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This article is about the episode Lancelot. For the article about the character, see: Lancelot.

Ever since I was a child I've dreamed of coming here. It's my life's ambition to join the Knights of Camelot.
Lancelot to Merlin

Lancelot is the fifth episode in the first series of Merlin, which was first broadcast on the 18th of October 2008.

This episode marks the first appearance and departure of Lancelot. It also marks the first appearance of royal librarian and court genealogist Geoffrey of Monmouth.

Synopsis

Merlin barely escapes the attack of a magical winged creature when a young swordsman called Lancelot appears and fights the creature away, saving his life. Grateful, Merlin rushes Lancelot to Gaius to treat his wounds.

Lancelot confides in Merlin his dream of becoming a knight and protecting Camelot. Merlin makes it his mission to convince Arthur of Lancelot's nobility and great fighting skills. For it he wishes to repay him by helping him become a Knight of Camelot even if it means bending the rules...

Plot

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Lancelot saves Merlin from the Griffin.

While picking mushrooms in the woods, Merlin is attacked by an enormous winged beast with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. The creature corners him but is chased away by a young man with a sword. Merlin's rescuer introduces himself as Lancelot. Lancelot was hurt during the fight, so Merlin takes him to Gaius for treatment.

Later, King Uther and Prince Arthur search the forest for signs of the creature. It has taken human victims from the nearby village but attacked no livestock: the monster has acquired a taste for human flesh. Uther orders Arthur to prepare Camelot's defences as it appears the beast is making for the city.

Lancelot makes a full recovery and tells Merlin his lifelong ambition to become one of the Knights of Camelot. Merlin promises to put in a word for him with Arthur. Unfortunately, Arthur says only those of noble blood are eligible for knighthood. Lancelot is devastated. He is the only survivor of a village which was massacred by raiders, and has been training in combat ever since to achieve his dream of defending Camelot.

Merlin uses his magic to create a forged seal of nobility for Lancelot to use. Lancelot is reluctant to lie but Merlin convinces him all he needs is a chance to prove his worth. Gwen fits Lancelot for his chain mail and they seem to be very taken with each other. Gaius chastises Merlin for forging the seal of nobility, but Merlin declares the rules of knighthood are unfair and this is the only way he can repay Lancelot for saving his life.

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Gwen and Merlin support Lancelot.

Uther discovers the mysterious creature is moving towards Camelot. He tells Arthur to prepare the royal knights to fight. Because of this, Lancelot's test of knighthood is brought forward.

To pass the test, Lancelot must last one minute in a duel with Arthur. Lancelot feigns defeat and attacks when Arthur thinks he has won. The attack is successful and Lancelot is knighted as Sir Lancelot. However, Uther is suspicious and orders the seal of nobility to be examined by the court genealogist, Geoffrey of Monmouth.

At the celebrations for Lancelot's knighthood, Merlin jokingly asks Gwen who she would fall in love with if she had the choice between Arthur and Lancelot. Gwen, secretly infatuated with Merlin, says she will never have to make the decision (fun fact is that later on the series she actually has to make the decision). Meanwhile Lancelot and Arthur are discussing Gwen and Morgana, as Arthur, besotted with Morgana, asks if he thinks she is beautiful. Lancelot, talking about Gwen, says he does, and Arthur, watching Morgana, replies that she really is.

Lancelot is arrested the following morning when it is discovered he's not a real nobleman, though Geoffrey said that the forgery was amazing. He is thrown into the dungeons. Arthur says Lancelot still proved himself capable to fight, but the king insists Lancelot has betrayed their trust and is not worthy of the honour.

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The Knights of Camelot surround the Griffin.

Gaius has discovered the monster terrorising the villages is a Griffin, a creature previously thought to be only mythical. The Griffin arrives in Camelot and battles with Arthur and the royal knights. It destroys Arthur's weapons, but retreats when Arthur holds a torch up against it.

Gaius says the creature is magical and can only be defeated by magic, but Uther insists they lure the Griffin and kill it that evening. Gaius tells Merlin he must use magic to defeat the Griffin or Arthur will be killed, however Merlin has difficulty pronouncing the spell needed to kill the Griffin, but he continues to try.

Arthur releases Lancelot from prison. Arthur is regretful Lancelot cannot serve as a knight, but orders him to leave Camelot before the king finds out. Lancelot asks Gwen to provide him with weapons and armour so he can fight the Griffin anyway. Merlin discovers Lancelot plans to battle the Griffin, and rushes to join him.

Meanwhile, the Knights have arrived at the opening Uther suggested they use to fight the Griffin. The monster slaughters the knights and knocks Arthur unconscious. Merlin and Lancelot arrive and Lancelot charges the griffin while Merlin casts the spell he practiced with Gaius. He pronounces it correctly and Lancelot's spear becomes magically charged, allowing him to kill the Griffin.

Merlin runs away when Arthur begins to stir, so when he wakes, he sees Lancelot near the dead griffin and assumes that he was the one who killed it. They return to Camelot and Arthur demands that Uther restore Lancelot's knighthood, but Uther refuses. He is willing to consider a pardon, but refuses to bend the Code.

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Merlin and Lancelot kill the Griffin.

Meanwhile, Lancelot tells Merlin that he saw him use magic to defeat the Griffin. He promises to keep his secret safe, but refuses to take credit for something he didn't do.

Lancelot interrupts Uther and Arthur's argument and apologises for how his lies have brought conflict between them. He tells them that he intends to leave Camelot, though he hopes that he may one day return and prove himself a worthy Knight of Camelot.

The next morning, Gwen sadly watches Lancelot ride away from Morgana's chambers. Gaius and Merlin also watch him leave from the battlements, and Gaius remarks that Merlin and Lancelot's destines were entwined and that he may return to them one day.

Cast

Main Cast

Recurring Cast

Continuity

  • This episode marks the first appearance of Lancelot and introduces his quest to become a Knight of Camelot.
  • This episode marks the first appearance of royal librarian and court genealogist Geoffrey of Monmouth.
  • Gwen is revealed to be a talented seamstress.
  • Lancelot develops a crush on Gwen, who appears to return his feelings.
  • Lancelot is made a Knight of Camelot, but is stripped of his title and exiled for lying about his noble status.
  • Arthur reveals that he disagrees with his father's policy of allowing only those with noble blood to serve as knights.
  • Merlin learns and masters the enchantment to strengthen mortal weapons.
  • Lancelot witnesses Merlin's magic and promises to protect his secret.
  • Arthur demands that Lancelot be reinstated as a Knight, but though Uther agrees to pardon him, Lancelot chooses to leave Camelot to avoid causing conflict between Arthur and his father.

Release & Reception

  • Lancelot premiered on Syfy UK at 7pm on September 8th 2017, immediately followed by A Remedy to Cure All Ills.
  • For the fifth episode, Merlin was moved from 7:05 pm to 5:55 pm, causing a drop of 900,000 viewers to a series low of 5 million. Despite this, the series gained in terms of audience share, rising from 25.6% to 27.1%.

Gallery

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To view the Lancelot (episode) gallery, click here.


Transcript

View the transcript here.

See Also

Series 1
The Dragon's Call  • Valiant  • The Mark of Nimueh  • The Poisoned Chalice  • Lancelot  • A Remedy to Cure All Ills  • The Gates of Avalon  • The Beginning of the End  • Excalibur  • The Moment of Truth  • The Labyrinth of Gedref  • To Kill the King  • Le Morte d'Arthur

Mini-episode: Merlin in Need

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