This weekend the season finale of Merlin is airing on the BBC. Thankfully, they have also announced a third season is in the works for 2010. Now I just have to hope that Merlin doesn’t leave me with as much of a cliffhanger as Dexter did this week.

Episode 11 – The Witch’s Quickening

Morgana receives a late night visit from the druid boy Mordred and his newest companion, Alvarr. They overtook a convoy headed to the castle and used the guards’ clothing to smuggle Mordred in inside a barrel. Alvarr knows that a crystal once in possession of the druids is locked away inside the castle, and believes that Mordred can be taught to wield its power. Morgana has sympathized with Mordred and the druids in the past, so they have come to ask for her help in acquiring it. Mordred’s telepathic conversing with Alvarr wakes up Merlin who recognizes the voice and is able to tell Arthur where the intruders are hiding. But Morgana keeps them from searching her room and Merlin is left looking like a fool while the guards continue searching elsewhere.

Merlin talks with Gaius about Mordred and Alvarr’s visit with Morgana and the snippets of conversation that he overheard. It seems there is something in Camelot that they were willing to die to get their hands on. The next day Merlin runs into Morgana who is acting suspiciously in Arthur’s room. She had come to steal Arthur’s keys to the vault where the crystal is being held. She heads to the vaults and takes the crystal. The alarm is sounded when guards find the door open and the crystal gone. And since Arthur had the only keys to the vault, Merlin then realizes what Morgana was really up to. Arthur takes the blame for the missing keys, even though its Merlin’s job to make sure the prince’s room is kept sealed. Uther warns his son that no matter what the druids cannot have this crystal and it needs to be returned.

Talking to Gaius about what Morgana did, Merlin discovers that Gaius knows little more than rumours of what the crystal of Neahtid is capable of, just that it has something to do with time. An instrument of the Old Religion, Merlin’s only choice is to ask the Great Dragon, who is just a little annoyed that Merlin still has not kept his promise and released him from underneath Camelot. He tells Merlin that the crystal has the power to show past, present and future to those with enough power to wield it. He warns that while Morgana could not use it, Mordred could, and once again tells Merlin that an alliance between Mordred and Morgana needs to be stopped at all costs.

Merlin follows Morgana when she leaves the castle at night, right to Alvarr’s druid bandit camp. It is clear that Alvarr is a fanatic, and that he can easily charm people into following his every request. Mordred and Morgana are tools he is using in his plot of revenge against Uther for killing his parents, also druids, and banning magic. With this information, Gaius approaches Uther and claims that an informant he treated gave him details on where the intruders could be found. Morgana sets off just moments before Arthur and his entourage to see if she can reach them and warn them in time.

Arthur’s men are attacked once they enter the camp. Merlin uses magic to trip Mordred in an attempt to stop him from fleeing, which the young boy tells Merlin he shall never be forgiven for. Eventually they capture Alvarr and recover the crystal. Arthur puts Merlin in charge of making sure the crystal is safe, which is not the best idea. His curiosity gets the best of him and Merlin looks into the crystal. He sees a future in which the Great Dragon is free and Camelot is burning to the ground.

Alvarr admits to all charges when he is brought in front of Uther, and thus sentenced to death. He does not betray Morgana. Once alone, Morgana tells Uther off, ultimately telling him that she disowns him and will have nothing more to do with him, that he will go to Hell. With Morgana still enthralled with him, she drugs his guards and sets him free.

Merlin confesses to Gaius that he held the crystal, and tells him of what he saw. Gaius tries to reassure Merlin, telling him that the future is not yet spaced, that Merlin is the one that creates his future, not the crystal. It doesn’t do much for the young warlock, who still has to face the Dragon.

Episode 12 – The Fires of Idirsholas

We have not seen the last of Morgause. This time, her efforts to kill Uther Pendragon lead her to resurrect warriors once controlled by a powerful sorceress and bring havoc to Camelot. When a shepherd comes to Camelot and informs the king of fire coming from the Idirsholas Citadel, he sends Arthur to investigate and ensure that it does not bring worry to the people.

During this time, Morgause leaves a note for Morgana to meet her in the evening. The sisters meet (it is still not clear if Morgause knows that they are sisters), Morgana telling her of her hatred for Uther and Morgause asking her to choose a side. The sorceress casts a spell on the Lady (who is unaware of what it is), and Morgana awakens in her chambers. When she comes to, Morgana notices everyone around her begins to fall asleep, so she hides.

Arthur, Merlin and some of the Royal guard are investigating the ruins. They find remnants of a fire, but nothing more. Until Merlin notices several imposing and very menacing looking “knights” standing behind them. Arthur and the guards attempt to fight off the knights, but the only ones to escape are the prince and his servant when Merlin causes part of the roof to collapse on the knights.

The boys return to Camelot to find everyone, including Gaius, Gwen and Uther, passed out. While searching for Uther, they find Morgana hiding behind a curtain in her quarters. She is completely bewildered and confused, not understanding why everyone other than herself fell asleep. Arthur questions her, demanding to know how it is she is awake, but she cannot answer. The three continue on, eventually finding Uther asleep at a table. Arthur once again pressures Morgana, and Merlin comes up with a story that Gaius must have given her a potion that kept her safe and that the physician fell asleep before he could give it to anyone else.

The knights, led by Morgause, are headed to Camelot. Once Arthur sees them, they carry the slightly heavy king to safety. The boys notice that they are starting to feel tired and do their best to fight it off. Merlin runs off to find clothes to disguise Uther in, avoiding one of the Knights of Medhir, then heading underneath the city to ask the Dragon for assistance. Once more, the Dragon brings up Merlin’s failure to release him, until Merlin swears to do so on his mother’s life. The Dragon reveals that Morgana is the source of the enchantment, not that she created it, but that she is the vessel keeping the spell going. With Morgana now an enemy of Camelot, Merlin’s only choice is to kill Morgana or see Camelot fall forever.

Merlin heads to Gaius’ quarters, grabs some clothes and a bottle of hemlock, then rushes back to the room where Arthur and Morgana have been keeping watch over Uther. Once more they have to move Uther, dodging the Knights. The plan now is to take Uther out of Camelot, hoping they can reach a cart by the castle entrance. But the Knights almost have them cornered. Arthur takes on one of the knights as Merlin and Morgana pull the king to safety, but a strange thing happens in the corridor. As another knight gets near them, it hesitates and does not go after Morgana, only Merlin. They meet up with Arthur and lock themselves in the throne room.

The prince leaves, hoping to bring the cart near a window so they can lower Uther down. Now Merlin must find a way to get Morgana to drink the hemlock, even though he really does not want to harm someone he considers a friend. He slips the hemlock into his water and after a few attempts finally succeeds in getting Morgana to drink it. He holds her and apologizes for what he had to do.

Morgause senses the change in Morgana and feels her spell coming apart. She rushes to her sister’s side. Merlin bargains with the witch, saying that only once the attack stops and the people are free that he will tell her what Morgana was poisoned with. She undoes her magic, and just after Arthur comes back to the room, she vanishes, taking Morgana with her.

Now, Merlin must hold to his promise with the Dragon. Stealing a sword from one of the Knights of Medhir, he proceeds to the caves. He tries to have the Dragon promise to bring no harm to Camelot, but the Dragon refuses, saying enough bargains have been made. Merlin walks down near where the chain has been fastened, casts a bit of his own magic, and strikes the chains. The Great Dragon flies off, and we see Merlin watching as he leaves captivity.

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