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ā€œIt seems you've unleashed a Goblin.ā€
Gaius to Merlin

Goblin's Gold is the third episode of the third series of Merlin. It was first broadcast on the 25th of September 2010.

It is a comic relief episode largely featuring Gaius, who is possessed by a Goblin.

Synopsis

Merlin stumbles across a secret chamber in the castle library and accidentally releases a Goblin. The mischievous creature then possesses Gaius, leading the once-wise physician to develop a taste for gold, ale and magical jokes.

With a suddenly-bald King Uther and a scourge of flatulence sweeping the royal household, can Merlin work out what is going on and banish the Goblin back to where he came from before any real damage is done?

Plot

Goblin

The Goblin after being released.

Merlin enters the castle library to fetch a book for Gaius. While climbing a bookshelf to reach the book he wants, he accidentally opens a secret doorway and finds himself in a mysterious chamber.

As he explores, Merlin accidentally knocks over a small lead box, causing kicking and groaning to sound from within. Curious at to what is inside, Merlin uses magic to open it and releases a small green creature.

Revealing that it has been trapped in the box for over 50 years, the creature starts to cause chaos throughout the chamber, knocking books off the shelves and even smashing a vase. Merlin attempts to wrestle it back into the box before it can cause any more damage, but it transforming into a small sphere of glowing golden light and escapes from the chamber.

Merlin chases the creature as it leaves the library. He follows its trail of mayhem into Arthur's chambers and finds that they've been ransacked. Arthur discovers him and demands an explanation for the mess, which Merlin claims is a result of his spring-cleaning.

Spotting the creature outside the room, Merlin chases after it and finds it in Morgana's chambers. The creature roots through some of Morgana's jewelery, impressed at the wealth of it, then leaps from a nearby window to escape from Merlin. Merlin frantically attempts to return the jewelry to its box and is spotted by Gwen, who is puzzled but amused by his behaviour.

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The Goblin's magic makes Uther bald.

Later, in Gaius' chambers, Merlin uses Gaius' books to identify the creature as a Goblin, a mischievous and dangerous creature that will stop at nothing to gets its hands on the one thing it desire above all else: gold.

Moments later, Arthur enters and summons Gaius and Merlin to Uther's chambers for a matter of extreme urgency and delicacy. Arthur warns the pair not to laugh at the King's condition, and upon entering his chamber, the trio find him hiding behind a screen ā€“ completely bald.

Later, Gaius tells Merlin that the king's hair loss was likely caused by an enchantment cast by the Goblin. Merlin begins to giggle about Uther's predicament, but sobers when Gaius reminds him of what Uther would do if he found out who was responsible for releasing the Goblin in the first place and agrees that they need to stop the Goblin from doing any further harm.

Gaius devises a plan to trap the goblin by using gold to lure it in. That night, Merlin removes a chest of gold coins from Arthur's chamber. While sneaking out, he knocks some crockery to the floor, waking the prince. Merlin uses magic to wrap Arthur in the curtains surrounding his bed and exits the room unnoticed while Arthur struggles and falls, calling for the guards.

Merlin and Gaius use a trail of gold coins to lure the Goblin to their chambers and attempt to capture it. However, the creature again transforms into golden light and enters Gaius's body through his ear, possessing him. Gaius then sends an oblivious Merlin away to find the Goblin.

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Goblin-Gaius enchants a potion for Morgana.

The goblin, as Gaius, ransacks his chamber in search of gold. When Merlin returns, Goblin-Gaius blames the Goblin for the mess and instructs Merlin to clean up. He decides to head to the local tavern, much to Merlin's confusion.

At the tavern, Goblin-Gaius spots two large men arm-wrestling for gold coins and decides to compete. He challenges the winner and overpowers him with his Goblin strength. He claims a bag of gold coins and licks his lips.

The next morning, a hungover Gaius orders a bemused Merlin to go to the market to fetch his breakfast. While he is gone, Morgana enters to request a draught from Gaius, as she has been having trouble sleeping. Goblin-Gaius mocks her, then tells her that he can see into her cold heart and that he knows her true feelings toward Uther. He casts an enchantment on the sleeping draught, then hands it over to a flustered Morgana, who walks out seeming disturbed by Gaius's sudden changes in behavior.

Later, Goblin-Gaius tricks Camelot's peasants, including Gwen, into handing over their gold coins by lying about a deadly plague sweeping through Camelot and prescribing fake remedies to help protect them from the disease. He also fools Uther with a useless concoction and slaps the king around the head, claiming that it will stimulate hair growth (when he's really just doing it for amusement).

Merlin stop dagger

Merlin deflects Goblin-Gaius' attack.

In Gaius's chamber, Merlin discovers his enchanted friend licking gold coins and finally realises that he is the Goblin. Merlin attempts to reason with him, then threatens to kill him if he hurts Gaius. The Goblin retorts that Merlin cannot hurt him without hurting the body of Gaius.

In the council chambers, Arthur warns Uther of acts of vandalism around the castle. Suddenly the king, Morgana and Gwen all begin to break wind uncontrollably with the goblin stood to one side, smiling as his magic is working.

Merlin later confronts Gaius and traps him in his chamber with magic. The goblin realises that Merlin is gifted with magic and magically thrusts a dagger at him, which Merlin deflects. Unable to bring himself to hurt his mentor, Merlin releases his control over the dagger, causing it to drop on the floor. Merlin vows to free Gaius from the goblin's control and leaves to find Arthur.

Merlin searches the castle for Arthur, but when he finds him, he is promptly arrested and taken to the council chambers. Merlin learns that the Goblin has blamed him for all of the problems affecting the court and presents the King with a spellbook he claims he found in Merlin's room. Merlin protests his innocence and explains that the Goblin is possessing Gaius, but is unable to prove his claims. Uther orders for Merlin to be executed.

Arthur and Gwen

The Goblin transforms Arthur into a donkey.

Later, at the tavern, Gaius insults Sir Leon and spits beer in his face. He quickly apologises when the enraged knight challenges him to a duel for his rudeness and offers to buy him a drink. However, Gaius secretly spikes the drink with a magical potion that causes warts to grow on the faces of all the knights who drink the brew.

Locked in a cell, Merlin uses magic to retrieve the keys from a sleeping guard. As an alarm sounds, Merlin flees the pursuing knights and takes refuge in Gwen's house. He asks her to convince Arthur of Gaius' possession, and though Gwen is embarrassed about her earlier flatulence, she eventually agrees.

Meanwhile, Arthur notices Gaius's unusual behavior at court when he expresses his outrage over Merlin's escape. Arthur invites Gaius to his chamber and confirms his suspicions when the old man is cheered by news of Merlin's death sentence, as he knows that Gaius would never wish Merlin to die. He draws his sword, claiming that Merlin was right about Gaius being possessed, but Goblin-Gaius uses magic to break a vase over Arthur's head, knocking him unconscious.

When Gwen enters Arthur's chamber, she finds that Gaius has transformed the prince into a half-man, half-donkey creature. Taken aback, she informs Merlin of it and he begins to giggle about Arthur's predicament.

Merlin's Poison 2

Merlin poisons the Goblin's gold.

Having snuck into the library for research, Merlin explains to Gwen that if its host's body is dying, then the Goblin will be forced to leave it or die as well. He retrieves the lead box from the library, then he and Gwen sneak into Gaius' chambers to set a trap.

While pouring poison over the Goblin's chest of gold, Merlin explains to Gwen that she must administer the antidote to Gaius as soon as the Goblin has left him, or he will die. They hide in Merlin's room as Goblin-Gaius enters and watch as he licks one of the gold coins.

When Gwen and Merlin come out of their hiding place, the Goblin realises he's been poisoned and flees Gaius' body as a sphere of light. As it flies away, the Goblin knocks Gwen to the floor, causing her to drop the antidote. The bottle falls to the floor and becomes jumbled with a number of other potion bottles. Meanwhile, the Goblin attempts to possess Merlin by flying into his mouth, but Merlin prevents it from doing so by spitting it back into the lead box and sealing the lid closed, trapping the Goblin.

Merlin and Gwen frantically search the bottles for the antidote, eventually administering what they believe is the right potion to Gaius. After a depressing moment of nothing happening, Gaius awakens and is restored to full health.

Gaius informs Uther that Merlin is innocent and that he committed the recent crimes whilst being possessed by the Goblin. The King pardons Merlin and orders the goblin's lead box be sealed in the vaults where no one can find it. When Uther questions who could have released the goblin in the first place, Gaius tells him he has no idea in order to protect Merlin.

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Merlin and Gaius laugh at Arthur.

Later, Gwen encounters Arthur and the pair agree never to speak of the embarrassing events of the last few days.

While training for battle, Arthur starts to laugh at one of his knights and then begins to bray like a donkey. Merlin reveals to a shocked Gaius that he has decided to leave the prince slightly under the goblin's spell, just for one more day. [1]

Cast

Main Cast

Recurring Cast

Guest Cast

Continuity

Release & Reception

  • Air date : 25 September 2010. 6.22 million viewers.

Behind the Scenes

  • Bradley James reported to have prepared for the scene when he is turned into a donkey by watching videos of donkeys on Youtube. He refused to speak and stayed away from people until the scene was shot in order to stay focused.
    • Because of Bradley's serious approach, Angel Coulby reports that it had been difficult for her to shoot the scene, as "each time at one point I could not help but laugh before coming back." [2]
  • Anthony Head reported that, during the scene in which Gaius slaps Uther's head, he wore a padded prosthesis while Richard Wilson had his hands coated with ointment. Because of the sounds the slapping made, it was hard to him not to laugh.[2]
  • According to Richard Wilson, the gold was covered with gold wrapping paper. The paper had am unpleasant, metallic taste, and he didn't look forward to any "sucking scenes" he read in the script. All in all, he liked to film this episode, for he was allowed to play Gaius as different character.[2]

Production Errors

  • In the scene where Merlin is trying to catch the Goblin and is discovered by Arthur, a plastic heating pad can be seen on the nightstand at the right side of the bed.

Trivia

  • This is a comic relief episode.

Inaccuracies

Gallery

Wiki-wordmark
To view the Goblin's Gold gallery, click here.


Transcript

View the transcript here.

See Also

References

Series 3
The Tears of Uther Pendragon  ā€¢ Goblin's Gold  ā€¢ Gwaine  ā€¢ The Crystal Cave  ā€¢ The Changeling  ā€¢ The Castle of Fyrien  ā€¢ The Eye of the Phoenix  ā€¢ Love in the Time of Dragons  ā€¢ Queen of Hearts  ā€¢ The Sorcerer's Shadow  ā€¢ The Coming of Arthur
Interactive quest: The Quest for Morgana
Mini-episode: Merlin in Need special
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