Board Thread:What If?/@comment-5674726-20140630220202/@comment-5674726-20140809223309

Machairodus wrote:

And Nimueh wasn't retconned because it's only hinted that she is guilty. It seems most people overlooked it. There is no sense in retcon no one notices.

Merlin isn't arrogant. First of all it was dragon's advise. Second, he was acting in tune with Destiny. He was only naive, believing he is the only one to pay any price.

And lastly - do you really believe Merlin would agree to pay innocent life to save Arthur? It's questionable since in Mordred's episode we have similar situation. Nimueh goes from making it very clear that she didn't know that Ygraine would die in payment for Arthur's life and that she had no control over it to being able to choose who lives and who dies. Even if you don't consider it a retcon, it's certainly a villain upgrade.

Taking it upon oneself to meddle with the power of life and death is arrogant. Nimueh paid a very heavy price when she took it upon herself to bring a life into the world that couldn't exist naturally but the writers decided to shield Merlin from the consequences of his own decision to do the same by allowing him to sacrifice Nimueh.

As to the question of whether or not Merlin would take an innocent life, I don't know whether or not he would have agreed but I would have liked to see him have to make the choice, with no convenient villain to be sacrificed so he can keep his hands clean.