Lamia (episode)

"She's led us to a trap!"

- Merlin Lamia is the eighth episode of the fourth series of Merlin which was first broadcast on the 19th of November 2011.

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 in the sickness. 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. However, after they save Lamia, the knights, starting from Percival, suddenly become aggressive and hostile, especially to Merlin. As their behaviour changes, the task of taking Lamia back to her home slowly becomes more important to the knights, rather than heading back towards Camelot, making them change course and head towards an unknown destination.

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 and the single survivor of a group of people who had originally caught the girl, Gaius concludes that the creature responsible for the sickness is a Lamia, a creature of magic which has the appearance of a girl, the power to control men, kill their victims with a kiss and transform into a gigantic monster. 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 disease.

The knights later 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 angrily refuse as Lamia convinces them to go to a place of shelter. As they go to the shelter Lamia suggested, Gwen ties a cloth onto a tree so that Arthur will find them. Although Agravaine tries to prevent Arthur from finding Merlin, Gwen and the knights by covering up hoof prints, Arthur later finds the cloth clue tied to the bushes, and recognizing the cloth as belonging to Gwen, vows to keep looking, even if they have to search through the night.

When Merlin, Gwen and the knights reach the shelter 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 disease. 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 to see the Lamia 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 the attack and transforms into its monstrous form. Gwen, when hearing the struggle, defends Merlin until the Lamia knocks her to the ground. Just as Merlin is about to attack the creature with his magic, Arthur arrives 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.

Main Cast

 * Merlin - Colin Morgan
 * King Arthur - Bradley James
 * Gaius - Richard Wilson
 * Agravaine - Nathaniel Parker
 * Guinevere - Angel Coulby
 * Sir Gwaine - Eoin Macken
 * Sir Leon - Rupert Young

Recurring Cast

 * Sir Elyan - Adetomiwa Edun
 * Sir Percival - Tom Hopper

Guest Cast

 * Lamia - Charlenne McKenna
 * Mary Howden - Melanie Hill
 * John Howden - Wayne Foskett

Trivia

 * Gwen suspects there is "something special" about Merlin.
 * Morgana does not appear in this episode.

Transcript
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