King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
The Knights of the Round Table are a sub-order[citation needed] of the Knights of Camelot. They were created by Arthur Pendragon to combat his sister's first attempt to conquer Camelot.
The Knights of the Round Table are loyal to their ruler and leader King Arthur, as well as to the people of Camelot. They are especially loyal to the three non-knight members of the Round Table: the incognito sorcerer Merlin, whom they treat as a beloved but foolish young brother; Queen Guinevere, their trusted friend, moral compass, and future ruler; and the court physician Gaius, their respected elder and advisor. Their enemies are Arthur's treacherous half-sister Morgana Pendragon and all others who wish to harm the King and Camelot.
History
Creation and Retaking Camelot
After escaping from Morgana's immortal army, Arthur, Merlin, Gwen, Gaius, Lancelot, Elyan, Percival, Leon, and Gwaine sought refuge in the Castle of the Ancient Kings. There they uncovered a Round Table once used by the ancient kings of Camelot. The ancient kings believed that sitting at a round table afforded no one man more importance than any other, which reflected their belief in equality of all things.
Remembering this, Arthur invited everyone to join him at the Table and outlined his plan to rescue his father from the castle dungeons. When he asked if any around the Table would join him in his quest, and his allies accepted his offer one by one. In a gesture of respect and gratitude to them all, Arthur then knighted Gwaine, Lancelot, Elyan, and Percival, breaking the Knights' Code which prohibited commoners from becoming knights and proving to everyone at the Round Table that Arthur believed in the ways of the ancient kings of Albion.
The next day, Arthur and his new knights devised a plan to break into the castle dungeons. They decided that Merlin and Lancelot would disable the castle warning bell while Arthur led the remaining knights to the dungeons. Guinevere and Gaius would remain at the Castle of the Ancient Kings and prepare for casualties.
The plan was carried out later that day. Arthur and the knights successfully infiltrated the dungeon while Merlin and Lancelot (the former secretly armed with the magical sword Excalibur) pretended to search for the warning bell. In reality, however, they were planning to find and empty the Cup of Life, which would destroy the immortal army. Both plans went well at first. Arthur and the knights easily held their own against Morgana's soldiers (and even managed to free some Knights along the way) while Merlin and Lancelot used Excalibur (which had the power to kill the undead) to destroy any soldiers they came across and followed Merlin's sense of the Cup's power to the council chambers.
Unfortunately, their good luck didn't last for long. Just as Arthur found and freed his father the warning bells went off, alerting the castle to their presence. As reinforcements poured in, Arthur declared, "If we're gonna go down, we'll go down fighting! For the love of Camelot!" Inspired by his words, the other knights immediately followed his lead and charged at the soldiers.
Meanwhile, as Merlin finished off the last soldier in the council chamber and ran towards the Cup, Morgause arrived and used her magic to throw him into a wall. Before she could kill him, however, Gaius revealed that he'd followed them and used magic to stop her. Merlin then used his own magic to throw Morgause into a pillar, seriously injuring her, before taking up Excalibur and knocking the Cup from its stand. The spilling of the blood broke the enchantment and destroyed the immortal army, saving Arthur and the knights from almost certain death (The Coming of Arthur).
Quest to the Isle of the Blessed
The year following Morgana's betrayal was a peaceful one for Camelot. During this time Arthur was forced to take over the kingdom from Uther, who had failed to recover from the anguish of his daughter's treachery. His decision was supported by his uncle, Lord Agravaine, who (unbeknownst to Arthur) was secretly loyal to Morgana.
Camelot's time of peace came to an end when Morgana tore open the veil between the worlds on Samhain's Eve. Shortly afterward, Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table rode out to investigate reports of strange, faceless beings attacking nearby villages. They discovered that the attacks were the work of the Dorocha, ghostly voices of the dead that had been unleashed when Morgana tore the veil. Ordinary weapons could not kill them and were immune to Merlin's magic. However, they could be repelled by fire and daylight, which Lancelot discovered when he used a torch to chase one away from Merlin.
As the Dorocha spread through Camelot and villagers began to seek refuge in the city, the Knights started patrolling the streets with torches every night. Percival was nearly killed during one of these patrols when he was forced to abandon his torch in order to carry three children to safety. Fortunately, he was saved by the timely arrival of Elyan, who used his own torch to chase the ghosts away and helped Percival carry the children to a nearby house.
When Arthur learned that the only way to banish the Dorocha was to repair the veil on the Isle of the Blessed, he and the Knights (and Merlin) set out on a quest to do just that. Unbeknownst to the Knights, however, Arthur had also learned that a sacrifice would be required to heal the veil, and he intended to be that sacrifice. Sensing as much, Gwen went to Lancelot before they departed and asked her to make sure that Arthur returned home, and Lancelot promised her with his life.
The first night they made camp at an old fortress called Daobeth. They quickly paired off in search of firewood, but were unable to gather enough to last the night before the Dorocha arrived. Eventually, Merlin and Arthur were forced to leave the safety of the fire to search for more. It wasn't long before a Dorocha found and attacked them. Having lost their torch in their rush to get away, they ran to the fortress and barricaded themselves inside an abandoned room.
Meanwhile, Lancelot grew worried when they failed to return, and with the fire dying and only one torch to share between them, he decided to lead the other Knights in search of them. They eventually discovered their hiding place and arrived just in time to keep Arthur from becoming the Dorocha's next victim, but they were not fast enough to save Merlin, who had shielded Arthur by jumping in front of one.
Surprisingly, Merlin survived his encounter with the Dorocha, but was badly injured and appeared to be dying. Grief-stricken, Arthur considered abandoning the quest in order to ensure that Merlin got back to Camelot before his condition worsened, but Leon argued that hundreds more would perish in the time it would take to start the quest over. The dilemma was eventually solved by Lancelot, who volunteered to take Merlin back to Camelot by himself while the others continued with the quest.
After leaving the group, Merlin and Lancelot traveled most of the day without incident, but Merlin's condition steadily deteriorated to the point where he was unconscious when they finally stopped for the night. Fortunately, they were soon aided by the Vilia, benevolent spirits of the brooks and streams that had also been freed when Morgana tore the veil. They explained that tearing the veil had upset the balance of the world and both Merlin and Lancelot would be needed to repair it. Because of this, they were willing to use their magic to heal the warlock and promised to stay with them and protect them throughout the night.
Meanwhile, Arthur and the Knights continued the quest and decided to take a shortcut through the Tunnels of Andor. Gwaine was not in favor of this plan because the tunnels were crawling with Wilddeoren, but ultimately went along with it when given the choice of facing them or the Dorocha. Sure enough, the Knights hadn't gone far before they ran across a group of wilddeoren. They quickly hid behind a shelf of rock, but though they'd used Gaia berries to mask their scents, one of the creatures followed them and took a marked interest in Gwaine. Nervous at its attention, the knight killed the creature. This proved to be a mistake, however, as wilddeoren hunted in packs, and the Knights were forced to exit the tunnels at a run.
With Merlin's health restored, he and Lancelot spent the day trying to catch up with the others. At nightfall they took shelter in a lodge in the woods, where they discovered the hunter that owned it frosted over at the table, another victim of the Dorocha. To ward off the chill, Merlin and Lancelot started a fire and sat up drinking and talking long into the night.
Meanwhile, having survived their trek through the tunnels, Arthur and the Knights set up camp in the forest and the prince volunteered for the first watch. When Elyan got up to relieve him, he tried to talk to Arthur about what they might expect when they finally reached the Isle of the Blessed. Tight-lipped, the prince replied that it was his burden alone to bear, but Elyan disagreed. He told Arthur that as long as they all stood together, none of them would ever be alone. His words seemed to bring some comfort to the prince, who thanked him and went to get some rest.
Kilgharrah attacks the Dorocha.
Merlin and Lancelot had also fallen asleep, and with no one to tend it the fire began to die down, leaving them vulnerable to the Dorocha. Luckily, Merlin was able to sense one approaching with his magic. He quickly woke Lancelot and used the last of his drink to revive the fire, which gave them enough time to escape. The Dorocha quickly recovered, however, and Merlin called upon the Great Dragon for help.
Startled by the Dragon's arrival, Lancelot quickly drew his sword to attack it, but stopped when Merlin assured him that they were in no danger. Merlin thanked the dragon for its help and introduced Lancelot, then explained their errand to the Isle of the Blessed. It was during this conversation that Lancelot learned that a sacrifice was required to heal the veil, that Arthur intended to be that sacrifice, and that Merlin planned to offer himself in the prince's place. Humbled by his friends' selflessness, he later wondered if he would have the courage to knowingly give up his life for something (The Darkest Hour).
Death of Lancelot
After another day of riding, Merlin and Lancelot caught up to Arthur and the others while they were setting up camp in another old fortress. Thrilled by Merlin's rapid recovery and relieved that they were safe, the Knights joyfully welcomed them both back into the fold.
The group reached the Isle of the Blessed the next day. When they discovered that the Isle was guarded by Wyverns, Leon, Elyan, and Percival stayed behind to hold them off while Merlin, Arthur, Lancelot, and Gwaine continued on to the stone alter. There they found the Cailleach, Gatekeeper to the Spirit World, and demanded that she repair the veil between the worlds. When she refused, Gwaine attempted to force her to heal it by attacking her, but she easily knocked him out with her magic.
Accepting that there was no other way, Arthur stepped forward to offer himself as a sacrifice but was quickly knocked out as well, this time by Merlin. The warlock in question then stepped forward and met the Cailleach at the stone alter, where he offered his life in place of Arthur's. Much to his surprise, however, the Cailleach replied that his time among men was not yet over, even if he wanted it to be.
Confused, Merlin slowly followed her gaze to the veil and saw Lancelot standing at the edge. The knight looked back at him, smiled, and then walked into the veil with open arms, immediately vanishing from sight. Horrified, Merlin could only stand and watch as the veil closed behind him, the Cailleach and the Dorocha disappearing with it.
Lancelot's death shocked and devastated the people of Camelot, particularly his fellow Knights, Merlin, Gaius, and Gwen. A memorial was held in his honor, during which Arthur made a speech paying tribute to Lancelot. He said that it wasn't just his deed that they'd never forget, but his courage, compassion, and unselfish heart, and that Lancelot was the most noble knight he'd ever know. At the memorial's conclusion, Lancelot's cloak and sword were burned on a funeral pyre in the courtyard (The Darkest Hour).
New King and Quest for the Dragon Egg
Merlin, Arthur, and the Knights search for the dragon egg.
The Knights of the Round Table attended Arthur's birthday celebration along with the rest of the court. Later, after the death of King Uther, they were also present at Arthur's coronation (The Wicked Day).
When Arthur discovered that Julius Borden was searching for the last dragon egg in existence, he led the Knights on a quest to find and destroy it. During their journey, the Knights amused themselves by playing a joke on Merlin. They pretended to eat all the stew that he'd fixed for dinner. Then, when the warlock had given up hope on getting anything to eat, they proceeded to reveal one last bowl they'd saved for him.
The Knights were so amused by the joke they tried to trick him again the next day. As a result, they were all stricken ill when Julius Borden poisoned their food and had to be saved by Merlin's magic (Aithusa).
Camelot vs Caerleon
The Knights ambush Caerleon.
The Knights of the Round Table were among the Knights that ambushed Caerleon's raiding party. When they discovered the king himself among the party, Agravaine advised Arthur to offer him a peace treaty and to kill him if he refused to sign it. Arthur was uncomfortable with the plan, but ultimately did as his uncle suggested and killed the king when he refused to comply. As a result of his actions, Queen Annis of Caerleon declared war on Camelot.
The Knights traveled to the battle site with the rest of Camelot's army. They appeared to be in good spirits when they first arrived, laughing and joking together around the campfire, but soon realized that Arthur was uneasy about the coming battle. Hoping to cheer him up, the Knights went to the King and voiced their support and willingness to die for him, with Elyan acting as their spokesman.
Arthur was touched by their words, but still believed that he'd made the wrong decision and later set out to rectify his mistake. He visited Annis and proposed that the war be decided by a duel between two champions rather than a battle between two armies, and the Queen agreed. When he informed the Knights of this bargain, each other volunteered to serve as Camelot's champion, but Arthur was determined to fight himself.
The Knights later watched the duel from the ridge along with Merlin and the rest of Camelot's army. At first the two champions appeared to be evenly skilled, but unbeknownst to Arthur, Morgana had secretly allied herself with Annis and had placed an enchantment on his sword that would make it too heavy for him to hold. Morgana activated this enchantment when Arthur began to gain the upper hand, hoping that it would result in his death. Her plan failed, however, when Merlin countered her magic with his own. With his help, Arthur was able to defeat Derian and win the war, much to the relief (and delight) of the Knights (His Father's Son).
Searching for Merlin
The Knights confront Dragoon the Great.
Leon, Gwaine, and Percival accompanied Arthur and Merlin through the Valley of the Fallen Kings. When the group was ambushed by Morgana's mercenaries, the Knights were separated from Arthur and Merlin during the battle. After returning to Camelot to recruit Elyan to help search, they eventually found Arthur unharmed the next day. Merlin, however, had been captured by bandits.
The Knights scoured the forest in search of the missing warlock, but found no trace of him apart from a bloody scrap of his jacket. When Arthur decided to search for Merlin himself, Gwaine insisted on accompanying him. He passed the time spent riding by talking about Merlin, remarking, "You know what I like about Merlin? He never expects any praise. All these things he does just for the good of doing them..." Before long they found the warlock in question, covered in mud but otherwise harmed.
Their errand accomplished, the group returned to Camelot unaware that Merlin had been implanted with a Fomorroh and was now under Morgana's control. Having been instructed by her to kill Arthur, Merlin laced the king's food with poison, but ran into Gwaine on his way to Arthur's chambers. When the Knight attempted to steal some of Arthur's meal, he was left perplexed by Merlin's uncharacteristically rude response.
The Knights are defeated by Dragoon.
The Knights later encountered Merlin (disguised as Dragoon the Great) while they were out on patrol. The warlock was trying to mount his horse so he could ride to Morgana's hovel and free himself from the Fomorroh's control, but due to the effects of his ageing spell he was unable to manage it.
Recognizing him as the sorcerer responsible for uther's death, the Knights tried to apprehend him but were quickly defeated by Merlin's magic, much to his glee. The warlock then mounted his horse using the fallen Knights as a staircase and went on his way (A Servant of Two Masters).
Rescuing Gaius
When it appeared that Gaius had turned traitor and fled Camelot, Gwaine was one of the few people who visited Merlin to see how he was coping. The warlock found him waiting in Gaius's chambers and reacted somewhat suspiciously, but Gwaine was unbothered by his friend's snappishness and offered to help.
After a moment's hesitation, Merlin accepted Gwaine's offer and showed him the dirt he'd found on Agravaine's boot. The knight identified it as iron ore, which he'd only seen once before in Camelot: on a patrol near the mines at the ridge of Kemeray. They quickly rode out to the mines and began to search for Gaius, but hadn't gone far before they were ambushed by Alator's bodyguard. Gwaine tried to fight him off, but appeared to be outmatched until Merlin secretly helped him out with his magic and caused the warrior to fall on his sword.
Merlin and Gwaine eventually decided to split up to cover more ground. Gwaine's tunnel led him to the room where Gaius was being held, where he found Agravaine hovering over the physician with a knife. He was immediately suspicious of the nobleman and accused him of kidnapping Gaius, but Agravaine managed to persuade him otherwise. He claimed that the guards had seen Merlin and Gwaine leave Camelot, and knowing how concerned Merlin was about Gaius, he'd decided to follow them. When Gwaine questioned him about the knife, he claimed that he'd been using it check if the physician was still breathing.
Gwaine accepted Agravaine's explanations and suggested that they go find Merlin, but nobleman quickly objected. He pointed out that Gaius needed immediate care and that Merlin could find his own way back. Though clearly unhappy about it, Gwaine did as Agravaine said and escorted him and Gaius back to Camelot, leaving Merlin behind. When they arrived at the citadel, Gwaine informed Arthur that the physician had been kidnapped, just as Merlin had suspected (The Secret Sharer).
Lamia
When the village of Longstead was stricken with a mysterious illness, the Knights of the Round Table escorted Gwen and Merlin there to provide treatment. Merlin did what he could, but his treatments proved ineffective. When it began to appear as though magic might be involved, the group headed back to Camelot so they could inform Arthur of their suspicions and return later with Gaius, who had remained behind to treat a sudden outbreak of sweating sickness.
At some point in their journey came across a group of bandits camped out in the forest. Leon initially planned to go around the group and hopefully remain unnoticed in the process. Gwaine, however, noticed that a young girl had apparently been taken prisoner, and the Knights subsequently attacked the bandits and freed the girl, who identified herself as Lamia.
The girl initially seemed to be terrified and distrustful, particularly of Merlin, and the Knights were very protective of her as a result. As time went on Lamia began to exert a strange control of them. They became increasingly possessive of her and aggressive towards each other, Merlin, and Gwen. Their behavior eventually resulted in a fight between Gwaine and Leon and they had to be forcibly separated by Percival and Elyan. The Knights also began to forget the purpose of their journey, concerned only with doing what Lamia suggested they do.
The morning after the fight, the group awoke to find that Elyan (who was supposed to be on guard) was missing. They soon found him unconscious in the woods, apparently suffering from the same sickness as the people of Longstead.
Merlin and Gwen tried to convince the Knights to take Elyan back to Camelot for treatment, but Leon (firmly under Lamia's control) decided they would take shelter in a deserted castle instead. Lamia disappeared almost immediately after arriving there, and one by one the Knights began to fall ill: Gwaine when he went to collect firewood, and Leon and Percival when they went looking for Lamia.
Gwen and Merlin were left to deal with Lamia themselves. Merlin managed to stab her during their initial encounter, but Lamia responded by transforming into a snake-like monster and chasing him through the castle. They eventually ran into Gwen, who also attacked the monster with a sword after it managed to grab Merlin. The Lamia was unfazed, however, and likely would have killed them had Arthur not arrived and finished it off. The Knights were then located and taken back to Longstead, where Gaius treated them for their illness (Lamia).
Lancelot's Return, Betrayal, and Second Death
Some time after the Lamia incident, Arthur decided to make Guinevere his queen. When Agravaine told Morgana of this, she became determined to make sure that Gwen would never sit upon her throne and set out to end their relationship once and for all.
She traveled to the Pool of Nemhain and used a magical coin to resurrect Lancelot as a Shade. Morgana then spent the next few days carefully molding his mind. She told him all about Gwen and their former feelings for one another, how she had loved him before she'd loved Arthur and how she would soon be his again. When the Shade Lancelot was finally ready to play his part, Morgana sent him to Camelot, where he revealed his identity during the jousting tournament that Arthur was holding as Gwen's engagement present.
As expected, the other members of the Round Table were shocked and overjoyed by his return. He told them that he remembered little of what had happened after he stepped through the veil. The Madhavi people found him near death one one of the Silk Road passes, high in the Feorre Mountains. They nursed him back to health, providing him with food and shelter until his strength returned. When he was well again, he worked his way back to Camelot, arriving just in time to enter the tournament.
Most of his friends accepted his story and welcomed him back with open arms. Merlin, however, was more suspicious, especially after he discovered that Lancelot had no memory of his magic. Following his instincts, the warlock used necromancy to determine that the man who had returned was not the real Lancelot but a Shade, presumably sent by Morgana to harm Arthur.
Unbeknownst to Merlin, however, Lancelot's target was not Arthur, but Gwen. He went to visit her the morning before the tournament to wish her well and to give her a bracelet, which he claimed he'd received from the Madhavi people. In reality, however, he'd gotten the bracelet from Morgana, who had enchanted it with a powerful love spell.
Gwen initially struggled against its control, appearing confused and quickly withdrawing when she found herself in Lancelot's tent. However, after he forfeited the final round of the tournament to Arthur, who had been badly injured, she was unable to stop herself from seeking him out. Lancelot's actions greatly confused Merlin, who couldn't figure out why Morgana sent him if not to kill Arthur. However, his suspicions were quickly renewed when he spotted Gwen sneaking into Lancelot's tent.
Later that day, Lancelot met with Agravaine in one of the castle corridors. He told the nobleman that he'd arranged to meet with Gwen later and that she was already on her way. Agravaine replied that Morgana would pleased, then they went their separate ways, unaware that Merlin had been spying on them. Determined to stop Lancelot, the warlock attacked him and tried to knock him out with his magic, but the Shade caught him off guard and knocked him out instead. Lancelot then proceeded to the council chambers without any further interference.
Gwen arrived soon after he did and found him waiting for her behind a column. She seemed somewhat uneasy about their escapade, asking if he was sure that it was safe for them to meet there, but relaxed when Lancelot assured her that no one visited the council chambers at that time of night. Meanwhile, Agravaine woke Arthur and told him that there was something he needed to see. He then led the king to the council chambers, where they arrived just in time to see Gwen and Lancelot kiss.
Hurt and betrayed, Arthur flew into a rage and attacked Lancelot with his sword. The two fought furiously for several minutes as Gwen tearfully pleaded for them to stop. Eventually Merlin arrived and disarmed Lancelot with his magic. Beyond reason, Arthur charged toward to run the Shade through and likely would have killed him had Gwen not thrown herself between them, forcing Arthur to stop. She and Lancelot were then arrested and taken to the dungeons, where they were imprisoned in separate cells.
Later that night, while Guinevere was being tried and banished for her part in the affair, Agravaine snuck into the dungeons and gave Lancelot a letter from Morgana ordering him to commit suicide. Lancelot dutifully followed her command and his body was discovered by the guards the next day. Melancholic on hearing the news, Arthur immediately concluded that Lancelot had killed himself out of guilt, noting that, "In all ways but one, Lancelot was a man of honour." He then gave orders that the knight was to receive a proper burial.
Merlin took the task upon himself and brought Lancelot's body to the Lake of Avalon, where he placed it in a boat made of twigs and covered in flowers. The warlock stood over him for a moment, then placed a hand on Lancelot's forehead and incanted a spell to free his soul from Morgana's control.
Much to Merlin's surprise, however, the spell also brought Lancelot back to life for a moment. Restored to his true self, the knight looked at Merlin and said three final words: "Merlin. Thank you." Smiling, he closed his eyes and breathed his last, after which Merlin tearfully pushed the boat out onto the lake and ignited it with his magic (Lancelot du Lac).
Elyan Possessed by a Troubled Spirit
Arthur and the Knights at the Druid shrine.
The Knights of the Round Table were on a patrol with Arthur when they came across the remains of a Druid camp. Though Merlin warned them not to disturb anything, Elyan (thirsty because Gwaine had drunk the last of his water) drank from a small well. In doing so he accidentally freed a tormented spirit; a Druid boy, dripping wet and deathly pale, who began to appear to Elyan but went unseen by others.
Initially the boy did not speak and first appeared to Elyan while he was alone in his chambers. Remembering how Gwaine had told Merlin that a circle of salt at the foot of one's bed warded off evil spirits, Elyan desperately followed his advice, but to no avail. The boy appeared to Elyan again in the armoury the next day. On edge from having lost control during a training session, Elyan recoiled in fear. He accidentally bumped into Gwaine, who shoved him away in response. Elyan shoved him back and they struggled until Gwaine punched him, knocking him out cold.
Elyan eventually regained consciousness, but wouldn't stop staring and wouldn't speak. Worried by the odd reaction, Leon and Gwaine got Gaius to examine their friend. They told the physician what had happened and asked him not to tell Arthur, explaining that Elyan hadn't been himself since Gwen's banishment and they didn't want the King to think that his loyalties were divided. (Also, Gwaine didn't want to get in trouble.)
When Elyan regained awareness in his chambers that night, the spirit appeared to him for a third time. The boy spoke to him this time and asked him not to be angry with it. No longer afraid, Elyan approached the boy and tried to comfort him, asking him what he wanted of him. The boy replied that he wanted Elyan to bring him peace by righting the wrong that had been done to him; he wanted him to kill the king.
Now under the spirit's power, Elyan agreed to do so. He went to Arthur's chambers that night and attacked him with a sword. Though caught unawares, Arthur managed to evade him until the guards arrived, forcing Elyan to flee. Leon, Gwaine, and Percival eventually apprehended him in a castle corridor and he was thrown into the dungeons, where the spirit appeared to him for a fourth time. The boy told him that he'd failed him, an accusation which tormented Elyan.
Though most assumed that Elyan's attack on Arthur was motivated by revenge for his sister's banishment, Merlin and Gaius (who had discovered the circle of salt beneath his bed) knew that he was not acting of his own accord. As such, when Agravaine advised Arthur to have Elyan executed to show the people of Camelot that attempts on the King's life would not be tolerated, Merlin defended him, leaving Arthur conflicted.
Worried that the King might have no choice but to order Elyan's execution regardless of their suspicions, Merlin came up with a plan to exorcise the spirit from Elyan. He used his magic to break the knight out of the dungeons and then led him into the forest, where he tried to trick him into drinking a sedative. The boy, however, warned Elyan of his intentions, prompting him to knock Merlin out and escape.
Elyan made another attempt on Arthur's life the next day. Armed with a crossbow, he ambushed the King in the council chambers. He killed or wounded at least three guards before taking aim at Arthur, who managed to dodge the shot. Completely under the boy's power (and speaking with the boy's voice instead of his own), Elyan abandoned the crossbow and took up a sword, engaging Arthur in a duel.
Arthur eventually managed to defeat him, but (having heard him speaking with the boy's voice) began to realize that Merlin was right about Elyan being possessed and decided to let him go. Arthur then sought the advice of Gaius, who told him that only the atonement of the perpetrator could bring a restless spirit peace. Believing Uther to have been the one responsible for the boy's death, Gaius also informed him that he would probably have no choice but to kill Elyan since Uther was no longer alive to atone for his actions.
Nevertheless, Arthur (and Merlin) returned to the shrine that night and summoned the spirit. Kneeling before the possessed Elyan, the King revealed that it hadn't been his father who had led the raid on the Druid camp, but himself. Overcome with remorse, Arthur explained how his youth and inexperience had led to him losing control of his men and how the events of that day still haunted his memory. He also promised that the Druids would be treated with the respect that they deserved in future. His heartfelt words finally brought peace to the boy, who forgave him. The spirit then released Elyan, who passed out. He was taken back to Camelot and made a full recovery (A Herald of the New Age).
The Hunter's Heart
The Knights of the Round Table were all present when Arthur announced Camelot's new agreement with Nemeth and his imminent marriage to Princess Mithian. They were later present at Mithian's arrival.
The next day, Leon discovered the body of a young man who appeared to have fallen from one of the castle parapets and reported it to Agravaine. He later participated in a hunting trip that Arthur organized for Mithian, and was the first to spot a deer (The Hunter's Heart).
Morgana's Second Conquest of Camelot
When Morgana and Helios launched their surprise attack on Camelot, Percival was at the Feast of Beltane with Arthur and Merlin while Leon, Gwaine, and Elyan were on patrol. When they were forced to retreat to the citadel, Elyan discovered that Agravaine had betrayed them. He vowed to kill the nobleman, but was knocked unconscious by Morgana's magic before he could do so.
Back in the castle, Percival and Gwaine barricaded themselves in an inner chamber with Merlin, Gaius, and a wounded Arthur. When they realized that the city was lost, Merlin neutralized Arthur with his magic and then smuggled him out of Camelot with Percival while Gaius and Gwaine remained behind. They retreated to the woods, where they met up with Elyan and decided to find sanctuary outside Camelot's borders. However, they were discovered and attacked before they could make it out of the woods. Percival was immediately lost in the confusion and Elyan sent Merlin and Arthur on ahead while he stayed behind to hold off their pursuers. Leon, meanwhile, was seen leading knights and fleeing townsfolk to safety.
Elyan was captured and interrogated by Morgana, who wanted to know where Arthur was hiding. When he refused to tell her where he'd gone, she used a Nathair to torture the information out of him. Almost catatonic by the time it was over, Elyan was taken to the dungeons and thrown in a cell with Gaius and Gwaine. The physician did what he could to make him comfortable, and Elyan slowly recovered his strength over the next few days.
When the trio were eventually paid a visit by Morgana, Gwaine demanded that they be given food. She responded to his request by forcing Gwaine to fight for her army's entertainment. After he defeated his first opponent he was given a small piece of bread, then informed that he would have to do better than that if he wanted more. This arrangement continued throughout their imprisonment; Gwaine fought for their food while Elyan cared for Gaius, who was suffering badly in their poor conditions.
Meanwhile, Arthur and Merlin traveled to Ealdor in the company of Tristan and Isolde, smugglers who they'd sought refuge with for a short time. There they were reunited with Guinevere, who readily joined their cause. They were there for scarcely a few hours, however, before a patrol led by Agravaine tracked them down. They escaped into a series of tunnels and then into the Forest of Essitir, where they were eventually reunited with Percival, Leon, and the rest of Camelot's survivors when Merlin rounded them up to witness Arthur pull Excalibur from the stone.
With Arthur's confidence restored, he and his allies began to plan an assault on the citadel, which was carried out the next day. While Leon and a squadron of knights took out the sentries on the castle walls, Percival, Tristan, and Isolde took out the guards at the castle gates. While Tristan and Isolde rendezvoused with Merlin, Arthur, and Gwen, Leon and Percival infiltrated the dungeons and freed Gwaine, Elyan, and Gaius.
The Knights were greatly relieved to see one another, Elyan even joking about the horror being locked up with Gwaine for a week when Percival asked if he was all right. One week later, they were all present when Gwen was crowned Queen of Camelot (The Sword in the Stone).
Search for Gwaine and Percival
Three years later, Gwaine and Percival were placed in charge of leading a patrol to the northern kingdom of Ismere. At some point the patrol was attacked by magical wolves that appeared to be controlled by Morgana. They were taken to the fortress she and her Saxon allies were using as a base and added to the ranks of slaves being forced to dig for some sort of Key.
When the patrol failed to return, Elyan was sent with a search party to find them. They found no trace of the missing knights, but Elyan did hear a number of rumors that Morgana was occupying the Fortress of Ismere. When he recounted these rumors to Arthur, the King began to suspect that she was holding the missing knights prisoner and decided to lead a rescue party to investigate.
The rescue party (which included Elyan and Leon) set out at dawn the following day. They hoped to catch Morgana by surprise by entering Ismere from the west, through Queen Annis's lands. Noting that the gorge that marked the border between the two kingdoms would provide the perfect cover for an ambush, Arthur decided to split the group up and ordered Elyan's party to follow the ridge line. He did so, but soon returned when he discovered the remains of a village, everyone in it slaughtered. They checked for survivors and gave the villagers a proper burial before moving on.
Meanwhile, Percival and Gwaine managed to stay together as they dug for Morgana's mysterious Key. They eventually located the rest of their patrol, but none of them had been able to learn anything about what they were searching for. One night, Gwaine noticed an odd blue light flickering in the caverns, but it disappeared before he could wake Percival to show him. The light reappeared a little while later and Gwaine decided to follow it, telling Percival to cover for him. He followed the light through the tunnels, but was knocked unconscious by some guards before he could get close enough to see what it was.
After spending the night at Annis's castle, the rescue party crossed the border to Ismere and ambushed by Morgana soon afterward. She had learned of their plan from her ally Ruadan's daughter Sefa, Gwen's maidservant. Leon, Elyan, and the rest of the knights became separated from Merlin and Arthur during the battle, and were ultimately forced to return to Camelot without them.
They reported what had happened to Guinevere and Gaius, who concluded that they must have been betrayed. Gwen quickly deduced that Sefa was the traitor, as she'd been eavesdropping during the meeting of the Round Table and she had seen her leaving the city late at night. When Sefa admitted that she had been spying for her father, a sorcerer, Gwen sentenced her to death, a move which surprised the Knights. However, Gwen had no intention of executing Sefa; she was using her as bait, hoping that news of his daughter's plight would lure Ruadan to Camelot.
Sure enough, Ruadan infiltrated Camelot and rescued Sefa from the dungeons that very night. Elyan and several other knights pursued them and engaged the sorcerer in battle, mortally wounding him. However, Ruadan and Sefa escaped into the woods. Elyan and the others tracked them to the remains of an old fortress, where they discovered Ruadan's body. Sefa, however, was nowhere to be found.
Back at the mines, Gwaine woke to find that his wounds were being healed by a strange glowing creature. It treated him kindly and assured him that he had nothing to fear, and waved away his thanks by telling him, "I know that you are worthy of my help." It then urged him to rest, as his wounds were not yet fully healed.
Though worried by Gwaine's disappearance, Percival continued to dig with the rest of the slaves. Eventually he was found by Arthur and Merlin. The King gave him a sword and instructed him to find more weapons to arm the rest of knights. He and Merlin then went deeper into the tunnels in search of Gwaine while Percival began knocking out the guards and passing out their weapons to slaves. When most of them were armed, he led them in battle against the rest of the Saxons.
When the warning bells began to sound, the creature woke Gwaine and alerted him to the danger. The knight stood and picked up a torch, assuring his new friend that there was nothing to worry about and that he'd protect it. Luckily, the intruders turned out to be Arthur and Merlin. The creature quietly slipped away during their reunion, leaving Gwaine to explain to his bemused friends that he had no idea what it was, but he owed it his life.
Back at Camelot, all four Knights of the Round Table attended Mordred's knighting ceremony (Arthur's Bane).
Uther's Spirit Attacks Camelot
The chandelier falls on the Round Table.
The Knights of the Round Table were all present at the anniversary of King Arthur's coronation. When Mordred noticed that Arthur seemed upset, Elyan explained that it was also the anniversary of Uther's death.
Shortly afterward, Arthur used the Horn of Cathbhadh to speak with his father and accidentally released his spirit into the living world. Uther disapproved of some of the things that Arthur had done as King (knighting commoners, for one) and wasted no time in making his displeasure known. The Knights were all present at a meeting of the Round Table when the doors to the council chambers opened and closed by themselves. Momentarily unnerved, Leon nevertheless continued with his report until the chandelier suddenly broke loose and crashed down on the center of the Table, damaging it and greatly startling the knights.
Later, Percival was alone in the armoury when he suddenly sensed someone watching him. He asked if someone was there and was startled when a shield (which had been hanging securely on the wall) suddenly fell to the ground. When he went to investigate, an axe flew off the weapon rack and hit him in the arm. He later had the wound tended by Gaius and Merlin, who described the wound as deep, but not life threatening. Percival ultimately believed that the incident was an accident, but told them that he'd thought he'd sensed someone watching him just before it happened.
After Guinevere was injured in a similar attack, Arthur started to believe Merlin's theory that he'd accidentally released Uther's spirit and they decided to send him back to the spirit world. While they were searching the castle they ran into Leon, who was on patrol. When he asked what they were doing, Merlin attempted to conceal their mission by claiming that he was teaching Arthur poetry. The King hesitantly agreed and proclaimed that he loved poetry. Bemused, Leon accepted their explanation and continued with his patrol (The Death Song of Uther Pendragon).
Rescuing King Rodor
When Nemeth was conquered by Morgana and King Odin, Princess Mithian fled to Camelot and asked Arthur to help rescue her father. He had escaped with her but been too injured to make the full journey. Arthur agreed to help her and set out the next day with a rescue party, which included the Knights of the Round Table, Merlin, Gaius, the princess, and her maidservant, Hilda.
A day or so into their journey, Mithian attempted to warn Merlin that "Hilda" was actually Morgana in disguise. She was trying to force the princess to lead Arthur into a trap. However, Morgana got to Merlin before he could warn Arthur and used her magic to throw him into a tree and choke him into unconsciousness. She then alerted the others to his location, explaining that he must have fallen and hit his head.
Anxious to find Rodor before Odin's men did, Arthur decided they couldn't afford to wait for him. He ordered Gwaine and Gaius to stay and care for him while the rest of the party continued on. Gwaine was deeply concerned about Merlin and grew worried when he failed to wake up. Eventually Gaius sent to the anxious knight to gather firewood and used magic to heal Merlin while he was gone. When he returned, the warlock was awake and determined to catch up to Arthur, who he claimed was walking into a trap.
Meanwhile, the rescue party arrived at King Rodor's hiding place. Arthur ordered Leon, Elyan, and the other knights to guard the entrance while he, Percival, Mithian, and Hilda searched the Tomb. They found Mithian's father, but he was neither injured nor alone; he was being held prisoner by Odin and his men. Arthur and Percival fought valiantly, but were ultimately defeated. As Morgana finally unmasked herself, Percival was restrained by Odin's men and Arthur was forced to kneel before Odin himself, who intended to execute him.
Gwaine and Merlin arrived at the tomb to find that Leon, Elyan, and the rest of their party had been captured as well. They decided to split up, with Gwaine setting out to free their friends while Merlin snuck into the tomb in search of Arthur. Gwaine soon stumbled across as a guard relieving himself next to a tree. Taking advantage of the man's preoccupation, he quickly knocked him out and stole his crossbow, which he used to used to shoot the guards surrounding the knights.
Meanwhile, Merlin successfully infiltrated the tomb and found Arthur just as Odin was about to behead him. Merlin quickly used his magic to create a small earthquake, which caused enough confusion for Arthur and Percival to fight off their captors and escape with Mithian and Rodor. Percival was then ordered to lead the princess and her father out of danger while Arthur dealt with Odin (Another's Sorrow).
The Disir's Judgement
After his childhood friend Sir Ranulf was killed by a sorcerer named Osgar, Arthur decided to personally lead a patrol to apprehend him. He took with him the Knights of the Round Table and the young knight Mordred. Aware that the patrol was to be his first mission, the Knights amused themselves by teasing Mordred. They listed things he may have forgotten to pack and told him that it was tradition for all new knights to ride their horses backwards.
The group decided to split up once they reached the forest: Leon and Percival went in one direction, Arthur, Merlin, and Mordred in another, and Elyan and Gwaine in another. Elyan and Gwaine were the first to find the sorcerer. They surrounded him and tried to apprehend him on their own, but Osgar was quick to fight back. He used his magic to throw the knights into a tree, though not before Gwaine had managed to pierce him with his sword. Badly injured, the sorcerer approached Arthur and informed him that he'd been sent by the Disir to pass judgment on him. He gave the King a runemark, then finally succumbed to his wounds.
Back at Camelot, Gaius confirmed that the Disir gave runemarks to those they wished to pass judgment on. Arthur was confused and upset by this, as he believed that he'd been a different kind of King than his father had been and didn't understand why the Disir would want to judge him. He ultimately decided to answer their judgement and traveled to the White Mountains to address them, taking Merlin, Mordred, and the Knights with him.
When they reached the cave that the Disir held court in, Merlin sensed that it was a sacred place and warned them not to go into it armed, but Arthur ignored him. Not only did he and the Knights enter armed, but they carelessly swatted the Disir's relics aside as they entered, Percival even taking the time to remove one from the wall and step on it. Their blatant disrespect angered the Disir, who accused him of treating their sacred space with arrogance and conceit and decreed that he must embrace the Old Religion if he wished to escape their judgement.
Angered by the way the council spoke to Arthur, Gwaine attempted to attack them and was quickly thrown into a wall by their magic. When the Knights drew their swords, one of the Disir threw a staff at Arthur but Mordred protected him by diving in front of him. The Knights quickly escaped with their injured comrade and took him back to Camelot so that Gaius could treat him.
When the physician informed him that Mordred's wounds were beyond his power to heal, Arthur returned to the Disir in apology and asked that they spare the young knight. They agreed to do so, but only if he embraced the Old Religion and stopped persecuting people of magic. After talking it over with Merlin, Arthur ultimately decided that he couldn't in good conscious return magic to the land and refused. They returned to Camelot expecting Mordred to be dead, but instead found that he had fully recovered from his wounds. Merlin quickly realized that allowing him to live was the Disir's judgment on Arthur, as Mordred was destined to bring about Arthur's doom (The Disir).
Rescuing Guinevere and Death of Sir Elyan
Percival tracking Guinevere's trail.
The Knights of the Round Table escorted Guinevere on her pilgrimage to visit her father's grave. They were attacked by snakes sent by Morgana on the way back, with Percival and Leon quickly falling victim to their bites. Gwaine and Elyan urged Gwen to ride on without them, but to no avail; she was kidnapped.
After Percival and Leon had recovered, Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights rode out to search for her. They discovered her horse abandoned in the woods, as well as a trail leading east, which they followed until it was too dark to see. The Knights suggested that they stop for the night, but it took some time to talk Arthur into it. He ordered that they keep riding east, and when Merlin pointed out that they'd lose the trail, he stubbornly insisted that they'd retrace the tracks. Luckily, the warlock was able to convince him that they needed to work together to find Gwen that they'd pick up her trail in the morning, and Arthur reluctantly allowed them to stop and set up camp.
Later that night, both Percival and Leon had nightmares about a frightening tower beyond a forest and a plain. The fact that they'd had the same dream after being bitten by Morgana's snakes led Arthur to believe that she had imprisoned Guinevere in the Dark Tower. He also suspected that she was trying to lead him into a trap. As such, he decided that he would travel the rest of the way alone, but the Knights insisting on accompanying him. Arthur was touched by their loyalty to both himself and Gwen, and the group continued on to the Impenetrable Forest.
The Knights spent most of the day hacking their way through the forest. The foliage was so dense that Percival broke his sword on it and Gwaine tore his cloak on a branch. When they finally realized they'd been going in circles, they decided to set up camp for the night and start over again in the morning. Luckily, Merlin was able to lead them out of the forest using his magic, and they soon arrived at their next obstacle: the Dollares Plains.
The Knights journeyed across the Plaines to the Tower, suffering both a blistering sun and blistering feet along the way. When they finally arrived at the Tower itself, they followed a staircase to a room filled with booby traps. They discovered the traps when the flagstones on the floor reacted to pressure, one of which struck Percival in the leg and another of which nearly hit Arthur in the head.
Thinking fast, they soon figured out that they could cross the room by using their swords to test the flagstones before stepping on them. Elyan was the first to make it across and immediately decided to go on ahead. Like Arthur, he was devastated by his sister's kidnapping and blamed himself for not protecting her better. As such, he ignored his friends' objections and continued on alone.
Elyan followed another staircase to the room where Guinevere was being held captive. She was being guarded by an enchanted sword, which she claimed Morgana had left to protect her. It would fight to death anyone who tried to free her. Determined to rescue his sister, Elyan engaged the sword in a duel. He fought valiantly and ultimately managed to outwit it, but was mortally wounded in the process. He collapsed to the floor and a horrified Guinevere gathered him in her arms. He died just seconds before Arthur and the others came to his aid.
Sir Elyan dies in Guinevere's arms.
Elyan's body was taken back to Camelot, where he given a Viking funeral at the same lake where Merlin had laid Lancelot to rest. The entire court of Camelot was present at his funeral, including his fellow Knights of the Round Table. They all stood at attention as the boat containing Elyan's body was pushed out onto the lake. When it was a fair distance away, a knight fired a flaming arrow into the boat, setting it ablaze (The Dark Tower).
Arthur Poisoned
Some time later, Arthur was ambushed by bandits while out riding with Gwen on their anniversary. When its as discovered that his saddle had been tampered with, Gwaine was ordered to arrest the King's stablehand, Tyr Seward, while Percival and Leon were sent to search his home. During the search, Percival found the thread that had been used to restitch Arthur's girth among his things. Try was later convicted of treason and sentenced to death.
The next morning, it was discovered that Tyr had been stabbed death in his cell. When Arthur, Merlin, and Gaius went down to the dungeons to examine the body, Percival and Leon accompanied them. While searching the room, Leon found a powerful soporific hidden inside a grate. Gaius immediately deduced that it had been used to drug the guards.
Meanwhile, Gwaine was out on patrol with several other knights when they came across Gwen and Morgana conspiring in the woods. Gwaine very nearly caught Gwen, but Morgana used her magic to pull him off his horse, allowing Guinevere to escape. He was taken back to Camelot and examined by Gaius, who determined that he had no broken bones but ordered him to rest anyway.
When it was discovered that Arthur had been poisoned, the Knights of the Round Table were present when Gaius made his diagnosis and Gwen accused Merlin of the crime. Leon remained with Guinevere while she stood vigil at Arthur's bedside and took the opportunity to speak with her about ruling Camelot should the King succumb to the poison. He assured her that he and the other Knights believed that she was capable of ruling in Arthur's stead and promised that they would stand by her.
Later, when Merlin escaped from the dungeons disguised as Dragoon, Gwaine as among the knights who pursued him through the castle and out into the courtyard. He was joined there by Percival, Mordred, and Leon, all of whom were greatly startled when Merlin used his magic to make every torch in the square go out at once. When they realized that they'd lost him, Gwaine went to inform Gwen that there was an intruder in the castle and insisted on escorting her to the guest chambers, where she would be safe.
After Arthur recovered from the poison (with some magical help from Merlin), Gwaine accompanied Gaius to the dungeons to give Merlin the good news and release him from his cell (A Lesson in Vengeance).
Sarrum of Amata Visits Camelot
Mordred was among the knights present in the courtyard when Sarrum of Amata arrived to discuss an alliance with Arthur.
Two days later, the Knights of the Round Table were all present at the treaty signing in the council chambers. When Sarrum was accidentally assassinated by an arrow meant for Arthur, the King quickly determined that the shot had come from the balcony and ordered Leon to investigate (The Hollow Queen).
Restoring Guinevere
When Arthur learned that Guinevere had been enchanted by Morgana, he, Merlin, and Gaius conspired to drug her and take her to the Cauldron of Arianrhod, where she could be restored to her true self.
After putting their plan into effect, Merlin and Gaius attempted to smuggle her out of the castle in a wheelbarrow, but were intercepted by Mordred and Gwaine. Gaius tried to cover their trail by telling them they were transporting a victim of Red Thrush Fever. Gwaine was skeptical, but allowed them to continue on their way.
Mordred, however, was not convinced. Already suspicious because Arthur had insisting on changing the levy route at the last minute, Mordred decided to follow Arthur and Merlin to the Cauldron. When he caught up to them, he found that they'd taken a spill from a cliff. Merlin was a unconscious and Arthur's arm had been pinned beneath a rock. He quickly got out a rope and embarked on a rescue mission.
The group set up camp for the night, then headed for the Cauldron the next day. As they neared their destination they were attacked by the dragon Aithusa. After sending Arthur ahead, Merlin used his Dragonlord powers to order Aithusa away and then he and Mordred made a break for it, but were hit by Morgana's stunning spell. Mordred was knocked out instantly, and as the responsibility for freeing Gwen rested on his shoulders (and because he knew Mordred was destined to kill Arthur) Merlin chose to leave him behind.
Mordred awoke to Morgana caressing his face. When he asked why she didn't kill him, she replied that her quarrel was not with him and reminded him that they were of a kind. Mordred denied it, stating that he was nothing like her and that one day Arthur would accept their kind. Morgana told him that he naive and demanded to know where Emrys was, but Mordred claimed not to know who she spoke of. Their conversation over, Morgana lifted her hand to strike Mordred but hesitated when he told her that her hatred would never triumph. Noting her weakness, he quickly took advantage of it and blasted her with his own stunning spell, knocking her out.
Mordred eventually caught up to Arthur at the Cauldron. When the King asked him how he'd escaped from Morgana, he replied that even she was no match for a Knight of the Round Table. Before Arthur could question him further, Merlin reappeared disguised as a sorceress called the Dolma. Mordred thought she looked familiar and wondered where Merlin was, to which the Dolma replied that she was holding him as surety.
The sorceress instructed Arthur to get Guinevere to walk into the Cauldron of her own free will. If she was tricked or forced in any way, her soul would be lost forever. After Arthur showed that he understood, the Dolma woke Gwen with her magic, then waited for Arthur to coax her into the Cauldron. Once the Queen had entered the water, she used her magic to summon the White Goddess and free her from Morgana's enchantment. After the Dolma left and Merlin had returned to them, the group returned to Camelot (With All My Heart).
Hunting for a Sorceress
After Gaius informed him that a dangerous sorceress had been spotted in Camelot, Arthur put Mordred and Leon in charge of a patrol to apprehend her. They found the sorceress conspiring with someone, but her accomplice used magic to summon a wall of fire and they escaped.
With the sorceress still at large, Arthur sent the Knights of the Round Table to find and apprehend her and her accomplice. They ran into Merlin while searching the forest, who claimed to be gathering herbs for Gaius.
The Knights decided to place Merlin in protective custody, as they didn't want him traveling alone with both a dangerous sorceress and Saxons the loose. Merlin, however, had plans of his own. He tried to sneak away from their camp during the night, but was caught by Mordred. Rather than alert the others, however, Mordred chose to let him go. He figured out that Merlin hadn't really been collecting herbs when they found him, told him that he didn't have to explain what he was up to, and promised to cover for him by telling the others that he'd escorted him to the bridge.
The next day, the Knights came across the body of a knight whose face had been covered with excess skin. Percival and Gwaine rushed the knight back to Camelot, where Gaius identified the disfigurement as a ragaid, a magical declaration of war used by High Priestesses (The Kindness of Strangers).
Mordred's Betrayal
Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights were returning from a hunting trip when they came across a Camelot patrol that had been slaughtered by Saxons. While they looked for survivors, Mordred thought he saw someone in the trees and gave chase. When he returned, he claimed that it was only a deer.
However, it was not a deer that he'd seen, but a girl. Recognizing her as Kara, his childhood sweetheart, he allowed her to escape capture and later returned to the woods in search of her. They were both delighted by their unexpected reunion, though Kara was surprised to see that Mordred had become a Knight. She was shocked when he told her that Arthur was both a good man and his friend, but Mordred replied that he believed in the King and that one day things would change.
Unbeknownst to Mordred, however, Merlin had seen him let Kara escape and the warlock confronted him when he returned to Camelot. The knight was irritated by his suspicions and offended that Merlin always thought the worst of him. When Merlin revealed that he was under the impression that Mordred had let a Saxon go, however, Mordred quickly corrected him and explained that Kara was a Druid, a friend, and had been wounded. He was certain that she meant no harm to anyone and begged Merlin not to tell Arthur, to which Merlin promised that his secret was safe with him.
Later, while Arthur and Merlin were on a patrol in the forest, the King noticed a bootprint in the mud and followed them to the site of the attack. Keeping his promise to Mordred, Merlin tried to convince Arthur that they were their footprints from the previous day and then that they were from another patrol, but the King was skeptical. Noticing another trail (Mordred's), Arthur followed it to Kara's hiding place, where they discovered the Druid girl herself. She asked them not to hurt her and promised that she meant no harm, but when Arthur went to help her she pulled out a dagger and tried to stab him. Merlin quickly used his magic to deflect the dagger and Kara was arrested.
Mordred was enraged when he saw Kara being taken to the dungeons and angrily confronted Merlin, accusing him of betraying him. Merlin swore he hadn't said anything to Arthur, but Mordred didn't believe him and swore that Merlin would pay. It was at this point that Gwaine and Leon arrived. When they asked what was going on, neither Mordred nor Merlin would discuss the incident, leaving the two knights confused.
Kara is put on trial for murder.
The Knights of the Round Table were all present at Kara's trial. She freely admitting to being part of the Saxon raid that had killed the patrol and claimed that she'd acted so that her people and magic could be free. After a small debate, Arthur pointed out that she was not on trial for magic, but for murder, and Kara replied that she would not rest until he was dead and Camelot was no more.
Switching gears, Arthur asked who had treated her leg for her, to which Kara replied that she'd treated it herself. Arthur contested this, surmising that whoever had left the footprints in the mud had treated her wounds, and a stricken Mordred realized that it was not Merlin who was responsible for her capture, but himself. The trial over, Arthur decreed that he had no choice but to declare her an enemy of Camelot and sentenced her to death.
Determined that Kara wouldn't die, Mordred later went to Arthur and confessed that he was the one who had treated her wounds. He begged Arthur to reconsider her sentence, saying that she was a good person and meant no harm, and that she wasn't to blame for Morgana using her in her quest for power. He told him that he'd known Kara since he was a child and that she was very dear to him. But though Arthur was sympathetic, he replied that she was a sworn enemy of Camelot and he couldn't risk the lives of his citizens by letting her go.
Mordred was deeply betrayed by Arthur's refusal, later telling Kara that he'd thought he and Arthur were friends, and decided to escape with her. When Merlin figured out what he was planning he went after Mordred and tried to talk him out of it, but Mordred wouldn't be swayed. Aware that if he left with Kara he'd run straight to Morgana, Merlin then went to Arthur and told him what Mordred was up to. They hurried to the cells, but it was too late. Mordred and Kara were gone.
Arthur quickly gathered the Knights and set out after them. He ordered that the forest be searched and advised them to put all personal feelings aside; Mordred was a now fugitive and the law was clear. When they caught up with them in the forest, Mordred begged Arthur to let them go and promised that they would never return to Camelot. When the King didn't reply, he tried to appeal to Leon and Gwaine, but they both remained loyal to Arthur. Accepting that his cause was lost, Mordred prepared to use magic on his former friends, but was knocked out by Percival before he could do so.
Aware that Mordred was destined to kill Arthur, Merlin was desperate to find a way to keep him from becoming the King's enemy. He asked Arthur to give Kara another chance to save herself, and ultimately Arthur agreed. He offered Kara a deal: if she repented of her crime, he would spare her from execution. Kara, however, replied that she could not repent of a crime that she hadn't committed, leaving Arthur and the Knights stunned by her blindness.
Kara was executed the next morning. Crying in the dungeons, Mordred sensed her death and reacted with an enraged burst of magic that blew the doors off his cell. He escaped from Camelot and went to Morgana, presenting himself as an ally. He told her that he was wrong to ever have questioned her wisdom, and that he wished to make amends by giving her the true name of her enemy Emrys: Merlin (The Drawing of the Dark).
Battle of Camlann
Leon and Gwaine were both present when Mordred and Morgana launched an attack on Fort Stowell. The knights fought valiantly, but the Saxons soon overwhelmed them and Leon was forced to order a retreat.
During the battle, Gwaine intervened in the capture of a young woman named Eira, who repaid him by saving his life when the Saxon he was fighting elbowed him to the ground. Eira hit the Saxon over the head with a piece of wood, which gave Gwaine the opening he needed to end the fight. He later took her back to Camelot with him, where he arranged for Merlin to treat her wounds. When Eira asked about her family, Gwaine was forced to deliver the devastating news that she was the only survivor and tried to comfort her by promising that she would be safe in Camelot.
Leon, Gwaine, and Percival were all present at the meeting of the Round Table where the council discussed Morgana's plans for war and decided on Camelot's response. Arthur ultimately chose to make their stand at Camlann rather than the citadel in order to minimize civilian casualties, and the army set off at sundown. Percival and Leon rode ahead at one point to scout out Morgana's army. They discovered that her forces would reach Camlann by the following evening and that her soldiers was more numerous than they'd expected; Leon estimated that they outnumbered Camelot's troops 5 to 1.
Gwaine did not travel with the rest of the army, as he had promised to escort Merlin on his errand to the Valley of the Fallen Kings. They were attacked by bandits during their journey, but fortunately Gwaine managed to fight them off. When they eventually reached Merlin's destination, a cave, the warlock insisted that he could make his own way from there and sent Gwaine to catch up with Arthur. Confused and somewhat concerned by Merlin's odd behavior, Gwaine nevertheless did as he asked and set off after the army, though he insisted on leaving the warlock his sword.
Percival in the Battle of Camlann.
Leon didn't like the look of Camlann when Camelot's army arrived, noting that its dead-end made it a death trap. Arthur acknowledged this but stood by his decision, ordering the army to set up camp and take their positions. At some point they were joined by Gwaine.
That night, Leon received a report from scouts that Morgana's army was on the move. He passed on the information to Arthur, who concluded that she would attack before the night was out. He ordered Leon to prepare the men for battle and Percival and Gwaine to take a patrol of men and search for a hidden path in the mountains, which he believed Morgana intended to use to ambush them. Arthur, Leon, and the rest of the army joined them there after they'd located the path, and together they waited for Morgana's army to arrive.
All three Knights of the Round Table survived the Battle of Camlann and likely took part in the search for Arthur, who disappeared from the battlefield after he was badly wounded by Mordred. Leon took over command of Camelot's army after he vanished and delivered news of their victory to Queen Guinevere. He also gave her regular updates about the search for her missing husband. The army eventually returned to the citadel when no trace of Arthur could be found (The Diamond of the Day).
Death of Sir Gwaine
The death of Sir Gwaine.
Gaius eventually returned to Camelot with the news that Arthur and had been badly wounded and that Merlin was taking him to the Lake of Avalon to be healed. He also revealed that he and Merlin suspected that Eira was a spy.
Because of his relationship with her, Gwen and Gaius asked Gwaine to help them set a trap for Eira, and at their behest he shared false information with her about where he thought Arthur and Merlin were heading. Gwaine was heartbroken when he caught Eira sending the information to Morgana, and watched her execution from a castle window with Percival the following day.
Furious with Morgana and hungry for revenge, Gwaine enlisted Percival to help him find and kill her. Knowing that Eira's message would lead her to the Grove of Brineved, the two knight lay in wait for her and set up an ambush. But though they succeeded in defeating what remained of her army (Percival even managing to land a blow to Morgana herself) their plan failed when the witch knocked them out with her magic.
When he regained consciousness, Gwaine found himself tied between two trees some distance away from Percival, who was similarly tied. Morgana used a Nathair to question him about Arthur's whereabouts, torturing him to the brink of death. Gwaine tried to resist, but the pain was too great and he told Morgana all that he knew.
Incensed by his friend's agonized screams, Percival broke free of his bonds and hurried to his aid, but it was too late. Morgana was gone, and Gwaine died moments later in Percival's arms (The Diamond of the Day).
Death of King Arthur and Aftermath
After Arthur was struck down by Mordred, Merlin (disguised as Dragoon) carried him off the battlefield to safety. Due to the seriousness of his injury (a fragment of sword was embedded in his chest and traveling towards his heart), his only chance of survival was for Merlin to take him to the Lake of Avalon. According to Gaius, only the Sidhe had the power to heal him, and an island in the middle of the lake was the source of their power.
Before they set off, Arthur sent Gaius back to Camelot with the Royal Seal, which he instructed the physician to give to Guinevere. If he should die, he wanted her to ascend the throne in his stead.
Merlin and Arthur traveled for two days by horseback, evading Morgana's Saxons and trying not to be seen. There was little conversation between them at first, as Arthur was still reeling from the revelation of Merlin's magic, but they eventually managed to reach an understanding and reestablish some of their usual rapport.
As they neared the lake, Arthur grew too weak to continue and Merlin reluctantly decided to stop for an hour. When they were about to resume their journey, Morgana arrived and scared away their horses, then used her magic to throw Merlin. Assuming that the warlock had been knocked unconscious, the witch advanced on Arthur and began to gloat about his imminent death. She told him that he would die by Mordred hand and assured him that she would stay and watch over him while it happened.
Much to her surprise, however, Merlin soon revealed that he had not been harmed by her attack and the two sorcerers warily faced off. Undaunted by the sight of Excalibur in his hand, Morgana reminded him that as a High Priestess no mortal blade could kill her. Merlin responded by running her through. As she gasped in shock and pain, he revealed that Excalibur was not a mortal blade, but - like the one Mordred had used to wound Arthur - had been forged in a dragon's breath. She died moments later in Merlin's arms.
Though they were close to the lake at the time of Morgana's attack, without the horses they had no hope of getting there in time, and their situation became even more dire when Arthur lost consciousness. Desperate to save him, Merlin called Kilgharrah and asked the [dragon to carry them the rest of the way, but it was too late. Arthur was dead by the time they arrived.
Heartbroken, Merlin assumed that he'd failed in his destiny, but much to his surprise Kilgharrah told him that all that he'd dreamt of building had come to pass. The dragon reminded him that Arthur was not just a King, but the Once and Future King, and told him that when Albion's need was greatest, Arthur would rise again.
After the dragon bid him farewell, Merlin threw Excalibur back in the lake, where it was caught in the hand of his deceased lover Freya and drawn back under the water. He then placed Arthur's body in a boat and sent it to Avalon.
In the wake of Arthur's death, Guinevere ascended the throne as Queen Regnant of Camelot. Both Percival and Leon were present at her coronation, and it's possible that Leon took over leadership of the Knights of Camelot during her reign (The Diamond of the Day).
Known Members of The Round Table
Deceased Knights
| Name | Status | Original Position | Relative | Photo | Trivia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Pendragon | Deceased |
|
|
|
|
| Lancelot | Deceased | Wandering Swordsman | Unknown † | 
|
|
| Leon | Alive | Knight of Camelot | Unknown |
| |
| Gwaine | Deceased |
Drifter |
|
|
|
| Elyan | Deceased |
|
|
|
|
| Percival | Alive | Unknown | Unknown † |
| |
| Mordred | Deceased |
|
|
|
Knights
| Knight | Original position | Current position | Relatives | Photo | Trivia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leon | Knight (born in a noble family) | Knight affiliated at Gwen Pendragon |
? |
|
Gwen's mother served his family |
| Percival | Alive | Knight affiliated at Gwen Pendragon | ?† | 
|
Met Arthur through Lancelot |
Honorific Members
| Name | Original position | Current position | Photo | Trivia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merlin |
|
Waiting for Arthur |
| |
| Guinevere Pendragon | Maidservant | Queen of Camelot |
| |
| Gaius | Court Physician | Court Physician |
| |
| Queen Guinevere "Gwen" Pendragon | Maid | Queen and ruler of Camelot; waiting for Arthur | 
|
|
| Merlin | Arthur's servant/secret protector/Dragonlord | Waiting for Arthur | 
|
|
| Gaius | Physician/wizard (secretly) | Affiliated to Gwen | 
|
Excommunicated
| Name | Original Position | Cause of Death | Relative | Photo | Trivia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mordred | Druid |
Killed by Arthur |
Cerdan (possible father) † | 
|
He's a druid |
Trivia
- Like Arthur's sword Excalibur, the Knights of the Round Table were never referred to as such within the series. This may be because only they, Merlin, Gwen, and Gaius knew of the existence of the Table itself until Arthur had one constructed between series 4 and 5 (The Coming of Arthur, Arthur's Bane).
- However, Mordred did refer to himself as a Knight of the Round Table in With All My Heart.
- As of his marriage to Guinevere in The Sword in the Stone, Arthur is the only married knight.
- As of Series 5, Mordred is the youngest Knight of the Round Table. The youngest before his introduction was presumably Percival, with Elyan, Arthur, Lancelot, Gwaine, and Leon being the oldest.
- Mordred is the only Knight of the Round Table to be inducted into the group after its formation in The Coming of Arthur.
- In the Series 5 promo trailers on BBC One and Comic Con, Elyan was seen to be sitting a seat away from Gwen. This could clarify his status as her brother, or just be pure coincidence.
- The open seat between them was later revealed to belong to Gwaine (Arthur's Bane).
- It has been said that the Knights of the Round Table will not all sit in the same seat each time they meet.
In Legend
The Knights of the Round Table
The Knights of the Round Table were an order of knights in the service of King Arthur. They were tasked with ensuring the peace of the kingdom and sometimes charged with leading the quest for the Holy Grail. The first written record of them appears in Roman de Brut, which was written by the Norman poet Wace in 1155.
The Round Table is the table around which King Arthur and his knights congregated in Arthurian Legend. As its name suggests, the Table had no head, implying that everyone who sat there had equal status.
Though the concept of King Arthur having a marvelous court made up of many prominent warriors was first created by Geoffrey of Monmouth, the Round Table itself was created by Wace, who relied on previous depictions of his fabulous retinue. In its first appearance in Roman de Brut, Arthur was said to have created the Round Table to prevent quarrels among his barons, none of whom would accept a lower place than the others.
In other legends, such as Robert de Boron's 1190's poem Merlin, the wizard Merlin was said to have created the Round Table in imitation of the table of the Last Supper and of Joseph of Arimathea's Holy Grail table. This table (here made for Arthur's father Uther Pendragon rather than Arthur himself) had twelve seats and one empty place to mark the betrayal of Judas. This seat was to remain empty until the coming of the knight who would achieve the Grail.
Gallery
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-0.png "Arthur's Bane Images of Gwaine Euchdag (8)-0.png (399 KB)")
.jpg "Mordred (2).jpg (172 KB)")
.jpeg "Mordred and others in The Death Song of Uther Pendragon (4).jpeg (1.92 MB)")
.jpeg "Mordred and others in The Death Song of Uther Pendragon (3).jpeg (1.42 MB)")
.jpg "Series 5 Promo Images - of the characters (18).jpg (2.77 MB)")
