The Dark Tower (episode)

This article is about the episode The Dark Tower. For the location, see: The Dark Tower (Location).

“Good morning, my Lady. I thought we could play a little game. Just to find out how much Arthur loves you.”
— Morgana to Guinevere

The Dark Tower is the sixth episode of the fifth series of Merlin. It was first broadcast on the 10th of November 2012.

It marks the death and final appearance of Elyan, Gwen's brainwashing by Morgana, and the beginning of their alliance against Camelot.

Synopsis

When Gwen is snatched from Camelot without warning, Merlin knows there can only be one person responsible: Morgana. Arthur is determined to save his Queen, but it's not going to be easy, for she is locked in the Dark Tower, a place that haunts the dreams of men.

Arthur and his Knights must embark on a quest like no other, battling through landscape riddled with hidden dangers, perilous obstacles and magical beings. As they near their goal, Merlin's sense of dread reaches breaking point. What twisted game is Morgana playing? And more importantly, just what is the final test that awaits them in the Tower?

Plot

Guinevere and Elyan visit the grave of their father, Tom, and recollect how he was a good father. As they ride back to Camelot escorted by the other Knights of the Round Table, Leon remarks that Tom would be proud of them, and Gwen adds that he would be particularly proud of Elyan.

As the group's conversation turns to teasing Gwaine, Morgana spies on them and then rides ahead to a nearby field, where she uses her magic to summon a nest of snakes that spook the Knights' horses. Percival and Leon are thrown from their horses and bitten by the snakes while Gwaine and Elyan urge Gwen to run to safety. She does as they ask and gallops away, but Morgana uses magic to pull her from her horse, knocking her unconscious.

Back in Camelot, Gaius and Merlin treat Percival and Leon's snakebites while Elyan tells Arthur about the attack and informs him that Gwen is missing. Gaius realises that the venom in the Knights' veins is laced with dark magic, leading him to suspect that Morgana is involved in Gwen's disappearance.

Determined to find his wife, Arthur orders the Knights to be ready to ride at dawn. Merlin later visits him in his chambers and informs him of Morgana's involvement. He assures Arthur that he will not lose Gwen and, clasping Arthur's hand, swears that they will bring her home.

The next morning, Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table search the forest for signs of Gwen. Meanwhile, Morgana wakes Gwen and tells her she wants to play a game to find out how much Arthur loves her. Gwen tells Morgana that Arthur isn't stupid and will know she's leading him into a trap. Morgana agrees, but says that he'll come anyway.

Vlcsnap-2012-11-14-23h04m57s122 — Morgana drags Guinevere to the Dark Tower.

The Knights find Gwen's horse tied to a tree and determine from her damaged saddle she was pulled off by Morgana. Percival spots tracks heading east and Arthur decides to follow them.

Morgana binds Gwen's hands and pulls her along behind her horse. When Gwen collapses, Morgana offers her water, but Gwen refuses. Morgana taunts Gwen, then pours the water onto the ground, remounts her horse, and continues their journey. They eventually reach the Dollares Plains, a harsh, desert wasteland across which lies the Dark Tower.

Meanwhile, the Knights ride deeper into the forest until nightfall, at which point it becomes too dark to see. Arthur insists they keep heading east, then orders them to retrace the tracks after Merlin tells him they've lost the trail. However, Merlin persuades Arthur to stop and make camp for the night and pick up the trail in the morning.

Upon reaching the Dark Tower, Morgana takes Gwen to a chamber at the very top of the building. The room is very dark and mandrake roots hang from the ceiling. After Morgana locks Gwen inside the room, the mandrake root begin to torment her by filling the air with hellish screams.

At the Knights' camp, Arthur tries to comfort Elyan about Gwen. He points out that Elyan's actions saved Percival and Leon and that they can't blame themselves for her kidnapping. Elyan appreciates his words, but remains worried for his sister. He tells Arthur that Gwen raised him and that he doesn't know what he'd be if it weren't for her.

Vlcsnap-2012-11-14-23h17m19s128 — Arthur worries about Guinevere in the Impenetrable Forest.

Later that night, Percival and Leon suffer identical nightmares about the Dark Tower. Merlin tells Arthur that Morgana likely planted the visions in their minds to lure him into a trap. As such, the Dark Tower is probably where she's taken Gwen.

The next morning, Arthur explains the situation to the Knights and tells them he intends to travel to the Tower alone. However, they insist on accompanying him and together they begin to fight their way through the Impenetrable Forest.

Meanwhile, in the Dark Tower, Gwen wakes in her room to find that the mandrake roots are now covered with a black potion. The roots begin screaming again and eventually progress to giving Gwen hallucinations. She begins to see nightmarish visions of Elyan and Merlin taunting and laughing at her.

The Knights attempt to hack their way through the Impenetrable Forest, breaking their swords on the dense foliage. Though they lose the path, Arthur decides to keep heading north and estimates they will reach the Tower by sundown. However, they soon realise they are traveling in circles and Arthur angrily declares that they've wasted an entire day. As he sinks to the ground in defeat, Leon advises that they make camp for the night while Merlin reassures him and Elyan that they will bring Gwen home.

Morgana collects Gwen from her room and invites her to dine with her. Gwen refuses to eat anything and says whatever trick Morgana is playing, she won't be broken by her. Morgana calls Gwen ungrateful and tells her about her own suffering and how she spent two years chained at the bottom of a pit. She tells Gwen she would have sold her soul for someone to show her such kindness as this, then takes her back to her room.

At the camp, Merlin senses Queen Mab and follows her into the forest. Mab introduces herself as the spirit of the forest and all other places of despair. Speaking in riddles and rhyme, she gives an increasingly frustrated Merlin clues about how to navigate the forest. She also warns him that one of his party will not return, but vanishes before telling him which one.

The next day, Arthur recalls a clearing from which they were able to see the Dollares Plains and says they need to find their way back to it. Merlin tells Arthur and the others that he can lead them north. Arthur is skeptical, but Merlin and Elyan manage to convince him to let Merlin try. Using his magic to visualise the path ahead, Merlin successfully leads the Knights back to the clearing, and then through the forest to the Plains.

Locked in her tower room, Gwen continues to be tormented by hallucinations of her loved ones. Morgana visits her and invites her to dine with her again. Gwen is momentarily tempted, but then pulls away from her, after which Morgana changes tack. She offers to build Gwen a fire and says that whatever she wants she can have. She tries to remind Gwen they were friends once, but Gwen resists her and Morgana leaves her to her torment.

The hallucinations continue and Gwen is eventually reduced to lying on the floor, crying, muttering to herself, and covering her ears to block out the screams. A hallucination of Arthur appears, and though Gwen tries to resist looking at it, she eventually gives in. The hallucination begins to laugh at her, and soon after Gwen breaks down completely.

Vlcsnap-2012-11-14-23h46m54s194 — Elyan dies in Gwen's arms.

At the sound of Gwen's screams, Morgana returns and comforts her. She promises that Gwen will never be alone again and says she's the only person Gwen can trust, that everyone else torments and hates her. Gwen appears to succumb to her words, but resists once more and says she'd rather die than play Morgana's twisted game.

Meanwhile, the Knights make their away across the Plains, enduring painful blisters and a blazing sun. They eventually arrive at the Tower and make their way up the stairway. Merlin worries that something's wrong and remarks that it's too easy. Arthur rebuts that Merlin is never happy.

Moments later, the Knights enter a booby trapped room. The flagstones on the floor react to pressure and shoot darts, one of which hits Percival in the leg and another of which almost hits Arthur in the head. Elyan works out a way of testing the flagstones before stepping on them and quickly crosses the room. As the others hurry to catch up, Elyan decides to continue on alone.

Elyan finds Gwen at the top of the Tower being guarded by an enchanted sword. Though Gwen warns him that the sword is meant to protect her and will fight to the death, Elyan engages it in a duel. He manages to outwit the sword and trick it into lodging itself in a window shutter, but is mortally wounded in the process and dies in Gwen's arms.

Back in Camelot, Elyan is given a viking funeral at the Lake of Avalon with the entire court in attendance. As they watch Elyan's body burn, Merlin tells Gaius he was warned someone would not return, and Gaius says the sword Elyan fell to was surely intended for Arthur.

Vlcsnap-2012-11-14-23h47m46s195 — Elyan's funeral at the Lake of Avalon.

That night, Gwen sneaks out of her chambers to meet Morgana in the woods. They share a hug and Gwen is revealed to now be in Morgana's thrall. She believes Morgana is and always was the only person she can trust and says she hates everyone in Camelot. Pleased, Morgana tells Gwen that she has an important part to play in the future and that together they will ensure the destruction of everything Arthur holds dear.

Cast

Main Cast

Recurring Cast

Rupert Young as Sir Leon
Eoin Macken as Sir Gwaine
Adetomiwa Edun as Sir Elyan
Tom Hopper as Sir Percival
Alexander Vlahos as Sir Mordred (uncredited cameo)

Guest Cast

Kelly Wenham as Queen Mab

Continuity

This episode marks the death and final appearance of Elyan.
This episode marks the seventh appearance of the Lake of Avalon.
This episode marks the first confrontation between Morgana and Guinevere since the latter became Queen of Camelot.
Elyan tells Arthur that Gwen raised him and is responsible for the person he's become.
Morgana tells Gwen that she spent two years living in darkness, chained to a wall at the bottom of the pit.
Elyan is killed rescuing Gwen from the Dark Tower and is given a viking funeral at the Lake of Avalon.
Morgana uses a mandrake root ritual to brainwash Gwen into becoming her ally against Arthur and Camelot.

Release & Reception

The Dark Tower was broadcast on November 10, 2012 - 8.05pm on BBC One. 6.85 million views.

Trivia

In the Italian version of this episode, Morgana states that two years have passed since the end of series 4.
Mordred appears only briefly in this episode. He can be seen standing with the other Knights of Camelot during Elyan's funeral.
Though they are both referred to as the Dark Tower, the tower featured in this episode and the tower depicted on Arthur's map of the Perilous Lands are two separate locations (The Eye of the Phoenix).
In Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, Arthur Eld (who is based on King Arthur) is a guardian of the nexus of creation known as The Dark Tower.

Gallery

To view the The Dark Tower (episode) gallery, click here.

Transcript

View the transcript here.