Gilli

"Without magic, I'm a nobody. People think they can kick dirt in my face."

- Gilli to Merlin Gilli is a young sorcerer who entered the Decennial Tournament in Camelot, a competition which was famous for having no rules. Despite the risk that he would be executed if he were caught, Gilli chose to use magic to increase his chances of victory. By doing so he managed to advance all the way to the final round of the tournament, but ultimately lost to Uther Pendragon.

Early Life
Not much is known about Gilli's past or childhood. He was young when his father was killed due to unknown reasons and carried a hatred for Uther for hunting down magic-users. Gilli could never understand why his father did not use his magic to defend himself, leading him to believe his father was afraid of magic. After his father died, Gilli inherited his ring which could be used to perform spells.

Competing in the tournament
"You've seen the way people are now. They're showing me respect. And you don't know what that's like for me."

- Gilli to Merlin Every ten years, a tournament is held in Camelot where there are no rules and anyone may enter. Gilli decides to enter the tournament this particular year. While travelling to Camelot, he is accosted by two bullies also on their way to the tournament named Tindr and Nollar who steal his sword. On arriving in Camelot, Gilli meets Merlin and saves him from the same men who had bullied him earlier, secretly using a magic ring to enhance his fighting skill. The two became friends.

During the first set of the challenges Gilli wins, demonstrating a ruthlessness at odds with his quiet temperament, but Merlin notices that Gilli is using magic. When he uses his magic ring to heal his own wound, Gaius and Merlin both realise how he is winning. Merlin warns Gilli of the danger of using magic in Camelot and tells him he had best withdraw. Gilli refuses, saying he has every right to be in the tournament - there are no rules and he is simply using his particular skill. He makes it to the final round of the tournament meaning he would face either Arthur or Uther having killed at least one opponent and possibly two. When Arthur allows his father to beat him, Gaius threatens to warn the king that his next opponent is using magic. Merlin gives Gilli a final chance to withdraw thinking he intends to kill King Uther. To convince him that Merlin understands why he feels he has to fight back to earn respect, Merlin confesses to Gilli he also has magic.

The next morning, to Merlin's dismay, Gilli still enters the finale to fight Uther. Gilli attempts again to use magic to win but his attempts fail as Merlin counters with his own magic. By the end of the match Uther wins and Gilli, angry, storms away. Merlin finds him in his room in the tavern. Gilli accuses Merlin of betraying those with magic by protecting Uther, and Merlin censures Gilli for using magic for his own glory. Gilli realises that his father, like Merlin, was a more honourable sorcerer than himself. He and Merlin depart as friends. Merlin comments their paths will cross again one day.

Personality
Gilli was an obsessed and bitter person who was determined to achieve glory by participating in a tournament. His obsessed nature most likely came from his belief that his father was afraid of magic, and that he felt vulnerable when he could not use his magic freely. He had a huge hatred for Uther due to his war on magic, however, that hatred almost caused him to kill Uther, forcing Merlin to stop him. However, he proved to be a good man when he protected Merlin from the two thugs Nollar and Tindr. When he realised that his father was not afraid of magic as he thought but that he had feared that magic would corrupt, Gilli forgave Merlin for preventing him from killing Uther, and accepted that magic would one day be permitted again and that their paths would cross again one day.