A Lesson in Vengeance
Arthur and Guinevere are heading out on horseback into the woods to celebrate their wedding anniversary, with Merlin in tow. Arthur is quite proud of himself for having remembered the date, even though it was thanks to Merlin. They head into the trees together when a flare on the ground explodes, frightening Arthur's horse. He falls from the saddle and is instantly set upon by a group of bandits. Along with Merlin's (secret) help, he manages to fight them off - something that Gwen doesn't look entirely pleased at.
Back in Camelot, Arthur is getting his wounds tended to by Gaius. With the bandits dead, there's no way to question them, but Merlin points out that it can't have been a coincidence that they knew where to wait. Leon enters with Arthur's saddle: it's been unpicked and restitched in order to easily break. All the evidence leads to Tyr Sewart, the king's groom. He's brought before the court, pleading his innocence, but Arthur sentences him to death on charges of treason.
Merlin isn't at all convinced, but once alone with Arthur, Gwen assures him that he did the right thing. Merlin takes some food to Tyr down in the dungeon (who is taking his impending fate remarkably well) and tries to get some more information out of him, certain that there's more to the story than meets the eye. Tyr reveals that a few nights ago he was sleeping in the stables in order to watch over a horse with colic, when he saw someone tampering with the king's saddle. On confronting this person, his mother's life was threatened if he told anyone what he'd seen, and so he refuses to divulge to Merlin who it was.
Merlin takes this news to Arthur and Gwen, but on heading down to the dungeons to learn more, Arthur is stopped by Gwen, who convinces him that Tyr needs a night in the cell in order to think things over.
Back down in the physician's quarters with Gaius, Merlin notes that something is a bit off about Gwen lately. Gaius puts it down to Elyan's death and her ordeal in the Dark Tower, but Merlin remains concerned.
That night, Gwen makes a secret visit to the dungeons, being sure to first put the guards asleep by burning a soporific herb in one of the gratings. On reaching Tyr in his cell, she calls him over the bars and reassures him that his mother is safe. She's not the threat - but unfortunately, Tyr himself is. With a large dagger she stabs him through the bars. Damn.
The following morning, Gaius looks over the body and tells Arthur that he died instantly. Arthur is furious that he didn't speak with Tyr when he had the chance, and Merlin points out that whoever is responsible must have known the castle well.
Guinevere meets Morgana out in the forest to tell her that their plan failed. Though she's taken care of Tyr, Morgana points out that someone else must be take the blame for their original plot so that Gwen herself is beyond all suspicion when Arthur dies. She tells Gwen that she needs the loyalty of the knights in order to secure her right to the throne, and tells her that she'll come to her in Camelot with a new plan. They are interrupted by the arrival of a horse-backed patrol, and they split up into the forest. Gwen makes a run for it in the trees, pursued by Gwaine, but Morgana's magic puts an end to the chase by throwing him off his horse.
In the corridors of Camelot, Merlin comes across Gwen and warns her about the recent attack. She tells him that she was walking alone, though he still seems to suspect something's wrong. Gwaine gets his wounds dressed by Gaius, and Gwen listens in as Merlin asks Gwaine to stay close to Arthur at all times, feeling that the traitor might be someone very close by.
In an apothecary shack somewhere in the woods Morgana buys a deadly poison that will kill a man slowly and painfully, whilst Gwen finds that Arthur is having a rare bout of rational thinking by putting the pieces together and concluding that someone in Camelot is helping Morgana conspire against him. She assures him that they'll find whoever it is together.
Gaius and Merlin are searching for clues out in the woods when they come across a scrap of cloth. Gaius identifies it as rare silk with embroidery through it; recognising it, Merlin rushes to Gwen's closet and begins to search through her clothing. Naturally, that's Arthur's cue to walk in and question what on earth he's doing.
Disguised as an old woman, Morgana gives the poison to Gwen while she's in town, and over dinner, Gwen manages to slip a few drops into Arthur's goblet. Down in the kitchens, Merlin is washing Arthur's clothing when he uncovers Gwen's cloak and notices that it's the garment that the scrap of cloth comes from. Panicking, he rushes upstairs. Arthur proposes a toast to Gwen and drinks. As he slumps over, she brings out the second potion and drops some of it in his ear: this will cause him more pain, but conveniently prolong his suffering. Merlin bursts into the room to find Arthur half-dead.
A little while later, Gaius utters this gem of a line:
- Gaius: All the evidence suggests... the king has been poisoned.
With the knights gathered behind her, Gwen points to Merlin as the culprit. He's promptly thrown into the dungeons. After a quick conversation with an apologetic Gwen, Gaius goes to see Merlin. To their everlasting credit, this time both of them are well aware that Guinevere is being controlled and manipulated by Morgana following her ordeal in the Dark Tower. But Gaius can't heal Arthur, Merlin's magic is the only thing that can save him, he needs to get out of the dungeons, etc.
Up in Arthur's chambers, Guinevere is putting on an award-winning performance of impending widowhood in front of Sir Leon. He's suitably impressed by this, and tells her that should Arthur die, he and the rest of the knights will support her claim to the throne. Gwen quietly tee-hees to herself.
Back in the dungeon, Merlin sees a potion being lowered through the grate in the ceiling. Yup, it's time for another round of Dragoon. He bursts out of the dungeons in his old man persona, largely hams his way past the confused guards, detours through the kitchen and knocks the cook unconscious, and then changes back into himself in order to distract the soldiers standing watch by the king's door. However, at that moment Gwaine and the rest of the knights turn into the corridor and send Merlin racing through the castle and out into the courtyard.
Hiding behind a barrel, Merlin spots light coming from Arthur's chamber. He uses magic to dowse all the lights in the courtyard, then spider-mans his way up the side of the castle to the open window. Seeing him slip inside, Gaius talks Guinevere into leaving for safer quarters with Gwaine. Using a magical heart compression, Merlin brings Arthur back to life. Hooray.
The following morning Merlin is let out of prison and Arthur tells him that he could never have tried to attempt to take his life: he's not smart enough. Just as Merlin is beginning to tell him about Guinevere, Arthur excuses himself so that he can attend the council meeting. Apparently Guinevere has found some more evidence.
In front of the court, Arthur questions the apothecary from the woods about the poison bottles that Gwen "found" in their chambers. He tells them that the buyer was Morgana but that he had no knowledge about what she was going to use them for. He's escorted from the room, and Arthur presents Guinevere to the court, telling everyone that he owes her his life. Everyone begins to chant: "long live the Queen!" except for Merlin. She notices his silence, and the two engage in a fairly epic Death Glare.
Tropes
- Apron Matron: Audrey the cook.
- Bavarian Fire Drill: Old!Merlin BS's his way past the guards by being as obstinate and insulting as humanly possible while claiming that they've forgotten about letting him in.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Guinevere, though it's all down to her brainwashing.
- Brain Bleach: Arthur's reaction to Merlin prefering Gwen's laundry to his. (Supposedly, he thinks Merlin's sneaking off to try them on)Arthur: *with closed eyes* I'm going to do everything in my power to forget you ever said that.
- Call-Back: There are several notable parellels between this episode and the series 3 opener, with Gwen in the place of Morgana. Gwen getting praised at the end while Merlin gives her a Death Glare corresponds almost perfectly with the ending of that episode.
- Captain Obvious: Gaius, more so than usual.
- Comforting the Widow: It was a little pre-emptive, but Sir Leon's scene with a tearful Gwen had shades of this.
- Continuity Nod: The return of Dragoon and Merlin's rivalry with Audrey the cook. Elyan's death and Gwen's ordeal is also referenced. Also, when caught rifling through Gwen's clothes, Arthur once again brings up the fact that he thinks Merlin is a crossdresser.
- Dissonant Serenity: What tips Gaius off as to Guninevere's new state of mind.
- Double Entendre: Arthur's line to Guinevere over a private dinner: "we never got to have our little celebration" followed by a toast "to us" looks innocent enough in writing, but his bedroom eyes and suggestive voice imply that he's got a specific kind of celebration in mind....
- Dramatic Irony: Gwen (who has been brainwashed by Morgana and is helping plot Arthur's death) warns Arthur that the people who he leasts expects could betray him.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Brainwashed!Gwen does not seem to get that she, as Merlin's best friend, should be feeling huge reams of remorse for being forced to convict him. Her conversation with Gaius is partially what tips him off: she doesn't feel sorry at all for sentencing Merlin, only that Gaius will lose him.
- Frameup: Gwen does this to Tyr and then Merlin.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners/Platonic Life-Partners: If bringing Merlin on their anniversary doesn't make Arthur, Gwen, and Merlin a
One True Threesome, nothing will. - Inelegant Blubbering: Merlin is on the verge of this when it appears his spell has failed.
- Le Parkour: Merlin sneaking in and out of the king's rooms.
- Obviously Evil:
- Inverted with Tyr. The guy is so obviously innocent that Arthur looks just as daft for suspecting him as he did for trusting Agravaine.
- Subverted by Gwen. To the audience she's Obviously Evil, but she actually knows how to keep up her cover and doesn't smirk in plain sight.
- Oh, Crap!: Merlin's face when Gwen accuses him. It actually starts about two minutes before she says his name; he sees it coming a mile away.
- Psychotic Smirk: Gwen gets one. Unlike every other character in this show though, she's smart enough to make sure no one can see.
- Refuge in Audacity: When Arthur starts speculating that Tyr was working with someone extremely close to him, Gwen kneels by his side and tells him that it's always the person you least suspect.
- Remember the New Guy?: Tyr has apparently been Arthur's servant since he was a boy. This is the first we've heard of him.
- Sacrificial Lamb: Poor Tyr.
- Tap on the Head: Merlin uses a pot to knock out Audrey.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Gwen spends most of the episode crying Crocodile Tears and pretending to mourn Arthur to get everyone to follow her, even up to accusing her best friend of murder and manipulating Sir Leon into reassuring her that all of the knights will follow her if Arthur dies.
