Merlin (TV series)/Recap/S01/E02 Valiant: Difference between revisions

Back in the physician’s quarters, a sympathetic Gaius massages Merlin’s shoulders, but slaps the back of his head when Merlin once again resorts to magic for simple tasks. When Merlin complains about the list of duties that he’s expected to do, Gaius takes a moment to defend Arthur.

 

'''Merlin''': Ah! That makes two of us. }}

 

On the tournament grounds King Uther welcomes the assorted knights to the competition, announcing Prince Arthur as the reigning champion and promising one thousand gold pieces to the winner. Morgana and Guinevere watch from the stands. Before Uther joins them, he stops by Arthur and pointedly claps him on the back.

 

 

There is a montage of the knights fighting, at the end of which Valiant approaches Arthur and congratulates him on his victories. As he leaves, Merlin quietly calls him a “creep” and gets his first (though short-lived) smile out of Arthur.

In the throne room the competitors line up to meet Uther, and the king commends Valiant on his fighting. On introducing him to Morgana, Valiant kisses her hand and asks her if it’s true that the winner of the tournament gets to escort her to the feast. A few paces back, Arthur watches with a wry smile as she confirms this.

 

 

When it’s Arthur’s turn to greet Morgana, Guinevere watches with amusement as Morgana drops Valiant’s name into the conversation, and Arthur accordingly rises to the bait.

After Gaius has extracted the venom from the snake’s fangs, Merlin takes the head to Arthur and tells him his story.

 

'''Arthur''': Then I believe you. }}

 

Merlin heads for the dragon’s cave and insists that he can’t possibly be the person that the dragon thinks he is.

 

'''Merlin''': Just give me a straight answer! }}

 

That same evening, unable to get the spell to work properly, Merlin goes to Arthur’s chambers and urges him not to fight on account of Valiant’s shield. Arthur admits that he does believe that Valiant is using magic, but he can’t withdraw on account of being thought a coward.

 

'''Arthur''': Because I have to. It's my duty. }}

 

That night at the banquet Uther introduces Arthur as the champion of the tournament. He offers Morgana his arm to escort her to the table, but by the end of their walk they’re squabbling over whether Morgana saved Arthur and to what extent. Morgana marches off in a huff to talk to Gwen and Arthur turns to Merlin.

 

'''Arthur''': Now I'm rehiring you. My chambers are a complete mess. My clothes need washing. My, er, armour needs repairing. My boots need cleaning. My dogs need exercising. My fireplace needs sweeping. My bed needs changing. And someone needs to muck out my stables… }}

 

* [[Shout-Out]]: The name Valiant is presumably borrowed from the Arthurian comic-strip ''[[Prince Valiant]].''

* [[Stealth Insult]]:

'''Arthur''': ''I don't see that there's anything to be jealous of.'' }}

* [[What Happened to the Mouse?]]: We never find out what happened to the dog that Merlin conjured to life.