Merlin

Merlin is a young warlock sent to Camelot by his mother to stay with Gaius, the court physician, in order to give him guidance and make sense of his powers. There he meets Arthur Pendragon, the prince of Camelot, and is made his servant.

Merlin frequently has to use his powers to protect Arthur as well as his other family, friends and peers while keeping his powers secret from most of them, in particular King Uther Pendragon.

Early Life
Merlin was born in the small village Ealdor in Albion. His mother is Hunith and his father is unknown. Merlin was born with a strange power that enables him to slow down the movement of time, both mentally and physically, and move objects to wherever he wishes.

According to The Great Dragon, Merlin's birth has been prophesized by many cultures. For example the Druids refer to him as "Emrys" (Meaning "Immortal"), and it is the name Mordred calls him by. (The Beginning of the End)

The Dragon states that it is Merlin's destiny to protect Arthur Pendragon, aid him in uniting the kingdoms of Albion and return magic to land.

Arriving in Camelot
Upon his arrival in Camelot Merlin saves Gaius from a fatal fall from a balcony in his apartments in the city. He gives Merlin a magic spell book in order to advance his skills but advices Merlin to hide his powers as the king, Uther Pendragon, has made all forms of magic illegal.

During his first week in Camelot Merlin hears a voice calling him. He goes down to he dungeons of the castle and discovers The Great Dragon. The dragon tells Merlin that he is destined for great things, and that he will aid Arthur in his destiny to become king. Throughout the series the dragon frequently gave Merlin advice, although Merlin rarely understood them at first as the advice is usually in riddles.

As well as being dogsbody to Gaius, Merlin became the personal servant to Arthur after he saved him from being impaled by a dagger thrown by Mary Collins. Although the pair share an antagonistic relationship at first the two quickly begin to trust each other. Merlin also befriends Guinevere, known as "Gwen", servant to Morgana, and later Morgana herself.

Early Adventures
Merlin frequently uses his magic to help others, sometimes without thinking of the consequences. When Gwen's father's life is threatened by a strange plague in Camelot Merlin uses his magic to heal him; this subsequently leads Arthur to assume she healed him with witchcraft and had caused the plague in the first place. (The Mark of Nimueh) Merlin uses his magic to help a swordsman named Lancelot to make him look like a nobleman's son to enable him to join the Knights of Camelot and later to enchant his lance to aid in killing a Griffin. (Lancelot)

He uses his powers to save Uther from being killed by one of Edwin Muirden's beetles despite the risk of his powers being discovered. (A Remedy to Cure All Ills) He takes this risk again when his home village is attacked by bandits and he raises a wind in front of Arthur in order to help them win the fight. However his friend Will, who is fatally wound during the battle, takes the blame for the magic before he dies. (The Moment of Truth)

However Merlin's magic has also helped expose witches and warlocks with more sinister motives. He managed to expose Knight Valiant's magical snake shield during the final of the sword tournament, saving Arthur's life. (Valiant)

Merlin frequently also has to make life altering choices, often dealing with the Dragon's advice to him. The first of two notable examples occur when he has to choose whether to help Mordred escape from Camelot or to allow him to be caught and killed; Merlin ultimately chose the former when Mordred begged him to help him. (The Beginning of the End) The second is after the death of Gwen's father and Morgana plots with Tauren to kill Uther and the Dragon advises him to do nothing. Despite his intense dislike of Uther because of his persecution against his kind Merlin refuses to believe that it is right to kill him. He ultimately chooses to save him when Gwen states that she wouldn't kill him because that would make her no better that Uther. (To Kill the King)

Showdown with Nimueh
After an encounter with a Questing Beast, Arthur and Merlin went on a hunt for it. Merlin killed it, but Arthur was bitten by it. Knowing that a bite from a Questing Beast meant death, Merlin went to the Dragon. The Dragon told him to travel to the Isle of the Blessed and accept the heavy price that he would have to pay. (Le Morte d'Arthur)

Once at the Island, Merlin once again encountered Nimueh. He was told that to save Arthur's life, he had to sacrifice another. Merlin chose to sacrifice his own, and Nimueh gave him a vial of water that would revive Arthur. But the life that was taken was not Merlin's, but his mother's. Merlin went to the Dragon and accused him of tricking him. The Dragon said his own life was too valuable to waste, since he had to protect Arthur until he claimed the throne, at which time the Dragon would be freed. Realising that was all the Dragon ever cared about, Merlin turned his back on the Dragon, vowing to never allow him to be released for what he had done. (Le Morte d'Arthur)

Merlin intended to once again visit Nimueh to bargin his own life for his mother. But Gaius beat him to it, and sacrificed his life for Hunith. Merlin blammed Nimueh for Hunith and Gaius' deaths, and attacked her. Nimueh easily overpowered him in a magical battle, and seemingly killed him. But as she turned her back to him, Merlin rose up and and used magical lightning to strike her down. He then used the power of life and death to revive Gaius, using Nimueh's death as payment. (Le Morte d'Arthur)

Meanwhile, the Dragon appears to have a terrible retribution about Merlin's desertion and angrily calls Merlin's name (which appears to have been heard by Morgana.) (Le Morte d'Arthur)

Cornelius Sigan's Return
During the time a buried treasure was unearthed, a con-artist named Cedric attempted to muscle in on Merlin's position as Arthur's right-hand man, which he succeeded in doing. When the spirit of Cornelius Sigan was unleashed by Cedric and threatened to destroy Camelot, Merlin revoked his vow and returned to the Dragon for help. He promised to free the Dragon if he helped, and the Dragon complied by giving him the spell he needed to defeat Sigan. When Sigan realized how powerful Merlin was, he offered Merlin a chance to join him, saying Arthur didn't deserve his loyalty. Although he appeared to be tempted by this offer, Merlin refused and sealed Sigan's spirit away again. Arthur also gave Merlin his position back after Cedric's betrayal was exposed. (The Curse of Cornelius Sigan)

Helping Morgana
When Morgana's magic began to reveal itself, she was terrified. Merlin wanted to help her, but Gaius refused to tell Morgana the truth, and the Dragon refused to help Merlin do anything that would help Morgana, saying it would be best if she never knew the full extent of her powers. But Merlin refused to abandon Morgana and advised she visit the Druids to get help with her powers. Unfortunately, Morgana's disappearance led Uther to believe she had been kidnapped and ordered for everyone who was under suspicion to be executed unless she was returned. Merlin immediately went after Morgana and tried to convince her to return to Camelot. But an army, led by Arthur, raided the camp, forcing Merlin to use magic to protect the Druids. Morgana was found and returned to Camelot, but she was no longer afraid of her magic and thanked Merlin for what he did. Arthur, meanwhile, thought Merlin had fallen for Morgana, and advised him to not pursue his feelings for her since Uther would "have his head" for it. (The Nightmare Begins)

Rescuing Gwen
When Gwen was kidnapped by bandits, believing her to be Morgana, Merlin and Arthur set out to rescue her. During the journey, Merlin noticed Arthur's odd behavior, and managed to get Arthur to confess that he was in love with Gwen. Arthur insisted that nothing could happen between him and Gwen, namely because of his father, but Merlin said that could change when he became king and that Gwen would wait for him if she returned his feelings. Merlin and Arthur arrived at the bandits' hideout in time to save Gwen and Lancelot (who had also arrived to rescue her) from being killed. During the return home, both Merlin and Arthur noticed that Lancelot and Gwen had feelings for each other. But after Lancelot learned of Arthur's feelings for Gwen from Merlin, he decided to leave so he wouldn't come between Arthur and Gwen. (Lancelot and Guinevere)

The Witchfinder
One day, Merlin was gathering wood in the forest when he saw a pillow of smoke rising nearby. For his own entertainment, he used magic to temporarily turn the smoke into the shape of a horse. But a nearby peasant saw the magic, and fearing for her own life informed Uther. Uther, determined to wipe out the last traces of magic in Camelot, sent for Aredian, a feared witchfinder. When Aredian started searching the kingdom, he came across a magical amulet in Merlin and Gaius' house. Merlin was pubically accused of being a sorcerer, but Gaius took the blame in order to protect Merlin. (The Witchfinder)

Distressed over what he had caused, Merlin went to the Great Dragon for advise. But the Dragon, in genuine regret, couldn't help him because he didn't know how to do so on this matter. Merlin later visited Gaius in the dungeons, and both came to realise that the amulet found belonged to neither of them. Merlin then discovered that Aredian would plant false evidence of magic whereever he was called to further his own gains. Merlin then took revenge upon Aredian by exposing his treachery as well as framing him for being a sorcerer, which ultimately resulted in the witchfinder's death. Gaius was also released after he was found to be innocent. (The Witchfinder)

The Secret of Arthur's Birth
Arthur was later challegned by a mysterius woman named Morgause who, unknown to everyone except Gaius, was Morgana's half-sister. After defeating Arthur, much to Merlin's amusement, Morgause made him promise to come visit him and accept another challenge. After helping Arthur break out, Merlin accompanied him on his quest. When they reached Morgause's castle, Arthur passed Morgause's test and, as his reward, he was allowed to speak to the spirit of his deceased mother. From her, Arthur and Merlin learned that she had been unable to bare a son and Uther turned to magic as a way to do so, which resulted in her death. (The Sins of the Father)

Enraged at his father, Arthur returned to Camelot and attempted to kill Uther. Merlin, meanwhile, talked to Gaius about what they had been told. Gaius confirmed that Arthur was concieved by magic, and that he never said anything because he feared what Arthur would do. Realizing that Arthur and Uther were going to kill each other, Merlin ran into the hall to stop them. While he was tempted to let Arthur kill his tyrannical father, Merlin knew Arthur would never forgive himself if he did so and convinced him that Morgause had lied to him. Uther personally thanked Merlin for what he did, ironically saying that he was a true ally in the fight against magic. (The Sins of the Father)

Freya
Merlin later rescued a druid girl named Freya from a bounty hunter. He hid her in the tunnels beneath Camelot, wher he brought her food and clothing. They became very close, and even started to fall in love. But it turns out Freya had been cursed to become a monster, and she went on a rampage twice while she was in Camelot. Despite this, Merlin still loved her and was even thinking about abandoning Camelot to be with her. But sadly, during one of her rampages, Freya was fatally wounded by Arthur. Merlin carried Freya to a nearby lake, where she died after telling him she would repay him someday for loving her. (The Lady of the Lake)

Morgana's Fall
A sorcerer named Alvarr later came to Camelot with the intention of stealing a crystal that can tell the future. He also enlisted Mordred into his group of bandits, knowing that Mordred could use the crystal. Merlin and Arthur later found that the crystal had been stolen, and Merlin came to believe that Morgana was behind it. He followed her, and saw that he was right. He went to the Great Dragon, who told him his reason for advising him not to trust Mordred and Morgana: prophecy speaks of an evil alliance between the two. The Dragon advises Merlin that the alliance had to be prevented, whatever the cost.

Merlin later ended up leading a number of Camelot guards to the bandit camp. When he tried to prevent Mordred's escape, the young druid simply killed the guards that were after him, as well as telepathically told Merlin that he wouldn't forgive or forget his actions. Morgana, meanwhile, freed Alvarr from Camelot's dungeons.

Also during this time, Merlin got hold of the crystal and saw a future where the Dragon attacked Camelot once he was free. While Gaius told him that was merely one of many possible furutre, Merlin is clearly shaken from seeing this. (The Witch's Quickening)

Morgana continued her descent into darkness when she later sided with Morgause when she returned with the Knights of Medhir and put all of Camelot to sleep. Merlin went to the Great Dragon, who informed him that Morgana was sustaining the sleeping spell with her life, and her death would end it. When Morgana and Merlin were alone, he reluctantly tricked her into drinking hemlock. Morgause found out, and demanded Merlin tell her the poison he used. Merlin refused to do so unless she killed the Knights. Morguase did so, and Merlin showed her the hemlock. Morgause used her magic to heal Morgana, and then took her half-sister away. (The Fires Of Idirsholas)

Merlin also returned to the Dragon and finally fulfilled his oath by setting him free.

Personality
Merlin shows exceptional talent and potential in his magical abilities and his keenness to further his education despite the risks carried with using magic. He can be outspoken as well as being foolish, as with his first meeting with Arthur. He will at times use his magical abilities for himself, as when he fights Arthur in the market place (The Dragon's Call) and to soften his workload. (Valiant) However most of the time Merlin will use his magic to help others, although this will sometimes have consequences.

Merlin is very naive; he appears unaware that Gwen had romantic feelings for him (or doesn't feel the same way), telling anyone who asks that they are just friends. (Lancelot) He is also very selfless; when Gwen is sentenced to death for witchcraft he confesses that it was him who cured Gwen's father with magic, despite the fact it would have cost him his life. (The Mark of Nimueh) Also, after he had been poisoned by Nimueh, he sent a light to guide Arthur out of the caves beyond the Forest of Balor and advised him not to take the Mortaeus flower despite the fact that without it he would die (The Poisoned Chalice). He later offered to give his life in return for Arthur's on several occasions (The Labyrinth of Gedref, Le Morte d'Arthur).

Nonetheless there is also a darker side to Merlin's personality where he will go to extreme measures to protect those he cares about, even if it means killing enemies. He has been indirectly responsible for the deaths of Mary Collins when she tried to kill Arthur (The Dragon's Call), Edwin Muirden when he tried to kill Gaius (A Remedy to Cure All Ills) and Tristan De Bois's wraith by allowing Uther to use Excalibur (however, this particular death is up for debate, as the wraith was already dead). (Excalibur) At times Merlin has been forced to actively kill people to protect others, such as Sophia and her father (The Gates of Avalon), Tauren's henchmen (To Kill the King) and Nimueh. (Le Morte d'Arthur)

Arthur
Merlin originally had an antagonistic relationship with Arthur, seeing him as nothing more than an arogant bully and even saying that he'd help anyone who wanted to kill him. This changed very quickly once he found out they were linked by destiny. Merlin became Arthur's servant after saving his life for the first time. They have since become close friends, almost like brothers though they constantly insult and bicker with each other to cover it up.

Gwen
Merlin first met Gwen when she introduced herself to him while he was in the stockades. They became firends very quickly after that. Merlin was willing to sacrifice himself for her when she was accused of being a witch because of magic he'd done. When Merlin recovered after he was thought dead, Gwen kissed him, and Merlin responded that it was "more than fine." However, Merlin is unaware that Gwen has romantic feelings for him, loving her only as a friend. Gwen, meanwhile, appears to have lost her romantic feelings for Merlin.

Morgana
When Merlin first saw Morgana, Uther's ward, he appeared to be smitten with her. Morgana and Merlin became friends when they needed to work together to cure Camelot of a magical plague and prove Gwen wasn't the one who had caused it. They appeared to grow closer when they were harboring Mordred from Uther's guards. However, their firendship appears to have taken a downturn in the aftermath of Morgana's attempt on Uther's life. Merlin has distanced himself from her, and appears to be less sympathetic towards her.

By the time Morgana's magic began to reveal itself, Merlin's attitude towards Morgana had become friendly once again. Merlin, despite being advised not to do so, helped comfirm to Morgana that she had magic and that it was not something to fear. Merlin's actions during this time led Arthur to believe that he had fallen in love with Morgana.

However, Merlin later learned from the Dragon that Morgana was destined to ally with Mordred and become an enemy of Camelot. Morgana later sided with her sister Morgause to bring down Uther, and Merlin posioned her to get Morgause to stop. While Merlin told Morgana that he was sorry, she has most likely turned against him for trying to kill her.

Gaius
Merlin is very close to his uncle Gaius once saying 'you are more than a father to me'. His mother sent him to live with Gaius in the hopes that Gaius could help him with his powers. Although magic has been banned and Gaius respects the law, he gave Merlin a spellbook to study from in order to increase his magical skills. Gaius loves Merlin like a son and is willing to sacrifice his life for him which has been shown at least twice. One time was when he travelled to the Isle of the Blessed to save Merlin's mother Hunith at the cost of his own life (though he was saved when Merlin managed to kill the powerful sorceress Nimueh) and another time when he took blame for sorcery to protect Merlin and was almost burned at the stake as a result.

The Great Dragon
The Great Dragon was the one who informed Merlin of his destiny. Whenever Merlin didn't know what to do, particularly when it involved magic, he turned to the Great Dragon for advise or outright assistance. The Dragon acts as a mentor to Merlin, even though he doesn't always do as the Dragon advises him. Merlin actually considered the Dragon a friend but when he discovered the Dragon only cared about his own freedom and had tricked him into sacrificing his mother, Merlin turned his back on him, vowing to never allow him to be released.

Merlin returned to the Dragon when he needed help defeating the spirit of Cornelius Sigan. The Dragon agreed to help him, on the condition that Merlin promised to one day free him, which he agreed to do. Merlin appears to have regained some level of trust in the Dragon, and continues to seek his aid when he needs it. The Dragon appears to be quite fond of Merlin and he has proven that he can care about more than his own freedom as he felt genuinely sorry for Merlin, when he told him he was unable to help Merlin save Gaius. (The Witchfinder)

Uther
Merlin despises King Uther Pendragon because of his views of and persecution of magic. He has been tempted on several occasions to allow Uther to die when his life was in danger. But despite his personal feelings, he still defends the king of Camelot. .

Freya
Merlin had a very strong relationship with Freya and helped her by giving her food and safety. He promised to protect her and over a short period of time, he fell in love with her and they kissed twice. Merlin cared about her so much that he was willing to abandon Camelot, along with Gaius, Morgana, Gwen and Arthur just so that he could be with her. But Freya, who had been cursed to become a monstorous crature called a bastet, was fatally wounded by Arthur when she was in her beast form. Merlin carried her to a nearby lake, where she died after promising to return the favor of being loved some day. Merlin was completely heartbroken when Freya died. Despite his grief Merlin did not appear to blame Arthur for killing her as he still remained a faithful friend to the prince. Notably Freya's bond with Merlin was so strong that she didn't attack him while she was in her beast form, and usually she couldn't control herself in her beast form.

Abilities
Merlin's magical abilities go far beyond that of other sorcerers. According to Gaius magic needs to be studied and perfected for many years, but Merlin's basic magic ability has been there since his birth. (The Dragon's Call) Merlin possesses considerable natural magical resilience, even surviving the force of his own killing spell when it was reflected due to the power of Tauren's mage stone. (To Kill the King)

Merlin appears to be able to learn magic at an incredibly fast rate. Some of his powers include:


 * the ability to slow down an object's movement through time as well as move them on demand e.g. when he stops an axe in mid air and turns it around on Edwin. (A Remedy to Cure All Ills et al) He does this without using incantations and can use it to enhance incantations. (The Gates of Avalon)
 * use telepathy to contact other people with magical abilities. (The Beginning of the End) as well as learn magic through telepathy.
 * sense powerful magic, such as the Mage Stone. (To Kill the King)
 * mastery of the power of life and death, which he achieved after only two encounters with it. It should be noted that the only other person known to master this power was Nimueh. (Le Morte d'Arthur)

Though not strictly an ability, it is stated that Merlin is a "creature of magic", with his father unrevealed and his traditional role as a "man with no mortal father" it is claimed by some fans that Merlin is not human at all, but is some form of creature, or at least only half-human.

The only people who know of Merlin's powers are his mother Hunith, his uncle Gaius, William ("The Moment of Truth") and Lancelot. Some fans feel that Arthur is aware as well but finds it difficult to accept the idea that Merlin is a sorcerer on account of his low opinion of Merlin's competence, as well as knowing what would happen to him if the king found out. (The Poisoned Chalice, The Mark of Nimueh) Morgana also appears to have some awareness of his powers, intrigued by his keenness to help a young druid boy from execution (The Moment of Truth) and feeling the need to seek him out to warn him about her fears about the future. (Le Morte d'Arthur)

Merlin currently has possession of the Sidhe staff (a wooden staff with a blue gem and inscriptions of words of life and death, capable of helping Merlin cast spells and firing blasts of magical force) and the Book of Magic, containing numerous spells Merlin has used as well as a great deal of arcane knowledge.

Beliefs in the Old Religion
It is hinted though out the series that Merlin worship some form of a polytheistic religion. (Le Morte d'Arthur) In King Cenred's kingdom of where Merlin is from, the outer regions still appear to follow the Old Religion as far as worshiping the gods. In a scene in Season 1, Merlin tells his mother that "The gods will look after him" despite not using magic. (Le Morte d'Arthur)

In the legends King Arthur, as a majority of kings within the British Isles at the time were, was Christian. Nonetheless he was clearly more tolerant towards the pagan religions as Merlin is frequently referred to as being a druid.

Legends
Merlin is based on the famous wizard Merlin Ambrosius, advisor to King Arthur in the Arthurian legends. Merlin is said to have been the child of a Demetian princess who was impregnated by a demon, specifically an incubus. Other legends state his father was a fairy, an angel or the devil. He was feared from a young age by many people who believed him to be the son of a devil due to the fact he had no known mortal father.

He is credited at having been present at Arthur's birth. He predicted Arthur's greatness and became his tutor and trusted advisor, ultimately aiding him in becoming King by helping him to win wars against the kings who opposed his succession. Merlin was enchanted and trapped in a cave after stealing all his magical knowledge by the Lady of the Lake. Other minor legends attribute his death to Morgan le Fey who, after seducing him, turned herself into an oak tree and buried him. Merlin's death was a leading cause in Arthur's ultimate downfall, as the King lacked his protector and advisor.

It is yet to be seen whether this demonic background will come into play, although it is clear that Merlin's powers go far beyond that of any human wizard yet seen. For narrative purposes, Merlin's age has been lowered to Arthur's, making them contemporaries.