William (also called Will) was a resident of Ealdor and a childhood friend of Merlin's. He died saving Arthur's life in the Battle of Ealdor.
Biography
William was born in the village of Ealdor in Cenred's Kingdom. His mother died at some point in his childhood, and his father was killed fighting for King Cenred. Growing up, Will was best friends with Merlin, who shared with him the secret of his magic. At some point in their childhood, Will convinced Merlin to use his magic to fell a tree, a stunt which nearly flattened Old Man Simmons.
When the boys were in their late teens, Merlin's mother found out that Will knew Merlin's secret and sent Merlin to Camelot. Several months later, Ealdor was targeted by bandits. They were led by Kanen, who demanded the village's entire harvest. Word of the situation eventually reached Camelot and Merlin returned to Ealdor to help defend it, leading to a joyful reunion between him and Will.
Merlin was accompanied by Prince Arthur, Gwen, and the Lady Morgana, who mended armour, sharpened swords, and taught the villagers to fight. Will disliked Arthur and resented his plans to defend the village. He believed that Arthur was a glory hound and that resisting Kanen would only make things worse. As such, he refused to take part in the defense plans. He also argued with Merlin over his friendship with Arthur and his reluctance to use his magic to defend his friends and family.
After Matthew was killed by Kanen's men, Will decided to leave Ealdor rather than be slaughtered. However, he later changed his mind and returned to defend the village. He saved Merlin's life and was the only clear witness when Merlin summoned a whirlwind to drive off Kanen's raiders.
At the battle's end, Will saw a dying Kanen aim a crossbow bolt at Arthur and leapt in front of it. As he lay dying, he told Arthur that he was the sorcerer who summoned the whirlwind, protecting Merlin's secret. He was later laid to rest on a funeral pyre, at which time Merlin backs up his claim to Arthur that Will was the sorcerer. He also corrected Arthur when he said Will was a close friend by saying "he still is" (The Moment of Truth).
Personality
William was a prickly, strong-willed individual who was unafraid to speak his mind. Because his father was killed fighting for King Cenred, he harboured a strong dislike and distrust of the nobility. This caused him to be very rude and irreverent to Arthur, who he frequently mocked and butted heads with. He was regarded by most of his fellow villagers as a troublemaker to be ignored.
Will was a realist to the point of pessimism; he refused to help defend Ealdor from Kanen and firmly believed that trying would only make things worse. However, he ultimately changed his mind and joined the battle alongside Merlin. He also sacrificed himself to save Arthur, showing his noble character.
Will was fiercely loyal, as he protected Merlin's secret on his deathbed by claiming that he was the sorcerer who interfered in the battle. He also told Merlin that one day he'd be servant to a great King, and that now he could still make that happen, showing both his faith in Merlin and the small measure of respect he'd gained for Arthur (The Moment of Truth).
Trivia
- Will shares a number of similarities with Gwaine, such as a strong distrust of the nobility stemming from the death of his father, the circumstances of his father's death, an irreverent attitude towards people of authority, and a close friendship with Merlin (The Moment of Truth, Gwaine).
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