Gwaine


 * This article is about the knight, Gwaine, for the episode he is introduced in, see: Gwaine (episode)

"And that's Sir Gwaine to you!"

- Gwaine to Elyan Sir Gwaine was a Knight of the Round Table and a good friend of Merlin.

Early life
Gwaine was born to a knight and his wife. Early in his childhood his father died fighting in Caerleon's army, leaving his family penniless. When his mother went to the king for help, he turned her away. Gwaine's opinion of the nobility was forever altered by this experience; he believed that all nobles were blinded by power and greed, and that true nobility should be determined not by who you were, but by what you did.

Gwaine eventually left his home and family and began living a vagabond lifestyle, traveling the world with his sword.

Meeting Merlin and Arthur
"Why did you help us?" "Your chances looked between slim and none. I, er... I guess I just kind of liked the look of those odds."

- Merlin and Gwaine

Gwaine first met Arthur and Merlin when he joined them in a tavern brawl against Dagr and his thugs. Though they ultimately won, Gwaine was badly injured when he took a knife to the thigh in defense of Arthur, who took him back to Camelot so his wounds could be treated by Gaius. Arthur and his father were deeply grateful for what Gwaine had done - the king even wanted to thank him in person - but Gwaine was dismayed to learn that he'd saved the life of the Prince of Camelot. He preferred to avoid the nobility whenever possible; though he didn't hate all noblemen, he had yet to meet one he felt was worth dying for.

Gwaine caused quite a bit of trouble during his stay in Camelot, attempting to charm Guinevere in the marketplace (who politely turned him down) and buying drinks for all the other tavern patrons despite the fact that he had no money. Merlin managed to arrive at a solution by charging the drinks to Arthur. The prince was not amused, and made the two of them shine the entire army's boots to pay him back. Nevertheless, Merlin found Gwaine's enjoyment of life both amusing and refreshing, later remarking, "You livened the place up." Gwaine and Merlin got along well from the beginning, quickly establishing a rapport over loss of their respective fathers and their desire to have known them better.

Later, Merlin (who had been assigned to attend to Sirs Oswald and Ethan during their stay) discovered that the two knights were planning to kill Arthur in the Mêlée that Camelot was hosting. Their swords were really Stulorne Blades, which appeared blunt to the naked eye but were actually dangerously sharp. After discussing the problem with Gwaine and Gaius and determining that they needed more proof, Merlin snuck into the knights' chambers that night intending to steal one of the blades as evidence. He was distracted, however, by the crystal that Oswald wore around his neck. A closer look revealed the image of the thug from the tavern in the crystal's depths, and Merlin soon realized that Oswald and Ethan were really Dagr and one of his goons, Ebor, in disguise. Unfortunately, Dagr woke up with the crystal still in Merlin's hand, and grabbed him before he had a chance to get away.

Gwaine, who had originally wanted to go with Merlin before it was pointed out that he had no reason to be in the knights' chambers, soon grew worried when he didn't return and went to look for him. He arrived just in time to see Oswald taking a swing at Merlin with his sword, and quickly leapt to his friend's defense. He dispatched the two knights without much trouble, but was caught by Sir Leon and brought before the king for breaking the Knight's Code. Though Gwaine maintained that he'd only stepped in to protect Merlin, the two thugs claimed that he'd attacked them without cause, provoking a passionate response from Gwaine about the deeper meaning of nobility. Unsurprisingly, Uther sided with the supposed knights, though he did listen to Arthur's pleas for him not to execute Gwaine, deciding to banish him from Camelot instead.

Not particularly bothered by this sentence (as he never stayed in one place for too long anyway), Gwaine prepared to leave Camelot immediately. Merlin was less accepting, certain that the king would give him a pardon if he revealed himself as a nobleman, but Gwaine refused, explaining that he had no wish to serve a king such as Uther. He did, however, tell Merlin to look after Arthur before he left, idly remarking that, "Maybe that one's worth dying for." This sentiment was supported by Gwen, who he ran into on his way out of town, and her words, combined with Merlin's trust in the prince and Arthur's speaking up on his behalf, reinforced Gwaine's belief that Arthur was indeed a noble man. Because of this, Gwaine secretly returned to Camelot and entered the Mêlée, where he dueled alongside Arthur against his would-be assassins, ultimately killing both.

Though Uther initially had Gwaine arrested for what he'd done, intending to execute him for what appeared to have been the murder of two knights, Gaius was able to prove that Oswald and Ethan were not all that they seemed. With the king as witness, he removed the blood crystals from around their corpses' necks, exposing them as Dagr and Ebor. But though Gwaine was no longer under threat of execution, Uther still refused to lift his banishment. Arthur disagreed with his father's decision, telling Gwaine that if it were up to him, he would be welcomed as a friend. Though Merlin tried one last time to get Gwaine to reveal himself and receive a pardon, Gwaine stood by his conviction that he could never serve under a man like Uther, preferring to try his luck in Mercia instead (Gwaine).

Strength
"Ah, finally! Strength has arrived. The trio is complete."

- Grettir in reference to Gwaine

Eventually Gwaine's travels took him to a town called Angard, where he was reunited with Merlin while involved in yet another tavern brawl. With the warlock's help he was able to escape his pursuers, who were apparently of the opinion that Gwaine had been cheating at gambling. Upon questioning what the young servant was doing in Mercia, Merlin explained how Arthur had embarked on a quest to retrieve the Fisher King's trident from the Perilous Lands and that he needed their help. Eager to get away from his current predicament, Gwaine agreed to lend a hand and the two rode out of town as quickly as possible.

Merlin and Gwaine arrived at the Perilous Lands some time later. They were greeted by Grettir, the Keeper of the Bridge, who addressed Gwaine as "Strength" and Merlin as "Magic", and (with Arthur having already been named "Courage") announced that the trio was complete. Suspicious of the dwarf, Gwaine quickly drew his sword, only for Grettir to use magic to turn it into flowers. The dwarf assured the bemused vagabond that his sword would return to normal on the other side, and allowed both him and Merlin to cross the bridge without any further trouble.

The two camped out in the Perilous Lands that night, trying to distract one another from the roars of unknown creatures in the distance with quiet conversation. At one point Merlin offered Gwaine the chance to go back if he wanted to, but Gwaine refused. He said that he was there for the same reason that Merlin was: to help a friend, further clarifying that it was Merlin he was there for more so than Arthur, as he considered the warlock the only real friend he had. They started out again at daybreak, eventually spotting a tower surrounded by Wyvern in the distance and a figure making its way toward it. Upon realizing that the figure was Arthur and that the Wyverns were hunting him, Merlin and Gwaine raced for the tower.

They eventually found Arthur passed out in one of the tower's rooms, where he'd barricaded himself to escape the Wyverns. The prince wasn't particularly happy to see them, (as he was supposed to complete his quest alone and unaided), but ultimately accepted the fact that he had their help whether he wanted it or not. The three proceeded to search the tower for the trident, with Merlin eventually spotting a doorway that appeared to lead to a throne room. Unfortunately, when he stepped inside he triggered some kind of trap, and Gwaine barely managed to push him the rest of the way through before a trap door dropped down, nearly squashing him. It took Gwaine and Arthur some time to figure out how to get the door open again, but they soon managed it and found Merlin unharmed on the other side, much to the vagabond's relief. Arthur happily retrieved the Fisher King's trident from where it was lying discarded on the floor, and with their quest complete, the three quickly left the Perilous Lands behind them.

Gwaine traveled with them as far as Camelot's border; with his banishment still in place, he could go no further. They briefly discussed where he might go next, with Gwaine musing that perhaps he would ride south (The Eye of the Phoenix).

Retrieving The Cup of Life
"Gentlemen. It seems whatever it is that you're after, you could use a little help."

- Gwaine to Arthur and Merlin

Gwaine next met Merlin and Arthur when they captured by Jarl, a slave trader that operated out of the kingdom of Essetir. They were reunited in Jarl's dungeon, where Gwaine summed up his capture by saying: "Well, you know, wrong place, write time, wrong drink." Jarl returned to the dungeon soon after, looking to make two of his prisoners fight one another for his amusement. When the slaver chose Merlin as one of his combatants, Arthur volunteered to face his current champion, who turned out to be none other than Gwaine. The two faked a fight, hoping to buy some time until they could think of a better plan, but soon ran into trouble when they were ordered to fight to the death, or else they would both be killed. Fortunately, Merlin managed to save them by starting a fire with his magic, and the three were able to escape in the chaos that followed.

After Merlin (much to Arthur's annoyance) explained that they were looking for the Cup of Life, Gwaine decided to join them on their latest quest. The three managed to retrieve the Cup from the Druids without much trouble, but were ambushed by Cenred's men soon after. Arthur was wounded in the chase that followed, and the Cup was taken by Cenred. Things grew even more dire when it was discovered that the arrow Arthur had taken to the leg had been poisoned, forcing the three to spend the night in the woods while Merlin provided what treatment he could. When Arthur regained consciousness the next morning, horrified to learn that they'd lost the Cup, they quickly set out for Camelot.

They reached the city the following evening, after it had been seized by Cenred's army. Attempting to take refuge in Gwen's deserted house, the three soon encountered her brother, Elyan, who had managed to avoid capture. Elyan quickly explained what had happened, how Morgause had used the Cup to create an immortal army and that the citadel had fallen soon after the city. Determined to learn the fates of his father and Guinevere, Arthur led the group in infiltrating the castle. Gwaine and Elyan were sent to the dungeons, where they discovered Uther being dragged away by Cenred's soldiers. After meeting up with Arthur and Merlin (and now Gaius) in the physician's chambers and reporting what they'd seen, the two were then ordered to take Gaius and find refuge in the woods beyond the castle (The Coming of Arthur).

Knight of The Round Table
"Arise, Sir Gwaine, Knight of Camelot."

- Arthur to Gwaine

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

With their current hideout compromised, Gwaine 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. Gwaine was among those who volunteered to accompany him, and was subsequently made a Knight of Camelot alongside Lancelot, Elyan, and Percival. Arthur and the 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, Gwaine, 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 not only successfully infiltrated the dungeons but managed to locate Uther without much trouble. Everything was going off without a hitch up until the warning bell went off, alerting the soldiers to their presence. With their escape route cut off, Arthur resolutely led the knights in battle against the immortal army, which was soon destroyed by Merlin's emptying the Cup of Life. At some point in the fight Gwaine became separated from the others, though this wasn't discovered until after the army had been destroyed and he soon proved to be alive and relatively uninjured. Later, Gwaine accompanied the other Knights back to the Castle of Ancient Kings to escort Gwen home to Camelot (The Coming of Arthur).

Gwaine was still serving as a Knight of Camelot one year later. He soon proved to have maintained his mischievous nature despite his station, as he and Percival were caught by Merlin attempting to steal a roast chicken from the castle kitchens shortly before the Feast of Samhain. Later, Gwaine 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.

Upon learning that the only way to banish the Dorocha would be to repair the veil, Arthur set out for the Isle of the Blessed accompanied by Merlin, Gwaine, and the other Knights of the Round Table. They made camp that first night at a place called Daobeth, where they quickly paired off in search of firewood. However, they were unable to gather enough to last the night, and Merlin and Arthur were eventually forced to leave the safety of the fire to search for more. When they failed to return, Gwaine went with the other knights to search for them. They soon found the two hiding within the fortress, but though they arrived in time to stop Arthur from becoming the Dorocha's next victim, they were too late to save Merlin.

Merlin survived his initial encounter with the Dorocha (likely due to his magic), but was badly injured and appeared to be slowly dying. As such, it was eventually decided that Lancelot would take Merlin back to Camelot while Arthur and the other knights proceeded on to the Isle of the Blessed. They soon arrived at the Tunnels of Andor, which the prince intended to use a shortcut to reach the other side of the mountains in hours instead of days. Gwaine was not in favor of this plan, as the tunnels were crawling with Wildeorren, but ultimately went along with it. After smearing their faces with Gaia berries to mask their scents, Arthur and the knights began their trek through the tunnels. Things went fairly well until they spotted some Wildeorren and had to hide behind a length of rock. One of the Wildeorren took a distinct interest in Gwaine's scent, sniffing him far more thoroughly than the others. Annoyed by its continued attention, Gwaine killed it. This proved to be the wrong thing to do, as Wildeorren hunted in packs, and the knights were forced to exit the tunnels at a run. They ultimately made it safely to the other side despite Gwaine's error, washing the Gaia berries off in a nearby stream before continuing on.

The knights eventually made camp at an old fortress, where they were reunited with Merlin and Lancelot. Relieved that they were all right and that Merlin had recovered, the knights joyfully welcomed them back, Gwaine greeting the warlock with a hug. The group reached the Isle of the Blessed the next morning, crossing the lake by way of the ferryman's boat. The Isle turned out to be guarded by Wyverns, prompting Leon, Elyan, and Percival to stay behind while Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, and Gwaine proceeded to the stone alter. There they encountered the Cailleach, the Gatekeeper to the Spirit World, who refused to heal the veil unless given the sacrifice she desired. Gwaine attempted to make her do so by force, but was quickly knocked unconscious by her magic. When he eventually came to, the veil had been healed and Lancelot was dead, having sacrificed himself in Arthur's place.

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

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

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

Gwaine was also present during the knights' ambushed on King Caerleon's raiding party. When the king's wife, Queen Annis, subsequently declared war on Camelot, Gwaine accompanied his fellow knights and the rest of Camelot's army to the battle sight. He later joined the other Knights of the Round Table in trying to encourage Arthur by informing the prince of their readiness to die for him. When Arthur bargained with Annis for the war to be decided with a duel between two champions rather than a battle between armies, Gwaine was among those who volunteered to serve as Camelot's champion, and later watched Arthur fight from the ridge alongside Merlin and the rest of Camelot's army (His Father's Son).

Searching for Merlin
"Do you really expect me to accept that? Just to sit here and take their word that Merlin's gone? I won't rest until I at least try." "I know, but just... Do one thing for me. Please don't go alone." "He won't be going alone.""

- Arthur, Gwen, and Gwaine

When Arthur and his knights were ambushed by Morgana's mercenaries, Gwaine fought against them but was separated from Arthur and Merlin, leading to Merlin later being badly wounded, and then captured by Morgana. When Arthur decided to search for Merlin himself, Gwaine accompanied him. As they were riding their horses through the woods, Gwaine continuously complimented Merlin, saying: "You know what I like about Merlin? He never expects any praise. All these things he does, just for the good of doing them." They soon found Merlin, who was muddy and tired, but appeared otherwise unharmed. The three then returned to Camelot, unaware that Merlin was now under Morgana's control due to the implantation of a Fomorroh. When Merlin went to serve Arthur's food, Gwaine tried to steal some and was surprised at how rude Merlin was to him. Later, Gwaine, along with Elyan, Leon, and Percival, caught Merlin while disguised as Dragoon the Great as he ventured to Morgana's hut to find the Mother Fomorroh. The four of them recognized him as the sorcerer that had supposedly killed Uther and tried to apprehend him, but Merlin's magical power bested them, much to his glee (A Servant of Two Masters).

Rescuing Gaius
"I know everyone thinks he's a traitor, but he's not. He's been abducted, Gwaine. He may even be dead."

- Merlin to Gwaine

Following Gaius' apparent treason and disappearance, Gwaine visited Merlin to see how he was coping. Gwaine agreed with Merlin when Merlin said he suspected Gaius was abducted, and agreed to help Merlin find Gaius. Gwaine told Merlin that the substance Merlin had found on Agravaine's boots was iron ore, and that there was only one location in which he had seen iron ore on his many travels through Camelot. Gwaine then travelled with Merlin to the mines.

While at the mines Gwaine caught Agravaine with a knife poised to kill Gaius. However, Agravaine persuaded Gwaine that he had simply come to find Gaius, as the guards at the gate had informed him that Merlin and Gwaine had left Camelot. Agravaine claimed he was using the blade to check if Gaius was breathing. Gwaine, though suspicious, made no further comment but his presence forced Agravaine to abort his plans to kill Gaius and together the two of them took Gaius to Camelot, where Gwaine informed Arthur that Gaius had been kidnapped (The Secret Sharer).

Lamia
"The knight are like brothers. Yet, they fight and quarrel like foes? It started the moment we found her.""

- Merlin

On the journey back to Camelot from a village suffering from a strange disease, Gwaine, the other knights, Merlin and Gwen came across a group of bandits who had captured a young girl. The knights attacked the bandits and saved the girl, who was apparently terrified and particularly distrustful of Merlin. Identifying herself as Lamia, she soon began to exert a power over the knights, making them aggressive and irrational towards each other. The knights became possessive of Lamia and obsessed with her well-being to the point where they forgot the original purpose of their journey: to save the village. Elyan and Percival even had to break up a fight between Gwaine and Leon which occurred as a result of Lamia's influence.

Lamia later transferred the disease which attacked the village to Elyan with a kiss, leaving him so the knights would find him the next morning. The knights brought Elyan to Gwen and Merlin, who had begun to suspect Lamia of enchanting the knights. Merlin tried to convince the knights to get Elyan back to Camelot for treatment, but the other knights, under Lamia's influence, insisted on going to a deserted castle, where she soon disappeared and began picking them off one by one. Gwaine originally stayed with Gwen, Merlin, and Elyan while the others searched for her, but later left to gather firewood despite Merlin's warnings. After hearing the other knights yell, Merlin went to investigate and found Gwaine, now also a victim of the disease.

Merlin confronted Lamia and managed to embed a sword into her, at which point Lamia turned into a monster and chased him through the castle. He soon met up with Gwen and when Merlin was snatched by the monster she attacked it with a sword. This was to no avail, however, and the monster would have attacked again had Arthur not arrived and killed it. Once Arthur rescues them, Gwaine, Elyan, Leon and Percival were rushed to the village, where Gaius treated them. Percival was the first to recover, since he was the last to be affected. He looked over at an unconscious Gwaine, Leon and Elyan in concern, but Gaius confirmed that they would make a full recovery (Lamia).

Imprisonment by Morgana
"Behold! A Knight of Camelot, famed as the greatest knights in the five kingdoms. Let's see if that fame's deserved, shall we?"

- Morgana, about to make Gwaine fight for her army's entertainment

When Morgana and Helios launched a surprise attack on Camelot, Gwaine and the other knights tried to fight off the invaders. Gwaine and Gaius helped Merlin escape with Arthur, but stayed behind to give him time. Gwaine and Gaius were caught and thrown into the dungeons by Morgana. They were soon joined by Elyan, though not before he was tortured by a Nathair. Gwaine demanded that Morgana give them food as they were starving, pleading particularly on behalf of the weakening Gaius. Morgana therefore forced Gwaine to fight, or "sing for his supper", for her and her men's entertainment in return for food. After defeating his first opponent, he was thrown just a small piece of bread. Morgana informed him that he would have to fight better than that if he wanted more. Two more men were then sent to fight Gwaine.

Gwaine remained with Elyan and Gaius in the cell all week. All three were soon starving, with Gwaine worn from fighting. When Morgana's guards came to fetch him to fight again, Elyan grew angered on his behalf, and attempted to punch one of them, but was easily brushed aside. Gwaine was dragged out of the cell to fight again. In the throne room, Morgana released him and gave him only a small wooden sword to fight with, saying, "Oh, but you can't fight with your bare hands." When he was thrown back into the cell, Morgana told him to enjoy his meal as it would probably be his last, implying that next time he fought the match would be so unfair that he could not win. However, outside Camelot, Arthur was preparing to retake Camelot. Percival and Leon came to rescue Gwaine, Gaius, and Elyan from the dungeons. They were weakened but greatly relieved and soon recovered from their ordeal, later able to attend the wedding of Arthur and Gwen, and Gwen's Coronation (The Sword in the Stone).

As Morgana's Prisoner
"Arthus should know not to send his men so far north." "Well, get on with it, then. Kill me." "I will. But first you're going to have to help me find something."

- Morgana and Gwaine

While patrolling with Percival and sixty knights of Camelot, Gwaine was attacked by a magical wolf that appeared to be under Morgana's control. He, along with the other knights, was defeated and brought to Morgana, who enslaved him, forcing him to dig for her in order to find what she was looking for. Percival and Gwaine discussed the situation while they were working in a large cavern. All they knew is that Morgana was looking for some kind of key, and that she would do anything to get it. Gwaine then stated that, "If she wants it so much, they must not find it." Exhausted from work, Gwaine and Percival later noticed a bright light in the cave. Gwaine went to look, telling Percival to cover for him. However, he was ambushed by Morgana's men and knocked unconscious before he could tell what it was. A strange, glowing creature then came close to him and chanted a spell (Arthur's Bane: Part One).

When Gwaine eventually woke, he saw the creature, who told him that he had nothing to fear. Gwaine thanked it for saving him, to which it replied, "I know that you are worthy of my help." It told him that it was the last of its kind and instructed him to rest, so that he can fully heal. It later woke him when the warning bell sounded. Gwaine struggled to stand and picked up a torch, telling his new friend that he would protect it. He prepared to attack, but it was only Arthur and Merlin who appeared. Gwaine intended to introduce them to the creature as friends, but it had already left. Arthur and Merlin then helped Gwaine through the cave as they, along with Percival, rescued the other knights (Arthur's Bane: Part Two).

Fight against Odin
"We need to get to Arthur. He's walking straight into a trap."

- Merlin to Gwaine

When Morgana and Odin formed an alliance, the knights of Camelot set out with King Arthur to rescue Princess Mithian's father and the kingdom of Nemeth. Mithian tried to warn Merlin that Morgana was forcing her to lead the knights into a trap, but Morgana caught him before he was able to warn Arthur. When Merlin was brought to Gaius unconscious, Arthur told Gwaine to stay with Gaius and Merlin while he led the others to King Odin. Gwaine was clearly concerned for Merlin, and was glad to stay with him. A while later Gaius told Gwaine that Merlin was getting cold, and that he needed more firewood. Gwaine, eager to help, rushed off immediatly. When he returned, Merlin was awake. The two hurried to Arthur's aid.

When Merlin and Gwaine arrived at the tomb where King Rodor was being held, Arthur and his men had already been captured. Merlin went into the tomb to rescue Arthur and Percival, while Gwaine stayed outside to help the rest of the knights. As soon as Merlin was gone, Gwaine saw a guard urinating next to a tree. Gwaine knocked him unconscious and took the man's crossbow. Quickly, and silently, he then shot several guards surrounding the knights of Camelot. The knights took the opportunity to free themselves (Another's Sorrow).

Killing Osgar
When Arthur heard that his friend, Sir Ranulf, was killed by a sorcerer named Osgar, Gwaine was among the knights he led in search of him. Gwaine and Elyan found the sorcerer, threatened him, and fought him, with Gwaine managing to give the mortal blow. Osgar eventually died from his wounds. Later, when they all went to the Disir's cave, Gwaine threatened the Disir, but the Disir attacked and sent Gwaine flying (The Disir).

Rescuing Guinevere
When Guinevere was kidnapped by Morgana, Gwaine was one of the knights that Arthur recruited to help rescue her.

Arthur Poisoned
When Morgana had Guinevere poison Arthur,

Restoring Guinevere
After Arthur learns of Guinevere being controlled by Morgana from Merlin, he had Gwaine and Mordred change the delivery of weapons and supplies and tells them not to inform anyone about it, especially Guinevere.

Hunting for Finna
When Gaius informs Arthur of a potential enemy called Finna,

Death
Gwaine and Percival, after Eira's execution, rode off to find and kill Morgana. They killed all her Saxon bodyguards and Percival stabbed Morgana in the back, but she survived and defeated them. She tied Gwaine to a tree and tried to extract information of Arthur's whereabouts from him using a Nathair. Gwaine was tortured to the brink of death, and was forced to tell Morgana. His screams gave Percival the incentive to break free from his bonds, and he rushed to his friend's side. Gwaine died in Percival's arms, telling him he had failed.

Personality
"I think we've no chance. But I wouldn't miss it for the world."

- Gwaine

Gwaine was portrayed as a fun-loving, laid-back and highly loyal character, wholly dedicated to doing what he believes is right. He believes any can be of noble heart, and that whether you have noble blood or not, you can have a noble heart. His introduction showed him to be a rather reckless and carefree man who thought about little more than ale and women, though Arthur and Merlin soon learned that he respected honour and loyalty above all else.

Gwaine displayed his selflessness and courage by saving Arthur's life twice, despite having been banished by Uther Pendragon. Gwaine also proved to have a humble nature since he refused to reveal his noble heritage, telling Merlin his lifestyle had taught him that titles were not important. Gwaine values respect earned through actions over prestige inherited through a title, and also prefers the freedom of the vagabond lifestyle.

Gwaine generally dislikes people of noble blood, seeing them as corrupt, selfish and power-hungry. However, he proved an astute judge of character, seeing the fairness and honesty of Arthur, even referring to him as a friend at one point. He showed his defiant streak and refusal to bow to authority by criticising Uther Pendragon in front of Arthur, saying that he might one day be able to return to Camelot when it was ruled by a half decent king.

Gwaine had a very trusting nature, largely seeing the best in people and forming a fast friendship with Merlin. Gwaine also had a good sense of humour, frequently seen to be the orchestrator of jokes among the knights, talks constantly on quests, was well known for his mindless and endless chatter and is ever-cheerful and optimistic.

Gwaine was shown to have a fairly extensive knowledge of magic, even though he couldn't use it himself. This was shown in his recognizing and telling Merlin the creatures in the distance were Wyvern. He seemed to be quite accepting of magic, unlike most of Camelot's Knights, and although he threatened Dragoon the Great this was only because the other Knights had informed him about Dragoon's supposed crimes. Gwaine was grateful to the Euchdag because it had healed him and made friends with it, telling Arthur he owed it his life.

Arthur Pendragon
"He may not be of noble birth, but I can vouch that he has a noble heart."

- Arthur on Gwaine When Gwaine met Arthur for the first time, he was unaware that he was Prince of Camelot. Upon awakening in Gaius' chambers and realising that Arthur was nobility, his opinion of him was immediately lowered due to his previous experiences with royalty. He told Merlin that if he had known who Arthur was, he wouldn't have saved him. However, when Arthur begged his father to let Gwaine live, Gwaine realized not all nobles were blinded by power. He returned to Camelot to save Arthur, and later called him friend. He was also willing to travel to the Perilous Lands to help Arthur, despite the dangers. He did, however, agree to fight with Arthur when Jarl told them to, though this was only because Jarl would have killed them both if one refused.

Gwaine was later knighted by Arthur and fought alongside him to rescue Uther and the Knights of Camelot from Morgause and Morgana. A year later, Gwaine had become one of Arthur's most trusted knights. Although Arthur frequently complained about Gwaine's "mindless chatter" he also enjoyed Gwaine's company and together they often made fun of Merlin along with Leon and Percival. Gwaine tended to be much kinder to Merlin than Arthur was.

Merlin
"Why do you want to do this?" "Same reason as you. To help a friend." "Arthur's lucky to have us." "Not Arthur."

- Merlin and Gwaine Gwaine liked Merlin immediately on meeting him, and after Merlin stood up to Arthur about Gwaine's tavern debt and volunteered to pay for it, he grew to trust Merlin enough to tell him the truth about his noble birth, making Merlin the only other person with the knowledge of Gwaine's heritage. Gwaine immediately agreed to come with Merlin when Arthur was on his quest to find the Trident of the Fisher King, and enjoyed being on the run with his friend. Gwaine later met Merlin and Arthur while he was a prisoner of Jarl. Merlin was delighted to see him, despite their predicament.

Although some distance grew between the two, after Gwaine was knighted they remained close friends, with Gwaine frequently teasing Merlin. The strength of their bond was shown when Gwaine visited Merlin to see how he was coping after Gaius disappeared. Gwaine did not hesitate to help Merlin rescue the physician. Gwaine was also the only knight who was not openly hostile towards Merlin when the knights were controlled by Lamia, which implies Merlin's friendship with Gwaine was stronger than his friendships with Leon, Elyan, and Percival.

There have been many implications that Gwaine discovered Merlin's magic, although this is only implied and not confirmed within the show.

Guinevere Pendragon
"Let me carry that. A princess shouldn't have to lump her washing around." "Unfortunately, I'm not a princess." "Ah, but you see... You are to me."

- Gwaine and Gwen Gwaine was attracted to Guinevere when he met her in the streets of Camelot, and though she was not interested, she liked that he tried and that he knew when to give up. She gently rebuffed his attempts at cheerful flirtation, and was the last person he spoke to when leaving Camelot after his banishment. Arthur, who, along with Merlin, was watching Gwaine's exit from the castle terrace, noted that they seemed "very friendly" and insisted that Gwen "could do better than that", though he denied having any interest himself, much to Merlin's amusement.

Gwaine and Gwen were eventually reunited following Camelot's invasion by Morgause's immortal army and Morgana's subsequent betrayal. Gwaine was pleased to see her after her escape, and was later one of the knights who brought her back to Camelot after the battle (The Coming of Arthur). Shortly after Morgana's second attack on Camelot, he looked on with his fellow knights, Merlin, Gaius, and the rest of the court as Arthur crowned her Queen (The Sword in the Stone).

Gwaine no longer showed any romantic interest in Gwen after he was made a Knight of Camelot, though this could be because he knew her to be in love with Arthur and he didn't want to get in the way of their relationship.

Morgana Pendragon
"Ah, Gwaine. So handsome, so selfless. Of course you shall have some supper... As long as you're prepared to sing for it."

- Morgana to Gwaine

During Gwaine's first visit to Camelot, Morgana was surprised at how skillful he was with the sword, managing to save Arthur from two thugs who attempted to kill him (Gwaine). Morgana appeared to find Gwaine physically attractive, but was brutally antagonistic towards him, evidently considering him yet another enemy as he was among Arthur's best knights. She appeared to derive a sadistic pleasure from watching him fight increasingly unfair battles with Helios's men, rewarding him with scraps of food each time he won. He, in turn, appeared unafraid of Morgana, taking each of her challenges with characteristic flippancy. Morgana did not seem at all concerned for Gwaine's welfare, treating him in a dry and sarcastic sort of way, commenting that his next meal would likely be his last as her challenges for him were growing ever more brutal (The Sword in the Stone).

When Gwaine was captured and brought before Morgana three years later, he cheerfully said that they should "stop meeting like this" and was still unafraid of her, despite knowing that she was a very powerful sorceress. (Arthur's Bane) In the end, Morgana tortured and killed Gwaine with a Nathair after the final battle for Camelot, leaving him to die in Percival's embrace. (The Diamond of the Day)

Leon
"Trying to get us killed?" "We're riding to our deaths anyway."

- Leon and Gwaine, on the latter's trying to steal honey from bees

Sir Leon was a fellow Knight of the Round Table. He and Gwaine were good friends and worked well together. Gwaine seemed add a little humour to Leon's personality, as they often joked with each other and with others. In the episode Aithusa, for example, all the knights joined in to play a joke on Merlin by appearing to eat all of his dinner, only to reveal that they had saved a bowl for him after all. Leon was very patient with Gwaine; the only time they ever fought was when they were both enchanted by the Lamia, during which Gwaine slashed Leon's arm before Percival and Elyan intervened.

Elyan
"Absolutely. You're right standing, especially when it comes to sweet talking the ladies if nothing else."

- Gwaine to Elyan

Elyan was another of Gwaine's fellow knights, as well as his good friend, though Elyan could occasionally find Gwaine's sense of humour annoying. When Gwaine drank all of his water during a patrol, for example, Elyan was not amused, though Gwaine and Leon merely laughed when he voiced his annoyance. And though Percival initially appeared to side with him, saying that he shared with his friends and even starting to hand him his own water, he soon grinned and tossed it to Merlin instead, making Elyan even angrier. However, Gwaine demonstrated how much he cared for Elyan later in the episode, when he was the first to rush in to help him when he was being haunted by the spirit from the shrine. He was also the first to note that Elyan hadn't been himself since his sister's banishment, and asked Gaius to keep Elyan's recent problems to himself, as he (and the other knights) didn't want Arthur to think that his loyalties were divided. (A Herald of the New Age).

Elyan and Gwaine, along with Gaius, were among those imprisoned in Camelot's dungeons during Morgana's second attack on Camelot. Gwaine was very concerned for his friend after Elyan was tortured for information, and Elyan displayed similar concern for Gwaine when Morgana repeatedly forced him to fight for her and her army's entertainment in exchange for food. When Leon and Percival eventually broke the three out of the dungeons and asked if they were all right, Elyan replied with good-natured bitterness, "I've been locked up with Gwaine for a week." (The Sword in the Stone)

Gwaine was present at Elyan's funeral (The Dark Tower).

Percival
"Who's that?" "Don't know. But I'm liking him already."

- Arthur and Gwaine on Percival Gwaine and percival.jpg.
 * 196x196px]]Percival was Gwaine's close friend, and the two faced many dangers together. Percival was probably the most mischievous knight besides Gwaine, and loved to joke around with him. In the beginning of The Darkest Hour, for example, the two (with Merlin's aid) stole a roast chicken from the palace kitchen, smiling like little boys. The only time Gwaine and Percival have argued is when they were enchanted by the Lamia.

Percival was the only person that Gwaine took with him on his quest for revenge against Morgana. The two worked well in taking down Morgana's henchmen, but were ultimately defeated and captured by the sorceress herself. When Percival heard Gwaine's tortured screams, it gave him the strength to break the bonds that held him. However, he arrived too late, and Gwaine died in his arms, having told Morgana where Arthur and Merlin were heading. Percival tried to reassure Gwaine during his last moments, insisting that Morgana had forced the information out of him. After Gwaine passed, Percival was deeply saddened, bowing his head in respect and shaking in anger and sorrow over the loss of his dear friend and fellow knight.

When Gwen was pronounced Queen Regent of Camelot, Percival's expression was one of sorrow and despair, likely due to the deaths of both Arthur and Gwaine (The Diamond of the Day).

Lancelot
Gwaine and Lancelot were fellow Knights of the Round Table and likely good friends, having fought alongside one another many times.

Gwaine was present at Lancelot's funeral following his sacrifice to repair the veil between worlds (The Darkest Hour). He was also present when Lancelot recounted the tale of his survival following his return to Camelot. However, unbeknownst to Gwaine and the other Knights, the man who had returned to them was not Lancelot but rather a Shade raised from the dead by Morgana. It is unknown how Gwaine reacted to Lancelot's affair with Guinevere, or to his subsequent suicide (Lancelot du Lac).

Mordred
Both being Knights of Camelot, Gwaine and Mordred were close friends until Mordred betrayed them. Gwaine and the other Knights would often tease Mordred, treating him like a little brother (similar to the way they treated Merlin).

When Mordred was trapped in the forest, pleading with Arthur to allow him and Kara to go free, Gwaine was the first he turned to to ask for help. Gwaine hesitated for a moment, unsure, but ultimately set his feelings aside and remained loyal to Arthur (The Drawing of the Dark).

The Euchdag
Gwaine met the Euchdag after it healed him of the injuries given to him by Morgana's soldiers during their search for the Key to All Knowledge. Gwaine and the Euchdag quickly became friends, the Euchdag having known that Gwaine was worthy of its help and Gwaine being grateful that it had healed him. Though he must have guessed that it was a creature of magic, Gwaine never displayed any distrust or hostility; on the contrary, he was shown to be protective of his new friend, warning it to hide when he heard people coming and preparing to fight in order to defend it. When Arthur asked what it was, Gwaine admitted that he wasn't sure, having never learned that it was the "key" Morgana had been searching for. However, Gwaine also told Arthur that he owed it his life (Arthur's Bane).

It is interesting to note that Gwaine is the only main character, apart from Merlin and Morgana, to have befriended a creature of magic, not including those who have befriended Merlin or other human magic users.

Eira
"Eira, whatever happens, you'll be safe here in Camelot. You have my word."

- Gwaine to Eira Gwaine first met Eira when she was being attacked by a Saxon in one of Camelot's villages. He rescued her and took her back to Camelot, where Merlin treated her leg wound. Gwaine then told her that she was the only survivor of the area he had saved her from.

Gwaine quickly fell in love with her, only to discover that she had been using him to get information for Morgana. Hurt and betrayed, Gwaine watched her as she sent a message, using a raven, to Morgana, telling her where Gwaine had told her Arthur and Merlin were headed. Gwen then came in and explained to Eira that the location had been false, a trap set for her. The next day Gwaine watched Eira's execution from a window in the castle, with only Percival to comfort him (The Diamond of the Day).

Abilities
"Nobody fights like you do."

- Arthur to Gwaine

Gwaine revealed his knowledge of magic when he listened to Merlin describe a pair of Stulorne Blades he came across in the room of two thugs disguised as the knights Sir Oswald and Sir Ethan who had arrived in Camelot for the Mêlée. Gwaine informs Merlin that he had encountered the swords before and Merlin was lucky to come out of it with an injured finger only. He also revealed that he knew about Wyverns, the distant cousins of Dragons. However, Gwaine has never displayed the ability to actually use magic.

Gwaine was also an exceptionally skilled swordsman, and Merlin noted that he'd never seen anyone use a fighting style that was like Gwaine's, which meant that Merlin was able to recognise him even while he was in armour. Gwaine's swordsmanship skill was such that he became the champion of a slave trader named Jarl and held his own against Arthur in a duel (though neither he nor Arthur were trying to hurt each other). He was also skilled in unarmed combat and was frequently engaged in tavern brawls. During his duel with Arthur they wrestled each other after using swordplay. His skill at hand to hand combat is so great that he was able to defeat one of Morgana's armed warriors, when he himself was unarmed.

The only person who has defeated Gwaine in combat so far was Orn, the henchman of Alator, who would have killed Gwaine if Merlin hadn't used his magic to save him. Even when Gwaine was held prisoner by Morgana and forced to fight without any food or water, he was able to defeat his enemies.

Name
*
 * Gwaine is a masculine name of Welsh origin. The name is a variant of the name Gavin, which means "white hawk". *Other spellings of Gwaine include Gawain, Gawaine, Gauvain, Gawayn, Gawayne, Gawen, and Gwayne.

Appearances
; Series 3:
 * Gwaine
 * The Eye of the Phoenix
 * 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
 * The Secret Sharer
 * 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
 * The Kindness of Strangers
 * The Drawing of the Dark
 * The Diamond of the Day: Part One
 * The Diamond of the Day: Part Two(Death)

Trivia
*
 * Gwaine is the third knight to have an episode named after him, after Valiant and Lancelot.  * "Gwaine" derives from the Welsh "Gwyar", meaning bloodshed.
 * Other than Arthur, Gwaine is the main knight who always gets himself into trouble, i.e. Tavern brawls and almost always drags Merlin and Arthur into it.
 * The ring seen on Gwaine's necklace is actually his portrayer, Eoin Macken's father's wedding ring.
 * Gwaine is seen to have an 'evil love interest' in the finale named Eira, whose is ​a spy for Morgana. == In the Legends == It is believed that Gwaine is loosely based on a Arthurian Legend knight by the name of Sir Gawain. Gawain was one of the greatest heroes in the Arthurian legend. Gawain himself is based on Arthur's nephew and knight from theMabinogion, called Gwalchmai. Gwalchmai is considerate, calm and polite and is said to achieve more with kindness and understanding than most knight do with the sword. On a few occasions Gawain exhibits these traits, who are not characteristic for the reckless, bold and playful Gwaine. Gwalchmai is almost forgotten in favour of Gawain. No other knight appeared in more tales, yet he is not often the chief hero in most of these medieval romances. Earlier tales of Gawain showed that he was the ideal or the perfect knight, against whom other knights were measured. However, in the French romances, he was supplemented by other heroes, such aImagesCABLCDYV.jpg Lancelot, Tristan, Percival and Galahad. The French writers tend to portray Gawain as an anti-hero and a womanizer; nonetheless, in Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur he remains furiously loyal to Arthur and is most beloved by him. Interesting note about Gawain in Malory's work: the character exhibits honor, loyalty and bravery but a times he is ruthless, vengeful and guileful. Scholars are split about this Gawain - some think that he is just inconsistently written, while others find him to be a complex, realistic (e.g. flawed) character. In many legends Sir Gawain was the first son of King Lot and, after his death, he went on to be the Orkney clan leader. He is featured in many Arthurian Legends, often as one of King Arthur's main knights. He is generally portrayed as either the principal or secondary hero with much courtesy, chivalry, and nobility. Throughout all of his trials and tales he is considered very well respected, loyal, and honest. However, in his goal to maintain these traits to the highest esteem, he is faced with many problems and trials along the way. In one of his most well-known texts, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain experiences a brief fall from this tower of perfection as he struggles with his inner demons. Gawain's greatest traits are also his greatest weaknesses in that he follows these to the letter rather than to the spirit. Gawain was also known as "The Maidens' Knight" because of his defence of women. He not only appears as a main character in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", but also in "The Wedding of Gawain and Princess Madeleine," the French princess. Gawain was made Prince of France and, later, King of France. In the legends he has five children: Jonathon, Caprice, Aqua, Amethyst, and Opal. In the Prose Tristan and the French novels, he was sometimes portrayed as a villain and a murderer. This version, for the most part, was not popular and is not prevalent in most later works. More recently, many writers went back to the old English and Welsh sources and turned him back into the hero many know him as.