Board Thread:Series 5 Discussion/@comment-184.98.255.121-20150124012145/@comment-173.70.161.249-20150301145902

What really bugged me about the ending is that Merlin did not achieve what he was supposed to:  Albion. Instead, they made it all about the personal relationship between Arthur and Merlin.

Sorry, from the beginning Merlin dedicated himself to helping Arthur (without revealing his own magic) not because of a friendship. They were not friends at the beginning; Arthur was a spoiled prince in need of a servant. Merlin shows up, his uncle (a respected physician) vouches for him, and he gets to polish Arthur's boots and do his laundry.

 What made Merlin so dedicated was the statement of the Dragon that it was his "destiny" to protect Arthur so he could bring on Albion. That message was reinforced several times by repetition of various prophecies about Emrys. (Remember the bald guy that Morgana hired but then turned on her when he realized who Merlin was?   Remember the dying Druid?   Remember Gaius' various statements about Merlin ushering in Albion ?)

 Point is, Arthur was a means to an end, an end named Albion. An end we never get to see.



And what was even worse was the stupid dragon's speech at the end that Merlin had achieved it all. If it was me, I would have said, "You overgrown lying lizard!  You cheated me.  Is this what I dedicated my adult life to?  So that Arthur dies and gets buried in a lake, without anything to show for it?"

Major disappointment.