The Sword in the Stone is a two-part story consisting of the twelfth and thirteenth episodes of the fourth series of Merlin. They were first broadcast on the 17th and 24th of December 2011.
It marks the Second Fall of Camelot, the deaths of Agravaine and Helios, and Guinevere's coronation as Queen of Camelot.
Synopsis
Part One
With Morgana at the helm of a vast Southron army, a deadly net is closing in around Camelot. When the sorceress strikes, the ferocity of her attack forces everyone to run for their lives - even Arthur. But Morgana will not let him escape that easily. And so begins a chilling hunt...
Can Merlin save the King from Morgana's clutches? Or has Arthur's luck finally run out?
Part Two
Morgan and Helios have successfully captured Camelot, and Merlin and Arthur are outlaws on the run. Trapped in Ealdor with a ruthless army closing in, their situation becomes desperate.
Arthur must take control before Camelot is lost forever, but faced with Agravaine's betrayal and the strength of Morgana's forces, the young King has lost his conviction. Only Merlin can restore his faith, and only an extraordinary act can prove to the King that he was born to rule. Will the young warlock convince Arthur before his dreams of Albion fall to pieces?
Plot
Part 1
While the court of Camelot celebrates Beltane, Agravaine uses the siege tunnels to lead a contingent of Southrons into the city. They quickly kill the sentries and set the Lower Town ablaze, signaling to Morgana and Helios that it is time to launch their attack.
As the Knights of Camelot work to put out the fires and repel the invading Southrons, Arthur is alerted to the attack and he and the other knights attending the feast leave to join the battle. Merlin evacuates the guests and helps Gaius treat the wounded, then leaves to find and protect Arthur.
Merlin finds Arthur battling Southrons in the castle corridors. Noticing that the King has been injured, Merlin quickly distracts the Southrons with his magic and helps Arthur escape. They find a hiding place near the courtyard, where Arthur sees Agravaine marching with Morgana and Helios. Enraged by his uncle's betrayal, Arthur moves to confront him, but Merlin talks him out of it.
As Morgana's forces capture Camelot and she takes her place on the throne, Sir Leon leads the Knights of Camelot in evacuating Camelot's citizens into the Darkling Woods. Meanwhile, Gaius binds Arthur's wounded ribs and conspires with Merlin, Gwaine, and Percival to sneak him out of the citadel.
Knowing that Arthur would never willingly abandon his people, Merlin secretly casts an enchantment on Arthur that takes away his free will, leaving him compliant and easily controlled. Merlin persuades the confused king to escape into the woods with him and Percival, but Gaius and Gwaine remain behind to distract Morgana. However, when she realises the situation, Morgana immediately orders Gwaine and Gaius to be imprisoned and chases after Arthur.
Merlin, Arthur, and Percival reunite with Elyan in the woods and at Merlin's suggestion, the group decides to seek refuge in Ealdor. However, Morgana soon chases them down and attacks them with a stunning spell. Percival becomes separated from the rest of the group and Elyan decides to stay behind to fend off the Southrons following them, forcing Merlin and Arthur to continue alone.
Once he's sure they're safe, Merlin has Arthur disguise himself by exchanging his chain mail for peasant's clothes. They continue their journey and eventually run into a group of smugglers led by Tristan and Isolde. Though initially wary, Merlin decides to tag along with them when he learns that they're heading in the same direction.
Meanwhile, back in Camelot, Morgana uses a Nathair to torture Elyan, who reveals that Arthur is heading for Ealdor. Morgana then has Elyan imprisoned with Gaius and Gwaine and orders Agravaine to Ealdor. Agravaine is reluctant to leave and cautions Morgana not to trust anyone but him, not even Helios, but Morgana successfully manipulates him into leaving.
The next day, Merlin's enchantment finally wears off and Arthur demands to know what's going on. Merlin explains that Camelot has fallen and that they're escaping to Ealdor. He also advises Arthur to continue acting like a simpleton to avoid suspicion, but Agravaine and his men ambush the smugglers soon afterward and Arthur's identity is revealed to Tristan and Isolde.
Though Tristan despises Arthur for his status as King, Isolde was injured in the ambush and Merlin convinces them to accompany him and Arthur to Ealdor. When they make camp that night, Arthur laments over Agravaine's betrayal, saying that he was as blind to his treachery as he was to Morgana's, and Merlin comforts him by assuring that they didn't betray him out of hatred, but because they crave his power for themselves.
Arthur and his allies plan their escape.
Meanwhile, in Camelot, Morgana forces Gwaine to fight her Southron soldiers for her entertainment. If he wins, he is given bread for Gaius, who is ill and starving.
The next day, Arthur, Merlin, Tristan, and Isolde reach Ealdor. Merlin is reunited with his mother, Hunith, and Arthur is unexpectedly reunited with Gwen, who has been staying in Ealdor since escaping from Helios. Gwen and Arthur admit they've missed each other and tentatively reconcile.
As Gwen and Arthur embrace, Agravaine and his men arrive and begin to surround the village. Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, Tristan, and Isolde escape into the woods, but Agravaine sees them and orders his men after them.
Part 2
Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, Tristan, and Isolde run through the woods to escape Agravaine his men. Merlin briefly lingers behind the rest of the group and calls the Great Dragon to come and breathe fire on Agravaine and his men, killing most of them, then leads Arthur and the others to a tunnel system in the nearby mountains.
Though they initially appear to be safe, they soon realize that Agravaine and his remaining men are pursuing them through the tunnels. Sending the others ahead, Merlin doubles back and leads Agravaine to a dead end.
Seeing that he has Merlin cornered, Agravaine threatens to kill him if he doesn't tell him where Arthur is. However, Merlin uses his magic to repel him and his men. The soldiers are instantly killed, but Agravaine recovers and gleefully realises Merlin has magic. He also guesses that Merlin is Morgana's enemy Emrys and tries to kill him, but Merlin quickly blasts him into some nearby rocks, killing him.
Merlin catches up with the rest of the group and leads them out of the tunnels. They decide to head back to Camelot through the Forest of Ascetir. When they make camp that night, Tristan continues to poke at Arthur, convincing him he is no one special and doesn't deserve to be King. Gwen tries to talk to Arthur, but he cannot bring himself to forgive her and says their reunion in Ealdor was "a moment of weakness."
Meanwhile, in Camelot, Gaius, Gwaine, and Elyan are still imprisoned and slowly starving. Morgana continues to make Gwaine earn food them by fighting her Southrons and orders him to fight several men at once with a short wooden sword. After winning, Gwaine is thrown back in their cell and given a small loaf of mouldy bread. Morgana sneers at him to enjoy his meal, as it will probably be his last.
As Arthur continues to doubt himself, Merlin calls Kilgharrah for advice and is told he must restore Arthur's confidence. The next morning, Merlin leads Arthur through the forest and tells him the story of Bruta, the first King of Camelot, who placed a sword in a stone before he died to serve as a test for his descendants to prove that they were true Kings. He tells Arthur he found the stone and leads him to Excalibur, still lodged in the rock Merlin had placed it in.
The survivors of Camelot appear and surround the clearing. Arthur doubts he can pull the sword from the rock, but Merlin tells him to believe and that he is special. Arthur tries, but can't pull it out. He tries again as Merlin tells him he is meant to pull the sword from the rock, and that he has to believe he is destined to be Albion's greatest King. When he sees Arthur starting to truly believe in himself, Merlin uses his magic to unseal Excalibur from the stone.
Back in Camelot, Morgana learns that Agravaine and his men are dead. She convinces herself that Emrys is responsible, declaring that only he could command a dragon.
With many of his Knights - including Sir Leon and Sir Percival - and his people back at his side, Arthur decides to retake Camelot. Tristan watches his efforts and begins to have a change of heart and Isolde urges Gwen not to give up hope that Arthur will forgive her.
Arthur confides in Merlin that Morgana's powers greatly tilt the odds in the enemy's favour. Merlin assures Arthur he believes in him, and sneaks into Camelot that night disguised as Dragoon the Great. He casts an enchantment by burning a poppet, which he then hangs beneath Morgana's bed. He is spotted by Morgana as he leaves the citadel and is chased by some guards, but manages to escape.
The next morning, Arthur and his forces leaves for the citadel. Tristan and Isolde decide to join the fight because Arthur showed them that he fights for what is right and fair, and Gwen tells Arthur that she understands why he can't forgive her, but has never stopped loving him.
Upon reaching the citadel, Leon leads most of the Knights in an open assault on the castle while Arthur, Merlin, Gwen, Tristan, Isolde and Percival sneak in through the back. Once inside, Percival separates from the rest of the group and frees Gwaine, Elyan, and Gaius from the dungeon.
Meanwhile, Arthur, Merlin, Gwen, Tristan, and Isolde confront Morgana and Helios in the throne room. Arthur asks Morgana what happened to her and why she turned against him, but Morgana bitterly reports that he is no different than Uther and should pay for his crimes. She then attempts to kill him with her magic, but Merlin's enchantment nullifies her powers and she flees.
Merlin and Gwen pursue her while Arthur and the others fight Helios and his guards. Morgana is wounded by a knight as she tries to escape, but later engages Gwen in a duel and easily defeats her. However, before Morgana can kill Gwen, Merlin uses his magic to blast Morgana away from her, causing some stone and rubble to fall on her. When the dust clears, Morgana is gone.
Meanwhile, Arthur fights Helios while Tristan and Isolde take care of his men. Arthur is injured and gets knocked down, but as Helios prepares to kill him, Isolde stabs Helios from behind. As he dies, Helios swings around and slices Isolde across the stomach, mortally wounding her. Tristan holds her as she dies.
In the aftermath of the battle, Arthur finds Gwen in his chambers tidying up. She says she will leave if he wants her to, but Arthur tells her to stay. Gwen says she can never forgive herself but Arthur says that he doesn't care and never wants to lose her again, finally forgiving her. He asks her to marry him, and she says yes with all her heart.
Later, the court gathers in the Great Hall and Arthur crowns Guinevere Queen of Camelot. They kiss and ascend to their thrones as Merlin, Gaius, and everyone else proudly watch.
Meanwhile, Morgana stumbles through the woods and collapses on the ground, seemingly at her end. However, the white dragon Aithusa finds her and uses its breath to heal her. Morgana gratefully watches it fly away.
Cast
Main Cast
- Colin Morgan as Merlin
- Bradley James as Arthur Pendragon
- Angel Coulby as Guinevere Pendragon
- Katie McGrath as Morgana Pendragon
- Richard Wilson as Gaius
- Nathaniel Parker as Agravaine de Bois
Recurring Cast
- Rupert Young as Sir Leon
- Eoin Macken as Sir Gwaine
- Tom Hopper as Sir Percival
- Adetomiwa Edun as Sir Elyan
- Terence Maynard as Helios
- Caroline Faber as Hunith (Part One Only)
- John Hurt as the voice of Kilgharrah (Part Two Only)
Guest Cast
Continuity
Part One
- This episode marks the third and final appearance of Hunith.
- This episode marks the second and final appearance of Ealdor.
- This episode marks the first time Morgana uses a Nathair to torture someone (Elyan).
- This episode marks the second time Morgana conquers Camelot and becomes its Queen.
- Agravaine's true loyalties are revealed to Arthur and the rest of the court.
- It is revealed that Cenred's Kingdom is now ruled by King Lot.
- Merlin and Arthur are reunited with Gwen, who is revealed to have started a new life in Ealdor following her exile and escape from Helios.
Part Two
- This episode marks the second appearance of Aithusa.
- This episode marks the final appearance and death of Agravaine.
- This episode marks the final appearance and death of Helios.
- This episode marks the fourth appearance of Merlin's alter ego, Dragoon the Great.
- This episode marks Morgana's fifth and final attempt to avert Gwen's destiny.
- Merlin's magic and identity as Emrys are revealed to Agravaine shortly before Merlin kills him.
- Arthur suffers a crisis of confidence due to Agravaine and Morgana's betrayals.
- Merlin restores Arthur's confidence by secretly using his magic to help him pull Excalibur from the stone he'd previously placed it in.
- Morgana blames Emrys for Agravaine's death and panics when she sees him (Dragoon) in the citadel.
- Arthur and Morgana confront each other for the first time since the Fall of Camelot.
- Arthur duels Helios and kills him with the help of Isolde. However, Isolde is mortally wounded in the process and dies soon afterward.
- Arthur forgives Gwen for her betrayal and asks her to marry him; she accepts.
- Gwen fulfills her destiny by being crowned Queen of Camelot.
- Aithusa finds Morgana near death and heals her.
Release & Reception
- Part One: 17th December 2011
- Part Two: 24th December 2011
- The last episode, The Sword in the Stone: Part Two, marks the first time an episode of Merlin has been originally broadcast on December 24, Christmas Eve. Unlike the revived Doctor Who, which has annual Christmas specials on December 25, Merlin has never had an episode on Christmas Day, nor an official Christmas special.
Production Errors
- Footage from The Tears of Uther Pendragon and The Coming of Arthur are shown in this episode:
- One scene where Leon is fighting is identical to another scene in The Tears of Uther Pendragon.
- A second scene shows Leon battling one of Morgana's immortal soldiers in The Coming of Arthur.
- A third scene shows Arthur defeating an immortal soldier in The Coming of Arthur.
Trivia
- There are some slight differences between Gwen's actual coronation and Morgana's dream in Queen of Hearts.
- When Arthur pulls Excalibur from the stone, it resembles when Link obtains the Master Sword in the many Legend of Zelda games.
- This is the fifth two-parter in Merlin, after Beauty and the Beast, The Tears of Uther Pendragon, The Coming of Arthur, and The Darkest Hour.
Gallery
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Transcript
See Also
- Characters: Tristan, Isolde, Hunith, Helios, Southrons, Bruta
- Locations: Ealdor, White Mountains, Forest of Ascetir
- Creatures: Kilgharrah, Aithusa, Nathair
- Magic: Fire Spells, Simpleton Enchantment, Stunning spells, Animal Control Spells, Ageing Spell, Poppet Enchantments
- Objects: Excalibur, Poppet
- Events: Beltane, Second Fall of Camelot, Morgana's Second Reign, Skirmish in the Caves, Duel between Arthur and Helios, Duel between Guinevere and Morgana, The Coronation of Queen Guinevere
| 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 |