The Secret Sharer is the seventh episode of the fourth series of Merlin. It was first broadcast on the 12th of November 2011.
It marks the first appearance of Alator.
Synopsis
Morgana joins forces with the enigmatic sorcerer Alator of the Catha in an attempt to uncover a secret to change the course of destiny, as the magical drama continues. With allies on both sides of the castle walls, can anyone stop her before Merlin's secret is revealed?
Plot
Morgana wakes in her hovel, where Agravaine brought her after he found her unconscious in the woods following her duel with Emrys. She explains how Emrys was after the Fomorroh and Agravaine deduces that someone must be telling him their plans. He suspects Gaius, as he was the only one in Camelot who knew about the Fomorroh, and they decide to use Gaius to find Emrys.
Back in Camelot, Agravaine persuades Arthur that Gaius is the traitor he's been searching for. He points out that Gaius was the one who knew where to find the sorcerer who killed Uther and suggests that he may have rekindled his former interest in magic.
Though reluctant to believe Agravaine, Arthur takes his uncle's advice and allows him to question Gaius. Agravaine interrogates Gaius about his views on magic and how he knew where to find the sorcerer who killed Uther. When Gaius' answers reveal nothing, they let him go.
Meanwhile, Morgana meets with Alator of the Catha, a warrior and priest of the Old Religion. She hires him to abduct Gaius in exchange for her healing bracelet, and to question him about her enemy Emrys.
That night, Alator and his bodyguard Orn abduct Gaius from his chambers with the help of Agravaine. They steal a horse from the stables to make it appear that Gaius has run away on his own and Agravaine plants evidence of his supposed betrayal in his chambers to prove to Arthur that he had been correct in suspecting Gaius' motives.
The next morning, when Gaius' disappearance has been discovered, Agravaine tells Arthur that Gaius was last seen riding away from the city and that many of his possessions are gone. A search of his belongings reveals the books of sorcery that Agravaine planted and convince Arthur of Gaius' guilt. Merlin immediately suspects Agravaine and informs Arthur of his suspicions, but Arthur refuses to listen.
While Alator uses his skill of mental torture to question Gaius about Emrys' true identity, searches Agravaine's chambers for proof that he's behind Gaius' disappearance. He finds several books of sorcery like the one found in Gaius' chambers and a pair of boots covered in red soil before Agravaine returns and he is forced to leave. However, Agravaine sees him sneaking out and rides to Morgana's hovel to inform her of Merlin's suspicions.
Merlin returns to Gaius' chambers to find Gwaine waiting for him. He initially tries to get rid of him, but reluctantly accepts Gwaine's help and shows him the red dust he found on Agravaine's boots, though he does not tell him where he found it. Gwaine recognises it as iron ore from Ridge of Chemary and together they ride out to investigate.
Meanwhile, Gaius tries to resist Alator's torture, but eventually reveals that Merlin is Emrys. However, he also explains that Merlin is the most powerful sorcerer to have lived and about his destiny to unite the Old Ways with the new and bring about the time of Albion, which Alator listens to with interest.
Gwaine and Merlin arrive at the Ridge and head into the mines to search for Gaius. They soon encounter Orn, who Merlin secretly defeats with his magic, and later split up when they come to a fork in the tunnel. Morgana and Agravaine also arrive at the mines, Morgana instructs Alator to kill Gaius while she deals with Merlin and Gwaine.
Gwaine follows his tunnel to the chamber where Gaius is being held and finds Agravaine with a knife at Gaius' throat. He accuses Agravaine of kidnapping Gaius, but the nobleman talks his way out of it by claiming that he was merely checking to see if Gaius was still breathing. He tells Gwaine that he saw him and Merlin leaving by the western gate and followed them to help. Gwaine reluctantly believes his story and they take Gaius back to Camelot.
Meanwhile, Morgana finds Merlin and uses her magic to hold him at knife point. As she prepares to kill him, Alator arrives and tells her that Gaius revealed who and where Ermys is. However, he refuses to tell Morgana what he knows and instead uses his magical staff to blast her into a wall, knocking her unconscious.
Alator introduces himself to Merlin and tells him he understands his burden, as he has lived with it all his life. He reveals that he and many other sorcerers share Merlin's hopes and dream of the world he seeks to build, and that they would gladly give their lives to help him do it. He then kneels to Merlin in a show of allegiance.
Back in Camelot, Gwaine and Agravaine return with Gaius and inform Arthur that he was kidnapped. Agravaine deflects suspicion from himself by admitting he misjudged Gaius and says they both owe him and Merlin an apology. Meanwhile, Morgana wakes alone in the mines and finds her healing bracelet discarded on the ground next to her.
Later, as Gaius recovers, he apologises to Merlin for revealing his secret, but cautions him not to tell Arthur about Agravaine, as they have no evidence against him. Arthur visits and privately apologises to both Merlin and Gaius for happened, then sends Merlin away so he can talk with Gaius privately.
Arthur questions Gaius about who abducted him, to which Gaius explains that Morgana wanted information against Camelot, but got nothing from him. He also tells Arthur that the sorcerer he asked to heal Uther was not responsible for his death; Uther was dying and he did everything in his power to save him. As Arthur processes this, Gaius reassures him that there are many people in Camelot who believe in the world he's trying to build, and one day he will understand just how much they've done for him.
Cast
Main Cast
- Colin Morgan as Merlin
- Bradley James as Arthur Pendragon
- Angel Coulby as Gwen
- Katie McGrath as Morgana Pendragon
- Richard Wilson as Gaius
- Nathaniel Parker as Agravaine de Bois
Recurring Cast
Guest Cast
Continuity
- This episode marks the first appearance of Alator.
- Morgana recovers from her duel with Emrys and tells Agravaine how he destroyed the Fomorroh.
- Agravaine deduces that someone in Camelot is giving Emrys information and suspects Gaius, as he was the only other person who knew about the Fomorroh.
- While convincing Arthur that Gaius is a traitor, Agravaine reminds him that Gaius knew the sorcerer who killed his father and once practiced magic himself.
- Morgana hires Alator to kidnap and torture Gaius and gives him her healing bracelet as payment. Alator later returns the bracelet after betraying her.
- Merlin accuses Agravaine of lying about Gaius, but Arthur refuses to listen to him.
- Gaius reveals to Alator that Merlin is Emrys and that he is destined to bring about the time of Albion.
- Alator chooses to ally himself with Merlin; he keeps his secret and saves him from Morgana.
- Merlin and Gaius choose not to tell Arthur about Agravaine's true loyalties because they have no evidence.
- Gaius reveals to Arthur that Dragoon was not responsible for Uther's death.
Release & Reception
- 12 November 2011 at 8.20pm on BBC One
Deleted & Missing Scenes
- Promotional photos show Morgause extending her hand to Morgana in the Spirit World. These were related to an unreleased deleted scene where Morgause appears to Morgana, who is lying on the brink of death following her encounter with Emrys, and gives her a magical coin to revive her.
- Morgana later uses this coin to summon Lancelot's Shade in Lancelot du Lac.
- See also more Alator.
Production Errors
- In the post-opening scene where Arthur wakes up and Merlin stands at the desk, a white sheet is shown covering Arthur's torso. The sheet is later covered by a red blanket while Arthur is still in the same leaning position, which suggests that Bradley's scene in bed was filmed in two or more takes.
Trivia
- When Gaius says he's prepared to die, Morgana replies that dying is the easy part; this is similar to what she said to Merlin in the previous episode when he also expected her to kill him.
Gallery
To view the The Secret Sharer gallery, click here.
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Transcript
See Also
- Characters: Alator, Orn
- Locations: Alator's Dwelling, Ridge of Chemary, Agravaine's Chambers
- Magic: Fire Spells, Mental torture, Stunning spells
- Objects: Morgana's Healing Bracelet, Magical Staff, Books of Sorcery
- Relationships: Merlin and Gaius
Series 4 |
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The Darkest Hour • The Wicked Day • Aithusa • His Father's Son • A Servant of Two Masters • The Secret Sharer • Lamia • Lancelot du Lac • A Herald of the New Age • The Hunter's Heart • The Sword in the Stone |