Telekinesis

Merlin telekinetically tasked multiple objects to clean.

Telekinesis is a form of magic that involves using the mind to move and manipulate objects and humans. Although in the show it has never been mentioned by this name, this kind of power represents one of the most basic aspects of sorcery (like the ability of casting spells). People who have aptitude for magic can gain this skill through practice and study; there are also some extremely gifted warlocks and witches, like Merlin and Morgana, who can move and manipulate objects instinctively since they're very little.

It's not clear if this form of magic is performed only by casting spells (sometimes non-verbally, enchanting a spell in the mind) or also without an incantation. This probably depends on the sorcerer's power, with the most powerful ones who don't need to pronounce a formula.

Some kinds of spells, like stunning spells, time magic and locking/unlocking spells, could be related to this power. In any case, stunning spells in particular are more likely to be elemental spells linked to Air, for when they're cast, the sorcerer creates a very powerful air current that strikes his opponent. Some kinds of time spells and locking/unlocking spells can involve telekinesis too, however others don't.

This power can be divided into three categories: spells that push objects, spells that move them in general and spells that make them fly (the most common). Telekinesis can also involve spells which break or destroy objects.

Verbal telekinesis

Merlin and other sorcerers have used this form of magic countless times, mostly non-verbally. Along with a spell it has been used in these occasions:

• Onhríne achtung bregdan, used by Merlin to open the etiquette book and study the different parts of a knight's armor. Gaius reproached him for this, because he didn't want Merlin to use his magic too much (Valiant).
• Feormian dust rénian, used by Edwin to put the blue sand, that Merlin had accidentally dropped, back in its bottle. He wanted to show Merlin his powers and that he was skilled in the words of power of the Old Religion (A Remedy to Cure All Ills).
• Rǽdee ásce geotan, used by Merlin to levitate the bottle and pour the sand in a bowl, to show Edwin that he too knew how to cast spells in the language of the Old Religion (A Remedy to Cure All Ills).
• Swilte Merlin, used by Edwin to try to throw an ax against Merlin. He had the ax levitate non-verbally, but Merlin was able to stop it with his mind. Edwin tried to intensify his spell using this incantation, but Merlin was strong enough to send the ax back against the warlock (A Remedy to Cure All Ills).
• Forbearnan firgenholt, used by Merlin to make a big branch fall onto a bandit (The Gates of Avalon).
• Onbregdan, used by Merlin to summon Sophia's Sidhe Staff, that Aulfric's daughter had left unguarded on the shore of the Lake of Avalon (The Gates of Avalon).
• Bestepe scós. Gestælle scós. Astýre scós, used by Merlin to move, stop and then move again Mordred's boots. When Arthur started searching Morgana's rooms for the druid boy, Merlin noticed that he had left the boy's boots in plain sight, so he hid them by making them walk behind the screen (The Beginning of the End).
• Inbringe cume mec, used by Merlin to levitate Arthur's keys. When the Prince heard the keys' clanging sound, Merlin made them fly over and behind his head, so that he couldn't see them (The Beginning of the End).
• Fleoge, used by Merlin to make Arthur's sword fly against the Questing Beast. After having made the sword fly, the young warlock cast on it the enchantment to strengthen mortal weapons (Le Morte d'Arthur).
• Astyre, used by Merlin to make the boat he used to go to the Isle of the Blessed move (Le Morte d'Arthur).
• Flíe fǽgð, used by Merlin to shoot a spear against the wild boar. He did this while hiding behind a tree, and as he couldn't reveal his magic, Cedric got the credit for killing the boar (The Curse of Cornelius Sigan).
• Onbinde þa téage, used by the young warlock to break Myror's horse's saddle strap. In the episode "Gwaine", Merlin did the same thing to save Arthur, but this time he didn't chant the spell aloud, but conjured it non-verbally (The Once and Future Queen).
• Gestillan, used by Merlin to stop various objects, including a broom, that he'd accidentally pushed over in order not to wake Gaius up. Merlin displayed a certain ability by being able to control several objects at once (The Nightmare Begins).
• Binne tófléon, used by Emrys to push numerous barrels around and distract the guards at the entrance of the Citadel (Lancelot and Guinevere).
• Alíese, used by Merlin to push the barrels upright. The guards were reasonably surprised and frightened by this unnatural movement (Lancelot and Guinevere).
• Swéor þá, used to push the barrels against the two guards and knock them out (Lancelot and Guinevere).
• Ic bebíede fealle, used by Merlin to make a chandelier fall on Hengist, who was about to shoot an arrow with a crossbow at Arthur. Hengist was quick enough to move and save himself (Lancelot and Guinevere).
• Learh fearnancai, used by Merlin to trap Hengist inside the Wilddeoren's cage. This spell was used to cut off the rope that held up the grate of the cage, and without it its exit was closed (Lancelot and Guinevere).
• Scéawere, folge min bebod, used by Merlin to levitate a mirror out of Arthur's window and see the reflection of Lady Catrina's true face, whose room was exactly one floor below Arthur's. Merlin lost control over the mirror when he saw the troll's face, making it fall down and thus waking the Prince up (Beauty and the Beast: Part One).
• Flíeh hrǽgl, by Merlin to pull the rug from underneath Catrina, so that Arthur could easily stab her with his sword (Beauty and the Beast: Part Two).
• Dæfte þæt bedd, by Merlin to quickly make Aredian's bed, who entered his room and almost saw Merlin, who was looking for evidence to save Gaius (The Witchfinder).
• Ic þé geháta searubunden, used by Merlin to tide a rope around his chest, making it pass through his pant along his leg. Merlin used this rope to help Arthur escape from his room, climbing down from his window (The Sins of the Father).
• Hoppaþ nu swilce swá lieg fleogan, used by Merlin to make the flames of the candles he had lit fly, to amuse Freya (The Lady of the Lake).
• Ic bebíede þis giestærn tácen fielan, by Merlin to make the inn's sign fall on Halig when the bounty hunter realized that Freya had been freed (The Lady of the Lake).
• Astyre, used by the young warlock to push the boat that held Freya's body into the Lake of Avalon. After having cast this spell, Merlin set the boat on fire with a fire spell (The Lady of the Lake).
• Flíeh hrǽgl, used by Trickler to push the carpet from underneath Gwen. The servant fell and Trickler was able to bring Vivian breakfast in her place (Sweet Dreams).
• Fluge! Gár, used by Merlin to throw a spear against the Great Dragon. This spell had the same effect of an enchantment to strengthen mortal weapons, possibly indicating that Merlin partially conjured it in his mind (The Last Dragonlord).
• Ecg geteoh þing to, used by Merlin to attach various instruments to a bandit's sword, making it too heavy to hold, and thus making the bandit fall on his back (The Tears of Uther Pendragon: Part One).
• Oferbrædels ahries, used by Merlin to to wrap Arthur in his bed sheets when he woke up the Prince who thought there were thieves in his room (Goblin's Gold).
• Culter, ic þe healte, used by Merlin to deflect the dagger that Gaius, while possessed by the Goblin, non-verbally had sent against him. With this spell Merlin was able to stop the knife right in front of his hand. He then telepathically turned it around and send it back, but he stopped it in front of Gaius' face (Goblin's Gold).
• Cæga cume her, used by Merlin to levitate the cell door's keys. He had been arrested for sorcery but he escaped by summoning the keys (Goblin's Gold).
• Oþfiel æstel, used again by Emrys to make a metal sphere fall on Geoffrey of Monmouth, so that he could sneak into the library unnoticed (Goblin's Gold).
• Ætslide bencþel, used by Merlin to make a bench fly against two thugs in a tavern brawl, and thus knocking them out (Gwaine).
• Wæs asnið gyrdel, by Merlin to cut the guard's belt and make his pants fall down. Arthur took advantage of the guard's distraction and defeated him (The Castle of Fyrien).
• Flíeh grima, used by Merlin, disguised as Dragoon the Great, to knock Arthur out by throwing against his head a helmet and escaping from his chambers (Queen of Hearts).
• Gesegle, used by Merlin to make a boat on the Lake of Avalon move, so that he could reach his deceased lover, the Lady of the Lake (The Coming of Arthur: Part Two).
• Ecg ætstande, cast by Merlin to stop Derian's sword as the giant was about to kill the King (His Father's Son).
• Þurhdrif hie ecg, by Merlin to send Sir Leon's sword against Lamia. He badly wounded her but she transformed into a serpent-like creature and was about to kill him when Arthur saved Gwen and him (Lamia).
• Ecg misse, by Merlin to make Lancelot's sword fly away from the knight's hand in his fight with King Arthur (Lancelot Du Lac).
• Strangaþ bydenfæt, used by Merlin to push a barrel around and distract two guards at the entrance of the dungeons (A Herald of the New Age).
• Feall, cast by Emrys, after he had escaped Mordred, Ragnor and the Saxons with Arthur, to destroy part of an ice cliff the two heroes had just jumped so that the bandits could not have followed them. To perform this spell, he hit the icy rock with an ax, releasing a blast of magical energy (Arthur's Bane: Part Two).
• Fleoge seax forþ... After reuniting with her brother in the mines under the Fortress of Ismere, Morgana used her magic to make her dagger levitate and threaten Arthur with it. When he tried to catch it and defend himself, she run his shoulder through, making him fall to the ground. She then kept the knife close to his throat, until she used it to stab his leg, making him fall again (Arthur's Bane: Part Two).
• Hine fordo... This words of power were the first words of a spell Morgana was going to pronounce to finally kill Arthur, probably stabbing his heart to death, before she was caught off guard by Mordred, who was standing right behind her. The young druid prevented the High Priestess from killing Arthur by stabbing her in the back (Arthur's Bane: Part Two).

Non-verbal telekinesis

Series 1

In Series 1, telekinesis has been used non-verbally in these occasions:

• By Merlin
  • To move a bed and cushion Gaius' fall (The Dragon's Call).
  • To block Arthur's mace between two sickles during their brief duel (The Dragon's Call).
  • To move a wooden box on Arthur's foot (The Dragon's Call).
  • To straighten a rope and make the Prince fall (The Dragon's Call).
  • To make Gaius' bed sheet cover the old man's body completely (The Dragon's Call).
  • To push two dices around, making the guards who were playing with them follow them and thus having free access to the dragon's cave (The Dragon's Call).
  • To make a chandelier fall on Lady Helen of Mora (The Dragon's Call).
  • To make different objects (including Arthur's sword, helmet and boots) clean themselves (Valiant).
  • To cover Gaius' grimoire with a blanket, hiding it from Arthur's sight (The Mark of Nimueh).
  • To quickly flick through the pages of Gaius' grimoire, looking for an healing spell that would save Arthur. He then used again his powers to close the book when Uther arrived (Le Morte d'Arthur).
• By other sorcerers
  • By the Great Dragon, to make Excalibur fly from Merlin's hand right in fron of him (Excalibur).

Series 2

In Series 2, telekinesis has been used non-verbally in these occasions:

• By Merlin
  • To levitate a silver plate and protect Gaius from a poisonous arrow in Cornelius Sigan's tomb (The Curse of Cornelius Sigan).
  • To open and close three times a scroll of parchment and find the name and whereabouts of Forridel, a woman who could get him in contact with the Druids (The Nightmare Begins).
  • To make a stone gargoyle fall near the Knights of Camelot and save Freya (The Lady of the Lake).
  • To make different footprints and lead Arthur, with his knights, to Alvarr's camp (The Witch's Quickening).
  • To straighten a branch and trip Mordred up, who was running away (The Witch's Quickening).
• By other sorcerers
  • By Mordred, to send two spears against a couple of Knights of Camelot, killing them (The Witch's Quickening).

Series 3

In Series 3, telekinesis has been used non-verbally in these occasions:

• By Merlin
  • To make a bandit's ax go deeper into the trunk of a tree so that it would cut it entirely and fall on him (The Tears of Uther Pendragon: Part One).
  • To send a spear flying against another bandit to save Arthur's life (The Tears of Uther Pendragon: Part One).
  • To make Arthur drop his sword and be hit by his opponent's mace in the stomach, falling to the ground (The Tears of Uther Pendragon: Part One).
  • To hit different thugs with flying plates in the tavern brawl (Gwaine).
  • To smash Uther's bedroom window so that he could stop Morgana from stabbing the King in his sleep (The Crystal Cave).
  • To move a chair so that Arthur wouldn't have fallen on the floor when he inhaled a compound of wormwood and valerian (The Castle of Fyrien).
  • To make different objects on Geoffrey's desk fly so that the librarian would have believed he was sleeping (Love in the Time of Dragons).
  • To make Gilli lose his shield during his fight with Uther (The Sorcerer's Shadow).
  • To stuck Gilli's sword in Uther's shield (The Sorcerer's Shadow).
  • To embed Excalibur in a stone in the middle of a forest (The Coming of Arthur: Part Two).

• By other sorcerers
  • By Gaius, possessed by a Goblin, to send a flying dagger against Merlin (Goblin's Gold).
  • By Gaius, possessed by a Goblin, to smash a pot on Arthur's head when the Prince realised the physician was under the creature's power (Goblin's Gold).
  • By Morgause, to open a door that led to a secret room for Morgana, while calling telepathically her sister (Queen of Hearts).
  • By Gilli, to grab a sword with his ring and protect Merlin in his brief duel with Tindr and Nollar (The Sorcerer's Shadow).
  • By Gilli, to make his opponent sword go deeper into a fence that it had hit and taking advantage of the warrior momentary distraction (The Sorcerer's Shadow).
  • By Gilli, to make another fighter fall during the semifinal of the tournament (The Sorcerer's Shadow).
  • By Gilli, to stuck Uther's sword in the ground of the duelling pitch (The Sorcerer's Shadow).
  • By Gilli, to make the King lose his sword (The Sorcerer's Shadow).

Series 4

In Series 4, telekinesis has been used non-verbally in these occasions:

• By Merlin
  • To make Arthur drop his pants so that he could steal the vaults' keys (Aithusa).
  • To stop a chalice from falling from Arthur's bed so that he wouldn't have woken the King (Aithusa).
  • To destroy Borden's crossbow before he could fire on Arthur (Aithusa).
  • To stop Derian from hitting the young King with his sword (His Father's Son).
  • To break Percival's sword during his duel with the Knights of the Round Table (A Servant of Two Masters).
  • To make Leon and Percival bump on each other and throw them against Elyan, knocking them unconscious (A Servant of Two Masters).
  • To make one of the bandits that was about to attack him hit his own forehead with his club (Lamia).
  • To move a barrel around and distract two guards at the entrance of the dungeons (A Herald of the New Age).
  • To move the hand with which Arthur was holding a spoon and make some soup spill onto Arthur to embarrass him (The Hunter's Heart).
  • To make Arthur burp and look foolish, trying to put him off Mithian. However this encouraged Mithian to burp as well, bringing their affections closer (The Hunter's Heart).
  • To put an arrow shot by Arthur off course, saving the life of Gwen, who had been turned by Morgana into a deer (The Hunter's Heart).
  • To move a cart towards Agravaine and his men in the village of Ealdor (The Sword in the Stone: Part One).
  • To release Excalibur from the stone Merlin had placed it in, so that Arthur would have been able to pull it out (The Sword in the Stone: Part Two).
• By other sorcerers
  • By the ferryman, to make his boat move on the waters of the lake without having to paddle (The Darkest Hour).
  • By Morgana, during her magical battle with Emrys. As the Witch was lying defenseless on the ground, she distracted Merlin by making her dagger, that was a few meters away from her body, fly in his direction and then straightening up to cast a stunning spell. Merlin was quick enough to avoid the knife, but was blasted back (A Servant of Two Masters).
  • By Morgana, to make her dagger fly at Merlin's throat and keeping it floating there, threatening him with it (The Secret Sharer).

Slideshow

• Merlin magically opens the etiquette book.
• Edwin echants the blue powder.
• Merlin pours out the sand.
• Edwin makes an ax fly against the young warlok.
• Merlin summons Sophia's staff.
• Merlin enchants Mordred's boots.
• Merlin makes the keys fly behind Arthur's head.
• Merlin sends Arthur's sword against the Questing Beast.
• Merlin protects Gaius from a poisonous arrow.
• Merlin magically sends a spear against the boar.
• Merlin enchants several objects, stopping them.
• Merlin distracts the guards with moving barrels.
• The young warlock enchants a rope to go up his trousers.
• Emrys makes the boat with his lover's body move.
• Trickler makes Gwen fall.
• Arthur is wrapped in his bedsheets.
• Merlin deflects a dagger with magic.
• Merlin levitates a set of keys.
• Merlin strikes two thugs with a flying bench.
• Merlin uses telekinesis.
• A non-verbal spell used to levitate objects.
• Morgana enchants her dagger with a gesture of her hand.
• Morgana makes her dagger fly at Merlin's throat.
• Morgana makes her dagger fly and stab Arthur.

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