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nyxelestiaOkay, so, it seems that the Merlin fandom as a whole has been up in arms about this episode, SO, I just want to say a few things about it before I get too into it.
1.) The Handfasting
Some people have been asking why Uther used a handfasting when he's such a big supporter of the New Religion. a.) Handfastings were still a part of Christian ceremonies long after Paganism finished it's steady infiltration of the religion. (Christmas/Easter, anyway? Those were Pagan traditions, first). Even today, handfasting is a part of many otherwise-Christian religion ceremonies. Russian Orthodox is the first that comes to mind that still uses handfasting for their weddings, but I know there are plenty more.
Also, handfasting/garment tying remained a part of royal/noble Christian weddings even after the handfasting died out in Christian weddings elsewhere, as a symbol of tying the two houses/families together, and not just these two people.
2.) Feminism Fail: The Troll
People, people - if you can tear your eyes away from all the fanservicing half-nudity, you will remember that Merlin is, first and foremost, a children's show. The troll is likely intended to be a metaphor: that if the beautiful women everyone admires that uses her looks to manipulate people around her is ugly on the inside. This is actually a very common trope among children's stories. Think the Wicked Queen from Snow White - she turns ugly when he starts acting against Snow White.
Did it come across well? Not really, no - but, that was the likely intention, and people need to accept that.
3.) Feminism Fail: Lancelot and Guinevere
And further on the feminism!Fail front with the last episode: the reason why Morgana and Gwen ran first, at the beginning of the episode? Because despite their skill, if they're unarmed and going up against dozens of armed men on their own, they will lose. Their knights were all dead, so even if they could get their hands on a sword, they would've been doomed from the start. Later on, when it's just two or three men and they stand a chance, the girls go into action. This was a case of good strategical analysis on Morgana's part.
As for Gwen being passive about Arthur and Lancelot - she's in a difficult situation of having two guys like her - and liking two guys. And in this universe, she can't just have both boys for herself. Remember, in the legends, that's her ultimate curse: she does, in fact, do her best to have Lancelot and Arthur - and loses them both through her efforts. The show is foreshadowing the fact that she's stuck between these two men. (And believe me, I've been in that "pick one man" situation, and it ain't pretty - no matter what Gwen does, she will disappoint and hurt one of the guys she loves, and herself in the process.)
Overall, for the situations they were in, Gwen and Morgana had actually done remarkably well.
4.) Uther's Flirting and Later Inconsiderateness
Now, for the purposes of this episode, I'm dividing Uther into Before the necklace and After the necklace.
After the Necklace: I'm cutting him major slack on the grounds that he's being enchanted. Seriously - of fucking course he's not going to be thinking straight!
Before the Necklace: Okay, seriously, he actually managed this very well. As much as he's flirting with her - hey, his wife's been dead for twenty years, who wouldn't? - he's keeping it fairly light-romantic and easy-hearted. He dismisses Gaius's initial warnings to his face, yes, BUT, he does bring up those quesitons later on with Catrina in their own time. He even seems willing to doubt until she starts manipulating him, again.
Not only that, but he still can't part from Igraine - remember, he doesn't actually kiss her until After he puts on the necklace. Until then, he was still trying to stay true to Igraine. Not only that, but he even volunteers that she go visit family for a while, for him to have a chance to cool and adjust appropriately. As a politician and king, this would've been the best thing to do in terms of balancing it with his heart and emotions - and, he would've carried it out, hadn't it been for the Necklace.
5.) Gaius
Gaius has worked up towards his trust in Merlin's power. He goes from telling Merlin to not abuse his magic in the beginning of Season 1 to asking him to use his magic in Excalibur to getting him to purposefully to the magical grunt work in the beginning of Season 2. Gaius's trust in Merlin's magic is growing. "Her magic must be strong to resist a sorcerer as powerful as you."
6.) The Excessive Fanservicing
Oi, you wanted more shirtless Arthur, and you asked for it - now stop complaining.
But, in all seriousness, it's not the fanservicing itself for which I think they need to quit it. I can't help but feel they degrade Bradley James's actual acting skill by practically shoving his looks into your face. He was hired for more than that, and while part of me was going, "FLAIL" at the sight of Arthur undulating on the bed like that ^_^ another large part of me was going, "Poor Bradley", too.
There, I said it all.
1.) The Handfasting
Some people have been asking why Uther used a handfasting when he's such a big supporter of the New Religion. a.) Handfastings were still a part of Christian ceremonies long after Paganism finished it's steady infiltration of the religion. (Christmas/Easter, anyway? Those were Pagan traditions, first). Even today, handfasting is a part of many otherwise-Christian religion ceremonies. Russian Orthodox is the first that comes to mind that still uses handfasting for their weddings, but I know there are plenty more.
Also, handfasting/garment tying remained a part of royal/noble Christian weddings even after the handfasting died out in Christian weddings elsewhere, as a symbol of tying the two houses/families together, and not just these two people.
2.) Feminism Fail: The Troll
People, people - if you can tear your eyes away from all the fanservicing half-nudity, you will remember that Merlin is, first and foremost, a children's show. The troll is likely intended to be a metaphor: that if the beautiful women everyone admires that uses her looks to manipulate people around her is ugly on the inside. This is actually a very common trope among children's stories. Think the Wicked Queen from Snow White - she turns ugly when he starts acting against Snow White.
Did it come across well? Not really, no - but, that was the likely intention, and people need to accept that.
3.) Feminism Fail: Lancelot and Guinevere
And further on the feminism!Fail front with the last episode: the reason why Morgana and Gwen ran first, at the beginning of the episode? Because despite their skill, if they're unarmed and going up against dozens of armed men on their own, they will lose. Their knights were all dead, so even if they could get their hands on a sword, they would've been doomed from the start. Later on, when it's just two or three men and they stand a chance, the girls go into action. This was a case of good strategical analysis on Morgana's part.
As for Gwen being passive about Arthur and Lancelot - she's in a difficult situation of having two guys like her - and liking two guys. And in this universe, she can't just have both boys for herself. Remember, in the legends, that's her ultimate curse: she does, in fact, do her best to have Lancelot and Arthur - and loses them both through her efforts. The show is foreshadowing the fact that she's stuck between these two men. (And believe me, I've been in that "pick one man" situation, and it ain't pretty - no matter what Gwen does, she will disappoint and hurt one of the guys she loves, and herself in the process.)
Overall, for the situations they were in, Gwen and Morgana had actually done remarkably well.
4.) Uther's Flirting and Later Inconsiderateness
Now, for the purposes of this episode, I'm dividing Uther into Before the necklace and After the necklace.
After the Necklace: I'm cutting him major slack on the grounds that he's being enchanted. Seriously - of fucking course he's not going to be thinking straight!
Before the Necklace: Okay, seriously, he actually managed this very well. As much as he's flirting with her - hey, his wife's been dead for twenty years, who wouldn't? - he's keeping it fairly light-romantic and easy-hearted. He dismisses Gaius's initial warnings to his face, yes, BUT, he does bring up those quesitons later on with Catrina in their own time. He even seems willing to doubt until she starts manipulating him, again.
Not only that, but he still can't part from Igraine - remember, he doesn't actually kiss her until After he puts on the necklace. Until then, he was still trying to stay true to Igraine. Not only that, but he even volunteers that she go visit family for a while, for him to have a chance to cool and adjust appropriately. As a politician and king, this would've been the best thing to do in terms of balancing it with his heart and emotions - and, he would've carried it out, hadn't it been for the Necklace.
5.) Gaius
Gaius has worked up towards his trust in Merlin's power. He goes from telling Merlin to not abuse his magic in the beginning of Season 1 to asking him to use his magic in Excalibur to getting him to purposefully to the magical grunt work in the beginning of Season 2. Gaius's trust in Merlin's magic is growing. "Her magic must be strong to resist a sorcerer as powerful as you."
6.) The Excessive Fanservicing
Oi, you wanted more shirtless Arthur, and you asked for it - now stop complaining.
But, in all seriousness, it's not the fanservicing itself for which I think they need to quit it. I can't help but feel they degrade Bradley James's actual acting skill by practically shoving his looks into your face. He was hired for more than that, and while part of me was going, "FLAIL" at the sight of Arthur undulating on the bed like that ^_^ another large part of me was going, "Poor Bradley", too.
There, I said it all.
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Date: 2009-10-26 04:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-26 03:41 pm (UTC)And Arthur sleeping shirtless all the time isn't degrading towards slash, at least to me - on the contrary, this is acting as a HUGE boost to slash! :D - but rather towards Arthur's character, himself. I'm not holding out much hope on Arthur for the next episode - this story arc seems primarily about Merlin, Uther, and that troll - but for the episodes after, I hope to see some more on Arthur, so we can know for sure his character is still strong. I'm honestly just worried that the writers will think they can afford to get lazy with Arthur's character because of all the smexy.
As for the anti-feminist depictions on Merlin...well, yeah, men do think with their pricks, but that's besides the point. :D On all seriousness, I'm having rather mixed feelings about the show. On one hand, I think they're just presenting an over-simplified metaphor about beautiful, manipulative women being really ugly on the inside. With both Sophia and Katrina, in the end, though both ended up as inhuman creatures. They even use Gwen as a contrast, how she manipulates no one, making her a sweet and goodhearted person.
Morgana's going to be the main judgment point for me, later on - in the first season, she really was quite the feminist, helping Arthur with the snakes, and even screwing the code of female propriety and going to Ealdor wearing breeches and swordfighting, herself. She's become more passive so far. Last episode started to see a bit of a revival of her feminist tendencies - i.e. the way she handled the capture - but I'm still hoping to see her back to her full, feminist self after 206. ^_^