In this episode, he loses it. But there is a price to pay: in order to save a life, a life must be taken. Gaius fills in the gaps – the ancient magic which has the power to mirror life can reverse death itself. "Arthur is safe once more!" With Colin Morgan, Angel Coulby, Bradley James, Katie McGrath. Compared by many to be two sides of the same coin, Merlin and Arthur's relationship was at the heart of the show. The next day a plague causes people to die, their skin turning white with dark blue veins. The dark sorceress Nimueh casts a spell on a dragon egg she throws into the castle's water. When King Uther orders Prince Arthur to search all Camelot for the sorcerer he believes to have caused the epidemic, only a magic trick saves Merlin from having his book found. This episode is the first to look at the lengths Merlin will go to save Arthur, an issue which raises it’s head throughout the show as Merlin is forced to make increasingly murky decisions to keep the Once and Future King alive. Gaius guides Merlin through Camelot, acting as a mentor. But mostly it’s the episode where Merlin kills … After the execution of his master, Merlin and Morgana convince Gaius to help cure him and they decide to help him escape. Merlin goes back to Gaius with the clues the dragon has given him. One of the best relationships on Merlin was between the series' eponymous protagonist and Camelot's king. The Knights and Saxons fight, with Arthur and Mordred putting their dragon-forged swords to good use. Merlin has some tough decisions to make that could see his world changed for ever. Broken Pedestal: A minor example. Breaking the Fourth Wall: In the final moments of the episode, Old!Merlin stares straight into the camera. And after that cliffhanger from last time, the episode opens exactly where we left off: in the middle of a huge battle, with Merlin riding to the rescue. Book-Ends: Merlin says in the pilot that without his magic, he might as well die. When Gwen's father exhibits symptoms, Merlin waves Gaius's warning by curing him. The next day a plague causes people to die, their skin turning white with dark blue veins. Its not that I dislike Richard Wilson but Gaius really had outlived his usefulness in the series at that point and I think he got in the way of Merlin learning about these creatures himself and also from the Dragon being his mentor. Directed by James Hawes. I would have had Gaius die in the last episode of series 4. Richard Wilson teamed up with Simon Callow in 2014 for the Playhouse Presents episode “Space Age.” The aging astronauts volunteer for a space mission, opting out of the overpopulated retirement home. 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