Board Thread:Series 5 Discussion/@comment-82.156.4.128-20121224212052/@comment-174.217.13.252-20171129200707

I SERIOUSLY hated the truck scene, it would mean that Merlin is basically in the same situation he was in in camelot except it's worse in a way because not only is his magic still a secret but nobody will even believe it's real and might even think he's mentally ill. Without that scene I can talk myself into being okay with the ending. With that scene there's no talking myself out of how depressing the ending is. So I'm just going to treat it like it's not cannon.

I confess that I spent just about every single episode for the last four seasons or more waiting for Merlin to reveal his magic to Arthur. I finally gave up and while I enjoyed Merlin finally telling Arthur I wished it had happened back at the end of season 4 or at the beginning of season 5. Series 5 should have been about Arthur coming to terms with Merlin's magic and becomming okay with it, uniting Albion, dying and then showing Gwen being a wonderful ruler of a wonderful kingdom with Merlin appointed court sorcerer with both being a little sad about losing Arthur. It would have been bittersweet and wonderfully satisfying.

But no, Albion is never united and therefore it's uncertain as to whether or not everyone's efforts and sacrifices over the entire series means anything. Arthur accepts Merlin's magic probably mostly because he's dying and doesn't want to end things on such a sour note. Gawain dies too just in case the ending wasn't depressing enough. Morgana dies because she must die.(Poor Aithusa...) Gwen is crowned queen(Yay!) And then the truck scene just absolutely ruins all remaining enjoyment...

They should have at LEAST ended with Gwen being crowned queen. That was the only really good thing about the ending and having that be the final moment of the series would have made up for a lot. It would have made Gwen feel like a more important and meaningful character if they had just let her have that final moment of the series.