Board Thread:Series 5 Discussion/@comment-209.196.232.2-20121230195253/@comment-82.69.95.145-20130206195627

I must say that if they had to kill Arthur, they did it as beautifully as possible and did a fantastic job of concluding the relationship between Merlin and Arthur with wonderful acting as always on the part of both actors. It was certainly a very dramatic and moving way to end the show.

But, like most fans, it was NOT the way I would have chosen it to end, given the set-up of the show from the very beginning that Arthur and Merlin would build Albion together. I have just watched Season 5 Episode 10, the Kindness of Strangers. When the old woman, Finna, sacrifices herself to save Merlin so that, as she plainly states, he can protect Arthur and 'bring about the world we all long for', I found myself thinking, her death is completely pointless. Arthur does not get the chance to unite Albion, bring back magic, or do any of the things he is prophesised to do, because he dies three episodes later. None of the prophecies actually come true in the end APART from the one where Arthur dies at Mordred's hand. The whole point of the show was that Merlin protected Arthur and help him to become a good king so that Merlin could use his magic freely once again. It just seems so utterly futile that the writers spent all that time (and made so many characters like Finna sacrifice themselves for that cause) building up the idea of this wonderful future for Arthur and Merlin, only to end it far too soon in a way that left no chance of Arthur bringing about Camelot's true golden age. It made the ending feel far too abrupt and dissatisfying for me, anyway, because it felt unfinished, and makes watching earlier episodes almost unbearable because it just makes me feel cheated of the whole point of the show. And seeing Gwen on the throne all alone was just so utterly heartbreaking ... ARWEN!!

They should have had a sixth series. And that's not just becuase I'm a Merlin addict and will terribly miss  having it on my screen on Saturday nights, it's because they needed that time to properly fulfill both Arthur and Merlin's destinies. OK, if they want to end it with Arthur's death, they should fulfill the other prophecies first. Which means: a.) Arthur finds out about Merlin's magic a good season in advance of Camlann, so that he has time to accept it; b.) Merlin is made court magician and accepted for who he really is; c.) Arthur allows magic back into the land and unties Albion to fight Morgana and the Saxons. This could have been done in a sixth season. If, on the other hand, they want to end it after five seasons, they should leave the story open and end it on an uplifting note so that we fans are left in no doubt that the golden age is coming and Merlin and magic will be accepted for what they truly are. Miss out Camlann, or do what they have done with the legend for the past five seasons: change it and let Arthur survive Camlann!

What they should NOT have done is try to merge the two together: end it after five seasons and fulfill the gloomiest, most tragic prophecy but not all the hopeful, glorious ones that the whole show had circulated around, culminating in a tragic ending that put a serious damper on my Christmas, and I'm sure many others fans' as well.