- Not to be confused with the Nintendo DS video game of this episode, for the video game, see A Servant of Two Masters (Video Game)
A Servant of Two Masters is the sixth episode of the fourth series of Merlin, which was first broadcast on the 5th of November 2011.
Synopsis
When Merlin falls into Morgana's hands, he becomes a deadly weapon in her fight for supremacy. Using ancient magic, she puts friend against friend and creates the perfect assassin.
An oblivious Arthur is in great danger. Will anyone notice Merlin's unusual behaviour before he does the King some serious harm?
Plot
While taking a secret shortcut through the Valley of the Fallen Kings, Merlin, Arthur, and the Knights of the Round Table are ambushed by mercenaries. A battle ensues and Merlin risks using his magic to save Arthur, but is struck by a mace and knocked unconscious in the process.
Later that night, Merlin and Arthur have escaped the battle and are hiding in the woods. They joke about death and glory while Arthur assesses Merlin's injuries, and at the end of the conversation, Arthur somberly acknowledges Merlin's bravery and loyalty and Merlin thanks Arthur for saving his life.
The next morning, Arthur is awakened by movement in the forest. Merlin's condition has deteriorated further; he is paler and unable to move freely, forcing Arthur to carry him. The mercenaries find them as they continue their journey back to Camelot and Arthur engages them in combat.
As a fresh wave of fighters rushes at Arthur, Merlin uses the last of his strength to cause a rockfall with his magic. The rockfall blocks the mercenaries' path to Arthur, but also cuts off Merlin from the king, resulting in his capture.
The mercenaries - led by Agravaine - drag Merlin's unconscious body to Morgana, who rebukes them for letting Arthur escape. Hoping to abate her displeasure, Argravaine draws his sword to kill Merlin, but Morgana stops him, saying she will use Arthur's fondness for Merlin against him. She takes Merlin with her while Agravaine returns to Camelot.
Later, at her hovel, Morgana hangs Merlin from the ceiling by his wrists, then wakes him by dousing him with water. She heals Merlin with her magic and later uses dark magic to summon a Fomorroh, a multi-headed snake revered by the High Priestesses of the Old Religion.
Morgana explains that the Fomorroh will allow her to control Merlin's mind. The Fomorroh will suck out his life force, consuming his personality until only her instruction remains, and he will not rest until it's done. As she implants the Fomorroh into Merlin's neck, she gives him his instruction: he must kill Arthur Pendragon.
Meanwhile, Arthur finds the other Knights and returns to Camelot with them. A search party is sent out to rescue Merlin, but Agravaine reports that they could find no sign of him except a bloody scrap of his jacket. Still troubled over the ambush, Sir Leon also concludes that, since their route had been a secret, there must be a traitor in their midst.
The next morning, Arthur wakes in his chambers to find a stranger wearing similar clothes to Merlin. The stranger turns out to be Arthur's new manservant, George, who is highly efficient, albeit dull and obsequious. Arthur asserts that he does not need a new manservant, as he prefers things the old way.
Unwilling to accept that Merlin's gone forever, Arthur decides to return to the Valley and search for him himself. When Gwen expresses concern about him going alone, he agrees to take Gwaine along.
They later stumble across Merlin emerging from a bog, seemingly unharmed. Arthur is relieved and overjoyed, hugging Merlin even though he is filthy, and the three return to Camelot.
Later, Gaius and Merlin have lunch their chambers. Gaius quickly becomes unsettled by Merlin's change in personality, which is much more hasty and offensive. Merlin takes a bottle of aconite, a potent poison, and plans to lace Arthur's lunch with it. His attempt is foiled by Gwen, who has already prepared Arthur's lunch. Merlin is angered and strides out of the room, tossing the poisoned food into a pigpen.
Later, he sets up a crossbow in Arthur's wardrobe which will be triggered by opening the door. This attempt fails when Arthur does not open the door wide enough to trigger the crossbow, but Arthur is too distracted by the traitor problem to notice the attempt on his life.
By this time, Gaius and Gwen have realised that something is wrong with Merlin and that he is trying to harm Arthur. They rush to save the king and find Merlin running at Arthur with his ceremonial sword. However, Merlin knocks himself out by colliding with a stone pillar Arthur was standing near. When Arthur leaves, Gwen clobbers Merlin with a pitcher for good measure.
In Gaius' chambers, they discover the Fomorroh in Merlin's neck. They paralyse and extract it, then leave Merlin to recover, assuming that all is well. However, when Merlin wakes up hours later, Gaius notices that the Fomorroh has returned.
In Arthur's chambers, Merlin prepares a bath for the king and pours in a jar of corrosive salts, which turns the bath into acid strong enough to corrode steel. Gaius and Gwen rush into the room, the latter again clobbering Merlin unconscious with a pitcher. Arthur is naked when Gwen and Gaius come into his chamber. They then inform a confused Arthur he cannot have his bath today.
Gaius discovers that the Fomorroh is able to regenerate even if it is killed. He sedates the Fomorroh with a poultice, then revives Merlin. They later devise a plan to free him of the Fomorroh's control by destroying the mother beast, which Morgana has locked up in her hovel. Merlin also decides to disguise himself as Dragoon the Great to protect his identity from Morgana.
Merlin sets out for Morgana's hovel, stopping to transform along the way. However, he is happened upon by the Knights of the Round Table, who recognise Dragoon as the sorcerer who killed Uther.
The Knights plan to arrest him and take him to Camelot. Merlin attempts to talk his way out, but is forced to immobilise them with magic when Gwaine moves to strike him. Using his fallen friends as steps, he mounts his horse and rides away.
Meanwhile, Agravaine, whom Arthur had briefly suspected to be the traitor, visits Morgana and reports that he has deflected Arthur's suspicions onto Gaius. Morgana is still unimpressed and warns him to do better before going out herself to collect firewood.
Merlin returns to Morgana's hovel and begins his search for the mother beast. As he is looking, Morgana returns and is startled, as she recognises Dragoon from her prophetic dreams as Emrys, who she was warned would be her doom, and flees the room. When she returns, she is evidently shaken and scared, even claiming that he is not real. Merlin plays along with it until Morgana moves forward to stab him, then blasts her back with unspoken magic.
Outside, a magical duel ensues with both of them taking damage. Merlin has the opportunity to kill Morgana but hesitates, allowing Morgana to hit him directly with her telekinesis. Recovering and angered, Merlin summons a great whirlwind to attack Morgana, knocking her unconscious. He later destroys the Fomorroh in a small campfire.
Agravaine finds Morgana, who was badly injured by Merlin's whirlwind.
In Camelot, Gaius again extracts the snake from Merlin's neck as Gwen enters the room, saying that Arthur is looking for him. Arthur rebukes Merlin for his two-day absence and sentences him to learn how to be a proper manservant from George.
Meanwhile, Agravaine returns to Morgana's hovel and finds her gone. He searches the woods and find her unconscious but still alive, and carries her back to her hovel.
Cast
Main Cast
- Colin Morgan as Merlin/Emrys/Dragoon the Great
- Bradley James as Arthur Pendragon
- Angel Coulby as Gwen
- Katie McGrath as Morgana Pendragon
- Richard Wilson as Gaius
- Nathaniel Parker as Agravaine de Bois
Recurring Cast
- Rupert Young as Sir Leon
- Eoin Macken as Sir Gwaine
- Adetomiwa Edun as Sir Elyan
- Tom Hopper as Sir Percival
Guest Cast
- Leander Deeny as George
- Zee Asha as Audrey
Continuity
- This episode marks the second duel between Merlin and Morgana, though Morgana remains unaware of Merlin's identity.
- This episode marks the third appearance of the Valley of the Fallen Kings.
- This episode marks the third appearance of Merlin's alter ego, Dragoon the Great.
- Morgana accuses Merlin of condemning her sister to a slow and painful death, thwarting her plans to take over Camelot, and forcing her to live in a hovel.
- Arthur realises there is a traitor in Camelot, but remains unaware that the traitor is Agravaine.
- It is revealed that Percival hates Morgana because his family was killed by Cenred's army.
- While considering whether Elyan might be the traitor, Arthur wonders if Elyan is concerned about his relationship with Gwen or blames Camelot for his father's death.
- Agravaine deflects suspicion from himself by suggesting that Gaius could be the traitor.
- The Knights of the Round Table recognise Dragoon as the sorcerer who killed Uther.
- Merlin (as Dragoon) taunts Gwaine about his secret noble blood.
- Morgana recognises Dragoon as Emrys from her prophetic dreams.
- Gaius once again explains Merlin's absence by telling Arthur he's at the tavern.
Release & Reception
- 5 November 2011 at 7.55pm on BBC One
Trivia
- There is a video game of this episode. It is the only episode to have a video game made out of it.
- The title of the episodes comes from a comedy with the same name by Italian playwright Carlo Goldoni.[1]
Gallery
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Transcript
See Also
- Characters: George, Audrey, Dragoon the Great
- Locations: Morgana's Hovel, Valley of the Fallen Kings
- Creatures: Fomorroh
- Magic: Earth Spells, Possession, Ageing Spell, Stunning spells, Telekinesis, Whirlwind Spell
- Objects: Aconite, Crossbow
- Events: Showdown with Emrys, Duel between Emrys and Morgana
- Relationships: Merlin and Arthur
References
| Series 4 |
|---|
| The Darkest Hour • 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 |