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| − | |origin = Unknown |
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| + | |origin = [[Albion]] |
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| − | |appearances = [[The Tears of Uther Pendragon]]<br>[[The Dark Tower (episode)|The Dark Tower]]|mentions = [[With All My Heart]]}}The '''mandrake''' is a magical plant used frequently in [[spells]] and rituals. The root was also thought to scream when it was dug up from the ground, killing everyone who heard its cries. In the [[Merlin (TV Series)|show]], the mandrake is a big and grey root, similar to a straw voodoo doll. |
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| + | |appearances = [[Mandrake Root#Appearances|3 episodes]]}} |
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| + | {{Quote|The mandrake root is cruel. Pierces the depths of your very soul. Pushes you into the very mere consciousness of what you fear and dread.|[[Morgana Pendragon|Morgana]] to [[Guinevere Pendragon|Guinevere]]|The Dark Tower}} |
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| + | '''Mandrake Roots''' are [[Magic|magical]] plants frequently used in [[spells]] and rituals, particularly those involving [[dark magic]]. |
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| + | Though only those with magic can hear its cries, even those without magic can be affected by it. It is said that its magic can pierce the very soul, twisting the unconscious into the very image of fear and dread. |
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| − | [[Morgause]], with the help of her half-sister [[Morgana]], used it to enchant [[Uther Pendragon]] and make him lose his mind. [[Morgause]] prepared a [[Potions|potion]] in a big cauldron, a thick, dense, black liquid similar to dark mud, and threw a handkerchief, which had the tears of Uther on it with the root itself in it that sank in the potion. While doing this, the mandrake emitted a piercing scream that only those with magic could hear. For those without [[magic]], [[Morgause]] explained, the root would pierce the very recesses of the soul, twisting the unconscious into the very image of fear and dread. She then pronounced a [[Spells|spell]] ("'''Mid þæm wundorcræft þæs ealdan æwe ic þe hate nime Utheres wopdropan ond þa gemengan mid his blod. Sy he under wittig ond deofol seocnes his heorte afylþ'''") and took the root from the cauldron. Morgana placed it under Uther's bed, and the liquid started to drip from the mandrake. [[File:Merlin03x01.jpg|thumb|left|Morgause hands Morgana the mandrake root.]] |
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| + | == History == |
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| − | The spell caused Uther to hallucinate, seeing people who had died because of his choices and actions before and during the [[Great Purge]]. These included his wife [[Igraine De Bois|Ygraine]] frightened and bleeding, begging Uther not to harm her and an unknown drowned [[Ghost Boy|boy]], who was revealed by [[Gaius]] to be one of the many children Uther had killed simply because of the magic they had inherited from their parents. The spell gave the impression to the people of [[Camelot]] that their King was losing his mind. [[File:Merlin301_1315.jpg|thumb|The root under Uther's bed.]] |
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| + | === Tormenting Uther === |
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| + | {{Quote|Uther Pendragon will find that his great kingdom counts for nothing, when he has lost his mind.|[[Morgause]] to [[Morgana Pendragon|Morgana]]|The Tears of Uther Pendragon}} |
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| + | [[File:Merlin301 1315.jpg|thumb|left|220px|The mandrake root beneath [[Uther Pendragon|Uther's]] bed.]] |
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| + | [[Morgause]] and [[Morgana Pendragon|Morgana]] used a [[Mandrake Root Enchantment|mandrake root enchantment]] to drive [[Uther Pendragon|Uther]] mad. After preparing the [[Mandrake Root Potion|necessary potion]], Morgause added a handkerchief containing Uther's tears and then the root itself, which emitted a piercing scream. She then removed the root from the potion and gave it to Morgana. |
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| + | Morgana took the root back to the [[citadel]] and hid it beneath Uther's bed. That night, Uther began to suffer nightmarish hallucinations of his wife [[Ygraine Pendragon|Ygraine]] and children he'd executed during the [[Great Purge]]. The hallucinations grew steadily worse until he was confined to his bed, leading the people of [[Camelot]] to believe that he was losing his mind. |
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| − | + | To keep the [[Enchantments|enchantment]] going, [[Morgause's Cave|Morgause's cave]] every evening for a freshly enchanted root. One night, she was stopped by one of the castle [[guard]]s. He mistook the potion dripping from the root for blood and she was forced to kill him before he discovered what it really was. |
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| + | The root was eventually discovered by [[Merlin]] while he was working in [[Uther's Chambers|Uther's chambers]]. He later threw the root into the fire, destroying it and releasing Uther from the enchantment (''[[The Tears of Uther Pendragon]]''). |
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| − | Morgana also worsened Uther's sickness by wrapping the mandrake up with a string and pulling it twice: this caused the root to scream, like if it was in pain, and so Uther had another vision of Ygraine with many drowned boys, begging the King not to harm them. [[File:Merlin302_0286.jpg|thumb|left|Morgana worsens the enchantment.]] |
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| + | === Enchanting Guinevere === |
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| − | The root was in the end destroyed by [[Merlin]], who threw it into some flames. Without the root, Morgause's enchantment no longer held and Uther recovered (''[[The Tears of Uther Pendragon]]''). |
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| + | {{Quote|Her spirit has been consumed by the Teine Diaga. Bound by the silver wheel for all eternity. Her body is nothing but an empty vessel filled by the will of another.|The [[Dochraid]] to [[Merlin]] about [[Guinevere Pendragon|Guinevere]]|With All My Heart}} |
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| + | [[File:Arthur Hallucination.jpg|thumb|220px|[[Guinevere Pendragon|Gwen]] is tormented by hallucinations.]] |
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| + | When [[Guinevere Pendragon|Gwen]] was kidnapped by [[Morgana Pendragon|Morgana]], she was taken to the [[Dark Tower]] and imprisoned in a room filled with mandrake roots. The roots were coated with a [[Mandrake Root Potion|black potion]] and induced nightmarish hallucinations of endless screaming and her friends and loved ones laughing at her. |
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| + | Over the course of several days, Morgana visited regularly to offer food and comfort. She tried to convince Gwen that she was the only person she could trust. Gwen resisted at first, but her resolve slowly crumbled as the hallucinations intensified. By the time [[Arthur Pendragon|Arthur]] and his men rescued her, her mind was under Morgana's control (''[[The Dark Tower]]''). |
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| + | After discovering Gwen's [[Enchantments|enchantment]], [[Merlin]] learned that the ritual Morgana had subjected to was called the [[Teine Diaga]]. According to [[Gaius]], the ritual used the mandrake root to bring unimaginable terror to the victim. When it was over, their will was no longer their own and they were slaves of the [[High Priestess|High Priestesses]] for all eternity. |
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| − | [[File:259-Locksley.jpg|thumb|Many mandrake roots hanging from the ceiling of Gwen's cell.]] |
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| − | In a wicked plan to brainwash [[Guinevere Pendragon|Queen Guinevere]] and turn her against Camelot, Morgana kidnapped her former maid and took her to the [[Dark Tower]], a place of terror that haunted the hearts and minds of men. She held the Queen locked in a dark, gloomy room filled with a large number of mandrake roots hanging from the ceiling, each of them covered with the black, muddy potion that dripped off them. |
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| + | Merlin later learned from the [[Dochraid]] that the only way to reverse the enchantment was to take the victim to the [[Cauldron of Arianrhod]] and summon the [[Triple Goddess|White Goddess]]. However, it would only work if Gwen entered the Cauldron's waters willingly; if she were tricked or forced, her soul would be lost forever (''[[With All My Heart]]''). |
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| − | The cruel magic of the mandrake roots pierced the depths of Gwen's soul, twisting her unconscious into the very image of fear and dread. The woman spent an undefined period of time (probably a few days) being haunted by visions of [[Elyan]], Merlin, and Arthur, taunting her and teasing her, while hearing ghostly screams of terror and other spirits laugh at her. |
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| − | [[File:148-Locksley.jpg|thumb|left|The mandrakes piercing the depths of Gwen's soul.]] |
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| + | == Appearances== |
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| − | Morgana paid Guinevere a few visits, one time even to get her to dine with her, to show her how nice and friendly she was compared to the evil people in her visions. The [[High Priestess]], with her gentile manners and desire to lovingly take care of the Queen, induced Gwen to believe that she was all she had left in the world, her only friend, the only one she could trust, while her other former friends hated her and taunted her. |
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| + | ;'''Series 3''' |
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| + | ;'''Series 5''' |
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| + | :''[[The Dark Tower]]'' |
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| + | :''[[With All My Heart]]'' {{Mention}} |
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| − | So strong was the magic of the mandrake roots, along with Morgana's deception, that, although Gwen turned against the sorceress a couple of times, in the end she was completely taken in by her mind game. Even after she was rescued by Arthur and taken back to Camelot, Guinevere was still under Morgana's influence and she had become her ally, sharing the same hatred towards everyone in Camelot (''[[The Dark Tower]]''). |
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| ⚫ | * It is possible that when a mandrake's effects on a person are worsened, it can partially reduce a person's consciousness and focus the victim more on their visions than their surroundings. When [[Uther]]'s sickness was worsened, he was so lost in visions that he was unaware that [[Morgana Pendragon|Morgana]] was standing in front of him even when he was awake (''[[The Tears of Uther Pendragon]]''). |
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| − | [[File:What's wrong Gwen?!.png|thumb|The Queen is haunted by the most terrible visions.]] |
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| + | == Gallery == |
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| − | It was later revealed, in the episode "''[[With All My Heart]]''", that Morgana had performed on Gwen an ancient ritual of the [[Old Religion]] called the "'''Teine Diaga'''", the "''sacred fire''". According to Gaius, the ritual used the mandrake root to bring unimaginable terror to the victim (their screams could be heard twenty leagues away). When it was finally over, their will was no longer their own, they were slaves of the [[High Priestesses]] for eternity. As a boy, Gaius was privy only to rumors, for such mysteries were revealed only to a handful of female initiates, destined to become High Priestesses. In Merlin's time, the only people who truly knew the Old Ways and the Teine Diaga were Morgana Pendragon and the ancient [[Dochraid]]. |
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| + | <gallery captionalign="left" position="center"> |
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| + | Merlin301 1211.jpg |
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| + | Mandrake Root Potion 2.jpg |
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| + | Mandrake Root Potion 3.jpg |
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| + | Merlin03x01.jpg |
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| + | Merlin301 1315.jpg |
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| + | Merlin Mandrake Potion 2.jpg |
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| + | Merlin302 0286.jpg |
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| + | 148-Locksley.jpg |
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| + | Mandrake Root.jpg |
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| + | 161-Locksley.jpg |
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| + | 259-Locksley.jpg |
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| + | Vlcsnap-2012-11-14-23h29m06s21.png |
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| + | </gallery> |
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| + | == See Also == |
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| − | Merlin, disguised as Old Emrys, went to the old hag's cave to ask her how to break the sorceress' spell. The Dochraid refused, since Emrys was no friend of the Old Religion or of Morgana. Merlin threatened her with [[Excalibur]], the only weapon which could kill a creature of the earth such as the Dochraid. With the sword at her throat, the hag told Merlin that Guinevere was doomed, her spirit consumed by the Teine Diaga and bound to the Silver Wheel for all eternity. Her body was nothing but an empty vessel, filled by Morgana's will. |
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| + | * [[Mandrake Root Enchantment]] |
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| − | To free the Queen's spirit, a thing that only the most powerful sorcerers could hope to attempt, Merlin would have had to travel to the Cauldron of Arianrhod and there use all his powers to summon the [[The Triple Goddess|White Goddess]] herself. The waters of the Cauldron held the Goddess' powers and only their touch could heal her, but Gwen would have had to enter the lake willingly; if she were tricked, forced or beguiled, she would fall into the abyss and be lost forever. |
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| ⚫ | * |
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| − | *The enchantment cast by Morgana on the many mandrake roots used to traumatize Gwen must have been different from the magic worked by Morgause, because the Witch hadn't probably used the Queen's tears and she didn't have to continuously recover the roots with the black potion. |
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[[Category:Dark magic]] |
[[Category:Dark magic]] |
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| − | [[Category: |
+ | [[Category:Magical Objects]] |
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| − | [[Category:Old Religion]] |
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[[Category:Series 3 Objects]] |
[[Category:Series 3 Objects]] |
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[[Category:Series 5 Objects]] |
[[Category:Series 5 Objects]] |
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[[Category:Recurring Objects]] |
[[Category:Recurring Objects]] |
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| + | [[Category:Morgause's possessions]] |
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Latest revision as of 23:53, 10 March 2023
Mandrake Roots are magical plants frequently used in spells and rituals, particularly those involving dark magic.
Though only those with magic can hear its cries, even those without magic can be affected by it. It is said that its magic can pierce the very soul, twisting the unconscious into the very image of fear and dread.
History[]
Tormenting Uther[]
The mandrake root beneath Uther's bed.
Morgause and Morgana used a mandrake root enchantment to drive Uther mad. After preparing the necessary potion, Morgause added a handkerchief containing Uther's tears and then the root itself, which emitted a piercing scream. She then removed the root from the potion and gave it to Morgana.
Morgana took the root back to the citadel and hid it beneath Uther's bed. That night, Uther began to suffer nightmarish hallucinations of his wife Ygraine and children he'd executed during the Great Purge. The hallucinations grew steadily worse until he was confined to his bed, leading the people of Camelot to believe that he was losing his mind.
To keep the enchantment going, Morgause's cave every evening for a freshly enchanted root. One night, she was stopped by one of the castle guards. He mistook the potion dripping from the root for blood and she was forced to kill him before he discovered what it really was.
The root was eventually discovered by Merlin while he was working in Uther's chambers. He later threw the root into the fire, destroying it and releasing Uther from the enchantment (The Tears of Uther Pendragon).
Enchanting Guinevere[]
Gwen is tormented by hallucinations.
When Gwen was kidnapped by Morgana, she was taken to the Dark Tower and imprisoned in a room filled with mandrake roots. The roots were coated with a black potion and induced nightmarish hallucinations of endless screaming and her friends and loved ones laughing at her.
Over the course of several days, Morgana visited regularly to offer food and comfort. She tried to convince Gwen that she was the only person she could trust. Gwen resisted at first, but her resolve slowly crumbled as the hallucinations intensified. By the time Arthur and his men rescued her, her mind was under Morgana's control (The Dark Tower).
After discovering Gwen's enchantment, Merlin learned that the ritual Morgana had subjected to was called the Teine Diaga. According to Gaius, the ritual used the mandrake root to bring unimaginable terror to the victim. When it was over, their will was no longer their own and they were slaves of the High Priestesses for all eternity.
Merlin later learned from the Dochraid that the only way to reverse the enchantment was to take the victim to the Cauldron of Arianrhod and summon the White Goddess. However, it would only work if Gwen entered the Cauldron's waters willingly; if she were tricked or forced, her soul would be lost forever (With All My Heart).
Appearances[]
- Series 3
- The Tears of Uther Pendragon
- Series 5
- The Dark Tower
- With All My Heart (Mentioned only)
Trivia[]
- It is possible that when a mandrake's effects on a person are worsened, it can partially reduce a person's consciousness and focus the victim more on their visions than their surroundings. When Uther's sickness was worsened, he was so lost in visions that he was unaware that Morgana was standing in front of him even when he was awake (The Tears of Uther Pendragon).
- According to Katie McGrath (Morgana), in the audio commentary of The Tears of Uther Pendragon, she and Emilia Fox (Morgause) were so fond of the mandrake root they nicknamed it "Manny".
Gallery[]
