Thread:ReganX/@comment-3481504-20160503004907/@comment-5674726-20160507094251

I think that they were friends, and that Arthur came to trust Merlin, but I don't think that Merlin was ever crucial to Arthur emotionally. That is to say that, had Merlin died, Arthur would have grieved for him but he'd have got on with his life, whereas losing Guinevere would have gutted him and he would never have been the same afterwards, just as Morgana's betrayal continued to pain him for the rest of his life.

I'd say that Merlin was important to Arthur but he was never the most important person in his life.

I think that there are some fans who would like to see a closer relationship than the one that exists because they have heard Kilgharrah describe Merlin and Arthur as two sides of a coin and two halves of a whole, and predict a glorious future for them, when they would work together to unite Albion. They have also seen Merlin devote himself to Arthur, protecting him at all costs. It's natural to want to see a "pay-off" to both the prophecies and to Merlin's devotion, and to want to believe that Merlin is just as important to Arthur as Arthur is to him but I just didn't see that on the show.