Lamia (episode)

Lamia is the eighth episode of the fourth series of Merlin.

Synopsis


A mysterious illness draws Merlin to a distant village as the magical drama continues. But it soon becomes clear that there is more at stake than just his well-being as something sinister turns the air sour. Far from home and with no one to trust, Merlin becomes embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse. No longer sure who is the hunter and who is the hunted can the young warlock survive long enough to uncover the truth?

Plot
An old friend of Gwen's comes to Camelot seeking help because her village has been struck by a mysterious disease, which nothing can cure. Gaius is too busy in Camelot taking care of a sweating sickness to come and help the village, so he suggests that Merlin goes instead. Arthur is sceptical of this idea but Gaius persuades him that Merlin is up to the job.

Merlin, Gwen, Leon, Percival, Gwaine and Elyan set out for the village. When they get there, Merlin tries to treat the sick villagers but not even his magic works, making him suspect that magic is involved. He decides to return to Camelot to fetch Gaius, as only the physician's experience can help the sick people. On the way back to Camelot, the group comes across a gang of bandits who have captured a pretty young woman. Gwaine and the others knights attack, knocking out or killing the bandits and saving the woman, who is extremely nervous of them and afraid of Merlin but once Percival comforts her, she says her name is Lamia. After Lamia has been saved by the knights, the task of taking Lamia back to her home slowly becomes more important to them, than heading back towards Camelot.

The knights thus, change course and are headed towards an unknown destination. However, as they head towards their destination, the knights suddenly become aggressive and hostile, the first ones being Leon, Gwaine and Percival. Meanwhile, back in Camelot, Arthur becomes concerned over Merlin, Gwen and the knights disappearance and he along with Gaius and Agravaine, goes to the villiage. After questioning the villiagers, Gaius concludes that the creature responsible for the sickness is a Lamia, a creature of magic which has the power to control men and can kill their victims with a kiss. Arthur and Agravaine then leave to search for Merlin, Gwen and the knights while Gaius remains in the villiage to cure the sick people. Meanwhile. Leon and Gwaine get into a fight with each other until Elyan and Percival break the fight. Merlin tells Gwen that he suspects Lamia, who is in fact the creature Gaius mentioned, is responsible for their strange behaviour. That night, the Lamia later seduces Elyan and with a kiss, causes him to succumb to the sickness.

The knights find Elyan who is gravely ill and Gwen tells Merlin that she knows Lamia is responsible for Elyans sickness. Merlin attempts to convince the knights to return back to Camelot so that Elyan is cured but they angrilly refuse as Lamia convinces them to go to a place of sheltor. As they go to the sheltor Lamia suggested, Gwen ties a cloth onto a tree so that Arthur will find them. Arthur and Agravaine later find the cloth and continue looking for them when Arthur realises that it belongs to Gwen.

When Merlin, Gwen and the knights reach the sheltor which is actually an abandoned castle, Lamia suddenly disappears, forcing them to search for her while Merlin and Gwen remain behind. Gwen tells Merlin that there is something about him as he was not affected by the Lamia's power and that she was also not affected. The Lamia, during this time, causes Gwaine and Pecival to succumb to the sickness. Leon finally returns to his senses when he sees Percival fall at the Lamia's hand and he attacks her, only to be knocked out by the creature. Merlin leaves to search for the knights and arrives in time to prevent the Lamia from kissing Leon, telling her that he will not be easy prey as he has magic. A magical duel ensures between them until Merlin levitates Leon's sword at her, causing her to retreat. However, the Lamia survives that attack and transforms into a gigantic monster. Gwen, when hearing the struggle, defends Merlin until the Lamia knocks her to the ground. Before Merlin can attack the creature with his magic, Arthur arrives in time with Agravaine and kills the Lamia with a spear.

After Arthur, Merlin, Gwen and Agravaine return to the villiage with the sick knights, Gaius cures the knights as well as the sick villiagers, and they return to Camelot.

Cast

 * Merlin - Colin Morgan
 * King Arthur - Bradley James
 * Gaius - Richard Wilson
 * Agravaine - Nathaniel Parker
 * Guinevere - Angel Coulby
 * Great Dragon - John Hurt
 * Sir Elyan - Adetomiwa Edun
 * Sir Leon - Rupert Young
 * Sir Percival - Tom Hopper
 * Sir Gwaine - Eoin Macken
 * Lamia - Charlene McKenna
 * Mary Howden - Melanie Hill
 * John Howden - Wayne Foskett

Trivia
to be added