User blog comment:TheLastLastDragonlord/Spoilers- Finale or Failure/@comment-5484578-20121225132808/@comment-5910167-20121225155612

She must be working out hard in the afterlife!

It is Arthur's arm but not Bradley's. It is a stronger and older Arthur who catches the sword to give strength, comfort and thanks to Merlin from an undisclosed future Arthur. You see him noticeably gain strength for what he must do. He still has to let 'his Arthur' go though. When Arthur returns, it won't be his Arthur - the two will never meet again.

For the complaints, haven't you seen enough fighting? This episode was always going to be the long goodbye between the two friends, the revelation and their resolution. I thought it beautifully and touchingly done. It was also a very brave, British, unhappy ending.

The writer's only had once choice for Merlin to defy Arthur's fate and that would have been to kill off Merlin instead - one life for another. This was they confidently outing Merlin with all the consequences that ensued, in full knowledge that Colin Morgan was the star property of this show and that they may just want to leave an avenue for him to return.

Bravo! Bravissimo!