Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-31492005-20190107021918/@comment-37017073-20190504180946

I disagree. A lot of people seem to have an over-idealized view of series 1/2 Morgana. She was indeed capable of being kind, brave, and empathetic, but she could also be manipulative, self-serving, and ruthless, and the truth is she didn't display any traits in series 3 that she hadn't already displayed multiple times before.

Disregard for other peoples' lives and the effect that her actions had on them? Check.

In 1x12 she plotted to murder Uther in cold blood. She never gave a moment's thought to how her actions would effect Arthur, who would lose his father and be forced to become king before he was ready; the people of Camelot, who would now have to live under the rule of an inexperienced Arthur; or the magical people of Camelot, who would now have to live under the rule of an inexperienced Arthur whose father had been murdered by sorcerers.

Furthermore, Morgana never showed a shred of remorse for the three knights who were murdered before she decided to back out of her plan, and only changed her mind at all because Uther told her that she was a valuable member of his council and promised to listen to her more in future. The fact that it's wrong to murder people in general had no bearing on her decision.

In 2x03 she willfully sacrificed the lives of dozens of accused magic-users to stay with the Druids, then let the Druids themselves take the rap for a kidnapping that never happened.

In 2x11 she agreed to help Mordred and Alvarr in their scheme to kill Uther; stayed allied with them even after she found out they were targeting not just Uther but all who served him, which included Arthur and possibly Merlin, Gwen, and Gaius as well; rode out ahead of Arthur, Merlin, and the knights to warn Alvarr that they were coming, thus deliberately endangering their lives by giving the renegades time to set a trap; and drugged the guards to let Alvarr escape, which resulted in the death of at least one knight.

And in 2x12 she agreed to help Morgause bring about Uther's downfall without asking what the plan entailed and did nothing to help any of the people who fell under her sleeping spell until Merlin and Arthur's arrival forced her to.

Vengeful nature? Check.

Her scheme to assassinate Uther in 1x12 and decisions to help ensure his downfall (and that of all who served him) in 2x11 and 2x12 were all (to some degree) motivated by vengeance. Morgana's the kind of person who takes things personally, thus a desire for payback when she feels that she's been wronged is just part and parcel of who she is.

Penchant for treachery? Double check.

In 1x12 she betrayed both Uther and Arthur by plotting to assassinate him; betrayed Gwen on multiple levels by pursuing vengeance she didn't even want on her behalf and allying herself with the man who sacrificed Tom's life and threatened Gwen's to do it; and betrayed Tauren when she changed her mind and killed him instead.

In 2x03 she twice betrayed other magic-users for her own gain. The first time when she refused to return to Camelot knowing that dozens of people would be executed if she didn't, and the second time when she refused to speak up for the Druids after they'd shown her nothing but kindness and sympathy and respected her wish to stay with them to the very end.

In 2x11 she betrayed Uther by allying herself with Alvarr; betrayed all of Camelot by choosing to remain allied with him even after she found out he was after more than just the king; betrayed Arthur and Merlin by not only riding out ahead of them and the knights to warn Alvarr they were coming, thus giving the renegades time to set a trap, but by offering to stay and help them do it; and betrayed Uther and Camelot by helping Alvarr to escape.

She similarly betrayed Uther, Arthur, and Camelot when she agreed to help Morgause in 2x12.

Morgana's flaws in series 3 were nothing new for her. It's just that she was more open about them and more confident in her belief that the downfall of Uther (and Camelot) was necessary for her to be free, a conviction she first demonstrated in series 1 (1x12) and which grew throughout series 2 (2x11, 2x12). This was to be expected after a whole year of Morgause teaching her, coddling her, and telling her that she was right to feel that way. No enchantments or brainwashing involved; just Morgause encouraging the vendetta that began in series 1 and grew in response to her increased feelings of anger, insecurity, and fear.