Well, things are not as bad as they seem to be. Here is what "really" happened after the depressing finale. Remember, every end is only a new beginning.
This is not actually a story but a description of what happend to everyone after the end of "Merlin" . What happened and also what will happen... ;-)
Don't take it seriously, just enjoy.
Merlin returns to Camelot after Arthur's body has sunk onto the mysterious ground of the lake of Avalon because Merlin had forgotten to check the little boat and overlooked the tiny holes in it. Well, not so bad. Arthur's body couldn't cycle the lake forever after all. Back in Camelot, Gwen tells Merlin off due to the fact that he just took care of Arthur's funeral without asking for permission. Gwen would have liked to attend the funeral and she is unsure what to think of the fact that Arthur is buried in or around a magical lake at a magical place after all these years of persecuting sorcerers and banning magic. Gaius defends Merlin and tells Gwen that the dragon had foreseen it all and that, due to the fact that he is more than 1000 years old, must be right, one way or another. This makes Gwen wonder who the hell released the dragon in the first place, the one that attacked Camelot and tried to kill Arthur and herself... Anyway, she has a lot to prepare for her coronation, and according to Merlin and Gaius, Arthur will rise again. This eases her grief.
In the afterlife, Uther hurries to the gates of the Spirit World, awaiting Morgana and Arthur who he had seen dying through his magical crystal ball in the afterlife. After waiting for hours, he loses his patience and asks the "Holy Three Four", the ones who run the Spirit World, for permission to return to Camelot in order to find out what's taking so long, since Arthur and Morgana should have arrived hours ago already. As usual, the Holy Three Four don't answer him. Something which has slowly begun to drive Uther nuts. Additionally to all the other things that have almost driven him nuts...Last time he didn't get a response was when he had asked for new clothes because he didn't want to spend eternity in his burial-clothes only. They were just staring at him without saying a word. Uther had a hard time defending himself against ghost-looters who tried to get his clothes, most of them poor commoners and servants. No wonder he has never approved of servants very much... Good riddance, he found a ghost-woman who loved to sew, and so he got new clothes. However, he is still looking for a hair-stylist.
Anyway, permission from the Holy Three Four obviously was out of question. Damnit, he once was a king! Now he had to listen to the Holy Three Four who never said a word anyway! He had to wait.
Arthur wonders what he is doing on the ground of the lake, walking past fish who don't seem to even notice him. Suddenly, a dark-haired woman approaches him and tells him that he has to go to the Spirit World now and that he's walking the ground of the lake by accident because the Holy Three Four were busy discussing - without saying a word - with a very demanding ghost. Arthur still wonders what is happening since not so long ago he was wandering the woods with Merlin, trying to reach a lake... oh wait, yes, they did. This must be the lake. Damn, does that mean that he is dead? The dark haired woman smiles and speaks some foreign and funny words, and before Arthur can ask her what the heck she's doing with his sword, he suddenly finds himself in the middle of nowhere with a weird looking gate in front of him. He shouts hello and suddenly the gate opens.
In Camelot, Merlin is meanwhile bored. Nobody to banter with, nobody to protect. He calls Kilgharrah who tells him again that his destiny is fulfilled and that he has to find a hobby until Arthur returns, which could take a very, very, very long time. Aithusa arrives and listens to the conversation between Merlin and Kilgharrah. She too is bored. Merlin heals Aithusa and suddenly she can speak. She is so happy about it that she immediately starts to sing because singing is one of the dragon's favourite things to do (the attentive viewer will know that from "Dragonheart"). This is something which Merlin learns just now because Kligharrah has never told him. Both dragons fly away, spending their time practicing the most beautiful songs the land has ever heard. Merlin decides to leave Camelot in order to find something new to do.
Gwen has decided to lift the ban of magic. She finds the Horn of Cathbhadh and uses it to summon Arthur but she makes a mistake and accidentally summons another spirit...
At the gates of the Spirit World, Arthur sees his father and when he is just about to greet him, Uther disappears. Uther is now standing on the back exit of the Spirit World and sees Gwen standing there. Damnit, he was just about to greet Arthur! He takes this opportunity to ask Gwen if she is out of her mind to lift the ban of magic since everyone died at the hands of magic, even Arthur. Gwen tells Uther about Merlin but Uther reminds her of the fact that it all only started when Merlin came to Camelot and that he made a prophecy come true that included Arthur's death. Gwen thinks about it for a minute but is interrupted in her thoughts by ranting Uther who tells her off her for being a serving girl and that she doesn't belong on his throne. Gwen, on the other hand, tells Uther off for trying to kill her when he recently hopped into the world of the living, not to mention that he killed her father earlier. Uther tells her that he is just a bit out of mind since his death and that some foreign power forced him to do those things, but Gwen has enough and leaves the Spirit World, not turning around when Uther calls her name.
Uther watches Gwen leave. He clenches his fist. Damnit. Shame Gwen didn't look back...Then he suddenly is back in his own private space of the Spirit World. What the hell? He had just found a way out of it, passing all those ghosts lying, standing and sitting around and scolding him, trying to get his clothes... which could turn out to be very unpleasant if they succeed because the Spirit World could be damn cold at times. And for some weird reason his spirit-body could still freeze. And now he has to walk all the way back to the gates to look for Arthur and Morgana. Ooooh, Morgana... he had one or two things to clarify with her. She'll be in real trouble!
Morgana looks down on her body that lies in the woods. She makes several attempts to close her own eyes with her ghostly hand but always only runs through her own head on the ground like through air. Damnit, why didn't just anyone bother to close her eyes at least? And why didn't anyone bother to bury her? Does that mean she has to rot here? Oh, that wasn't appropriate for the greatest Queen/Princess and High Priestess of all times! Intolerable! By the way... why was she still here? Shouldn't she go to the Spirit World? She wanted to meet Uther to beat the hell out of him and now she's wandering the woods as an invisible ghost. Damn you, Merlin, what have you done? She was so close to total destruction! So close to kill everyone she could have ruled in Camelot, and then this servant just stabbed her. With a sword forged in the dragon's breath. She certainly has a bone to pick with this Kligharrah... But first she has to find a way into the Spirit World. She is not entirely done with tormenting Uther....
Arthur enters the Spirit World. Was is just a halluciantion or had he seen his father just a few seconds ago? Very weird. At least he still was in his chain mail. No sword, no Merlin to protect him... Whatever awaits him in the afterlife, it surely will be very boring. Then he suddenly spots his mother! After a heartwrenching reunion, she takes his hand and leads him through shiny, golden paths. When he asks where they are going, she responds that they are hiding from Uther who has been looking for her ever since he entered the Spirit World. Arthur is confused and wants to know why she hides from his father. Igraine tells him that she doesn't want to have anything to do with him because she is convinced that he had sacrificed her willingly. The young (former) king knows there is a lot to clarify and that soon he will be in the middle of a domestic quarrel. And where was Morgana?
Kilgharrah and Aithusa are still singing whenever they can, until some peasants find them and complain about the constant noise. Ever since Queen Guinevere had lifted the ban of magic, the dragons could fly freely over the lands, yet their singing drives the people out of their mind. They demand the dragons to hit the road under the threat of killing them, should they ever sing again. The dragons know that the people can't kill them. However, they are nice and back off, most of all because they are not allowed to harm anyone, as Merlin had demanded before, so they return to their caves where they spend their lives being a little more quiet. Damnit, Kligharrah was in a cave again. He wonders if things have really turned out to be so good. Right now he doubts it.
Gwen has a hard time protecting Camelot against other kingdoms who want to conquer Camelot, as well as against sorcerers and magic-users who are still corrupted by magic and/or hold a grudge against Camelot for Morgana's death. Gaius tries his best to help Gwen with his magic, but still, he is no Merlin. Soon Camelot has to surrender and Gwen, Gaius and the knights go to exile. Of course, they take Geoffrey with them so that he can write an alternative ending for all of them. The new residental community lives a more or less peaceful life in Ealdor where Hunith helps them coming to terms with everything. Gwen is still waiting for Arthur's return...
In the Spirit World, Uther has finally found the gate again. The Holy Three Four are still staring at him without saying a word. He shouts at them to finally shut up! No reaction. But he could have sworn that one of the Holy Three Four had looked into a certain direction as if he/she/it wanted to give him a hint where to go. Great, at least something... He follows that direction and after a long time, he suddenly spots Arthur and... Igraine! Finally! He runs towards them and is just about to hug them when suddenly Igraine slaps him. Ouch. He finds himself listening to a very furious Igraine who accsues him of ridiculous things. Arthur just shrugs. Uther tries to tell Igraine what really happened when all of a sudden Gwaine pops up next to them.
Morgana feels her ghost-body vanishing. Good, she obviously can now enter the Sprit World. She wonders why? Maybe because she had just shouted out loud that she can't even die properly. Maybe someone above (or below?) had mercy with her. Anyway, she finds herself standing in front of a gate that opens. Behind the gate, everything is white and bright. So she entered Paradise. Hah! She knew it! Next to her, four weird people are looking at her, staring silently. She asks them who they are and where to go. The four people don't answer her but one of them looks into a certain direction... that must be a hint! Morgana follows that direction and after a long time, she spots Uther, Arthur, Gwaine and a woman she has never seen before. All of them seem to be in a verbal fight, except for Arthur who just stands there, watching the scene. Good.... finally Morgana can take revenge on Uther and Arthur for whatever she wants to take revenge for.
Uther sees Morgana approaching them. She doesn't look good... not at all... No wonder, she was killed after spending years in dark places and after having been tortured by this evil Sarrum. Uther has just told Arthur that he hadn't listened to him when he tried to warn him about not trusting everyone and that Arthur has failed in every possible way, for which he got another slap from Igraine. No matter what he tells Igraine, she doesn't believe him, even though he hadn't sacrificed her willingly. Gwaine is ranting about the "evil witch" that tortured him and killed him, telling Uther that he'd better had an eye on her instead of Arthur who tried his best, and now that Morgana approaches them all, she pulls a dagger and stabs Uther while Igraine slaps him again. Uther has a hard time talking to everyone standing around, reassuring Igraine that he never wanted her to die and didn't know about it all, telling Arthur that he should have listened, telling Gwaine that he could have told him that he was of noble blood, for crying out loud, and telling Morgana that she was the one who proved that he was right in regard to magic all along. Then Morgause appears and joins forces against Uther but also against Arthur while Igraine now tells Morgause off and then scolds Uther again. Slap, stab, slap, stab... Uther hates the Spirit World. Why the heck is he always being made responsible for everything?
Gaius sees a gate. Weird. Just a second ago he was working on a potion for Percival's sudden hair loss and now he is standing in front of a gate that opens. He must have died. Hmm... well, he lived long enough. As a matter of fact, he was surprised that he even lived for so long. So, what now? The weird four people next to him all turn their head into a certain direction. That must be a hint, Gaius thinks. So he enters the white, bright world and soon follows a golden shiny path until he reaches a bunch of people shouting at each other. He stands next to Morgana, Uther, Arthur, Igraine, Gwaine and Morgause. Alright, this seems to be a special meeting and he wonders where Lancelot might be. Now that he watches everyone slapping, stabbing and arguing while Arthur just sits on the floor, looking bored and desperate, Gaius decides to join them. There is a lot to clarify after all.
The Holy Three Four watch the scene, grinning in amusement. They decide that it's time to bring Lancelot to them. And Balinor. And Vivienne. And Gorlois. And Nimueh. And Agravaine. And also Tristan du Bois.Yes, there was a lot to clarify.
Merlin is old and still very bored by watching TV and witnessing the world of technology in which magic has no place anymore. The crusades, civil wars, religious wars, fanatics, poverty, pollution and two World Wars... Where the heck was Arthur? If this didn't make him rise again then what in the world has to happen to bring him back?
The caves are too boring, so Kilgharrah and Aithusa decide to travel to a land far, far away. They learn that it is called China. Only a few weeks later, they meet a lilac dragon that takes them to a place where thousands of dragons live. Kilgharrah and Aithusa learn to speak chinese and henceforth can sing as often and loud as they wish, accompanied by all the dragons of this new land.
In the Spirit World, several hundred spirit-years later, Arthur is satisfied. All things have been clarified, his whole family is finally reunited and everyone is at peace with each other, even with Morgana. He wonders why talking things over didn't work in life...Granted, it took years (or so) but in the end it has finally worked. And, true, Igraine, Uther, Agravaine, Tristan and Arthur himself are not very fond of Nimueh, but at least they are going out of each other's way and Nimueh has a lot to chat about with Morgana and Morgause. Anyway, meanwhile, Gwen is with Arthur too, and so are his friends. Lancelot has found a new ghost-love and Uther has come to terms with the fact that Camelot is no more and that nothing is for eternity, except the afterlife - even if interrupted by rising again now and then. His family was with him, what more could he ask for? In the end, everything he has always done, he did it for them. He has apologised to the knights and even accepted that it was technology and not magic that brought men to the moon.
Morgana has seen sense, has finally stopped stabbing Uther and Arthur all the time (she had grown tired of stabbing Uther and discussing with him for years, so she had started to attack Arthur later), doesn't hate them anymore but loves them again and now can do magic as much and often as she wants, just like everyone else since everyone's soul is magical too. Igraine believes Uther and both have finally found peace. Same with Morgause who has a great time with her half-sister and the rest of her family. Balinor is occasionally visiting Merlin (as the magical being he was in life, he is allowed to do so, unlike Morgana who chose the dark side in life and therefore has to accept the rules that apply to non-magical beings). Arthur has met his grandparents and Uther's brothers, Gwen is renuited with her mother and her father Tom and Gaius is reunited with Alice. Gwaine, Elyan, Leon and Percival have invented new games that have become famous in the entire Spirit World. Agravaine, Tristan, Gorlois, Vivienne, they all get along with everyone else, and Gorlois has forgiven both Vivienne and Uther. Everyone has realised that fighting for eternity makes no sense. Life on earth is only the beginning and not the end after all. And Arthur finds comfort in the thought that mankind has progressed and that Merlin is still alive, looking after people and saving the world.
Awwww, life is so good in the Sprit World...
Suddenly Arthur finds himself under water. Again! He hears the echo of his father's voice, wishing him good luck and telling him to not spend all his money for stupid entertainment-stuff! Arthur reaches the surface and gasps for air. He is alive again. In a lake. And wait, wasn't there an old man with a long beard walking the streets far away? Arthur shouts his name. He could use some help with his heavy chain mail in the water after all...Great, as soon as he's out of the water, he will go for a spin in one of these fancy cars. And football seems to be quite an interesting game. And then he will send Merlin to a physician to have his ears checked. And - Merlin better finds a spell to get young again. If they need to save the world, Merlin must be fit. He can't do some horseplay with a thousand years old man after all.
"Merlin!"
In the Spirit World, the Holy Three Four watch Arthur struggling in the lake and calling Merlin's name. He is only the first one of a new beginning. They prepare for sending everyone else back to life, too. And this time, they will all work together. After all, Earth and Arthur will need some help when the aliens attack...