny to die by her hand, yet attempted to have him killed anyway (The Poisoned Chalice, Excalibur).
 * Nimueh was aware of Arthur's destiny, but wasn't aware of Merlin's until later (The Poisoned Chalice).
 * Though Kilgharrah often helped Merlin with his destiny, he attacked Camelot and tried to kill Arthur after he was freed (The Last Dragonlord).
 * Taliesin insisted on showing Merlin the future and told him to use what he saw for good, but Merlin's attempts to prevent what he'd seen were what caused it to happen in the first place (The Crystal Cave).
 * In The Darkest Hour, Morgana's prophetic dream about the Battle of Camlann included a scene of her begging Emrys for help. This did not happen in the actual battle (The Diamond of the Day).
 * At Aithusa's hatching, Kilgharrah told Merlin that a white dragon boded well for Albion. Instead, Aithusa was imprisoned with Morgana for two years and subsequently became her ally against Camelot (Aithusa, Arthur's Bane).
 * However, Kilgharrah did mention that the meaning of a dragon's birth was sometimes hard to see, and that his optimistic interpretation was merely what he believed Aithusa's to mean.
 * In The Hunter's Heart, Merlin was aware that it was Arthur's destiny to marry Gwen. How Merlin knew this is unknown, as the only person aware of Gwen's destiny prior to this was Morgana, who foresaw it in a prophetic dream (Queen of Hearts).