Board Thread:Series 5 Discussion/@comment-71.195.18.110-20130130220009/@comment-7095000-20130311152304

I saw it differently. Merlin rarely used magic for medicinal purposes unless Gaius encouraged him to do so. He mostly bent the societal rules for protection especially the of Arthur. Why would he change his pattern for Uther, of all people, who hated magic? That makes no sense. He only decided to use magic because Arthur was willing to dabble in it to attempt to save Uther.

In the The Dragon's Call Merlin says basically there is no reason for him to exist if he can't use magic (under Uther's regime). Then Gaius tells him that his purpose for existing is to use magic to help Arthur. That is his magical duty. Those are the times when he breaks the law of the land---in order to assist w/ the larger destiny of protecting Arthur. The only exception (I believe was for Freya). But we'd already seen that it was canon for people to go against legal and social code for love.

Also morally it was his duty to respect Uther's wishes to not use magic in Camelot. This was Uther's fate (if we want to go deeper). Magic would not save Uther it will kill him. It was his Karma coming back seven fold.

That is why I say he had no moral duty to Uther. Secondly there was no magical hyppocratic oath stating he must use his magic to heal and do no harm.

I honestly can not understand this perspective all though I have tried. Merlin's duty was clearly focused to Arthur and the saving of Camelot first even above himself.