Morgana Pendragon

Morgana Pendragon is the illegitimate daughter of Uther Pendragon, and therefore the half-sister of Arthur Pendragon. She is also a witch and seer, and the only person within Camelot other than Merlin who appeared to have a natural magical gift. She is half-sister of Morgause, through their mother, Vivienne. Morgana acts like the first lady of the kingdom in official acts and ceremonies. Morgana eventually turns against Camelot, becoming an enemy of Merlin, Uther, Arthur and Gwen. She is crowned Queen of Camelot after she and Morgause overthrow Uther. Her victory does not last long, however, as she is in turn overthrown by Merlin, Arthur and his Knights. She subsequently flees Camelot, taking the injured Morgause with her.

It has been confirmed that she will return in Series 4.

Meeting Merlin
Morgana was first seen by Merlin during his first days in Camelot; she mistook him for Gwen while getting ready for a feast celebrating twenty years since the end of The Great Purge. Morgana resisted attending this celebration, expressing to Uther her abhorrence for the Great Purge, because of the lives taken to accomplish Uther's purpose of eliminating magic from Camelot. Nevertheless, Uther ordered her to be present.

She first was introduced to Merlin when Gwen was wrongly accused of witchcraft, after witnessing his apparent attempt to sacrifice his life for Gwen's. (Although it was to save Gwen, he was actually the one responsible for the enchantment of which she had been accused) His actions led her to believe Merlin had feelings for Gwen. She helped Merlin and Arthur defeat the Afanc that Nimueh used to poison the water supply despite them telling her it was too dangerous. (The Mark of Nimueh)

Adventures
At a young age, Morgana discovered that she sometimes dreamt of terrible things that afterwards came to pass. As the court physician, Gaius gave her a variety of sleeping drugs, but none proved efficacious. Her powers were first proven useful against enemies of Camelot when Morgana's dreams aided Merlin in defeating two Sidhe that wished to kill Arthur so one of their own, a young female, Sophia, might return to Avalon. (The Gates of Avalon)

Morgana later became deeply attached to Mordred, a young druid boy whose life Merlin saved at risk of Uther's wrath were his actions discovered. (The Beginning of the End) Merlin aided in the safe return of Mordred to his people, and Morgana was grateful. In return, she went with him to his home village Ealdor to help him defend it from bandits. (The Moment of Truth).

She has ever been strongly opposed to Uther's stand against magic and questioned his choice to execute Mary Collins' son, Tom. (The Dragon's Call) She believes that magic is more something you are born with than something you choose. (The Beginning of the End) She has appeared at times to have an intuitive awareness of Merlin's abilities although she has never confronted him with it. (The Gates of Avalon, The Moment of Truth, Le Morte d'Arthur et al)

Morgana also has a darker side. Her bitterness over her father's death and Uther's pivotal role in it has caused her great turmoil and ambivalence towards Uther; when exacerbated by Uther's intention to put Gwen to death unjustly, and his actual execution of Gwen's father on charges of sorcery, her bitterness blossomed into hatred and a desire for revenge. She plotted to have Uther killed and took an active role in the performance of the intended murder. However, she repented of her intention at the last minute when confronted with the realization that Uther was truly sorry for his actions in the case of both her father and Gwen's father. She then killed Tauren, the assassin, just before he struck Uther down; Merlin killed the other sorcerers involved. (To Kill the King) After these events she warned Merlin in a trance that worse things were to come.

Exploring her Magic
Morgana's magic eventually began to reveal itself. When Morgana accidentally set her room on fire, she became terrified. She went to Gaius and told him she feared she had magic. Gaius knew it was true, but lied to her to protect her. Merlin advised her to seek out the Druids for help.

Morgana eventually found her way to a Druid camp, where she was reunited with Mordred. Merlin later arrived, saying Uther believed she had been kidnapped and was going to execute everyone in Camelot who was under suspicion unless she was returned. Morgana did not want to go back, but an army of Camelot soldiers raided the camp and brought her back. Morgana thanked Merlin for what he did for her, saying her experience has taught her not to fear her powers.

While she no longer feared her powers, Morgana realised the danger in exposing them. She was terrified when Uther hired a witchfinder to expose the last traces of magic, and was desperate to keep her secret hidden. She was later taken hostage when the Witchfinder's treachery was exposed, but was saved by Merlin. Arthur mistakenly believed that Morgana and Merlin had romantic feelings for each other.

Final betrayal and disappearance
In the Witch's Quickening, Mordred returned, sneaking into Camelot to see Morgana with the sorcerer Alvarr, who asked Morgana to steal a powerful crystal hidden in Camelot's vaults. Morgana eventually agreed and stole the crystal, delivering it to Alvarr's camp. When the crystal was discovered to be missing, Merlin suspected Morgana, having caught her in Arthur's chambers when she was stealing the key to the vault, and followed her to the camp, witnessing her reunion with Mordred. Through Gaius, Merlin gave up the location of the camp and Uther sent Arthur and his men to retrieve the crystal and kill Alvarr's men, forcing Morgana to ride to the camp ahead of them and give Alvarr warning. Despite this, Alvarr is captured, although Mordred is able to escape, and when Uther condemns Alvarr to execution, Morgana tells Uther that she disowns him, and later uses the sleeping potion Gaius gives her to drug Alvarr's guards, allowing him to escape. Uther suspected Morgana when he heard Alvarr had help escaping, and emotionally warns the court that whoever is responsible has betrayed him. (the Witch's Quickening)

Sometime later, Morgana finds a letter from Morgause, asking her to meet her, and Morgana decides to agree to the meeting, not knowing about the events where Morgause used Ygraine to pit Arthur against Uther since Arthur swore the witnesses to silence. Ignorant of Morgause's intentions, Morgana meets with her and admits that she hates what Uther has become, and confesses she once had the chance to be his assassin, but saved the king's life instead because she believed he was still capable of love and goodness. Now, however, Morgana has come to the realization that Uther will never change, and that should he ever discover what she is he would surely execute her. Morgause smiles, and casts a spell without warning, causing Morgana to fall asleep. When Morgana awakes in Camelot, she thinks that the meeting with Morgause was only a dream, but as the day progresses and everyone around her begins to fall asleep she hides in her chambers until Arthur and Merlin return. Morgana is clearly frightened by what is going on around her, helpless to do anything about it, but when Merlin mentions that Morgause is behind it, Morgana reacts to the name and he becomes suspicious. Despite his suspicions, Merlin covers for her when Arthur wonders why she is the only one not affected by the spell, claiming that Gaius must have given her a draught that fought off the sleeping plague before he sucumbed to it himself. Seeking advice from the dragon, however, Merlin discovers that Morgause has made Morgana the vessel for the sleeping plague, unbeknownst to Morgana herself who had no part in Morgause's plan, and that the only way to break the spell is to destroy the vessel. Faced with the reality that he, Arthur, Uther and perhaps many others will perish if Morgause is not stopped, Merlin puts hemlock into his water bladder, and coerces a trusting Morgana into drinking it. As Arthur is battling Morgause's knights, Morgana begins to suffocate as the hemlock enters her system, and Merlin holds her to the floor, both to restrain her and in a morbid attempt at comfort, as she falls unconscious. Across the castle, Morgause feels Morgana's terror, her own throat constricting as if it's become difficult to breathe, and realizes her sister is dying, so she abandons her attack on Arthur and rushes to Morgana's side, snatching her body away from Merlin and demanding to know what he used so that she can save her. Merlin refuses to tell her unless she calls off the Knights of Medhir, and she begrudgingly does so, causing the knights to fall lifeless throughout the castle. With Morgana dying, the spell is weakened and the inhabitants of Camelot begin to wake up, including the disoriented Uther lying nearby as Merlin gives Morgause the bottle of hemlock. Arthur bursts into the room, and, at the sight of Morgana lying lifeless in Morgause's arms, calls out to her worriedly, but Morgause conjures a whirlwind that allows her to disappear with Morgana, leaving Merlin, Arthur and a stunned Uther to stare at the stone floor where Morgana had been lying in various stages of horror. Later, Uther is seen in Morgana's chambers, holding a necklace he gave her when she was younger, and a visibly distressed Arthur tells him they've searched everywhere and there's still no sign of Morgana. Arthur feels he failed, as he was not there to protect Morgana, but Uther says her loss is on his shoulders. (The Fires Of Idirsholas)

Return to Camelot
A year passes slowly in Camelot, as Uther sends his armies scouring the land in search of Morgana, costing his men their lives time and time again as they are slaughtered by unseen forces, but Uther will not give up or see reason. Finally, Arthur and Merlin are out patrolling the countryside, when they happen across a disheveled, frightened Morgana stumbling through the woods. They then return Morgana to Camelot, and Gaius orders Uther to allow her to rest. When she wakes up, Morgana has a tearful moment with Arthur, explaining how she escaped the bandits who were holding her captive, and he embraces her, promising her that she's safe now. As he leaves, she notices a nervous Merlin at the door and calls him inside, telling him she knows that he poisoned her, and he swears he didn't want to, at which she smiles weakly and says she knows why he did it. To his surprise, she tearfully confesses she didn't know what she was doing, that she's sorry for what Morgause did through her, and hopes he can forgive her. Merlin leaves her chambers smiling, relieved that she seems to have forgiven him, but unbeknownst to him it is all an act. Morgana has been in Morgause's company for the past year, and in that time she has been corrupted and Morgause has turned her against Uther. Though she feigns love for the king when they are reunited, it is a ploy to collect his tears, which Morguase then mixes with the black blood of a mandrake plant, creating a spell to drive the king insane. When she is spotted by a sentry returning to the castle, Morgana s tabs the guard in cold-blood, and then slips inside to place the mandrake root under Uther's bed. By morning the king has begun to lose his sanity, hallucinating specters of the innocents he has executed over the years, including young boys he had drowned in a well and Ygraine, whose death was ultimately a result of his own greed. Merlin finds the mandrake root and suspects Morgana, following her when she goes to meet Morgause, but Morgana senses him following her and Morgause wraps him in chains, leaving him to die. Morgana returns to Camelot and feigns fear as Cenred's armies prepare to descend on Camelot, leaving Arthur to step into the role of king to defend the castle. During the battle, Morgana creeps down into the catacombs to use a magic staff to awaken the dead buried there, sending them forth to attack the knights of Camelot.

Merlin, who survived thanks to the intervention of the dragon, arrives and begs her not to do this, that there has to be another way, but she insists that Uther must be destroyed and draws her sword against him. Merlin fights her, albeit rather clumsily in comparison to Morgana's polished swordsmanship, but in the end he has to use magic to overcome her, causing the stone ceiling to come crashing down on her. Once she is unconscious, Merlin breaks the staff, destroying the undead army, and rushes back out to find Arthur. In the aftermath of the battle, Uther tells the entire court that they owe their victory to the bravery of one person- the Lady Morgana, who discovered the staff in the tomb and destroyed it. Merlin and Morgana lock gazes as she stands next to the king, all of the court applauding her, and the corner of her mouth lifts in a smirk. (The Tears of Uther Pendragon).

The Princess' Birthday
Morgana's birthday party was a lavish event, celebrated by many noble families of Camelot. Arthur gave her an ornate jeweled dagger as a present and Morgause sent a mirror with a message asking Morgana to meet her that night. Unbeknownst to Morgana, Merlin had seen several of that day's occurrences in a prophecy that also foretold Morgana murdering Uther. Her cloak billowing behind her as she walked down the corridor was also part of his vision, and so he caused a torch to flare in front of her. Tragically, this happened at the top of a stone staircase, and when Morgana reeled back from the fire she fell down the stairs, landing in an almost lifeless heap at the bottom. Gaius later determined that her skull was fractured and that the injuries were fatal. Morgana spent the next few days unconcious, though she did regain consciousness for a few minutes, during which Uther revealed a shocking secret: he had had an affair with her mother, and Morgana was a result of this. Merlin later used a spell to heal her. When Uther came to her bedside, Morgana was struggling with her emotions, and she offered him the chance to tell her the truth about her paternity. Though Uther seemed to want to tell her, he didn't tell her, and Morgana interpreted this as him being ashamed of her.

When Morgause sneaked into Camelot to see her, a rambling Morgana confessed that Uther is her father. Morgause explained to an incredulous Morgana that this was wonderful news for them, as Morgana now had a legitimate claim to the throne. Morgause tried to make Morgana promise not to do anything rash, but Morgana was unable to let it go, and retrieved the dagger Arthur gave her for her birthday, intending to kill Uther that very night. Merlin confronted her, knowing what was about to happen, but she used magic to hurl him into the wall, knocking him unconscious and knocking over a candle, starting a fire. With no one in her way, Morgana entered Uther's chambers and stood over him, the dagger held high, ready to plunge it into his heart, when Merlin raced into the doorway, and used his magic to make the window implode. Morgana dropped the dagger just as Uther wakened, and she kicked the blade under his bed, claiming that she'd become frightened by the fire. Uther embraced her, as she gave a relieved sigh behind his back (The Crystal Cave).

Plotting against Arthur
During the time Arthur was forced into marrying a princess, Morgana noticed that he and Gwen had fallen in love. After speaking to Morgause about this, the two plotted to use Arthur's love for Gwen against him by conceiving a plan that would result in his death. With Arthur dead, Morgana would be able to ascend to the throne of Camelot. Morgause had Cenred kidnap Gwen and her long lost brother, Elyan. Gwen was told to bring Arthur to the Castle of Fryien where Cenred was staying, else her brother would be killed. Gwen did so, only after Merlin saw the scars left on her wrists from the chains, and admitted it was a trap so Arthur could be prepared. On the morning of the excursion, Morgana announced she was coming as well, and despite Merlin's attempts to convince Arthur not to let her come, Arthur was glad to have her along and pointed out that he needed Morgana to watch his back, since Merlin was useless with a sword. As they travelled, Merlin tried to get rid of Morgana by causing her horse to throw her, spraining her ankle, but Arthur helped her along. As they made camp, Arthur revealed his plan to sneak into the castle through tunnels known only to Uther and a few others of the royal court. Despite Merlin's attempts to thwart her, Morgana was able to alert Morgause and Cenred to the tunnels, and their men were waiting to ambush the party from Camelot. Cenred made a show of dragging Morgana away from the others, which allowed her to reunited with Morgause, but when Arthur and the others escaped, Morgause wasn't worried- she knew that Arthur would never leave without Morgana, and she was right. Arthur arrived to find Cenred holding Morgana hostage with a sword to her throat, and Morgause attempted to hit Arthur with a deadly spell, but Merlin's arrival interrupted it, and when Morgana insisted they leave her behind to escape since her ankle was injured, Arthur threw her over his shoulder and carried her out, much to Merlin's amusement (The Castle of Fyrien).

Morgana plotted against Arthur again when he went on a quest to find the golden tridant and she tried to kill him by using a Phoenix Eye in a bracelet. However this failed because Merlin removed the Eye from Arthur's arm and gave it to the Fisher King, foiling her plan. Also during this time, Gwen began to suspect Morgana after she saw her with Morgause to the point that she saw Morgana using magic, finally discovering Morgana's betrayal (The Eye of the Phoenix).

A Fellow Future Queen
Morgana later began to have dreams about Gwen becoming queen. To prevent this, she told Arthur to spend the next day with Gwen, then invited Uther on a ride with her, intentionally passing the spot where Arthur and Gwen were. When Uther realised Arthur truly did love Gwen, he banished her from the city. However, when Arthur decided to join her, and then return to make Gwen his queen, Morgana realised she'd in fact caused the future she saw (much like Merlin did in The Crystal Cave)''. ''Morgana then planted suspicions in the king's mind about the possibility of an enchantment, having previously planted a poultice under Arthur's pillow. Gwen was sentenced to death, and saw Morgana's smirk on hearing her sentence, finally realising that she was behind it all. Merlin, however, thwarted Morgana's plans by pretending (by using an aging spell to disguise himself) to be the wizard who placed the poultice to bring shame on Camelot, leaving a somewhat confused Morgana defeated. (Queen of Hearts).

Queen of Camelot
Morgana and Morgause eventually managed to get their hands on the Cup of Life. Using this to turn Cenred's army immortal (and then murdering him), Morgause overran Camelot's army and captured the capital. Uther was dragged to the throne room, where he was forced onto his knees to watch Morgana's coronation. Unbeknownst to anyone in the room, Arthur and Merlin were also present, witnessing the event through a grate in the wall, and the young prince was devestated not only by Morgana's betrayal, but by his father's lies concerning the fact that Morgana was actually his sister. Arthur and Merlin escape to create a resistance movement against her reign, but Uther is imprisoned, left alive to bear witness to everything he held dear being torn down around him.

Morgana ruled for at least a week and tried to get the Knights of Camelot to pledge themselves to her, but regardless of the fact that she held a legitimate claim to the throne, the knights were loyal to Uther and refused to obey her. As punishment, and to ensure their compliance, Morgana allowed her army to execute peasants, a cold warning that any treason the knights attempted would be unleashed on the innocents of Camelot. Afterwards, Morgana visited Uther in the dungeons, mockingly calling him father and when Uther pointed out that innocent people were getting hurt, Morgana retaliated by telling him that far more innocent people had been killed under his rule. Uther begs for Morgana to kill him and not the innocent people but she says that she will execute him only when she is satisfied with the amount of suffering he recieved.

Morgana seemed hopeful that Guinevere would remain loyal to her, and indeed Gwen insisted that she had always been so, but just as Morgana had hoped Gwen freed Sir Leon from the dungeons, and Morgana's men followed them to Arthur, but Arthur was able to escape and rally a small group of knights to lay siege to Camelot. Arthur, Merlin, Elyan, Lancelot, Gwaine and Percival infiltrated Camelot, but Morgana's soldiers intercepted them, and so while the knights fought, Merlin and Lancelot set out to find and destroy the Cup of Life. Morgause attacked Merlin but Gaius intervened and Merlin attacked her with magic, causing her head to slam into a stone column, which allowed Merlin to empty the Cup, destroying the army. Morgana arrived moments later and rushed to Morgause's side, cradling her just as Morgause had done over a year before. Merlin told her grimly that it was over, but she snarled that it had just begun, screaming in fury and grief as her cries brought the walls of the throne room crumbling down around them, forcing Merlin, Gaius and Lancelot to flee. In the aftermath, there was no sign of either Morgana or Morgause in the rubble, suggesting that, much like Morgause had whisked her to safety a year prior, Morgana had used magic to escape with Morgause's lifeless body (The Coming of Arthur)

The Future
It has been confirmed that Morgana will return in Series 4 and it is implied that she did manage to save Morgause since it has been confirmed that Morgause will also return.

The Great Dragon has said that Morgana's destiny is to form an evil alliance with Mordred.

Physical Description
Elegant and proud, Morgan has curly raven locks and and blue eyes.

In the start of the series, she wore what the occasion required of her, and had a fondness for beautiful gowns, particularly green, purple or blue. Her beauty captured the attention and interest of numerous men.

Her traveling/ battle attire consists of a grey shirt with a band of armour around her waist, as well as a belt which held her sword. Along with metal bracers around her arms, she also wore black pants and sturdy black boots. She sometimes wore a matching grey cloak.

As the series progressed, Morgana's personaility darkened and as did her clothing. Opting for more dark dresses and cloaks, they reflected her journey from a Lady to a powerful witch.

Personality
Morgana possessed a feisty and cheeky personality. She was considered by many to be very beautiful and attracted the attention of numerous men, including Merlin and Arthur. However Morgana was much more than just a pretty face; she was fiery and independent and would not hesitate to stand up to her guardian, Uther. When the chips are down, she has also proven to be a capable fighter. Morgana constantly teased Arthur but also often tried to advise him and cared for him deeply, as exemplified by her nightmares involving Arthur's death. She was very affectionate to her maidservant Gwen, considering her a friend and a confidante. When Gwen's father was killed by Uther, it prompted Morgana to try and get revenge for both their fathers' deaths by killing him. However, Morgana later decided to save Uther from Tauren when Uther told her he was genuinely sorry for the deaths of her and Gwen's father (To Kill the King). After getting to know Merlin, Morgana also deemed him a trustworthy friend for whom she was willing to risk her life (The Moment of Truth).

Morgana's personality became darker as her magic developed and she was alone in her terror, unable to turn to anyone for help out of fear that they would turn her over to Uther and frightened by what was happening to her. Although Gaius had known for years that she had magic, he remained firm in his position that she suffered from night-terrors and continued giving her sleeping draughts, essentially drugging her. When confronted with how desperate and scared she was, Merlin helped her locate the druids, and swore to keep her magic a secret, but still lied to her about his own abilities, leaving her isolated and alone within the walls of Camelot. When Mordred returned (The Witch's Quickening) she was willing to help him and Alvarr by stealing a magicl crystal from the vaults of Camelot, and when Alvarr was captured and sentenced to die, Morgana helped him escape, disowning Uther in the process, well aware that he would have her in Alvarr's place if he knew what she was. Despite this, when she meet with Morgause she was not actively trying to destroy Uther, since she remained ignorant of what had taken place between Arthur and Uther as a result of Morgause's manipulations. Yet she confessed to Morgause, who she felt instinctively drawn to, that she hated Uther and wanted a world free of his tyranny, and Morgause decided to use her as the vessel for the sleeping plague, without Morgana's consent. Morgana's fear and confusion when all of Camelot slept around her was evident, but paled in comparison to her terror when she realized Merlin had poisoned her.

By the time she returned to Camelot, Morgana had become a different person after a year in Morgause's care. The years of witnessing Uther's cruelty, coupled with Merlin's attempt at murdering her, made it easy for Morgause to corrupt her. Although she played the part of the loving daughter and sister to Uther and Arthur, Merlin saw through it and knew she was trying to destroy Camelot. Morgana followed Morgause's orders without hesitation, killing a sentry in cold-blood when he caught her sneaking back into the castle, and using magic against the people she'd once loved. At first, Merlin and Uther were the targets of her hatred, but after the revelation that Uther was her father, Morgause convinced her that Arthur had to die, so that Morgana could take his place as Uther's heir. Morgana agreed, and though she never made an attempt on Arthur's life herself, she participated in Morgause's schemes without hesitation, eagerly anticipating his death. Even Guinevere became a target when Morgana saw her maidservant crowned as Arthur's queen in a dream, and soon enough Gwen began to realize that her mistress meant them all harm, after catching her practicing magic within the castle walls. When Gaius was possessed and revealed that Merlin had magic she was delighted instead of trying to kill him but was angry when Merlin was revealed to be innocent.

Morgana had grown incredibly selfish and powerhungry to the point where she only cared for Morgause and herself. She turned against her closest friends and even her own family due to her loyalty to Morgause. Sadistic and ruthless, Morgana took considerable pleasure in Uther's anguish over her betrayal and also enjoyed watching Uther lose his mind shortly after she returned to Camelot. Additionally Morgana was willing to murder innocent people simply to make an example of her power. After replacing her father, Morgana became a tyrant just as Uther had been before her, but she was worse than Uther because, although Uther could be injust at times, he genuinely cared for his kingdom. Morgana only cared about her own power. It would also appear that Morgana is more like hir biological father than she cares to admit. Both suffered greatly on an emotional level, and both are unwilling or unable to let go of the past. They wish to avenge the losses they suffered but are never satisfied, thus they are doomed to be perpetually unhappy.

Merlin
Morgana appeared to trust Merlin from early on as she went straight to him when Gwen faced execution (The Mark of Nimueh). She appeared to notice Merlin's powers after Arthur is saved from the sidhe, but is later revealed to not have known (The Gates of Avalon et al). When Merlin ran to her to hide Mordred, the Druid boy, Morgana agreed to help and thus developed a strong bond with Mordred. When Merlin's village was under attack (The Moment of Truth), Morgana journeyed with him, Gwen and Arthur to defend the village. There, Merlin overheard her saying that they were there because they cared for Merlin.

Merlin chose to distance himself from her after her attempt on Uther's life, however, he ended up closer to her when she became confused by her developing powers. He attempted on multiple occasions to convince Gaius to acknowledge and guide Morgana's magic to no avail. Morgana later confided in Merlin her suspicions of her magic, after the two had reassured each other that they were trusted friends to the other. Merlin eventually advised her to seek the Druids despite Gaius and The Great Dragon's warnings not to get involved, saying to the two that he could not abandon her and that he understood what she was going through (The Nightmare Begins). The pair remained friends until Merlin discovered that Morgana had once again allied with Uther's enemies. When Morgause made Morgana the vessel for the sleeping plague, Merlin had no choice but to poison her to save Arthur and Camelot. Although he is remorseful for it, the fact remains that he chose to kill her rather than telling her the truth, which might very well have convinced her to drink the hemlock on her own to save Arthur, since Morgause had turned her into the vessel without her knowledge or consent. It was unclear if Merlin believed she was complicit in Morgause's plan, but Gaius certainly thought she was, and told Merlin it wasn't his fault that Morgana had chosen to use her gifts for evil.

When Morgana returned to Camelot, Merlin was anxious that she would expose him, but she tearfully said she understood why he did it, and confessed she had no idea what she was doing. Thinking she had forgiven him, Merlin was noticably happy, until he discovered the enchantment on Uther. When he followed her to meet with Morgause, Morgana dropped the act and revealed her loathing for Merlin, leaving him to die. Curiously, Morgana does not expose Merlin for the poisoning, though Uther would surely have him executed on the spot for it. Perhaps she fears he will expose her for her magic, or convince Arthur of her treachery, but it could be likely that she wanted to kill him herself, or let Morgause kill him, for his attempt in trying to poison her.

With all pretense now dropped, Morgana and Merlin appeared to be highly hostile to each other but in the presence of Arthur and Gwen they tend to be polite, but not friendly. Uncharacteristically, Merlin has shown to be very cold towards Morgana and vice versa. It appears that Merlin has given up trying to see the good in her, although he did force the Great Dragon to help heal her after he accidentally fractured her skull. This was to alleviate his guilt, witnessing how distraught Arthur and Uther were, although he straight away felt bad about what happened when he said 'No", and also cried in his bedroom for a series of several days over it. After Morgana crowned herself queen of Camelot, Merlin helped Arthur rally a resistance, and destroyed the immortal army by emptying Cup of Life after he hurled Morgause into a stone pillar. Morgana entered momentarily, discovering Morgause's lifeless body and realized she's lost, but she warned Merlin it's only begun before disappearing with her sister. It is yet to be seen whether or not, Morgana will seek vengence on Merlin for overthrowing her and for the apparent death of Morgause.

It has been confirmed that Morgana will discover Merlin's magic in Series 4.

Arthur
Morgana and Arthur grew up together, and their relationship had always been strong. On the surface they seemed like foster siblings, teasing one another mercilessly and trading snarky comments at every turn, but there was also a much deeper connection between them. Morgana was Arthur's advisor and moral compass early on, she was the only one who could get him to stand up to his father or to defy the king by doing what he knew in his heart was right. Despite being raised together, Arthur and Morgana developed romantic feelings for one another at some point. Whenever knights flattered Morgana it irked Arthur, and he openly accused her of being jealous when she tried to dissuade him from pursuing Sophia. They had several tender moments, where it was clear that the love they had for each other went much deeper than attraction, and the prophetic dreams that terrified Morgana the most were ones of Arthur's death (The Gates of Avalon, Le Morte d'Arthur). Each time she desperately attempted to save him, once becoming hysterical in front of the knights when she knew he would not be coming back alive from a quest. Just as Morgana was fiercely protective of Arthur, the prince in turn did everything in his power to keep her safe and happy. He defended her to his father, securing her release from the dungeones (To Kill the King) and agreed to defy the king and smuggle Mordred out of Camelot, for her sake.

However, Arthur's attention was focused primarily on Guinevere, and as such his relationship with Morgana suffered for it. Caught up in his romantic problems, he failed to realize that Morgana was struggling with something serious, and unintentionally left her even more isolated as she wrestled with her growing magic. When she was "kidnapped" by the druids, however, Arthur mounted a rescue and brought her back safely to Camelot, although he didn't realize this wasn't what she wanted. The more he became infatuated with Gwen, the more his relationship with Morgana shifted towards that of brother and sister, and when Uther married Catrina, the two were horrified to discover their new stepmother was a troll. When Morgause unleashed the sleeping spell on Camelot, using Morgana as the vessel, Arthur kept asking Morgana why she was the only one not affected, never meaning to sound as if he was accusing her of anything, but simply desperately hoping she could figure out a way to stop the plague. Morgana was defensive, believing her magic to be the reason she was immune, and clearly did not trust Arthur enough to risk telling him the truth. Although she knew he loved her and was unlikely to turn her in to Uther, obviously she was afraid of how he might look at her if he knew she had magic.

After Morgause disappeared with Morgana, Arthur spent a year searching for her, feeling that he had failed to protect her. It was on a scouting trip that he stumbled across her, disheveled and dirty and frightened, but alive, and with great relief Arthur brought her back to Camelot where he tenderly listened to her recount her escape and promised her that she was safe now. When Uther fell ill and Arthur was faced with the burden of ruling, he sought comfort from Morgana, embracing her and telling her how glad he was that she was there with him. Unbeknownst to Arthur, Morgana was, in fact, responsible for Uther's decline, and she continued to plot against the king in secret. For a time, Morgana's hatred was directed solely at Uther, and at times she seemed genuinely pleased to be around Arthur, but after the discovery that Uther was her father, Morgause pointed out that Arthur was all that stood between Morgana and the crown. After this, Morgana began to plot against her half-brother, while he remained a doting brother, even risking his life to go back into Cenred's stronghold to rescue her, unaware that it was a trap to get him killed. It wasn't until Morgause's army overtook Camelot and Morgana crowned herself queen that Arthur learned of her treachery, and he was devestated as Merlin tried to rally him to get it together and take back his kingdom. Arthur lamented that he'd known Morgana his whole life, and that he didn't understand how she could do this to them, but in the end he leads his knights against her to take back the kingdom. In the aftermath, he told Merlin that Uther wasn't the same man, that Morgana's betrayal had broken him, and it's clear that Arthur, too, has been shattered by it.

Guinevere
Morgana had a close friendship with her maid, Gwen, whom she treated as an equal rather than a servant. Gwen frequently comforted Morgana when she woke up from nightmares. When Uther's soldiers killed Gwen's father, Tom, Morgana was enraged and tried to kill her guardian but later changed her mind. As time went on Morgana noted that Gwen was getting more secretive, and wondered if there was a man involved (which there was). Despite their close friendship, Morgana never confided in Gwen about magic, instead turning to Merlin.

When Morgana was taken away by Morgause, Gwen appeared to miss her, but after Morgana's return it became obvious that her experiences had changed her. Morgana was distant, and treated Gwen like a servant rather than a friend, although she did give Gwen an embroidered handkerchief she received as a birthday present, albeit as an excuse to get Gwen to leave the room so she could read a message sent by Morgause. Morgana soon discovered Gwen's feelings for Arthur when he was forced to marry a princess and she later used this to lure Arthur to a trap in the Castle of Fyrien. When Morgana received visions of a future where Gwen was queen of Camelot, she was angry and felt as if she was being robbed of her birthright, so she subtly revealed Gwen and Arthur's courtship to Uther and framed Gwen for enchanting Arthur in order to stop this future from happening. Morgana intended for Gwen to be banished, knowing Arthur would choose exile to be with her, but Uther ordered Gwen to be executed instead. Although this wasn't part of her plan, Morgana did not seem bothered by it, and was annoyed and confused when Merlin thwarted her again. Gwen, who had witnessed Morgana using magic already and had seen her with Morgause, was now firmly convinced that Morgana was no longer a friend to any of them, but they continued the pretense of civility. When Morgana was crowned Queen after Cenred's army invaded, Gwen assured Morgana that she was still loyal, but conspired with Sir Leon to escape Camelot and restore Arthur to the throne. Morgana was furious, and thought to have Gwen executed, but instead she allowed Gwen and Leon to escape and lead her forces to Arthur's hideout.

Gaius
Morgana often went to Gaius for potions that were supposed to help her with her nightmares. Sometimes they worked but most of the time they did not. Morgana admitted Aredian that her dreams got worse when Gaius started treating them, though she insisted that this was just a coincidence. She trusted Gaius a great deal, even though she told Aredian that she had no idea what he'd put in the potions, because he took care of her and his draughts were the only thing that let her get any sleep. Gaius seemed very fond of Morgana, often calling her "my child" in a grandfatherly tone, but Gaius was firm in believing that Morgana is better off not knowing of her powers, often lying to her about the importance of her dreams and powers in hopes of protecting her from Uther's hatred of magic. He believed that the draughts, which essentially drugged her so that she could not dream, were the best treatment, and was angry when Merlin argued with him about it. Despite his fondness for Morgana, after the sleeping plague he seemed to believe Morgana had allied herself with Morgause, despite the fact that this wasn't true. He told Merlin he did the right thing by poisoning her, that Morgana chose to use her gifts for evil, and he was suspicious of her when she returned. Although he acted as if nothing had changed, Gaius helped Merlin work to thwart her plots time and time again, and when he was posessed by a goblin he told her that her heart was full of darkness. After Morgause's army overtook Camelot and Morgana was crowned queen, Gaius hid with Merlin and Arthur until they returned to challenge her. When Merlin was attempting to destroy the Cup of Life, Gaius and Merlin used magic against Morgause, slamming her into a stone pillar and seemingly killing her, as she was lifeless when Morgana found her. It has yet to be seen if Morgana will realize Gaius had anything to do with Morgause's defeat, and whether or not she will seek vengeance for her sister.

Uther
Morgana had a rather strained relationship with her father, Uther, who she thought was merely her guardian for most of her life, as her deceased father had been Uther's best friend. She frequently stood up to him when she thought he was being unfair or cruel, and was not above defying him to do what was right. Despite his affection for her, Uther was not above punishing her for such defiance, and once had her thrown in chains in the dungeon for publically challenging him. After the death of Gwen's father, Morgana conspired with the sorceror Tauren to kill the king, believing Camelot would be better off with Arthur on the throne, but when Uther confessed his regret over Tom's death, admitting he was arrogant and foolhardy, she couldn't go through with it. When Tauren attacked, she warned Uther and then ended up killing Tauren herself as he was about to stab the king.

Despite his show of repentance, Uther continued to execute people in his campaign against magic, and Morgana became more and more distressed, realizing she'd been wrong to think he was capable of change. When Mordred returned, she agreed to help steal a crystal from Uther, and later freed a sorceror from the dungeons. Uther suspected her involvement, emotionally warning that whoever was responsible had betrayed him, but Morgana merely lifted her chin, defiant. When Morgause's sleeping plague fell over Camelot, Arthur left Morgana alone with a sleeping Uther, handing her his sword so she could protect both herself and the king, but Morgana did not act against Uther, instead she merely sat, frightened, holding the sword and waited for Arthur to return. After Merlin poisoned her and Morgause steals her away, Uther was distraught, blaming himself, and spent a year letting his army get slaughtered as he hunted down magical groups that might know where to find her.

After her return, Morgana seemingly reconciled with Uther, and he had clearly forgiven her for defying him, but she had returned only to help Morgause topple him once and for all. She used magic to drive him insane, taking vindictive pleasure in his terror, seeing the fear he wrought now turned against him. Although Merlin thwarted her, Morgana continued to plot against Uther, but after she took a fall down the stairs and seemed to be at death's door, she learnt Uther is her father, not Gorlois. Uther was grief-stricken until she recovered, and for a brief moment Morgana seemed on the verge of forgiving him, urging him to recognize her, but when it became clear he never would, Morgana's hatred for him became frenzied. Although Morgause urged caution, Morgana was emotionally unstable in the wake of this revelation, and attempted to kill him with the dagger Arthur gave her for her birthday, but she was foiled by Merlin once again.

When Morgause finally conquered Camelot, Uther was captured and brought to the throne room on his knees, where he said Morgause had no right to the throne. Morgana steped out, agreeing, but said she does- Uther's eyes went wide as he realized that Morgana had betrayed him, and Morgana told him she had known he was her father for some time. While the guards hold him on his knees, Uther watched his daughter crowned Queen of Camelot, and hung his head in anguish. Later, locked in the dungeons and witnessing the execution of peasants through the bars, Uther begged Morgana to kill him instead of innocent people, but she said he would live until she was satisfied with the amount of suffering he experienced as her revenge for his numerous crimes. She left Uther in the dungeons to rot, stopping only to confirm that she hated him beyond his ability to understand, and when Arthur rescued him later it is clear that he had a breakdown of sorts as a result of Morgana's betrayal. Spoilers for Series 4 show that Uther may never recover from his breakdown over Morgana's betrayal.

Mordred
Morgana developed a close bond with the druid boy, Mordred, after Merlin snuck him into the castle when the soldiers were searching for him. She sheltered him while guards searched the castle, and cradled him when he felt his mentor being executed out in the courtyard. After Gaius treated his wounds, Morgana attempted to smuggle Mordred out of Camelot, telling Gwen that she was risking her life because there was a bond between them, like nothing she'd ever felt before. Their escape was foiled by Arthur, who had no choice but to turn them in since there were witnesses, but later helped Morgana get the boy safely back to his people. When Morgana sought out the druids for help with her magic, she was reunited with Mordred, who led the druids to her when she was attacked by scorpions in the woods. The boy told her now he could take care of her as she had him, but their time together was cut short when Arthur led a rescue mission to bring her back to Camelot. As the druids tried to flee with her, Morgana was visibly concerned with Mordred's safety, and he was reluctant to leave her behind, but in the end he escaped while Morgana returned to Camelot with Arthur. The two were reunited again when Mordred came into the care of the sorceror Alvarr, who found him after the druid massacre, and Alvarr used his relationship with Morgana to get her to steal a crystal from the vaults of Camelot. Morgana's initial agreement was solely for Mordred's sake, as she wanted Alvarr to get the boy out of Camelot before they were caught, and when she delivered the crystal to their camp Mordred ran to embrace her. They were separated again when Morgana had to return to Camelot, but the dragon warned Merlin that Morgana and Mordred share a destiny, that they will form an alliance against Camelot one day.

Morgause
Morgana is most likely Morgause's younger half sister, though for many years she had no idea of her existence as Morgause was smuggled out of Camelot as a baby and given to the priestesses of the Old Religion. Nevertheless, Morgana felt that Morgause was familiar to her when they met during Morgause's stay in Camelot, and Morgause gifted her with a bracelet that had once belonged to Morgause's mother, presumably Vivienne, which blocked Morgana's nightmares. Although Morgause nearly caused Arthur to kill Uther, Morgana remained ignorant of these events since Arthur and Uther swore the witnesses to silence, and so when Morgause requested that she meet with her, Morgana agreed. During their meeting, Morgana admittied her hatred of Uther, but had no idea Morgause intended to use her as an instrument to topple Camelot. When Merlin figured out that Morgana was the vessel for the sleeping plague and poisoned her, Morgause abandoned her attempt to conquer Camelot in order to save her sister, visibly distraught as she held Morgana's lifeless body in her arms. After learning it was hemlock Merlin used, Morgause spirited Morgana away to heal her, and kept Morgana in her care for a year, teaching her how to use her magic.

By the time she returned to Camelot, Morgana had been corrupted and turned against Uther, and was completely loyal to Morgause, who seemed at times to be pulling Morgana's strings. However since manipulation was a normal part of Morgause's personality she may not have actually realised she was controlling Morgana instead seeing herself as a mentor and confidant. Despite appearing to manipulate Morgana, Morgause never acted as though she were Morgana's superior as she did with everyone else and revealed that she genuinely did care about her half sister having saved her life on at least one occasion. Morgana and Morgause also called each other sister and hugged each other at least once. At one point Morgause kissed Morgana on the cheek as a sign of affection.

When Morgana discovered that Uther was her father, Morgause was delighted, despite the fact that this meant Vivienne had betrayed Gorlois by sleeping with Uther, since it gave Morgana a legitimate claim to the throne. Morgause pointed out that Arthur was now an obstacle to the crown, and began plotting to kill him to clear the way for Morgana's rule. When her armies took Camelot, Morgause looked on with pride as Morgana was crowned Queen, but given the cold nature of Morgana's rule, it seems that Morgause may still have been the one in control, as she advised every move Morgana made.

When Morgause was attacked by Merlin with help from Gaius and crumpled to the floor, seriously injured, Morgana was devastated, and her screams of grief bring the throne room walls crashing down around them. Just as Morgause spirited her away to heal her a year earlier, Morgana escaped with Morgause, hoping it was not too late to save her sister.

Since it has been confirmed that Morgause will return in Series 4, having survived the attack by Merlin, this implies that Morgana did manage to save Morgause from dying.

Alvarr
Alvarr approached Morgana to enlist her help in stealing the Crystal of Neatid, using Mordred as a pawn to win her over. Morgana agreed to help primarily for Mordred's sake, but Alvarr, a con man at heart, used his charm to gain her favour, and she seemed to genuinely find him dashing. Having someone to talk with about her magic was a relief for Morgana, and Alvarr knew exactly how to play her so that she felt as if they were kindred spirits, despite the fact that he had a woman in his band. Morgana delivered the crystal to Alvarr and then returned to Camelot, and Alvarr's lover commended him on how well he played the Lady Morgana, which Alvarr did not seem to regret since it achieved his goal. Indeed, it paid off further for Alvarr when Morgana returned to warn him that Arthur's men were marching on their encampment, although she would have likely come regardless to ensure that Mordred escaped. When Alvarr inteneds to ambush and kill the knights, Morgana was horrified and said he couldn't kill them all, he needed to fight only to escape, clearly worried about Arthur and the knights she knew are good men. Alvarr did fight, but was captured, and brought back to Camelot where Uther ordered him to be executed at dawn. Morgana was furious and told Uther she saw him for what he really was, and that she disowned him, before using the sleeping draught Gaius prepared for her to drug the dungeon guards, allowing Alvarr to escape. Though he was shamelessly using her for his own purposes, Alvarr seemed genuinely humbled when she freed him, and it's evident she has his sincere gratitude for all she's done for him.

Abilities
Morgana is a seer, a person who could see the future in their dreams. She often suffered from nightmares as a result of this ability. She also had some level of telepathy as she was the only person other than Merlin able to hear Mordred speaking in their heads. (The Beginning of the End) Morgana is also a sorceress and she was able to ignite a fire in her bedroom by accidentally using magic. She also made her window and a vase explode, without meaning to. (The Nightmare Begins)

In the year spent with Morgause, Morgana's skill with magic improved and she gained control over her abilities. However, she admitted that her magic was still considerably weaker than Morgause's magic (The Tears of Uther Pendragon), many of her spells relying on her using an object of some sort- such as when she tried to kill Arthur by using a phoenix eye (The Eye of the Phoenix) as the central focus for the spell rather than simply conjuring something on her own. The only exception to this has been when she was able to use magic to knock Merlin unconscious during their brief struggle when she attempted to murder Uther in his sleep after discovering he was her father (The Crystal Cave), but given the emotionally-charged circumstances she may not have intended to use magic.

When Morgause was wounded by Gaius and Merlin, Morgana displayed tremendous magical power by bringing the whole room crashing down with magical screams. Her grief for Morgause augmented her powers to an extremely high degree, although it is unknown if she could actually control the magic. (The Coming of Arthur) However, the Great Dragon has confirmed that she has considerably less magic than Merlin does if he accesses his full potential, as evidenced by her inability to use The Crystal of Neahtid due to a lack of power, which Merlin was able to use easily. (The Witch's Quickening)

Morgana was also a skilled swordswoman and held her own against a number of men attempting to raid Merlin's village. She also easily overpowered Merlin during the seige of Camelot and disarmed him twice. In the end, Merlin only defeated her by using his magic. It has been indicated that she might have even bested Arthur with a sword before, though this is unconfirmed as Arthur denied it when Morgana mentioned it. (The Moment of Truth)

In addition to her magical abilities and combat skills, Morgana was shown to be an extremely talented actress who was able to hide her true nature from almost everyone in Camelot including her father and half brother. Before she became queen the only people who knew of her true allegiance were Merlin, Gaius and Gwen, and these three were only aware of her true allegiance due to Merlin and Gaius's prior knowledge of her magical abilities and Gwen walking in on Morgana preparing a spell by accident.

Behind the scenes

 * The creators of Merlin have likened the series to Smallville, an American television show which chronicles the early life of Superman. Morgana could be thought of as Merlin's version of Lex Luthor, who initially appears in Smallville as the friend of Clark Kent/Superman before he is ultimately consumed by evil.
 * In The Beginning of the End, The Nightmare Begins, The Tears of Uther Pendragon and The Crystal Cave, Morgana is seen wearing a red cloak reminiscent of Little Red Riding Hood.
 * Morgana has appeared in all episodes apart from Love in the Time of Dragons, The Last Dragonlord and The Lady of the Lake.
 * In the third episode (The Mark of Nimueh) Morgana appeared to be aware of Merlin's powers and she told him that it could be their secret, but later on Morgana did not know of Merlin's magic. This is because Morgana thought that Merlin had feelings for Gwen and she was only talking about the time when Merlin was prepared to sacrifice himself to protect Gwen and not Merlin's magic.

In the legend
Morgana is loosely based on Morgan Le Fay, a powerful sorceress in the Arthurian legend. Early works featuring Morgan do not elaborate her character beyond her role as a healer, and in the beginning she is a trusted ally of her brother King Arthur. She is referenced by Geoffrey of Monmouth as an enchantress of the Isle of Apples (Avalon), one of nine sisters whose healing magic is sought for the mortally wounded Arthur, while Gerald of Wales states that she was the rule and patroness of an area near Glastonbury, and defines her as a blood-relation of Arthur. Chretien de Troyes tells us that Morgan is Arthur's sister, but the daughter of Uther and Igraine, rather than Gorlois. It's in the Vulgate cycle that Morgan becomes the daughter of Gorlois, making her Arthur's half-sister, and this trend continues in the latter works.

Morgan became much more prominent in the later cyclical prose works such as the Lancelot-Grail and the Post-Vulgate Cycle, in which she becomes an antagonist to the Round Table, often as a result of a rift with Guinevere when the queen exposes Morgan's affair with one of the king's knights. Eventually, however, Morgan and Arthur reconcile, and she retains her original role as one of the four enchantresses who carry the king to Avalon after his final battle at Camlann.

As her epithet "le Fay" (from the French la fée, meaning fairy) indicates, the figure of Morgan appears to have been originally a supernatural being. While later works make her specifically human, her magical powers are retained.[1] Inspiration for her character came from earlier Welsh mythology and literature; she has often been compared with the goddess Modron, a figure derived from the continental Dea Matrona featured with some frequency in medieval Welsh literature. Modron appears in Welsh Triad 70, in which her children by Urien, Owain and Morfydd, are called the "Three Blessed Womb-Burdens of the Island of Britain,"[2] and a later folktale preserved in Peniarth MS 147 records the story behind this conception more fully.[3] Urien is Morgan le Fay's husband in the continental romances, while Owain mab Urien is the historical figure behind their son Ywain. Additionally, Modron is called "daughter of Avallach," a Welsh ancestor deity whose name can also be interpreted as a noun meaning "a place of apples".[4] In fact, in the story of Owain and Morvydd's conception in Peniarth 147, Modron is called the "daughter of the king of Avallach." This is similar to Avalon, the "Isle of Apples" with which Morgan le Fay has been associated since her earliest appearances. Additional speculation sometimes connects Morgan with the Irish goddess Morrígan, though there are few similarities between the two beyond the spelling of their names.

Morgan first appears by name in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini, written about 1150. Purportedly an account of the wizard Merlin's later adventures, it elaborates some episodes from Geoffrey's more famous earlier work, Historia Regum Britanniae. In the Historia, Geoffrey explains that after Arthur is seriously wounded at the Battle of Camlann, he is taken off to Avalon, the Isle of Apples, to be healed. In the Vita Merlini he describes this island in more detail and names "Morgen" as the chief of nine magical sisters who dwell there. Morgan retains this role as Arthur's otherworldly healer in much later literature.

Before the cyclical Old French romances, appearances of Morgan are few. Chrétien de Troyes mentions her in his first romance Erec and Enide, completed around 1170; he says one guest at the titular characters' wedding, a certain Guigomar, lord of the Isle of Avalon, is a friend of Morgan. She is later mentioned in the same poem when Arthur provides a wounded Erec with a healing balm made by his sister Morgan; this episode affirms her early role as a healer. Chrétien again refers to Morgan as a great healer in his later romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, in an episode in which two ladies restore the maddened hero to his senses with a concoction provided by Morgan. However, it should be noted that while Modron is the mother of Owain in Welsh literature, and Morgan would be assigned this role in later French literature, this first continental association between Ywain and Morgan does not imply they are son and mother.

The mythological figure of Morgana has also been linked to the Irish goddess of battle, strife and fertility, the Morrigan, whose symbol was that of a raven. She has also been linked to the evil sorceress Medea from Jason and the Argonauts. Medea wishes revenge on her husband when James dumped her and married a princess.