Board Thread:What If?/@comment-173.245.80.12-20140903054558/@comment-37001937-20181105050331

I actually had to re-watch this episode to make sure if someone had noticed that there even was a necklace because all I remembered was Arthur's anger at his father's death. And, sure enough, Gaius noticed the necklace and decided to keep it a secret from Arthur for no apparent, or believable reason. Why? Arthur already knew that Morgana had magic and that she had used it to take over Camelot; he also knew that Morgana hated Uther and sought revenge. It wasn't even a concern over hiding the truth for fear of his reaction towards Merlin. There was no reason, other than the writers decided that the servant/King dynamic and banter was more important than Merlin actually taking a proactive approach toward fulfilling his destiny and speaking to his so-called friend with truth.

Merlin's constant fear of Arthur with regards to his magic is tragic. This isn't a friendship that is built upon a secret that wouldn't be anyone's business under normal circumstances. Merlin's fear of exposing his secret almost brought down the kingdom he was supposed to help build down thrice. So what if Arthur threatened to or actually banished him and Gaius. At least give him all the facts.

This episode more than any other proved to me that the writers didn't know what to do with Merlin's magic and how  keeping it a secret from his so-called friend affected the characters and the stories. This was a pivotal moment for Arthur and the show. It was the one event that could change his mind and lead him towards change and become a rightful and just ruler for everyone in the realm.