History Recap / MerlinS05E01ArthursBanePartI

* InescapableNet: Neither Merlin nor Arthuer can escape from it.

It's been three years since the last series, and things are looking good in Camelot. KingArthur has his CoolSword, HotConsort and BadassCrew of Round Table Knights, but Merlin is rushing through the castle in search of something. Turns out he can't find Guinevere anywhere, but just as Arthur is beginning to lay into him, the Queen calmly descends the staircase with her handmaiden behind her. Merlin is off the hook, and exchanges a small smile with Sefa before they enter the throne room.

* FanService /WalkingShirtlessScene: Since Arthur spends much of his time clothed and in the wilderness, Gwaine and Percival fill in for their King by spending much of the episode shirtless. With close up scenes of them lying down next to each other, stretching their armpits to the camera.

* MauveShirt: Sir Leon, as usual. Admit it, when you saw Ruadan injure him in battle you thought TheWorfEffect had kicked in and that Leon would be KilledOffForReal this time. [[spoiler:He wasn't]].

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Played with in regards to Guinevere, who appears as Queen for the first time and took some viewers by surprise by her rather cold sentencing of Sefa. [[spoiler:Turns out it was just a bluff]].

* TimeShiftedActor: As it's been seven in-show years since the character was last seen, Alexander Vlahos has taken over from Asa Butterfield as Mordred.

** {{Subverted}}. Gwen [[spoiler:never intended to execute Sefa, just make it seem convincing enough to lure Ruadan away from Ismere]]. And it worked.

* ShoutOut: Morgana in her winter furs and sleigh is highly reminiscent of the White Witch in ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', whilst the scene in which Merlin and Arthur hide from Morgana beneath the roots of a tree is staged almost identically to the scene in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' when the hobbits hide from the Ringwraiths.

* ShoutOut: Morgana in her winter furs and sleigh is highly reminiscent of the White Witch in ''TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', whilst the scene in which Merlin and Arthur hide from Morgana beneath the roots of a tree is staged almost identically to the scene in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' when the hobbits hide from the Ringwraiths.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Series/GameOfThrones Davos is an evil sorcerer? How many crazy sorcerous allies does Stannis Baratheon need?]]

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Sefa, Ruadan, and Morgana all show traits of this.

* LadyInRed: Guinevere's red dress seems all set to become her [[IconicItem Iconic]] [[IconicOutfit Outfit]].

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[GameOfThrones Davos is an evil sorcerer? How many crazy sorcerous allies does Stannis Baratheon need?]]

* RavensAndCrows: Sefa is startled by one as she approaches her father in the woods.

Gwaine is lying bruised and battered on the floor of the mines, when something with long glowing hands approaches him and begins to chant. It appears to be a [[Film/{{Coneheads}} shiny miniature Conehead]]. Or possibly a [[TheLordOfTheRings naked alien Gollum]]. Either way, Gwaine's wounds begin to heal.

* ShoutOut: Morgana in her winter furs and sleigh is highly reminiscent of the White Witch in ''TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', whilst the scene in which Merlin and Arthur hide from Morgana beneath the roots of a tree is staged almost identically to the scene in ''TheLordOfTheRings'' when the hobbits hide from the Ringwraiths.

Arthur announces to those seated at the Round Table that he's just had news from the north. Gwaine and a patrol of Camelot knights have gone missing on their way to Ismere, a dark tower in the midst of a snowy wasteland. Despite search parties being sent out, there is no sign of them. However, a FlashBack clues us in on what really happened: a BigBadassWolf chased him down and (somehow) knocked him unconscious. It howls to the sky and a dark figure approaches. It's Morgana.

* BigBadassWolf: Three of them guard the fortress of Ismere.

* ImpliedLoveInterest: Sefa to Merlin. It's a bit of a RedHerring to disguise her true loyalties.

* InescapableNet: Even though it looked reasonably easy to get out of.

* MauveShirt: Sir Leon, as usual. Admit it, when you saw Ruadan injure him in battle you thought TheWorfEffect had kicked in and that Leon would be [[KilledOffForReal killed off]] for ''real'' this time. [[spoiler:He wasn't]].