User blog:Dryuuu/What could have been done to improve parts of Series 5

I think many holes would have been improved in Merlin Series 5, and I am listing some ideas as to how continuity would have been improved dramatically if I were to re-do some Series 5 episodes. As the series has not ended I will not focus on how I would completely redo it but just how I would have rather done some bits differently. So this is not going against the plot or dramatically changing, rather putting more pieces together.

I still love Merlin and Series 5 is definitely one of my favourite yet. So enjoy this blog post, it's just some of my thoughts and creativity (and sort of common sense- you may nod and go 'indeed, I thought that would've explained it better)' put into a blog. So here we go!

Arthur's Bane: Part 1

 * Well first of all, Merlin would get a seat at the round table! (Except in formal occasions, like visits, battle strategies etc. that Merlin wouldn't get involved in. Merlin is the one Arthur is with and risks the life of most of the time after all!) Sefa would not be present in this scene… Merlin Sarrum_at_the_round_table.jpg also have different clothes, still similar, just a lot better looking, like they had been ordered in by the king. After all in A Herald of the New Age, Merlin asked Arthur for new clothes...
 * Arthur would still banter with Merlin but in a more brotherly way, not 'you're a servant, can you do anything YOU IDIOT?!' It's so old, and painful to listen to. Gwen would at least greet Merlin a few times and there should be scenes of her telling Merlin not to worry too much and that he is a good and loyal friend. The lack of Gwen/Merlin interaction has been shocking.
 * We would get a bit more story behind the magic wolves and see the men being scooped up and thrown in the mines, and why they were up in the Northern Plains. Perhaps a scene with a few knights seeing some strange glowing activity (the wolves emitting it with a ritual of theirs) and then another scene with Morgana talking with the wolves and asking for their help, promising she can grant them freedom and a right to live without being hunted. Then a bunch of Saxons dragging knights away on carts after the wolves have taken them out (so it appears Morgana isn't doing it all herself).

Arthur's Bane: Part 2

 * We would see more Morgana and Mordred interaction. Even a hug would be nice... but maybe not, as Mordred may be frightened of what Morgana's become. Mordred would explain more of his past rather than having to hide who he was (the producers said what happened in the 8 years gap would be explained, how can they fit that in the finale?). Alex Vlahos said in an interview he was looking for Morgana for a few months before. Well why doesn't the show tell us that!
 * The brute Ragnor I felt needed to be taught a lesson. Perhaps Ragnor will be camping near the tower in Ismere and after Mordred tells Morgana they had Arthur but he escaped, Morgana will order the Saxons to round Ragnor's men up and throw them in as slaves, in rage. Then that's when she'll hear the warning bell and go after Arthur.
 * Now this is controversial, but I would keep the Euchdag. As I said I am focusing on how it could be improved, not replaced or changed completely. I Ragnor.jpg the Euchdag personally, but I would make her look different. In the original comic sequence strips for Merlin (which I lost the link for, sorry, but they were officially released) the Euchdag looked like some sort of lake spirit lady.. with the long luscious hair, sort of like a mermaid without the tail... Some also argue the Euchdag had no purpose. I do agree we've had many characters simply there to re enforce the destiny of Emrys, and the Euchdag did do that, but she also re enforced that Gwaine was worthy, but saving his life and she possibly saved Merlin's life, too.
 * After Morgana is stabbed and as Mordred picks Arthur up to carry him away, the Euchdag pulls Merlin away, and Mordred looks behind to see Merlin has gone, and assumes he has gotten up or something, and goes off with Arthur. This way, it'll look like they all forgot about Merlin. Small things like this can make the continuity more realistic...M5_02_50_06_sRGB_still_Aithusa2_v0021659.jpg
 * Now, I would not have Morgana limping off in the snow with Aithusa at the end. I would show Aithusa walking over to an unconscious Morgana and healing her. The Saxons will then walk in (wary, because Morgana ordered them out to make way for Aithusa to deal with the knights), led by Beroun, who appeared out of nowhere in The Kindness of Stangers, and pick Morgana up. She will wake a bit later and cry about Mordred's betrayal and scream in rage that Arthur won. So from then on we can assume she did not lose her Saxon army. She will move on to new places and plans...

The Death Song of Uther Pendragon

 * Veeery controversial. But some would agree (well many I hope) it could have been improved if Valdis warned the spirit would be bitter (but Arthur was away at the time she said this, only Merlin heard, and he would not listen to Merlin, too eager for the opportunity)- it would be explained that Uther was rid of the pain Morgana brought him which made us pity him more than ever in Series 4 and we would be told that the spirit only cares for its legacy and would have lost many human qualities- hence explaining his ruthless actions. I would probably also not make him try to kill Gwen, rather just haunt her and make her feel guilty and knock her out. Nor would he try to kill Arthur (although this is questionable whether he did or not).

Another's Sorrow

 * It would begin with Morgana standing on a cliff with Aithusa by her side, watching Nemeth fall under Odin's control, with a proud but serious face (not a Series 3 smirk!). Confident the kingdom has fallen, she will tell Aithusa she will see her and venture off into Nemeth. She will then enter and ask to speak to Odin and propose the plan to use Mithian to try and kill Arthur.
 * Odin and Morgana will briefly discuss the ageing spell and Odin will question why measures would need to be taken to be watching Mithian all the time as Hilda- Morgana would explain she would still run to Arthur even if it's her own father and Arthur would plan an ambush of his own in response to Odin's. A few simple discussions would have left us with far less questions. Morganthusa.png
 * While in Camelot, I would've liked to have seen a few scenes with Hilda's face scrunching up in rage as she sees Gwen as queen. Maybe in one scene she fights the urge to grab a knife and just pounce at them with it.
 * The scene where Hilda chokes Merlin, she was too easy on him and Merlin did not fight back. Perhaps this should have been cut shorter, with a knight walking in on it, and Hilda turning and attacking him, then more knights showing up. Hilda has to be quick to hide the evidence of the knight (rolling him down a hill or something) and she does not get the time to finish Merlin off. Arthur later questions the disappearance of the knight and becomes very wary he was snatched and they venture on.
 * When the earthquake happens later on, Morgana seems pretty helpless. I'd like to see her use magic to stop it or block the door, and maybe Merlin uses magic to break through the rubble again, much to Morgana's surprise, then he makes rubble fall on her (I know it's a bit repetitive because it happens in The Tears of Uther Pendragon and The Castle of Fyrien, but it's less stupid than Morgana being air punched and not questioning it later!)

The Hollow Queen
I lost this part because of Wikia's uselessness as usual but I will try to remember what I wrote...
 * Instead of reusing an old flashback from Arthur's Bane they could've explained how Morgana was broken free, and easily and effectively tied the loose thread of Alvarr's story once and for all which was left open. We could've seen Alvarr, who infiltrated Amata as one of Sarrum's men, used his magic to find where Morgana was kept, then opened the hatch and threw down a rope for her. Then we could see Alvarr with Morgana and Aithusa running down a tunnel. Alvarr hears men coming and he tells Morgana to go. He has repaid his debt to her, for what she did in The Witch's Quickening. Alvarr turns around to find himself face to face with Sarrum, who stabs Alvarr, knowing he will not be able to help them get to Morgana again.
 * Apart from that appearance, Aithusa could have also appeared in the present time of the episode itself, where Morgana walks through the forest to find the potion shop where she bought the poison to use on Merlin. Morgana could have just told Aithusa to wait there. Or, maybe just a scene with Morgana and Aithusa hiding out near a cave or something and Morgana telling Aithusa she is leaving to do something. Just to show where Aithusa is... obviously they travel together, as we see her in Ismere.
 * Instead of Sarrum dying at the end, the arrow could have missed him and hit the table. We could've then got a fight scene with the men of Amata being rounded up. Queen Gwen, under Morgana's order, then later orders for Sarrum to be escorted out of the cell, and she bounds him with a magical rope Morgana gives her (to keep him restrained- if he resists he gets burnt) and takes him to Morgana. Morgana either takes him to the Dark Tower or puts him in a pit.

That is all I have for now in this installment! Wikia is driving me nuts with its bugs.. it seems to hate bloggers lately. I may do more a bit later!