Elyan

"He just always happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

- Gwen on Elyan

Sir Elyan was the son of Tom, the brother of Queen Guinevere Pendragon and the brother-in-law of King Arthur Pendragon, whom he served as a Knight of the Round Table. Prior to his knighthood he was a blacksmith, like his father before him. He was impaled by a sword enchanted by the Lady Morgana - apparently to protect Guinevere and likely to kill Arthur - and died of his wounds in his sister's arms.

Early life
Elyan was the elder child and only son of the blacksmith Tom and his late wife. Little is known about Elyan's early life, only that he left home a year before Merlin arrived in Camelot and did not keep in contact with his family. Consequently his sister Guinevere had no knowledge of his whereabouts, or even whether he was alive or dead (The Castle of Fyrien).

Kidnapped
"Brother and sister reunited. It warms the heart."

- Cenred regarding Gwen and Elyan

Four years after his departure from Camelot, Gwen and Elyan were reunited when they were kidnapped by King Cenred as part of a plot to kill Arthur Pendragon. Gwen was soon released so that she could lead Arthur into their trap, but Elyan spent most of his captivity in the castle dungeons. His sister eventually rejoined him when she, Arthur, Merlin, and Morgana were captured trying to sneak into the castle by way of an underground tunnel system. The two had a bit of a heart to heart as they waited in their cell, discussing issues like Elyan's decision to leave home and his failure to return even after their father's death. Elyan also became aware of Gwen's romance with Arthur, which he took great amusement in teasing her about.

The siblings were soon rescued by Arthur and Merlin, and - after a quick detour to "save" Morgana - the group returned to Camelot. Elyan decided to give up his wanderings at this time, instead choosing to reopen their father's forge and take over his job as blacksmith (The Castle of Fyrien).

Saving Camelot
"Even though I was a commoner, a nobody, you were willing to lay down your life for me, Arthur. Now it is my turn to repay you."

- Elyan to Arthur

Elyan was present when Camelot was attacked by an immortal army and attacked Arthur, mistaking him for an enemy. He accompanied Merlin, Arthur and Gwaine into Camelot to find his sister. He and Gwaine witnessed Uther Pendragon being dragged towards the throne room and informed Arthur who ordered them to get Gaius, who had also escaped the assault unscathed, in the safety of the forest. Meanwhile, Arthur and Merlin witnessed Morgana being crowned Queen of Camelot.

Elyan was later knighted by Arthur and helped him and his allies rescue Uther and the surviving Knights of Camelot, although he was wounded during the battle (The Coming Of Arthur).

Knight of the Round Table
"Arise, Sir Elyan, Knight of Camelot."

- Arthur

A year later, he was part of a group of four knights who came across Morgana in the middle of a wasteland. Knowing they would attempt to stop her, she attacked, and only Elyan and Leon survived. He saved the life of Percival, who was attempting to rescue three children when the Dorocha attacked Camelot. He, along with Arthur, Merlin and the other Knights of the Round Table then left for the Isle of the Blessed, attempting to free Camelot from the Dorocha (The Darkest Hour).

Upon learning of the existence of a dragon's egg and the fact that Julius Borden was seeking it, Arthur took the Knights of Camelot with him to hunt and destroy it. While on the trip, Elyan joined the others in playing a joke on Merlin and as a result was poisoned by Julius. He was only saved by Merlin's magic (Aithusa).

When Camelot's army set out for battle against the army of the late Caerleon and his wife Queen Annis, Elyan and the other Knights of the Round Table assured Arthur that they would stand by him and fight to the death in his name. Arthur felt that he had made the wrong decision and brought the unnecessary war upon Camelot himself. He decided to settle the conflict without the need for his knights to risk their lives for him (His Father's Son).

Elyan was among the Knights of Camelot who were attacked by Morgana 's mercenaries. He fought his way through, but was ultimately separated from Arthur and Merlin. Later, while trying to figure out who the traitor was, Arthur briefly considered Elyan, before deciding it was impossible. While out on patrol, Elyan and the other knights caught Dragoon the Great outside Camelot. The four attacked him briefly, but the disguised Merlin overpowered them easily, defeating each of them, then using them to elevate himself up onto a horse (A Servant of Two Masters).

Lamia
"Leon and Gwaine, I've never known them to act like this." "Elyan's the same. I hardly recognize him." "I think it's something to do with her."

- Merlin and Gwen regarding the Knights and Lamia

On the journey back to Camelot from a village suffering from a strange disease, Elyan, the other knights and Merlin came across a group of bandits who had captured a young girl. The knights attacked the bandits and saved the girl, who was nervous and particularly distrustful of Merlin. Identifying herself as Lamia, she soon began to exert a power over the knights, making them aggressive and irrational towards each other and Merlin. The knights become possessive of the Lamia and obsessed with her well-being, forgetting the original purpose of their journey. Elyan and Percival have to break up a fight between Gwaine and Leon. Later, the Lamia seduced Elyan and transferred the disease with a kiss. The knights found Elyan the next morning and brought him to Gwen and Merlin, who began to suspect the Lamia. Merlin tried to convince the knights to get Elyan back to Camelot for treatment but the other knights, under the Lamia's influence, insisted on going to a deserted castle. Elyan was only cured when the Lamia was killed by Arthur. Gaius tended to all the sick villagers and knights (Lamia).

Possessed by a Troubled Spirit
"He may have disturbed a spirit at the shrine. I think that spirit's possessing him."

- Merlin about Elyan

While Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of Camelot were out in the forest, the group discovered a Druid shrine, erected for the sake of a troubled soul unable to find peace due to its unjust death. Merlin, feeling uneasy due to a strange presence, warned the others not to touch anything, but Elyan, thirsty since Gwaine had drunk all his water, drank from a small well. However, in doing so, he disturbed and freed the tormented spirt. The spirit was that of a young Druid boy, dripping wet and deathly pale, who began to appear to Elyan, unseen by others. Initially he did not speak, first appearing to Elyan while he was in his bedroom, then beginning to exert his influence on him during the knights' training session, causing him to fly into a rage. Having been told by Gwaine that salt at the foot of the bed would ward off evil spirits, Elyan desperately put a ring of salt under his, which would later confirm to Merlin that Elyan had been possessed. The spirit, appearing a third time, then spoke to Elyan and told him that he wanted peace, but in order to get it Elyan had to kill the King to balance the injustice done to him while alive. Now under the spirit's power, Elyan agreed and went to Arthur's rooms at night, attacking him. Although he caught Arthur unawares, Arthur's superior skill saved him and the guards came in, causing Elyan to flee.

Whilst trying to escape the castle, Elyan was apprehended by the other Knights of the Round Table and thrown in the dungeons. The spirit reappeared to tell him that he had failed him, which drove Elyan to torment. It was suspected that he was motivated by revenge for Arthur banishing his sister and Agravaine told Arthur he had to put him to death to show the people of Camelot that attempts on the King's life would be severely punished. Merlin, knowing that Elyan was not acting of his own accord, defended Elyan's case, leaving Arthur conflicted. Planning to exorcise the spirit, Merlin freed Elyan from the dungeon and tried to give him a sedative to allow him to remove the spirit, but the spirit warned Elyan of Merlin's intentions and so he knocked Merlin out.

Making his second attempt on Arthur's life, Elyan, armed with a crossbow, killed or knocked out three knights. He fired at Arthur, but Arthur had realised the danger in the nick of time and dodged the shot. Now completely under the spirit's power and speaking with the Druid boy's voice instead of Elyan's, he challenged Arthur to a sword fight. Arthur's skill meant he once again defeated Elyan. However, Arthur, having heard the child's voice instead of Elyan's, began to realise that Merlin had been correct and that Elyan was in fact possessed. He then let Elyan run. Gaius informed Arthur that in order to appease the restless spirit, the perpetrator of the injustice done to it in life would have to atone for his crime. Believing Uther to have been responsible, Gaius told Arthur he had no choice but to put Elyan to death since it was impossible for Uther to redeem himself.

Arthur said nothing, but at night he slipped out of the castle, only to be tailed by Merlin. Arthur caught his servant, but allowed him to accompany him. Arthur travelled to the site of the shrine and summoned the spirit. He knelt before it and cast aside his sword, then revealed that it had not been Uther who led the raid on the Druid camp, but he himself. Arthur, filled with remorse, explained how he had led it in youth and inexperience and was still haunted by the memory. Promising that the Druids would be treated with the respect they deserved in future, Arthur finally gave the child's spirit peace, and so the spirit forgave him. He released Elyan, who, disoriented and confused, fainted. He was told that he would make a full recovery (A Herald of the New Age).

Morgana's Second Conquest of Camelot
"Tell me where Arthur is... Or sample the delights of my little friend here." "I'll tell you nothing." "I was hoping you'd say that."

- Morgana and Elyan, the latter about to be tortured with a Nathair

When Morgana and Helios launched a surprise attack on Camelot, Elyan discovered Agravaine leading the invaders. Finding that Agravaine had betrayed them, Elyan vowed to kill him, as did Agravaine to Elyan. However, Morgana knocked Elyan unconscious with magic, telling Agravaine that they didn't have time to play soldiers. Elyan later joined with Percival to help Merlin hide Arthur but Morgana caught up with them. After Percival disappeared, Elyan stayed behind to buy Merlin and Arthur time to escape and was captured by Morgana. She interrogated Elyan to find out where Arthur was hiding, but Elyan refused to tell her anything. Morgana therefore used a Nathair to "torture him to the limit of human endurance", as Gaius commented. When Elyan joined Gwaine and Gaius in the dungeons, he was catatonic.

However, Elyan recovered some of his strength after a few days. Though he was still weak, he was soon able to walk and talk again, and when the guards came for Gwaine to force him to fight in return for food, he tried to help but was still too weak. After Gwaine won, Elyan tried to encourage Gaius to eat, though Gaius told him not to waste his food as he believed he was dying. Nonetheless, Elyan refused to take back the bread.

Elyan was later rescued by Percival and Leon as they fought to retake Camelot, much to his relief and joy. He happily joked about having been trapped in a cell with Gwaine for a week and later watched on proudly as Gwen was crowned Queen of Camelot by his new brother-in-law, Arthur (The Sword in the Stone).

Knights Go Missing
Three years after his sister, Guinevere, became Queen of Camelot, Elyan is still a member of his brother-in-law's Round Table and one of his most trusted Knights. When Arthur reports to the Round Table that Sir Gwaine and his troop of men have gone missing, Elyan voices his concern for his friends and states that all the disappearances are somehow related to Morgana, Arthur Merlin and all the knights set out to Ismir to rescue Gwaine and Percival, but when Morgana attacks Leon and Elyan, the two end up losing Arthur and Merlin and they head back to Camelot. When Ruadan comes to rescue his daughter, Sefa, Elyan gives Ruadan the fatal blow which eventually kills him (Arthur's Bane).

The Dark Tower
Elyan with Gwen and the other knights venture back to Camelot when Morgana stumbles upon them and plants snakes in a patch of grass leading to the injuries of Percival and Leon, as Gwen flees she is captured by Morgana and taken to the Dark Tower, where she will return home but not everyone will get out alive.

Arthur is informed of Gwen's abduction and rides out at dawn with the knights, Merlin. Nearby Arthur tends to head out alone to save Gwen but with the others by his side, and Elyan both knowing how much Gwen means to them they head onwards where Merlin is told that one shall not return.

Death
When the knights reach the Dark Tower, they notice Elyan is already ahead in a booby trap room filled with darts, attempting to kill anyone who mistreads on the path. Elyan succeeds in reaching the room where Gwen is held captive but at the stake of battling with an enchanted sword. He is impaled, and although he manages to toss it out through a nearby window, he falls on his knees and passes away in Gwen's arms; And as Gwen mourns over his death, the others soon find them, much to their horror. Sunrise appears in Camelot and Elyan is given a memorial, the boat containing his body is set alight as it flows down the river. That night, Gwen appears to have betrayed Camelot and is now allies with Morgana. Elyan is given a Viking burial, similar to Freya from The Lady of the Lake and Lancelot from Lancelot du Lac (The Dark Tower).

Personality
"He's just one of those people, never settles down, never thinks about the future. Just follows his heart wherever it leads him."

- Gwen about Elyan

Elyan was adventurous, leaving Camelot a year before Merlin arrived and travelling widely. However this meant that he was out of contact with his sister, even when their father passed away. Gwen who didn't know if he was alive or dead. Gwen commented that Elyan had never settled down but preferred to follow his heart and that he had a tendency to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Elyan was affectionate and demonstrated his love for his sister, hugging her when they were reunited and later agreeing to live with her in Camelot.

He was also cunning enough to be able to hide during Morgana and Morgause's attack on Camelot, and was the only known person apart from Gaius to escape the attack unscathed (The Coming of Arthur).

Elyan was courageous and an adept fighter, leading to him gaining a position as a Knight of Camelot and one of Arthur's most trusted comrades. He was shown to be very loyal, with others attesting to the fact that Elyan would never harm Arthur of his own volition, no matter what he had done to him (A Herald of the New Age). He was also shown to be kind as he was one of the only knights who didn't tease and bully Merlin.

He was very affectionate towards his sister Gwen. You see this when Gwen was kidnapped by Morgana (The Dark Tower). He often blamed himself for Guinevere's kidnapping, even though it wasn't fully his fault. He was so passionate to bring back his sister that it cost him his life.

Guinevere Pendragon
"I don't know what I'd be if it wasn't for her."

- Elyan about Gwen

Gwen was Elyan's younger sister whom he hadn't seen in about four years. He was glad to see her when she was kidnapped by Cenred, Morgana and Morgause. They had a close relationship and were very protective of each other. When Gwen accidentally let slip Arthur's name without being formal, he grew suspicious of her relationship with the prince but didn't tease her about it and seemed to support her and Arthur. He seemed upset when Gwen questioned his motives for not getting in contact with her over his four year absence even after Uther had their father executed for apparent treason. Just over a year later, Elyan was appalled when it was said that Gwen had committed adultery against Arthur on the eve of their wedding and was unable to look at her and nor did he defend her for he actually believed her to have committed the crime intentionally when she was unknowingly enchanted by Morgana's bracelet. They were later reunited just before Arthur and Merlin overthrew Morgana a second time and watched on proudly as his sister was crowned Queen of Camelot by his now brother-in-law, Arthur.

Three years after Gwen became Queen, Elyan was present when Gwen questioned her maid, Sefa about why she was sneaking out of Camelot at night. When Gwen sentenced the maid to death, Elyan seemed shocked at his sister's decision.

Tom
"He was a good father. I'm glad we came."

- Elyan about Tom

Elyan's full relation with Tom is unknown, however, he did love his father as he is seen at his father's grave with Gwen talking about how proud he must feel to see them now.

Arthur Pendragon
"We would fight a thousand armies with our bare hands for you. We're never alone. We stand together."

- Elyan to Arthur

Elyan had a great deal of respect for Arthur even after the Prince became Camelot's new King. He helped Arthur, Merlin and the others win back Camelot from Morgana and Morgause and was knighted by Arthur and became a Knight of the Round Table. He remained at Arthur's side over the next year while Camelot was recovering from Morgana's attack. He was supportive of the prince's relationship with his sister and was surprised when Uther was killed by an assassin leaving Arthur to become the next King of Camelot. He along with Merlin, Gwen, Gaius and his fellow knights chanted "Long Live the King!" at Arthur's Coronation. The two men eventually became brothers-in-law when Arthur married Gwen and made her his queen.

Merlin
"You know, Merlin, you're much braver than you look."

- Elyan to Merlin

From the moment they met, Elyan and Merlin got along rather well. During the year after Morgana's first takeover of Camelot, the two interacted often due them to both being at knight training and Merlin having to act as a training dummy at times much to the amusement of the knights. Unlike his fellow knights, Elyan was the only knight other than Lancelot that never made fun of or teased Merlin. It is currently unknown if Elyan and Merlin remained good friends three years after Morgana's second conquest. It can be assumed they still were good friends as they remained members of Arthur's inner circle and serve as members of the Round Table both officially and unofficially.

Gwaine
"All right?" "I've been locked up with Gwaine for a week."

- Percival and Elyan

Elyan had a good relationship with Gwaine but found him slightly annoying at times, probably due to the fact that Gwaine talks a lot more than Elyan. This is somewhat noticeable when Arthur, with the help of Merlin, Gwen and their new friends Tristan and Isolde take back Camelot for the second time from Morgana, Elyan jokes after he, Gwaine and Gaius are released from the dungeon by Percival and Leon that he's been locked up with Gwaine for a week.

Percival
"Couldn't let you have all the glory, could I?"

- Elyan to Percival

Like Gwaine, Percival occasionally got on Elyan's nerves, as he enjoyed joining in on Gwaine's pranks. Despite their differences, the two were good friends, and faced many dangers together.

Leon
There was not very much interaction between Elyan and Leon, but they appeared to be good friends, always watching each other's backs. It's possible that they knew one another prior to Elyan's being made a knight, as Gwen and Elyan's mother was once a maid in Leon's household.

Mordred
Though there has been little interaction between Mordred and his fellow knights, Elyan took it upon himself to explain to Mordred that on the anniversary of Arthur's Coronation why Arthur was so upset as it was also the day in which Uther died. Elyan and Mordred are later seen sitting next to each other at the meeting of the Round Table that was interrupted by Uther's spirit. It can be assumed by these two examples that Mordred and Elyan get on fairly well.

Abilities
"Practice makes perfect"

- Elyan to Arthur Elyan was a proficient and extremely skillful swordsman, as was shown when he easily defeated two of Cenred's knights, he held his own against the immortal army despite being wounded and went on to become an elite Knight of Camelot. However, his skill with a sword was inferior to Arthur's, as he was unable to defeat Arthur while attempting to kill him under the possession of a tormented spirit.

He also had some skill as a blacksmith, which was shown when he returned to Camelot after being captured by Cenred as he reopened and started working at his father's smithy.

Appearances

 * Series 3
 * The Castle of Fyrien
 * The Coming of Arthur: Part One
 * The Coming of Arthur: Part Two


 * Series 4
 * The Darkest Hour: Part One
 * The Darkest Hour: Part Two
 * The Wicked Day
 * Aithusa
 * His Father's Son
 * A Servant of Two Masters
 * Lamia
 * Lancelot Du Lac
 * A Herald of the New Age
 * The Hunter's Heart
 * The Sword in the Stone: Part One
 * The Sword in the Stone: Part Two


 * Series 5
 * Arthur's Bane: Part One
 * Arthur's Bane: Part Two
 * The Death Song of Uther Pendragon
 * Another's Sorrow
 * The Disir
 * The Dark Tower
 * A Lesson in Vengeance
 * The Hollow Queen
 * With All My Heart

Legends
In the Arthurian Legend, Elyan is known as Sir Elyan the White or Helyan le Blanc as the son of Sir Bors and is a Knight of the Round Table. His mother is King Brandegoris' daughter Claire, who tricked Bors into sleeping with her using a magic ring; this is sometimes said to be the only time Bors broke his vow of chastity. When he is older Elyan is accepted as a member to the Round Table, where he becomes known as an excellent knight. Like his father and the rest of his family, Elyan helps his cousin Lancelot rescue Guinevere after their affair is exposed, and joins him in exile.

Elyan's mother Claire is the half-sister of Sir Sagramore; their mother is the daughter of the Eastern Roman Emperor. According to the Lancelot-Grail Cycle, Elyan eventually became Emperor of Constantinople himself.