User blog comment:Morganaforever/Episode Review: The Death Song of Uther Pendragon/@comment-86.135.77.230-20121023090401

Why Uther changed?

To be honest - I wasn't surprised with his character change during this episode. It was a shock at first but in retrospect, it makes sense. There were a few times in the previous series that I thought Uther was a tyrant. In the Queen of Hearts - he DID try to banish and then kill Gwen. In the Poisoned Chalice - he attempted to destroy the Morteous Flower to teach Arthur a lesson and in The Beginning of the End he sentenced Mordred to death to teach Morgana a lesson. He did redeem himself in my eyes in Excalibur and the Wicked Day (when he fought for Arthur's life) but Ygraine's death slightly unhinged him!

He viewed servants (most of the time ) as worthless objects and that the nobles were always correct - remember when Merlin tried to go against Valiant. And when Morgana was wreaking havoc in Camelot in Series 3...

Uther did not ask about Morgana ...because she had already betrayed them at this point! And Uther felt that Arthur could still be 'saved'. That's why when his spirit was released he haunted Camelot!

Maybe when his spirit was released, the worst parts of his personality were also released with him. He was also cross that Arthur changed Camelot so much (and ruined his legacy). Uther ruled with an iron fist - fear was a weapon that Uther exploited (He saw mercy as a sign of weakness). He may have brought peace to Camelot but he was still had many flaws!

I did also think that the writers want Arthur to be independent and not be blind to Uther's faults (which Gwen, Merlin and Gaius to name a few have seen and have suffered in his hands).There were times in the show that Arthur refused to see that his father could have caused so much suffering. They want Arthur to form his own views and to grow into the mantle of the Once and Future King. The last scene with Merlin strengthens that!

Arthur is still finding his feet - but he has Gwen and Merlin to help him! Arthur is his own worst enemy -he needed to learn that if were to rule without Gwen, the knights and Merlin (the Round Table)- he would become like Uther.

In the third episode there was a right balance between the creepy parts and the humour (Merlin and Arthur's banter). It was perhaps one of my favourite episodes so far!

We've only seen three episodes of this series so far - give it a chance!

( I actually would like there to be a 6th series- there's so much they can explore)