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Bbc Merlin - Blog Posts
Arthur: Do you really love me?
Merlin after almost two millennia waiting for him to return: You know, it's because of people like you that the Power Rangers announced their colors out loud.
Arthur: So you have magic?
Merlin: Uh… yeah?
Arthur: for how long?
Merlin: Since birth.
Arthur: And you’re a dragon lord?
Merlin: Yeah my father was and it gets passed down.
Arthur: Sounds like royalty.
Merlin: No? I don’t think so.
Arthur: Yes it is, that means you’re a noble, a lord. We can get married now.
Merlin: WHAT???
y'know that episode where morgana controls Merlin? he doesn't wear his usual blue or red shirts, he wears purple....and morgana wore a lot of purple.
It took me a hot minute to realise. do you think it was a coincidence?
did no-one in Camelot see Merlin and go 'wtf, he's wearing purple???' maybe that was something that made gauis suspicious, he was probably wondering where tf Merlin got that shirt from.
Does anyone else kinda hate how merlin fanfic writers sometimes make merlin just vanish their clothes when their about to get it on?
Bro I need someone out there to write a Merlin au where merlin is so fed up with waiting for Arthurs return that he decices to time travel, except that he can't let go of modern music. So like every now and then he'll go into the woods to just break out in song because he misses them.
I remember seeing loads of edits on TikTok about merthur in bbc Merlin and then watching it and realising THEY WERE NOT CANONICALLY GAY AND IN LOVE and it broke my heart. Then ARTHUR DIED even though all the tiktoks made it seem like a silly little gay show about a knight and a sorcerer who get a HAPPY ending. I now trust no one.
Stay
Stay - enigma104 - Merlin (TV) [Archive of Our Own]
Morgana can't sleep. Gwen comforts her. Short ficlet.
Set Season 1/Season 2.
sometimes I look back on my past writing and think it’s the worst thing ever written but occasionally there will be a killer line hidden in there that saves me from the depths of despair
like, yeah I wouldn’t write it that away again if given the chance but that one line?? etch it in stone, my guy
sponsored by this line from a merthur s1 ep03 re-write I wrote ages ago (you can find it here if you’d like)
“All he could see was Merlin walking peacefully from the room, his stupid neckerchief flowerless and hanging from his throat like a poor man’s noose.
When his father adjourned the council, Arthur was still trying to figure out where in the folds of that tattered fabric a part of himself was hidden because he had ceased to be whole the second his manservant disappeared around the corner.”
the funniest part about merlin is the fact that he’s even around for most of the show. like what the fuck is he doing there. no other person with a personal servant is tailed like arthur is. and yet nobody fucking blinks an eye at his presence.
like there are at least three separate occasions where the plot for an episode is uther sending arthur on a super secret confidential mission with the fate of the kingdom at stake, and they have a whole conversation like ‘i need you to understand the importance of the secrecy of this mission.’ ‘understood father, i will take only my most trusted men.’ ‘no arthur, you and YOU ALONE must go.’ ‘i understand.’ and then it cuts to the super secret mission and fucking merlin is just there. like. road trip with my best buddy. what a view. love this horse. like ARTHUR?
everyone always forgets he exists the second a fight happens, too. every goddamn time the knights go on a short patrol that god forbid merlin not tag along for they get attacked by bandits or whatever and merlin doesn’t even carry a fucking sword and after the fight arthur always turns around and merlin is just kinda standing there in the middle of the fight picking at a hang nail. nobody considers it wild that he’s there for all of this. the one time he actually bothered taking a sword off a dead guy to defend himself with arthur saw him holding it and he mocked it like ‘lol the fuck are you of all people gonna do with that’ THEY FULLY EXPECT HIM TO JUST STAND AND WAIT FOR THE FIGHT TO END
In which Merlin does understand the significance of Arthur gifting him his mother's sigil
Merlin: All I did was do my job and care for you
Arthur: You fucked up a perfectly good prince, is what you did. Look at me. I’ve caught FEELINGS
Bro Merlin is my comfort show & I’m in the midst of a rewatch and it’s LEAVING NETFLIX? God hates me Frl 😭
Every time I have a rough day, I remember that there's a website I can go onto and post about Merlin- either heartwarming funny scenarios or heartbreaking angst- and I know that some people will read it in their heads with a Kermit the Frog voice because of my profile pic, and that always puts a smile on my face :)
For Aithusa doodles, may I suggest Aithusa with her head stuck in a doughnut, or tangled up in a curtain she was hiding behind, or maybe trying to drag Excalibur off even though it's much bigger than her?
She’s so so helpful!!! (x)
Wow, I wasn't expecting to wake up to the news that Merlin's trending again, but I love it! To celebrate, here's another au prompt!
In this au, Arthur finds out about the prophecy of Emrys and the Once and Future King, and, in true himbo fashion, he knows that Merlin is Emrys, but he doesn't know who this "Once and Future King" is supposed to be. So, of course, he gets insanely jealous, thinking that some random guy with a powerful magical sword is going to swoop in, steal his throne, take Merlin from his side, and usher in an era of peace while Arthur is cast aside, forgotten.
Arthur simply cannot accept this, even if this Once and Future King is supposedly Merlin's soulmate, the one who will complete him. So, when Arthur repeals the ban on magic, he includes the stipulation that if the Once and Future King is ever discovered, he should be immediately executed on the grounds of high treason for attempting to steal the throne.
Mordred, distraught and turning to Merlin: Shouldn't well tell him?! Merlin, completely unphased: Nah, he'll figure it out eventually.
Arthur also gets hints from the druids, who are trying to get him to figure out that he is actually the Once and Future King, but Arthur always misunderstands their hints.
Druids: The time of the Once and Future King is at hand, sire. He has already taken up his holy sword, and his people rally behind him, inspired by his leadership and valor.
Arthur: This motherfucker already has his magic sword AND an army?! MERLIN! Send word to Leon to ready to knights for war!
Hey, which one of you leaked my search history?!
sexy knights. sexy wounded knights. sexy wounded weary knights. sexy wounded weary knights in the rain. sexy wounded weary knights in the rain pledging their loyalty to you.
I will always reblog a spinning Arthur, especially one as cool as this!
Loook who i chose to stylize for my character design assignment. Yeah we had to pick already existing live action char and turn them into a cartoon.
Animated Merlin BBC when?🧙♂️
I'm gone. I'm a few episodes into s2 and I'm lost on them. I went to sleep thinking about them. I woke up thinking about them. There's no escape
That'd actually be such a great magic reveal, because Merlin would 100% be like "go ahead and tell someone, no one will believe you."
And Audrey would hate him all the more, both for making her look like a madwoman if she (rightfully) accuses him of stealing her cooked chickens using magic and for being fully capable of making her life so much easier by simply making Arthur's food with magic but refusing to.
I love it!
‘gwaine’s reaction to the magic reveal’ this and ‘leon’s reaction to the magic reveal’ that. focus. we need The Cook Merlin Had Unexplained Beef With’s Reaction to the Magic Reveal
Since my last modern au idea was a hit, here's another one!
In this au, old man Merlin's still waiting on Arthur by the shore of Avalon, even in the 21st century. He's mostly isolated, but occasionally ventures out into the nearby town to buy groceries and chat with some of the locals.
It's on one of these trips that he hears something he wasn't expecting to: apparently the BBC is making a show about him and Arthur, and the first season has been pretty popular.
Intrigued by this, Merlin does some digging (and watches the first season of the show), and he finds out that the BBC are casting for some minor characters to add for the second season. And, seeing as how Arthur probably isn't waking up any time soon, Merlin decides to brush off his old shapeshifting skills and audition for the show, figuring that he'd get a good laugh out of it at the very least.
Sure enough, the casting directors loved his audition, and he was added into the show as a minor character with a few guest appearances throughout the season. And his name?
Leon.
(And Merlin then convinced that directors to not kill off his character under any circumstances, just for the fun of it.)
I had a lot of fun working with Griffon on this fic! I had a blast writing the identity shenanigans between Merlin and Emrys!
A big thank you to my beta reader, Sage_Owl on Ao3, and to the reverse bang mods for organizing this event! :D
Merlin BBC Reverse Bang 2024/25 - Mitosis and its Consequences
Author: @ramblings-of-a-chaotic-neutral Arthis: @griffonskies Rating: Teen and Up Pairing: Merlin/Arthur Summary:
“Merlin, do you know this fiend? Has he threatened you into allowing him to take your appearance somehow?!” “Yes, I do know him, but he hasn’t stolen my appearance or anything of the like. It is, technically, his face too.” Arthur’s brows furrowed with confusion. What was Merlin going on about now? “This really wasn’t the introduction I would have liked, but I guess it’s too late for that now. Everyone, I’d like you all to meet my twin brother, Emrys.” ~ After a ritual gone wrong, Merlin's soul is split into two different bodies: one with magic and one without. And because destiny apparently had it out for him, the knights catch both of them in the same place. Without any better explanation, Merlin blurts out the only believable lie that he can think of: that the two identical Merlins are twin brothers.
Link to fic HERE
Since I've been on a roll with short au prompts recently, here's another one! This is an au where, during the battle of Camlann, Merlin manages to save Arthur and defeat Morgana and her army. However, it comes at the cost of revealing his magic and his identity as Emrys. Furious at the perceived betrayal, Arthur attempts to fight him, but Merlin doesn't want to fight.
Here's the twist though: the story is written like a video game boss battle from Arthur's perspective. Here's an example:
Final Boss: EMRYS ATK: 999999999 DEF: 999999999 HP: ∞
EMRYS: I don't want to fight you, Arthur.
What will you do? >Attack Talk Use Item Run
You attack with a steel sword! 0 damage!
EMRYS: Please, stop this. EMRYS chooses to spare you!
What will you do? Attack >Talk Use Item Run
What would you like to say? >Insult Question Appease
You call EMRYS a traitor. EMRYS looks guilty. EMRYS's DEF lowered!
EMRYS: I never wanted to hurt you. EMRYS chooses to spare you!
What will you do? Attack >Talk Use Item Run
What would you like to say? Insult >Question Appease
You ask EMRYS why he has magic. EMRYS: I was born with it. I use it only for you, Arthur. EMRYS's DEF lowered!
EMRYS: My life has always been yours. EMRYS chooses to spare you!
What will you do? Attack Talk >Use Item Run
What item would you like to use? Dagger Steel Sword >Excalibur
You draw Excalibur from its sheath! EMRYS's ATK, DEF, and HP lowered!
EMRYS: If that is what you want, then I will accept it. EMRYS chooses to spare you!
SECOND PHASE CONDITIONS MET!
Final Boss: MERLIN ATK: 0 DEF: 0 HP: 1
MERLIN looks at you with tears in his eyes. MERLIN: I will accept your judgement, Arthur.
What will you do? >Attack Talk Use Item Spare
…
What will you do? Attack Talk Use Item >Spare
happy Neil banging out the tunes day!
Here's a quick au idea that just came to me today:
In a modern au where Merlin is still waiting on Arthur, historians recently discovered a whole batch of legal documents from Arthur's reign. These documents detail many changes he made to the laws of Camelot, including the repeal of the magic ban (which the historians assumed was just a halt on witch hunts).
However, one thing that the historians note as strange were the large number of laws that only applied to the king's personal manservant, who was never mentioned by name in the documents. These laws range from oddly specific, such as 'the king's manservant shall not accompany knights to the tavern', to downright bizarre decrees that make no sense, like 'the king's manservant is hereby forbidden from pointing out stew in the king's hair.'
The historians' first guess was that perhaps King Arthur was going a bit mad in his later years, but they didn't find any other ludicrous laws besides the ones pertaining to his manservant, which then led the historians to question the identity of this manservant and his relationship to the king.
All of this culminates in a historical exhibit showcasing the documents and postulating on this mysterious manservant of king Arthur. Many scholars flock to the exhibit, eager to examine the documents and debate their meaning and impact within a historical context.
Which then leads to a very tired Dr. Merlin Emrys, a medieval history professor, being dragged by his colleagues to see the exhibit and having to stifle is laughter as these world-renowned scholars tear their hair out trying to understand what was essentially a prank war between him and Arthur.
THE HOT MEDIEVAL & FANTASY MEN MELEE
THIRD ROUND: 5th Tilt
William Thatcher, A Knight’s Tale (2001) VS. Sir Lancelot, BBC’s Merlin (2008-2012)
Propaganda
William Thatcher, A Knight’s Tale (2001) Portrayed by: Heath Ledger Defeated Opponents: - King Arthur [Charlie Hunnam], King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) - King Vortigern [Jude Law], King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) - Frodo Baggins [Elijah Wood], The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
“13-year-old me had such a HUGE crush on Will Thatcher / Ulrich von Liechtenstein, and you know what? 13-year-old me was RIGHT (and had much healthier taste in men). He's a dreamer, he's sweet (except maybe when you're dismissive about jousting...), he gives to others despite having little himself, he has the most charming, contagious smile. And to play us out... he's blonde! He's pissed! He'll see you in the lists! Lichtenstein! Lichtenstein!”
Sir Lancelot, BBC’s Merlin (2008-2012) Portrayed by: Santiago Cabrera Defeated Opponents: - Sid [Luke Youngblood], Galavant (2015-2016) - Chu Hun [Peter Ho], Double World (2020) - Sultan Alauddin Khilji [Ranveer Singh], Padmavaat (2018)
“THE MOST PERFECT LANCELOT TO EVER LANCELOT. Sorry I don't make the rules. He's got pretty hair and kind eyes and a killer smile and he's brave and noble and gorgeous and idiotically self-sacrificing in every aspect of his life and he's got hidden chaotic depths and everyone falls in love with him a little bit!!!!!!! And how can they not!!!!!!!!! How could you ever resist that intensity of loyalty and gorgeous brown eyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Additional Propaganda Under the Cut
Additional Propaganda
For William Thatcher:
“HE'S SO CUTE AND BRAVE AND STUPID AND DETERMINED AND FUNNY AND POETIC AND HE HAS BIG BEAUTIFUL BROWN EYES AND FRECKLES AND HE'S BISEXUAL-CODED HE'S MY BOY I LOVE HIM SO MUCH”
“The only man that could have pulled off a David Bowie dance scene within a medieval ballroom.”
For Sir Lancelot:
“He's just so pure and kind and romantic and also god*damn* his face is *literally* flawless and he's got those big brown eyes you could just fall right into and its an actual travesty that they only had him on the show like once a season he should have been a lead, that man deserves justice. For further propaganda I would like to submit the entirety of S2E4, which absolutely rewired my brain chemistry.”
“Hot as the dorky lowborn night with fluffy hair and as the evil, come-back-from-the-dead temptation.”
“Pretty much the whole of Camelot falls in love with him”
