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Ageing spells are notoriously difficult and unpredictable. If the spell doesn't hold, you'll be exposed.
Gaius to Merlin[src]

Ageing Spells are powerful glamour enchantments that allow the caster to become physically older. They are difficult to cast and their effects are notoriously unpredictable.

History

Dragoon the Great

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Merlin uses an ageing spell to become Dragoon the Great.

Merlin often used an ageing spell to pose as Dragoon the Great. He used this disguise to openly practice magic without revealing his secret.

The first time Merlin cast this spell, he recited the incantation while throwing an unknown powder in a burning cauldron. The powder exploded, enveloping him in white smoke and aging him sixty years (Queen of Hearts).

The enchantment later proved too powerful for Merlin to break on his own, leaving him trapped in his aged form until Gaius brewed a potion to counteract it. Merlin eventually learned to age himself with just a verbal spell, but continued to rely on this potion to change back (Queen of Hearts, The Wicked Day, A Lesson in Vengeance).

While under this enchantment, Merlin took on both the appearance and the physically infirmities of an 80-year-old man. He walked slower and with the aid of a staff, was unable to mount a horse without help, and was more vulnerable to Morgana's stunning spells when they dueled (Queen of Hearts, The Wicked Day, A Servant of Two Masters).

However, Merlin's aged form appeared to grow less feeble as time went on. Four years after he learned to cast an ageing spell, he no longer needed a staff to walk, wielded Excalibur against the Dochraid without strain, and carried Arthur to safety when he was wounded during the Battle of Camlann (A Lesson in Vengeance, With All My Heart, The Diamond of the Day).

Hilda

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Morgana used an ageing spell to pose as Mithian's maidservant Hilda.

After Morgana and Odin conquered the kingdom of Nemeth, Morgana came up with a plan to infiltrate Camelot and lead Arthur into a trap. She used an ageing spell to disguise herself as Hilda, a maidservant in Mithian's employ, and forced the princess to play along by holding her father hostage and torturing her with magic.

The spell Morgana used allowed her to stay in her aged form for long stretches of time. However, prolonged use the enchantment soon exhausted Morgana and caused her to suffer sudden spasms of pain. In addition to this, the spell only affected Morgana's external appearance, as Gaius noted that her blood flowed with the strength and vigour of someone half her age (Another's Sorrow).

Morgana later used her Hilda persona to secretly meet with Gwen, who had become her ally after Morgana used an ancient ritual to brainwash her (A Lesson in Vengeance).

Unspecified

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Morgause visits Morgana disguised as an old woman.

Morgause may have used an ageing spell to disguise herself as an old woman so she could visit Morgana in Camelot. However, the fact that Gwen could see her true form reflected in a mirror suggests that it was more likely a glamour enchantment (The Eye of the Phoenix).

Merlin likely used a combination of glamour and ageing spells to pose as the Dolma, an elderly sorceress that he and Gaius had told Arthur lived near the Cauldron of Arianrhod (With All My Heart).

Appearances

Series 3
The Eye of the Phoenix
Queen of Hearts
Series 4
The Wicked Day
A Servant of Two Masters
The Sword in the Stone: Part Two
Series 5
Another's Sorrow
A Lesson in Vengeance
With All My Heart
The Diamond of the Day

Trivia

  • Though Merlin once said he intended to use an ageing spell to become 80 years old, it is unclear whether the caster can control exactly what age they become (Queen of Hearts).

Gallery

See Also

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