Elyan

"He just always happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

- Gwen on Elyan

Sir Elyan was the son of Tom, the brother of Queen Guinevere Pendragon and the brother-in-law of King Arthur Pendragon, whom he served as a Knight of the Round Table. Prior to his knighthood he was a blacksmith, like his father before him. He was impaled by a sword enchanted by the Lady Morgana - apparently to protect Guinevere and likely to kill Arthur - and died of his wounds in his sister's arms.

Early life
Elyan was the elder child and only son of the blacksmith Tom and his late wife. Little is known about Elyan's early life, only that he left home a year before Merlin arrived in Camelot and did not keep in contact with his family. Consequently his sister Gwen had no knowledge of his whereabouts, or even whether he was alive or dead (The Castle of Fyrien).

Kidnapped
"Brother and sister reunited. It warms the heart."

- Cenred regarding Gwen and Elyan

Four years after his departure from Camelot, Gwen and Elyan were reunited when they were kidnapped by King Cenred as part of a plot to kill Arthur Pendragon. Gwen was soon released so that she could lead Arthur into their trap, but Elyan spent most of his captivity in the castle dungeons. His sister eventually rejoined him when she, Arthur, Merlin, and Morgana were captured trying to sneak into the castle by way of an underground tunnel system. The two had a bit of a heart to heart as they waited in their cell, discussing issues like Elyan's decision to leave home and his failure to return even after their father's death. Elyan also became aware of Gwen's romance with Arthur, which he took great amusement in teasing her about.

The siblings were soon rescued by Arthur and Merlin, and - after a quick detour to "save" Morgana - the group returned to Camelot. Elyan decided to give up his wanderings at this time, instead choosing to reopen their father's forge and take over his job as blacksmith (The Castle of Fyrien).

Knight of the Round Table
"Arise, Sir Elyan, Knight of Camelot."

- Arthur to Elyan

Elyan had been comfortably resettled in Camelot for several months when it was attacked by Cenred's army. Elyan presumably tried to defend his home from the invaders, but was stunned to discover that weapons were useless against the soldiers; the Cup of Life had made them immortal. He managed to avoid capture by taking refuge in his and Gwen's house, and hid there until Arthur, Merlin, and Gwaine returned to find that Camelot had been defeated. When the trio entered the house in search of Gwen, they discovered Elyan instead, who initially attacked them thinking they were immortal soldiers.

After explaining all that had happened, Elyan accompanied the three to the castle to learn the fates of Arthur's father and Gwen. The group split up once they were inside. Elyan went with Gwaine to the dungeons, where they saw Uther being dragged away by Cenred's soldiers. The two then met up with Arthur and Merlin (and now Gaius) in the physician's chambers, where they reported what they'd seen. Arthur then ordered them to take Gaius and find refuge in the woods outside Camelot.

Elyan, Gaius, and Gwaine eventually met back up with Arthur and Merlin, and the five spent the next week sheltering in a cave. They were eventually joined by Gwen and Sir Leon, who had managed to escape from the city. Unbeknownst to them, however, Morgause and Morgana had allowed their escape in order to track them to Arthur's hiding place. The group was forced to go on the run, though they were ultimately saved by the arrival of Percival and Lancelot, who dropped boulders from above to block the path and halt the soldiers' pursuit.

With their former hideout compromised, Elyan accompanied the rest of the group to the Castle of Ancient Kings. There Arthur revealed his intentions to infiltrate the citadel and free his father. Elyan was among those who volunteered to accompany him, and was made a Knight of Camelot alongside Gwaine, Percival, and Lancelot. Arthur and his new knights then devised a plan to break Uther out of Camelot's dungeons: Merlin and Lancelot were to split off and disable the warning bell (though they were really planning to go after the Cup of Life) while Arthur, Elyan, and the other knights proceeded on to the cells. Gwen and Gaius, meanwhile, were to remain in the Castle and prepare for any wounded.

The plan was carried out the next day. Arthur and the knights infiltrated the dungeons, successfully trapping some of the soldiers in a cell and managing to hold their own against those that remained, though Elyan sustained a cut to the arm. Arthur had just managed to free his father when the warning bell went off, alerting everyone in the citadel to their presence. With their escape route cut off, Arthur resolutely led the knights in battle against the immortal army. They managed to hold their position for several minutes, long enough for Merlin to empty the blood from the Cup of Life, which instantly destroyed the immortal soldiers. Later, Elyan accompanied the other Knights back to the Castle of Ancient Kings to escort Gwen home to Camelot (The Coming Of Arthur).

The Darkest Hour
One year later, Elyan was part of a group of four knights who came across a woman traveling through the Plains of Denaria. The woman was cooperative at first, informing the knights that she was journeying to the Seas of Meredor, but her demeanor markedly changed when Leon asked about the contents of her cart. Revealing herself to be the Lady Morgana, she attacked the knights with her magic. Only Leon and Elyan survived.

Later, Elyan was among the knights who rode out with Arthur to investigate reports of strange, faceless beings who had attacked one of Camelot's villages. They discovered that the attacks were the work of the Dorocha, ghostly voices of the dead unleashed when Morgana tore the veil between the worlds on Samhain's Eve. As the Dorocha spread through Camelot and villagers crowded into the city in search of safety, the knights took to patrolling the streets with torches. During one such patrol Elyan saved Percival's life by using his torch to chase the Dorocha away. The other knight had come across three children hiding behind some barrels, and had had to leave his own torch behind to carry them to safety.

Elyan and the other Knights of the Round Table later accompanied Arthur on his quest to repair the veil on the Isle of the Blessed. They made camp the first night at an old fortress called Daobeth, where Merlin was badly injured by the Dorocha. After Lancelot volunteered to take the servant back to Camelot, Arthur, Elyan, and the other knights continued on with the quest. On Arthur's recommendation they took a shortcut through the Tunnels of Andor, which went fairly well up until they came across a group of Wilddeoren. The knights quickly hid behind a shelf of rock, but despite their having used Gaia berries to mask their scents, one of the creatures followed them and took a marked interest in Gwaine. This prompted the knight to kill the creature, which ultimately proved to be a mistake, as Wildeorren hunted in packs. The knights were forced to exit the tunnels at a run.

Ultimately surviving their trek through the Tunnels, the group made camp in the woods that night, with Arthur taking first watch. When Elyan got up to take over, he tried to talk to the prince about what they might expect when they finally reached the Isle. Arthur remained tight-lipped, saying that it was his burden alone to bear, but Elyan disagreed, telling him that as long as they all stood together, none of them would ever be alone. His words seemed to bring some comfort to Arthur, who thanked him.

After another day of traveling, the knights were reunited with Merlin and Lancelot when they made camp at another fortress. Relieved that they were safe and well, the knights joyfully welcomed the two back into the fold. The group reached the Isle of the Blessed the next morning, crossing the lake by way of the ferryman's boat. When they discovered that the Isle was guarded by Wyverns, Leon, Elyan, and Percival chose to remain outside to fend them off while Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, and Gwaine proceeded on to the stone altar, where Lancelot ultimately sacrificed himself to heal the veil in Arthur place.

Later, back in Camelot, Elyan attended Lancelot's memorial alongside his fellow knights and the rest of the court. He was also present when a funeral pyre containing Lancelot's cloak and sword was burned in the courtyard (The Darkest Hour).

Further Adventures
"We made our pledge, and we wear the Pendragon crest with pride. Tomorrow, we fight in your name, sire. For freedom and justice in this land."

- Elyan to Arthur

Elyan attended Arthur's birthday celebration alongside the rest of the court. Later, after the death of King Uther, he also attended Arthur's coronation along with his fellow knights (The Wicked Day).

When it was discovered that Julius Borden was searching for the last live dragon egg in existence, Elyan was among the knights that Arthur took to find and destroy it. During their journey, Elyan joined the others in playing a trick on Merlin. They pretended to eat all of their food, and then produced one last bowl that they'd saved for the servant when he'd just about given up hope. As a result, he and the other knights were stricken ill when Borden poisoned their food, and had to be saved by Merlin's magic (Aithusa).

Elyan was also present during the knights' ambush on King Caerleon's raiding party. When the King's wife, Queen Annis, subsequently declared war on Camelot over the death of her husband, Elyan accompanied his fellow Knights and the rest of Camelot's army to the battle sight. He later led the other Knights of the Round Table in voicing their loyalty to Arthur and their willingness to die for him, acting as the group's spokesman. When Arthur struck a bargain with Annis that the war would be decided by a duel between two champions rather than a battle between two armies, Elyan was among those who volunteered to serve as Camelot's champion. He later watched Arthur fight from the ridge alongside Merlin and the rest of Camelot's army (His Father's Son). Elyan was on a patrol with the other Knights of the Round Table when they encountered Merlin disguised as Dragoon the Great. The servant was attempting to mount his horse so he could ride to Morgana's hovel and free himself of her Fomorroh's control, but due to the effects of his ageing spell did not have the strength to manage it. Recognizing him as the sorcerer supposedly responsible for Uther's death, the Knights tried to apprehend him but were quickly defeated by Merlin's magic, much to his glee. The warlock then mounted his horse using the fallen knights as a staircase and went on his way (A Servant of Two Masters).

Lamia
""Leon and Gwaine, I've never known them to act like this." "Elyan's the same. I hardly recognize him." "I think it's something to do with her.""

- Merlin and Gwen about the Knights and Lamia

When the village of Longstead was stricken with severe illness, Elyan and the other Knights of the Round Table were tasked with escorting Gwen and Merlin there to provide treatment. Though Merlin did what he could, his prescriptions proved ineffective and it started to appear as though sorcery might be involved. The group started back to Camelot the next morning, intending to inform Arthur of their suspicions and return later with Gaius, who had remained in Camelot to treat a sudden outbreak of sweating sickness.

At some point in their journey they came across a group of bandits camped out in the forest. The Knights attacked the bandits, and in the process freed a young girl that they'd apparently taken prisoner. Identifying herself as Lamia, the girl appeared both terrified and distrustful, particularly of Merlin. She soon began to exert a strange control over the Knights; they became increasingly possessive of her and aggressive towards each other. This eventually culminated in a fight between Leon and Gwaine, which escalated to the point that Percival and Elyan had to forcibly separate them. The Knights also began to forget the original purpose of their journey (to save Longstead), concerned only with doing what Lamia suggested they do.

The evening after the fight, Elyan was on watch when he heard what sounded like a hiss. He came across Lamia while investigating, who claimed that she hadn't been able to sleep. She kissed Elyan, who began convulsing and fell to the ground. The next morning, the other Knights found him unconscious in the woods, apparently suffering from the same sickness as the people of Longstead. Though Merlin tried to convince the Knights to get Elyan back to Camelot for treatment, they - under Lamia's influence - insisted on taking shelter in a deserted castle instead. Lamia disappeared almost immediately after they arrived there, and one by one the Knights began to fall ill; Gwaine when he went to collect firewood, and Leon and Percival while they were searching for Lamia.

Gwen and Merlin were left to deal with Lamia themselves. Merlin managed to stab her with a sword during their initial confrontation, but Lamia responded by transforming into a snake-like monster that chased him through the castle. Eventually they ran into Gwen, who attacked the monster with a sword when it managed to grab Merlin. The Lamia was unaffected, however, and likely would have killed them both had Arthur not arrived and finished it off. Elyan and the other Knights were then taken back to Longstead, where Gaius treated them for their illness (Lamia).

Possessed by a Troubled Spirit
"He may have disturbed a spirit at the shrine. I think that spirit's possessing him."

- Merlin about Elyan

Elyan was on a patrol with Arthur, Merlin, and the other Knights when they came across the remains of a Druid camp. Though Merlin warned them not to disturb anything, Elyan - thirsty because Gwaine had drunk the last of his water - drank from a small well. In doing so he accidentally freed a tormented spirit; a young Druid boy, dripping wet and deathly pale, who began to appear to Elyan but went unseen by others. Initially the boy did not speak, first appearing to Elyan while he was alone in his chambers. Having heard Gwaine tell Merlin earlier that a circle of salt at the foot of one's bed was supposed to ward off evil spirits, Elyan desperately followed this advice, but to no avail. The boy slowly began to exert greater and greater influence over him, causing him to lose control of himself during a training session and appearing to him in the armoury afterwards. Frightened, Elyan accidentally bumped into Gwaine, who shoved him away in response. This resulted in a struggle between the two when Elyan shoved him back, which ended with Gwaine knocking him out.

When Elyan eventually regained awareness in his chambers, the spirit appeared to him for a third time. Unlike the last times, however, the spirit spoke to him, asking him not to be angry with it. Elyan then approached the boy and tried to comfort him, asking him what he wanted of him. The boy replied that he wanted Elyan to bring him peace by righting the wrong that had been done to him; he wanted him to kill the king. Now under the spirit's power, Elyan agreed to do so. He went to Arthur's chambers that night and attacked him with a sword. Though caught unawares, Arthur managed to evade him until the guards arrived, forcing Elyan to flee. He was eventually apprehended by the other Knights and thrown into the dungeons, where the spirit appeared to him once more. The boy told him that he'd failed him, an accusation that tormented Elyan.

Though most believed that Elyan's attack on Arthur had been motivated by revenge for his sister's banishment, Merlin and Gaius - who had discovered the circle of salt beneath his bed - knew that he was not acting of his accord. As such, when Agravaine advised that Arthur have Elyan executed in order to show the people of Camelot that attempts on the King's life would be severely punished, Merlin defended Elyan, leaving Arthur conflicted. Worried that the king might have no choice but to order Elyan's execution regardless of their suspicions, Merlin then concocted a plan to exorcise the spirit from Elyan. He broke the knight out of the dungeons and tried to trick him into drinking a sedative. The boy, however, warned Elyan of Merlin's intentions, prompting the knight to knock him out and escape into the woods.

Elyan made a second attempt on Arthur's life the following day. Armed with a crossbow, he ambushed the king in the council chamber, killing or wounding at least three knights before taking aim at Arthur, who managed to dodge the shot. Now completely under the spirit's power and speaking with the voice of the boy rather than his own, he abandoned the crossbow and took up a sword instead, engaging Arthur in a duel. Arthur eventually managed to defeat Elyan, but - having heard him speak with the boy's voice rather than Elyan's - began to realize that Merlin had been right and that Elyan was being possessed. As such, he let Elyan go.

Arthur then sought the advice of Gaius, who told him that only the atonement of the perpetrator could bring a restless spirit peace. Believing Uther to have been the one responsible for the boy's death, Gaius also informed Arthur that he would likely have no choice but to kill Elyan, as Uther was dead and could not atone for his actions. Nevertheless, Arthur (and Merlin) returned to the Druid shrine that night and summoned the spirit. Kneeling before the possessed Elyan, he revealed that it had not been Uther who led the raid on the Druid camp, but Arthur himself. Overcome with remorse, he explained how his youth and inexperience had led to him losing control of his men, and how the events of that day still haunted his memory. He promised that the Druids would be treated with the respect that they deserved in future. His heartfelt words finally brought peace to the boy, who forgave him. The spirit then released Elyan, who - disoriented and confused - fainted. He was taken back to Camelot and made a full recovery (A Herald of the New Age).

Morgana's Second Conquest of Camelot
""Tell me where Arthur is... Or sample the delights of my little friend here." "I'll tell you nothing." "I was hoping you'd say that.""

- Morgana interrogating Elyan on Arthur's whereabouts

Elyan was one of the knights on patrol in the city when Morgana and her ally Helios launched a surprise attack on Camelot during the Feast of Beltane. They eventually retreated to the citadel, where he discovered Arthur's uncle, Lord Agravaine, leading a contingent of warriors through the castle corridors. Realizing that the nobleman had betrayed them, Elyan vowed to kill him, but was knocked unconscious by Morgana's magic before he could do so. When he eventually regained consciousness, he ran to the woods outside Camelot. There he met up with Percival, Arthur, and Merlin, who were also trying to escape from Morgana's soldiers. The group quickly came up with a plan to find sanctuary beyond Camelot's borders, with Merlin suggesting that they go to his home village, Ealdor. However, they were discovered and attacked before they could do so, losing track of Percival almost immediately. Elyan managed to keep up with Merlin and Arthur for a little longer, but ultimately sent them on ahead while he stayed behind to fend off their pursuers. Eventually, he was captured.

Morgana later interrogated Elyan to find out where Arthur was hiding. When Elyan refused to tell her where the king had gone, she used a Nathair to torture the information out of him. Elyan, almost catatonic at this point, was then dragged to the castle dungeons, where he was thrown into a cell with Gaius and Gwaine. Gaius did what he could to make Elyan comfortable, and the knight slowly recovered his strength over the next few days. But though soon able to walk and talk again, he was still too weak to help Gwaine when the guards came to force him to fight in return for food. He did his best to look after Gaius during this time; the old physician was suffering badly from their poor conditions and lack of food. After Gwaine won his challenge and was given bread as a reward, Elyan tried to coax Gaius into eating. He was distressed when the physician told him not to waste their food on someone who wasn't long for this world, and left the bread with Gaius anyway, taking none for himself.

Elyan, Gaius, and Gwaine were later rescued by Percival and Leon during Arthur's bid to retake Camelot. The knights were overjoyed to see one another alive, Elyan even joking about the horror of having been locked up with Gwaine for a week when Percival asked if he was all right. He later stood alongside his fellow knights and the rest of the court as his sister Guinevere was crowned Queen of Camelot (The Sword in the Stone).

Search for the Missing Knights
"We know that Gwaine and his men crossed the pass here, at Isulfor. But beyond that, there was no trace. The trail went cold."

- Elyan to Arthur

Three years later, Gwaine was placed in charge of leading a patrol of sixty knights to the northern kingdom of Ismere. When they sent no word and failed to return, Arthur tasked Elyan with organizing a search party to find them. Though the search party found no trace of the missing knights, Elyan did hear a number of rumours that Morgana was occupying the Fortress of Ismere. He recounted these rumors to Arthur, who began to suspect that the sorceress was holding the missing knights prisoner, and thus decided to lead a rescue party to investigate the Fortress.

The rescue party set out at dawn the following day, planning to catch Morgana by surprise by entering Ismere from the west, through their ally Queen Annis's lands. Noting that the gorge that marked the border between their kingdoms would provide perfect cover for an ambush, Arthur instructed the group to split up and take separate roads. Elyan was ordered to take a contingent of men and follow the ridge line. He did so, but soon returned when he discovered the remains of a village, everyone in it slaughtered. After leading Arthur and the other knights back to the sight, the group checked for survivors and gave the villagers a proper burial before continuing on to Annis's castle, where they spent the night.

They crossed the border to Ismere the next day, but were soon ambushed by Morgana and her ally Ruadan, who had learned of their plan from his daughter Sefa, Gwen's maidservant. Elyan and the rest of the knights became separated from Arthur and Merlin during the battle, and were ultimately forced to return to Camelot without them. Leon and Elyan reported what had happened to Gwen and Gaius, the group concluding that they must have been betrayed. Gwen quickly deduced that the traitor was Sefa, who had been eavesdropping during the meeting of the Round Table and who she had seen leaving the city late at night. When Sefa admitted that she had been meeting with her father, a sorcerer, Gwen sentenced her to death, a move that surprised Elyan and Gaius. Gwen, however, had no intention of executing Sefa; she was using her as bait, hoping that news of his daughter's plight would lure Ruadan to Camelot.

Sure enough, Ruadan infiltrated the citadel and freed Sefa that very night. Elyan and several other knights pursed them into the woods. Elyan engaged the sorcerer in battle, defeating him, but Ruadan used the last of his strength to conjure a large fire, allowing him and Sefa to escape. Elyan and the knights eventually tracked them to the ruins of an old fortress, where they discovered Ruadan's dead body. Sefa, however, was nowhere to be found.

Later, after Arthur and Merlin returned to Camelot with the missing knights, Elyan attended Mordred's knighting ceremony alongside his fellow Knights and the rest of the court (Arthur's Bane).

Final Adventures
""It is a tradition." "Goes back years." "We all had to do it on our first patrol.""

- Leon, Elyan, and Percival playing a joke on Mordred

During the celebration of the third anniversary of Arthur's coronation, Elyan explained to Mordred that Arthur was always upset on that day because it was also the anniversary of his father's death. He was also present at the meeting of the Round Table the next day, during which the doors to the council chamber began to mysteriously open and close by themselves. Unnerved, the council nevertheless continued with the meeting until the chandelier suddenly broke loose and crashed down on the center of the table, damaging it and greatly startling the knights (The Death Song of Uther Pendragon).

When Princess Mithian and her maidservant fled to Camelot after Nemeth was conquered by Morgana and King Odin, she enlisted Arthur's help to rescue her father, who had escaped with her but been too badly injured to make the full journey. Elyan was one of the knights that Arthur took with him on this journey, along with Merlin, Gaius, Mithian, and her maidservant.

Like the other Knights, Elyan was very concerned when Merlin was found unconscious next to the stream where they'd made camp, but continued on with Arthur when it was decided that they couldn't afford to wait for Merlin to regain consciousness. Later, when they arrived at the Tomb of Ashkanar, Elyan remained outside with Leon and the other knights while Arthur and Percival accompanied Mithian inside. They were captured by Odin's men, but were soon freed by Gwaine after he and Merlin caught up to the group (Another's Sorrow). Elyan was one of the knights who accompanied Arthur on the search for the sorcerer Osgar. He joined the other Knights in teasing Mordred along the way, and when the group decided to split up to search the forest, Elyan went with Gwaine. They were the first to find the sorcerer, surrounding him and attempting to apprehend him on their own. Osgar fought back, using his magic to throw the knights into a tree, though not before Gwaine had managed to pierce him with his sword. The sorcerer soon died of his injuries, and the Knights returned to Camelot. Later, Elyan went with Arthur and the other Knights to the White Mountains to answer the judgement of the Disir (The Disir).

The Dark Tower
"You can't stop me, Arthur. She is my sister."

- Elyan to Arthur about rescuing Gwen from the Dark Tower

Some time later, Gwen and Elyan went on a pilgrimage to visit their father's grave. They were accompanied by the other Knights of the Round Table, who were their escort. The group was attacked by snakes sent by Morgana on the return journey to Camelot, with Leon and Percival quickly falling victim to their bites. Gwaine and Elyan urged Gwen to ride on without them, but to no avail; she was kidnapped. As soon as Percival and Leon had recovered, Elyan, Arthur, and the other Knights (and Merlin) immediately set out to search for her.

They discovered Gwen's horse abandoned in the woods, as well as a trail leading east. The knights followed the trail until after dark, when Merlin managed to convince Arthur to make camp before they lost the trail. Elyan, however, was unable to sleep. He was devastated by his sister's kidnapping and blamed himself for not saving her when they were attacked. Arthur - who also couldn't sleep - tried to comfort him, pointing out that he had saved Percival and Leon and that blaming himself wouldn't do any good. It was at this point, as they were heading back to the campfire, Leon and Percival woke up having had the same nightmare of a tower beyond a forest and a plain. This led Arthur to believe that Gwen was being taken to the Dark Tower. He was resolved to journey there alone, but Elyan, Merlin, and the other knights refused to be left behind.

The next day they rode on until they reached a cliff that gave them a clear view of the Tower, as well as the first obstacle that stood between them and it: the Impenetrable Forest. The knights spent most of the day hacking their way through the forest. The forest was so dense that Percival broke a sword on it, and Gwaine soon tore his cloak. Eventually, they came to the realization that they'd been going in circles. Thoroughly discouraged, they made camp for the night and set out again in the morning, intending to find their way back to the clearing they'd first seen the Tower from. Merlin, however, managed to convince them that he could find the way out, and (using his magic) successfully did so.

Free of the Forest, the knights then arrived at their second obstacle: The Dollares Plaines. Dealing with both blistering feet and a blistering sun, the group slowly journeyed across the barren landscape. Eventually, as the day was nearing its end, they arrived at the Tower itself (The Dark Tower).

Death
"You cannot overcome it. It will fight to the death."

- Gwen to Elyan about Morgana's enchanted sword

Arriving at the Dark Tower, Elyan, Arthur, the other Knights, and Merlin followed a staircase to a room filled with booby traps. They discovered this when the flag stones on the floor reacted to pressure, setting off arrows that wounded Percival in the leg. Elyan, who was a little way ahead of the others, made his way across the room by the room by using his sword to test the stones before stepping on them. The others were quick to follow his lead, but upon reaching the doorway Elyan decided to press on without them, determined to find Gwen.

Following another staircase, Elyan soon arrived in the room where Gwen was being held captive. A sword floated in the air in front of her. Gwen quickly explained to Elyan that Morgana had enchanted the sword to protect her, and that it would fight to the death anyone who tried to free her. Elyan fought valiantly, and though the sword pierced him at one point, injuring him badly, he ultimately managed to outwit the enchantment and send it sailing out the window. Elyan quickly shut the window, causing the returning sword to become lodged in the shutters. Elyan then collapsed to the floor, overcome by his wounds. Horrified, Gwen rushed to him and gathered him in her arms. He died just seconds before Arthur and the knights came to his aid. Elyan's body was taken back to Camelot, where he was given a Viking funeral at the same lake where Merlin had laid to rest both Freya and Lancelot. The entire court of Camelot was in attendance as a boat containing Elyan's body was pushed out onto the lake. A knight then fired a flaming arrow to set it alight as the boat gently drifted away (The Dark Tower).

Personality
"He's just one of those people, never settles down, never thinks about the future. Just follows his heart wherever it leads him."

- Gwen about Elyan

Elyan was a courageous, compassionate, adventurous individual who followed his heart wherever it led him, though this often led to him being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He left home about a year before Merlin arrived in Camelot, traveling extensively and picking up many skills, one of which was swordsmanship. This skill, together with his bravery and loyalty, eventually led to him becoming not only a Knight of Camelot, but one of Arthur's most trusted warriors.

Elyan was often shown to be gentle, kindhearted, and caring. Though initially terrified when the spirit of the Druid boy appeared to him, he was very contrite when his yelling appeared to have frightened the boy. He did everything he could to comfort him, even giving the boy a hug (A Herald of the New Age). When he, Gaius, and Gwaine were captured during Morgana's invasion of Camelot, he spent much of his time caring for Gaius, who was suffering badly from the poor conditions and lack of food. When the group was later given bread as a reward for Gwaine defeating his challengers, Elyan insisted that Gaius take it, keeping none for himself (The Sword in the Stone). He was also one of the only knights who didn't regularly tease or bully Merlin, and was the only knight to stand up for him when John belittled his skills as a physician (Lamia).

Elyan was especially affectionate and demonstrative towards his sister, hugging her when they were reunited and agreeing to give up his life of traveling to come and live with her in Camelot (The Castle of Fyrien). When Gwen was kidnapped by Morgana and taken to the Dark Tower, Elyan was devastated. He blamed himself for not protecting her and was determined to bring her home, even if it cost him his life to do so (The Dark Tower).

Other facets of Elyan's personality include his cunning - he was the only person apart from Gaius to escape Morgause and Morgana's attack on Camelot unscathed (The Coming of Arthur) - and his loyalty. When it appeared that there was a traitor in Camelot, Arthur dismissed the idea that it could be Elyan almost immediately (A Servant of Two Masters), and when he was possessed by the spirit of a Druid boy who tried to make him kill Arthur, several people attested to the fact that they couldn't imagine Elyan harming Arthur of his own volition, no matter what he'd done (A Herald of the New Age).

Guinevere Pendragon
"I don't know what I'd be if it wasn't for her."

- Elyan about Gwen

Gwen was Elyan's younger sister. The two had a very close relationship growing up, though Gwen often worried about Elyan's tendency to get into trouble (The Castle of Fyrien). She looked after him quite a bit during their early years, to the extent that Elyan once said that she had practically raised him. Elyan, in return, was very protective of his sister and couldn't bear the thought of her coming to harm (The Dark Tower).

Their relationship became somewhat strained when Elyan left Camelot to travel. He did not keep in contact with his family during the four years that he was away, leaving Gwen with no way of knowing whether he was alive or dead. He also failed to return home after the death of their father, which later proved to be a sore spot for Gwen. However, their relationship was mended during their kidnapping by King Cenred, with Elyan agreeing to return home and take over their father's forge (The Castle of Fyrien).

Elyan was supportive of Gwen's relationship with Arthur, teasing her when she referred him by his name rather than his title (The Castle of Fyrien), and was greatly disappointed in her when it appeared that she had committed adultery with Lancelot on the eve of her wedding (Lancelot du Lac). Though he said nothing in her defense, he was deeply upset by her banishment. His behavior became more irritable, and the other Knights soon noted that he hadn't been himself of late (A Herald of the New Age). The two siblings were eventually reunited after Arthur overthrew Morgana's second attempt to conquer Camelot, and Elyan stood proudly with the rest of the court as Guinevere was crowned Queen of Camelot (The Sword in the Stone).

Three years later, when Gwen was kidnapped by Morgana and taken to the Dark Tower, Elyan was devastated and blamed himself for not protecting her. He was determined to find her and bring her home, even if it cost him his life (The Dark Tower).

Tom
"He was a good father. I'm glad we came."

- Elyan about Tom

Not much is known about Elyan's relationship with Tom. As he chose not to keep in contact with his family when he left home, Elyan was likely unaware of his father's death for some time. When he did eventually learn of it, he still chose not to return home, which later became a point of contention between him and Gwen (The Castle of Fyrien).

However, Elyan did love his father, as was demonstrated by his words at his father's grave and his desire to make him proud (The Dark Tower).

Arthur Pendragon
"Even though I was a commoner, a nobody, you were willing to lay down your life for me, Arthur. It is now my turn to repay you."

- Elyan to Arthur

Arthur was a close friend of Elyan's, and eventually became his brother-in-law. Elyan had a great deal of respect for Arthur. He was deeply grateful to the prince for risking his life to rescue him, though he was but a commoner at the time (The Castle of Fyrien), and later repaid him by joining him in his quest to retake Camelot, becoming a Knight of the Round Table in the process (The Coming of Arthur).

Elyan quickly became one of Arthur's most trusted warriors. He was supportive of the prince's relationship with sister, and later sided with him when it appeared that Gwen had committed adultery with Lancelot on the eve of their wedding (Lancelot du Lac). Arthur greatly valued his loyalty, once dismissing the idea that Elyan could be a traitor almost immediately (A Servant of Two Masters). As such, he was shocked and dismayed when it appeared that Elyan was trying to kill him, and was deeply distressed by the idea of executing him. He later risked his life to free Elyan of the spirit that was possessing him (A Herald of the New Age).

Arthur and Elyan became brothers-in-law when Gwen married Arthur following Morgana's second attempt to conquer the kingdom. As such, Elyan stood proudly with rest of the court as Arthur crown his sister Queen of Camelot (The Sword in the Stone).

Merlin
"You know, Merlin, you're much braver than you look."

- Elyan to Merlin

As Merlin often accompanied Arthur and the Knights on their adventures, he and Elyan spent quite a bit of time together over the years and soon became good friends. Elyan was one of the only knights who didn't regularly tease or bully Merlin, and was the only knight to stand up for him when John questioned his skills as a physician (Lamia).

Merlin was a member of the group that rescued Elyan after he was kidnapped by King Cenred (The Castle of Fyrien). A little over a year later, he was deeply concerned when it appeared that Agravaine was trying to pressure Arthur into ordering Elyan's execution after Elyan tried to kill him. Suspecting that Elyan had been possessed and was not acting on his own accord, Merlin risked his life to break him out of the dungeons and later accompanied Arthur when he returned to the Druid shrine to free Elyan of the spirit that was possessing him (A Herald of the New Age).

Gwaine
""All right?" "I've been locked up with Gwaine for a week."

- Percival and Elyan

Gwaine and Elyan were close friends and fellow Knights of the Round Table. They generally got along okay, though Elyan could find Gwaine's sense of humour annoying at times. When Gwaine drank all of his water during a patrol, for example, Elyan was not amused (A Herald of the New Age). However, despite their occasional squabbles, Gwaine and Elyan generally liked and respected one another and made an effective team.

Gwaine and Elyan were both held prisoner along with Gaius by Morgana during her second attempt to conquer Camelot. Gwaine was very concerned when Elyan was tortured for information on Arthur's whereabouts, and Elyan displayed similar concern for Gwaine when Morgana repeatedly forced him to fight for her army's entertainment in exchange for food (The Sword in the Stone).

Gwaine was very sad when Elyan died, and later attended his funeral alongside the rest of the court (The Dark Tower).

Percival
"Couldn't let you have all the glory, could I?"

- Elyan to Percival

Percival was a close friend of Elyan's and a fellow Knight of the Round Table. Like Gwaine, Percival could occasionally get on Elyan's nerves when he joined in on Gwaine's pranks. Despite their occasional differences, however, the two knights got along well and faced many dangers together over the years.

When the Dorocha attacked Camelot and Percival had to leave his torch behind to carry three children to safety, Elyan risked his life to chase the ghost away from him with his own torch (The Darkest Hour). And when Percival, Arthur, and Merlin were forced to go on the run during Morgana's second attack on Camelot, Percival was delighted to discover that Elyan had also managed to escape when they ran into him in the woods. Later, after Elyan was captured and held prisoner, Percival was one of the knights who freed him from Camelot's dungeons (The Sword in the Stone).

Percival - like the other Knights - was very sad when Elyan died, and later attended his funeral alongside the rest of the court (The Dark Tower).

Leon
There was very little interaction between Leon and Elyan, but as they were both Knight of the Round Table and shared many adventures it can be reasonably surmised that they likely became good friends over the years. It's possible that they knew one another prior to Elyan's being made a Knight, as Gwen and Elyan's mother was once a maid in Leon's household (The Coming of Arthur).

Leon - like the other Knights - was very sad when Elyan died, and later attended his funeral alongside the rest of the court (The Dark Tower).

Mordred
Mordred and Elyan seemed to get along quite well with one another. When Mordred was confused as to why Arthur seemed upset on the anniversary of his coronation, Elyan took it upon himself to explain that it was also the anniversary of Uther's death. The two were later seen sitting next to one another at a meeting of the Round Table (The Death Song of Uther Pendragon).

Some time later, when Mordred was to join the Knights on their hunt for the sorcerer Osgar, Elyan and the other Knights took great delight in teasing him, listing things that he may have forgotten to pack and tricking him into riding his horse backwards by claiming that it was tradition for new knights to do so (The Disir).

Abilities
""Not bad." "Well, practice makes perfect, I guess.""

- Arthur and Elyan

Elyan was a skilled swordsman. He was able to easily defeat two of Cenred's knights (The Castle of Fyrien), hold his own against an army of immortal soldiers despite sustaining a wound to his arm, and went on to become not only a Knight of Camelot but one of Arthur's most trusted warriors (The Coming of Arthur). Despite his skill, however, he was unable to best Arthur in a duel. When he was possessed by the spirit of a Druid boy who forced him to try to kill the king, Arthur easily held his own against his assault and likely wasn't fighting his hardest, as he repeatedly stated during the fight that he didn't want to kill Elyan (A Herald of the New Age).

Elyan was also skilled as a blacksmith. When he was kidnapped by Cenred's men, he said that he had been taken at his forge, implying that he used his blacksmithing skills to finance his travels. When he chose to return to Camelot and move back home with Gwen, he reopened and worked at his father's forge until he became a Knight of Camelot (The Castle of Fyrien).

Appearances

 * Series 3
 * The Castle of Fyrien
 * The Coming of Arthur: Part One
 * The Coming of Arthur: Part Two


 * Series 4
 * The Darkest Hour: Part One
 * The Darkest Hour: Part Two
 * The Wicked Day
 * Aithusa
 * His Father's Son
 * A Servant of Two Masters
 * Lamia
 * Lancelot Du Lac
 * A Herald of the New Age
 * ''The Hunter's Heart
 * The Sword in the Stone: Part One
 * The Sword in the Stone: Part Two


 * Series 5
 * Arthur's Bane: Part One
 * Arthur's Bane: Part Two
 * The Death Song of Uther Pendragon
 * Another's Sorrow
 * The Disir
 * The Dark Tower
 * A Lesson in Vengeance
 * The Hollow Queen
 * With All My Heart

Legends
Sir Elyan the White (also known as Helyan le Blanc) was a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian Legend. His father was Sir Bors, also a Knight of the Round Table, and his mother, Claire, was the daughter of King Brandegoris. Elyan was born after Claire used a magic ring to trick Bors into sleeping with her; this is sometimes said to be the only time that Bors ever broke his vow of chastity. Claire's mother was the daughter of the Eastern Roman Emperor, making Claire the half-sister of (and Elyan nephew to) Sir Sagramore. According to the Lancelot-Grail Cycle, Elyan would eventually become Emperor of Constantinople himself.

Elyan's father eventually introduced him to the Round Table, where he became known as an excellent knight. Like his father and the rest of his family, Elyan helped his cousin Lancelot rescue Guinevere after their affair was exposed, and joined him in exile.