Talk:Nimueh/@comment-90.213.75.194-20181213225922

Uther describes Ygraine as his 'heart and soul' and that he loved her with all his heart, she would have been the most important thing to him.

With Merlin, all his life he's had his mother, Hunith, and he cares for her more than his destiny or Arthur. Hunith meant more to him than anything. (She survives though, thank god). By this time Merlin is also quite fond of Gaius too.

the magic chose the people they both care for and love, so it's possible Nimueh can shift the magic but not choose whose life is taken.

If you've ever watched Once Upon A Time, a regular saying is that all magic comes with a price and it's true. To create a life through magic, one must be taken. The price for this is the steepest: the one they love. Uther lost Ygraine and if Merlin hadn't killed Nimueh, he would've lost his mother or Gaius.