Everyone please feel free to offer suggestions for the above master list. The mod will fill in later.

Discussion questions. (Pick as few or as many as you wish.)

1. What are your thoughts about our Gwen as she’s first introduced to us?

2. Let’s evaluate Gwen’s relationship with Morgana as the season begins and continue as we progress.

3. What do you think we’re supposed to see with regard to the Arthur/Morgana relationship. How do you see it? (In this episode)

4. Some time ago, someone suggested to me that there are two indicators in the very first episode that the show would go the Arthur/Gwen route. Did you pick them up?

5. Any thoughts about what the Dragon said in his initial appearance and how it compares to what he said in his final appearance? (We’ll be making further comparisons along the way.)

6. What were your initial impressions of Merlin the character when you first met him here? Did you like/dislike him? Answer the same about Arthur. Also you might want to talk about how they related to each other at the outset.

7. Compare Uther’s treatment of Morgana here to his treatment of her later.

8. How did this episode link with remaining ones of the series? Let’s start connecting the dots...if we can.

9. Do you see a lesson in this episode? If so, share it! If anybody cares to, talk about how the episode could have been better.

10. Talk about anything else that hits your fancy: Merlin/Gaius; Merlin/Gwen; Uther/Arthur; magic in the episode; how effective the villain; whatever.

Okay, soooo here it goes!
Now when I think of it, I like the fact we first saw Gwen looking at Arthur and Merlin. It makes some sense now, even though the writors probably didn't intend that. I also love how she's all talkactive when nervous, not very queenly material. And to see what she's going to become, the progression of the character, well it is indeed a beautiful thing to watch. i found myself squeeing " ohh you're going to rule honey".
I never really cared much about Arthur and Morgana, they never had a chemistry. And I don't mean the one between romantic characters. I mean between the actors. Maybe it's just me, but I never got rid of that feeling.
I also didn't see Gwen/Arthur indicators. But now when I watch, my shipper heart screams on every their individiual scene that there are indicators. I am everything but objective.
Oh, don't get me started with the dragon. i am seriously pissed with him! Not just in the first episode, but though all series he'd been saying one thing. And then bam Arthur's dead, ohh the Albion can live by the way! I mean, seriously!! Now every his apprearance doesn't make any sense!
I loved Merlin when i first saw him, and Arthur as well. And it is because of the same reason: they were both young unexperinced chracters, with such wrong attitude and full of flawless. They were actually so much alike and yet so much different. And I fell in love with that. Also, arthur with that sexy bad boy attitude. I totally fell for that LOL!
Uther was ruthless, he was the most damaged of them all. It just took me some time to see that and to start loving the actor, cause he was really good!!

That's all ... for now. i wanna hear you guys now!

Well, Joppa, you have the fine distinction of being the first person to respond on our new project. Thanks for stepping out! I have a few thoughts for now while we wait for others to watch. Some folks may not be able to watch for a few days or so, but we'll see. But I just wanted to throw in a my two cents on a few things while I can as I may not be around much for a couple of days. Gonna have my grandkids here for several days and sometimes they make it difficult for me to be online but who knows?

#1. I liked Gwen, thought she was a sweetie pie, but definitely not queen material at that point. It's not too long that we see the noble character traits come through but I didn't really see them in this episode. It's obvious she and Merlin liked each other right off the bat; the start of a long and meaningful friendship. It's so cute how she keeps putting her foot in her mouth at this point, and I think that is one of the things that made her charming to Merlin.

#2. Gwen obviously has a teenage fan type adoration towards Morgana. Thinks her mistress is big deal. Well, Morgana thinks herself a big deal too. The men think Morgana a big deal too. Everybody does. Well, maybe not Uther.

#4. Two things were pointed out to me re A/G. Not going to say yet--they're rather subtle hints and I didn't catch them at first. Just want to see if anybody wants to take a stab at it.

#6. Now why did I not like Merlin that much? I don't know but he seems cocky and arrogant in this initial episode. He seems immature and rather like Arthur. To me, they were a lot alike only Arthur had the royalty going for him. You know how a bully walks around and all his cronies with him laughing at everything he does? He seemed like a teenaged bully in all his glory. You know why he liked Merlin right away? Because Merlin was one of the few people who stood up to him and told it like it is. His cronies were gutless and probably appreciated Merlin for what he did even though they were laughing with Arthur. I think Gwen was trying to say that.

I'll make one offering for the Master List:

Lives Saved:
Arthur [first of many times, lol]

More later probably....

Can't stop for a long comment yet (will do later hopefully!) but just wanted to say thanks to you ladies for setting up this post and organising the rewatch.

I can't seem to find a full episode and the links on the other page doesn't allow. I will keep trying because I never watched the whole of season one. I picked it up after season 2 ended. Anyway, interested in what everyone thought.

1. What are your thoughts about our Gwen as she’s first introduced to us?

Though, she is quite bumble y and shy (when compared to Morgana), I felt flickers of that nobility come through. You could tell that she didn't like the way Arthur was treating his servant and admired that Merlin stood up to Arthur. You could see the the beginnings of the small traits that would make a few men fall for her and make her a great Queen.

2. Let’s evaluate Gwen’s relationship with Morgana as the season begins and continue as we progress.

To me, it seems that Gwen looks up to Morgana and idolizes her a little. Probably because she is more confident than Gwen and can speak up. With Morgana, its clear that she considers Gwen as her friend. She talks to her, asks for her opinions etc which friends do.

3. What do you think we’re supposed to see with regard to the Arthur/Morgana relationship. How do you see it? (In this episode)

Well watching the Arthur/Morgana scenes, I felt no romantic chemistry. It's clear that while it was expected by the court that they would get married and obviously both Arthur and Morgana are attractive, that they have a brother/sister type relationship. It makes me think whether the producers knew then that they would have Arthur and Morgana related because Gwen says to Merlin "Some people are just born to be Queen" and yet Uther still hasn't expressed expectation of Arthur needing to marry Morgana. I love that Gwen says, "Would want to marry Arthur" and I still giggle because she ends up marrying him!

4. Some time ago, someone suggested to me that there are two indicators in the very first episode that the show would go the Arthur/Gwen route. Did you pick them up?

Well I think for me the first time I ever watched this episode, the fact Arthur and Gwen appear for the first time in the same scene is telling. Also they both are wearing Pendragon Red too. So both those small things shows something to me. With the first one, you can tell that Gwen is probably thinking "there Arthur is again being a total prat" and then Merlin comes along and stands up to Arthur. And really I think that its great that at the beginning it doesn't seem like Gwen could have feelings for Arthur (or vice versa), but really its through both Gwen and Arthur's friendship that they see each more. And with the second one its just their outfits match. Which couples sometimes do. I just find that adorable!

5. Any thoughts about what the Dragon said in his initial appearance and how it compares to what he said in his final appearance?

Well at first you feel like its all a lie, the dragon tells Merlin that Arthur is the Once & Future King and will unite Albion and Merlin will help him blah blah blah and you hear the word destiny as well quite a lot. But obviously, I think watching 1x08 might shed some light here, because of the things we learn there.

6. What were your initial impressions of Merlin the character when you first met him here? Did you like/dislike him? Answer the same about Arthur. Also you might want to talk about how they related to each other at the outset.

It's interesting re-watching this episode after so long, because you can see how a little immature Merlin is about using his magic for little tasks like cleaning etc, when he is in danger of being caught. And while I admired him for standing up to Arthur, he did act a little arrogant like Arthur. With Arthur, he definitely acted like a huge prat and bully, but I think there were some glimmers that their was more to him than that, which is great. I love watching shows that show character development and growth.

7. Compare Uther’s treatment of Morgana here to his treatment of her later.

While Uther definitely treats Morgana like his daughter and the king that he is. Which pretty much I think stays the same later on too I think.

8. How did this episode link with remaining ones of the series? Let’s start connecting the dots...if we can.

Well I have some thoughts on this but I'm going to wait until later to discuss them.

10. Talk about anything else that hits your fancy: Merlin/Gaius; Merlin/Gwen; Uther/Arthur; magic in the episode; how effective the villain; whatever.

With regards to Merlin/Arthur, I found it interesting to watch this first episode, and see how they both saw each other when they first met to how it was at the end. Merlin clearly thinks that Arthur is a prat (after seeing the way he treats his servant). Where as with Arthur, while he didn't like the way Merlin spoke and stood up to him, I think Arthur felt intrigued by him (he even says "there's something about you, Merlin") and while he would not admit it then, respected the fact that Merlin stood up to him and didn't treat him like an entitled Prince. I think this set the foundations for Arthur and Merlin's friendship. So it will be interesting to watch as it continues to grow.

And I found the Merlin/Gwen scenes just adorable!


Masterlist:

C. R.I.P. list. Guy at the beginning, Lady Helen, Mary Collins
D. Who spent time in the dungeon? Merlin (twice)
G. Statements about Arthur becoming the great king of legend. "Arthur is the once and future king who will unite the land of Albion... "
F. Great dragon predictions/riddles. "How small you are, for such a great destiny...." " Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason. " "Everything! Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion!" "There is no right or wrong. Only what is and what isn't."

Photoset by simply-aly152 @ tumblr.

Leona use the links we posted above. Is there an issue because of your location?

link

I loved rewatching this episode, I have to admit that I did pay very close attention to season the first time around, so it really feels quite new. I loved merlin, although he came off as immature I still felt he had a sunny outlook and positive nature, especially when he smiles. Arthur does play the part of prat quite well, but I do sense that he is intrigued by merlin and maybe up to this point, a little bored with his life. Morgana did nothing to particularly strike me, although she did seem to strike Merlin's fancy. Now, onto Gwen...she definitely seems to look up to morgana and admire her. I love how flustered she gets, at this point I did not get a queenly sense about her but cannot wait to see that develop. Overall I really loved this openning episode. Something that I picked up on this time around, that I missed first go was Arthur's age. I like knowing that Arthur is 20, it helps me develop a better time line. I also, did not pick up on any a/g stirrings, so I am very curious to hear what those are....

1. What are your thoughts about our Gwen as she’s first introduced to us?
Humble and down to earth. That was the first characteristics that i spotted on her the moment she came on screen and guess what, it's a trait that she keeps with her even after she becomes the Queen. Knowing Merlin is news, she offers her friendship and despite Arthur being a bully, she tries to console Merlin. And when Merlin gets the job offer, she is both worried and happy for Merlin. Happy probably knowing that Merlin can be the one to bring Arthur down to earth because she knows what a bully Arthur is and worried knowing how much Merlin is going to suffer in his new job. That aside, she's has her queenly traits in her though she tried to hide them by being shy and very bubbly. She's charming and striked a cord with all of us instantly.

2. Let’s evaluate Gwen’s relationship with Morgana as the season begins and continue as we progress.
She really values her friendship with Morgana and seems proud too. And maybe she looks up to Morgana because of Morgana's royal birth. And Gwen is genuinely happy for Morgana, can be seen from her conversation with Merlin.

3. What do you think we’re supposed to see with regard to the Arthur/Morgana relationship. How do you see it? (In this episode)
To be honest, i was thinking the directors probably had something else in mind since they've been stressing how this will be a different take. But thankfully i only saw glimpses of flirt and nothing else. I am not sure if the directors had different opinions about arthur/morgana relationship but thank god, they came around and gave a more brother sister relationship. It's not obvious in this episode but it will later on, through various scenes and episodes.

4. Some time ago, someone suggested to me that there are two indicators in the very first episode that the show would go the Arthur/Gwen route. Did you pick them up?
I'm not realy good at picking up indicators but is it when Gwen says, who'd want to marry Arthur? & when she's watching Arthur bully Merlin for the first time? I like how the camera zooms from Arthur to Gwen and to Merlin and then back to Arthur again. It's like a destiny. (might be wrong but hey, this is fun!)

5. Any thoughts about what the Dragon said in his initial appearance and how it compares to what he said in his final appearance? (We’ll be making further comparisons along the way.)
For me, I regarded Kilgarrah as the voice of the future because he kept reminding Merlin of things that will come to pass. The once and future king part is there, Arthur needs you part is there, without you there's no albion, it's your destiny, the reason of your gifts blah blah. What he said here does appear in the finale but it's along the way that I feel he could have used Merlin for his own escape. And he did lie a bit ... we'll find when we do the following rewatches. So for me, in this episode the dragon did no wrong. Merlin seemed lost and Gaius had no answers so the dragon stepped in and guided Merlin himself. I just wish he could have been more precise and save so many lives lost (i still blame the dragon for Arthur's death) that we will come to see.

6. What were your initial impressions of Merlin the character when you first met him here? Did you like/dislike him? Answer the same about Arthur. Also you might want to talk about how they related to each other at the outset.
Merlin
He's very excited about his new home, this new role in a new place and he is full of expectation knowing he was deprived all that in Ealdor. And his mother seems to confirm that saying he's always at odds there. So, Merlin in this episode is full of energy. It might look like he is being arrogant to some but for me, no. I think it's because he lacked all the excitement in Ealdor that he is raring to go and do things he like without the concern of the repercussions in Camelot. That's why he is not sorry for using magic, fighting Arthur and confirming that he will use his gifts by all means because it means that much. He is young, untested, lost, unguided, pampered since he is a gifted child, a village boy, immatured a bit and very very naive. AND oh yes, i liked him instantly!
Arthur
This Arthur surprised me. He is a far cry than what we been taught and told so our first glimpse rather stunned us, at least me. I just went, 'that's Arthur?' And he is a prat, a royal one! And it was nice to see a different shade on the legendary character knowing there's a lot of work to do to turn this boy into the king we all loved. Despite him being arrogant, prat and a bully i like that particular scene in the market where he actually spots something of Merlin. There's a slight hint of genuine honesty in him when he says 'there's something about you'. And that scene will go down as EPIC because they mention it again in the finale. Arthur's first impression was rather different but i have to say i liked it because it was intriguing and full of expectation.

7. Compare Uther’s treatment of Morgana here to his treatment of her later.
Nothing much was revealed except that she loathes the way he treats those with magic and him because she feels for them dead. It was more of an introductory episode for these two.

8. How did this episode link with remaining ones of the series? Let’s start connecting the dots...if we can.
Obviously the episode's first target was to get Merlin to Camelot and connect him with three important characters; Arthur, Morgana and Gwen. For his destiny lies with them. Some of Gaius speech about destiny and use of magic will come through the series, Arthur's mention that something intrigues him about Merlin will also be seen as we go along, the market scene will play in the finale, Uther's hate for magic wil be known once Nimueh makes her appearance, It will also serve as warning bell for Merlin to keep his gift hidden and later from Arthur, Merlin's meeting with the dragon also connects throughout the series.

9. Do you see a lesson in this episode? If so, share it! If anybody cares to, talk about how the episode could have been better.
I can't seem to find fault in this episode because it's more of an introductory episode. It was more like the first day in class where we don't know what to expect and accept anything given to us. As for lessons learnt, i think I'd go for never to underestimate anyone. This is for Arthur who actually thinks Merlin cannot beat him, Merlin who uses his powers at free will when in truth he's dealing with something bigger, Uther who thinks by sentencing and wiping Magic from Camelot he will free the land of sorcery.

10. Talk about anything else that hits your fancy: Merlin/Gaius; Merlin/Gwen; Uther/Arthur; magic in the episode; how effective the villain; whatever.
I loved lady helen. Beautiful, revengeful, and full of love for her son. I like her motive here, love for her death son. And that's why she went for Arthur and Arthur alone. No power, fame or money drove her crazy only love. I actually pitied her. And that beautiful music she sings while attempting to kill Arthur, wow! Merlin/Gaius relationship is begining to warm up though he is more concerned about the magic reveal than anything else.

B. Lives saved.
Arthur
C. R.I.P. list.
Lady Helen, her son, the maid
D. Who spent time in the dungeon?
Merlin, twice!
F. Great dragon predictions/riddles.
How small you are for such a great destiny, Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason, Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion, But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike, Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion. None of us can choose our destiny, Merlin, and none of us can escape it.
G. Statements about Arthur becoming the great king of legend.
Arthur is the once anf future king,
H. What Uther says about magic.
Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass.
I. Progress or resets in Arthur/Merlin relationship
That epic market scene and the when Merlin saves Arthur's life. Progress.

Overall, it was an ok episode. I had little flaws to pick up because i was more excited about the difference that the show promised than anything else. And you know what really makes it all the more exciting, then and now ... it's these lines below;
"No young man, no matter how great, can know his destiny. He cannot glimpse his part in the great story that is about to unfold. Like everyone, he must live and learn. And so it will be for the young warlock arriving at the gates of Camelot. A boy that will, in time, father the legend. His name: Merlin. "
While watching Merlin walk towards Camelot, i actually choked because we know how it ended so watching a young innocent boy walking into the land filled with sorcery, hatred, death and finally loneliness actuall wants me to scream at Merlin and tell him, 'get out!'.

I know we all sad with what happened but rewatching actually helps. It does to me and i am glad i sais yes to HQ when she asked me. Now i can evaluate why i was drawn to this series, why i loved and worshipped these characters and why it drives me crazy to think the series was unfairly handled. This rewatch will help me answer all these questions. SO .. thanks.

@Shu:

Humble and down to earth. That was the first characteristics that i spotted on her the moment she came on screen and guess what, it's a trait that she keeps with her even after she becomes the Queen.

I whole heartily agree with what you have said here. While Gwen certainly grew as the series progressed, she still retained these qualities with her. She grew confidence and began to speak her mind and its certainly one of the reasons Arthur loves Gwen, much like he respects Merlin, because they treat him like Arthur, and not a Prince.

As to what you said about the Arthur/Morgana relationship, I do think that they was a little flirting because they both are attractive people, but I didn't sense anything deeper. At this stage obviously they don't know that they are related, which makes me wonder if the producers knew at this stage that they were half siblings. A part of me thinks yes because Gwen mentions that Morgana will most likely been Queen and yet we never hear (from what I remember) from Uther his expectations regarding them. Which makes me think that obviously Uther knows that Morgana is his daughter but can't say anything so that is why he never forced them to marry.

..Merlin in this episode is full of energy. It might look like he is being arrogant to some but for me, no. I think it's because he lacked all the excitement in Ealdor that he is raring to go and do things he like without the concern of the repercussions in Camelot. That's why he is not sorry for using magic, fighting Arthur and confirming that he will use his gifts by all means because it means that much. He is young, untested, lost, unguided, pampered since he is a gifted child, a village boy, immatured a bit and very very naive. AND oh yes, i liked him instantly!

I liked what you said here very much. I think Merlin was very excited about arriving in Camelot and being under the care of Gaius to help him with his magic. But we will see how he will grow and mature and realize that they are consequences to his actions.

Millie ...

I like your opinion on Arthur & Gwen's route in this episode ..
Well I think for me the first time I ever watched this episode, the fact Arthur and Gwen appear for the first time in the same scene is telling. Also they both are wearing Pendragon Red too. So both those small things shows something to me. With the first one, you can tell that Gwen is probably thinking "there Arthur is again being a total prat" and then Merlin comes along and stands up to Arthur. And really I think that its great that at the beginning it doesn't seem like Gwen could have feelings for Arthur (or vice versa), but really its through both Gwen and Arthur's friendship that they see each more. And with the second one its just their outfits match. Which couples sometimes do. I just find that adorable!

But i am still waiting for nanna to reply on her's ... getting curious as days pass us by, lol!

Naww thanks Shu, though I forgot to put Merlin after Arthur and Gwen's friendship see each other more but I guess you probably worked that one out :P

I believe Nanna is a little bit busy at the moment. I hope more people join because I'm dying to discuss this episode some more.

Yes, you are so right, Millie, about Nanna being a little bit busy. Had my daughter and grandgirls here since Sunday and it's been hectic but they left about midday and things are calming down. I am so enjoying these comprehensive commentaries that I am seeing on this thread! You guys don't mess around. I'd like to thank Joppa and zorbaparry for taking part and giving their good analyses and hope there will be others who will jump in as we move along. And Leona I hope you will soon get to watch these!

To my two fellow mods, Shu and Millie, all I can say is wow. You guys broke it DOWN. I think I enjoyed reading your commentaries more than I enjoyed my rewatch and now I want to go and watch it again with all the stuff you've said fresh in my mind. Bravo. I love it when young folks like you put your minds to good work. You gave me a lot of insight I hadn't seen. And you know what? It's worth it and it's a help since unfortunately much of fandom feels the show did not by any means go out with a bang. But we won't talk about that. We'll just enjoy this for now, shall we?

Well I agree with everyone on most you've said, but I still don't agree on the personality of Merlin when I met him. Didn't like him!!!! But I know that will quickly change as we move along, lol.

Now about that little teaser I gave about Arwen in Q.#4. Actually, you guys got really close! And let me say that no one mentioned the Pendragon red to me before but that I really like! Them dressing alike. Good one, Millie. And Shu you hit on one of the hints when you brought up when she said "Who would want to marry Arthur?" This is something a show will do as a precursor but it's more of a reverse kind of thing. Now bear in mind my inquiry had nothing to do with Arthur and Gwen having anything for each other at the time, but is instead looking for a hint about what direction the show was going to go with this. Even though on the surface we were supposed to be getting this Arthur/Morgana possibility as a twist the show might try, some folks took Gwen's statement and facial expression as an indicator that indeed she WOULD end up wanting to marry Arthur and SHE would be the one, with the twist being that she was a servant. . You've seen that sort of thing before I'm sure...that was a major hint about things to come.
And your other suggestion really got close to the other hint, Shu, and in fact yours may have been just as good. It's when you talked about " I like how the camera zooms from Arthur to Gwen and to Merlin and then back to Arthur again. It's like a destiny. " The person who brought this up to me talked about the scene near the end when the knife just missed Arthur that the camera zoomed to Gwen, and not Morgana. They picked it up in the same way you did with the scene you talked about. So what they were saying is that when Arthur just missed getting killed, we were taken to focus on the horror on Gwen's face. A precursor! Hope we haven't lost folks with this!!!!

I hope shortly to come back and start filling in the list then.

Hope to hear thoughts from more folks!

^ Damn I knew I forgot to mention (or maybe I did) about the fact that Gwen says, "Who's want to marry Arthur?" was definitely a sign that there were going to do a twist on Arthur/Gwen's love story. I do like the twist they did there even if I didn't like a lot of their plot holes.

Naww I'm glad that you were impressed by our thoughts Nanna! You have a daughter and grandkids!!

I can't wait to hear more of your thoughts HQ!

I filled in the list so far and I think we have most of it but anybody feel free to suggest anything we may have forgotten. I added the guest stars of significance. Uther said more about magic but we don't need to bog ourselves down with every single word.

Nanna, Millie ... THIS IS FUN! I am enjoying doing this and slightly nervous because next up is me. Did rewaching yesterday but the net was slow so will have to do it again. If not, it;s the DVD then. Anyway, i'm happy i got one hint right and the other close :)

But what's interesting about this rewatch is, how much we can spot now than we didnt before. Meaning, we note the depth of all the characters and the story better now than we actually did the first time. Guess i was gaping while watching Colin to even notice anything, lol!! Not that i'm not doing that now but at least i do take notice of things beyond Colin. :)

But above all, it's that good feeling that this rewatch brings to my heart that i am actually enjoying the most. I won't lie ... i am still hurt and in pain after the finale but the moment episode 1 starts and merlin walks towards Camelot, despite knowing the ending, i'm feeling happy. It's going to be fun all over again.

Liked what you said nanna, about the show not going out with a bang. The finale certainly didn't help for sure but along the way we did enjoy the series, despite the plot holes. And that is due to the talent of the cast and for that alone, some credit must be given. But what really drew me to the series apart from Arwen, the cast and of the legend itself is the expectation of how the series will be. No one knew anything about Merlin or how his childhood has been. So when the series was named Merlin and promises to deal with the wizard's life and his adventures, I was excited. And I believe it must be for a lot of other fans from the around the world.

So ... guess we are in for along journey here, and this time it's going to be double the fun because this time we are going to explore the series on our own.

And we need more advertising ... there has to be more people in this forum. But if not, i am happy doing it with whoever we have here. Fun is fun, no matter what the numbers are.

Well said, Shu. I hope for more folks to come but the few of us are having a great time so we'll keep it up. And do your own thing when your turn. Do the questions you want. If this becomes a pressure, make- sure-everything-is-just-so-thing then it's not worth it. We'll hang loose and let it flow as it flows. Methinks more will fall in along the way. People just don't come to the club as often as before and that's understandable. Maybe when they see it here some will fall in with us.

Glad you're feeling better, Shu. If you'll remember that's how we started on this anyway, thinking it might be therapeutic. I think it is for me too. Nothing more fun than going down memory lane with something that's close to your heart. This show is close to my heart for reasons and I'm not a big tv watcher but it grabbed me for reasons I won't go into. The fact that the last season was a disappointment didn't change my enthusiasm for the show in general. For me it's not so major a deal in my life, but something of pleasure now and then. So this is just another way to enjoy IMO. As I keep saying, let's see how it goes. We're not bound to anything.

Don't forget to write your suggestions for anything missing from the master list for this episode and I'll plug it in. I think I missed any appearances by any of the future KOTRT. None yet! But soon....

I am having fun. Rewatching and I plan on joining. If my silly real life would give me a minute or two to write. At lunch right now and not enough time. I have answered a few questions already. So I hope finish up tonight. Thank Ladies.

1. What are your thoughts about our Gwen as she’s first introduced to us?

How caring she was for both the servant Arthur was bullying and Merlin. She knows that Arthur is a bully, but she also knows of his skills as a knight. And here she fears for both men. Gwen face expresses concern for someone she knows and this stranger in town. I saw a grace in her, something about her walk and movements. She is friendly and supported of the people around her. She encourage Merlin while he is in the stocks.

2. Let’s evaluate Gwen’s relationship with Morgana as the season begins and continue as we progress.

Gwen truly cares about Morgana.

3. What do you think we’re supposed to see with regard to the Arthur/Morgana relationship. How do you see it? (In this episode)

We were supposed to believe that Arthur/Morgana was being groomed to wed and become the future King and Queen and that was part of the re-write. They were supposed have feelings between each other in a romance type. I believe they were trying to miss-direct us.

4. Some time ago, someone suggested to me that there are two indicators in the very first episode that the show would go the Arthur/Gwen route. Did you pick them up?

Although Arthur/Gwen had no direct contact that was seen in this episode, I believe it was in the words of Gwen. Gwen describes Arthur in several ways; she called him a bully, but she also said he was the rough tough save the world type of men. Although she’s talking about Morgan, this is one of those irony moments - “Some people are just born to be Queen.” Here is another irony moment - “Who would want to marry Arthur?” I think these were to be more miss-direction.

5. Any thoughts about what the Dragon said in his initial appearance and how it compares to what he said in his final appearance? (We’ll be making further along the way.)

The dragon tells Merlin; “that none of us can choice our destiny and none of us can escape.” He tells Merlin it is Arthur’s destiny to unite Albion, at no time did he says Arthur would live beyond uniting the kingdom. He also says no one can escape their destiny. At the end he said that Arthur united Albion with Merlin’s help and that basically Arthur was destined to die.

6. What were your initial impressions of Merlin the character when you first met him here? Did you like/dislike him? Answer the same about Arthur. Also you might want to talk about how they related to each other at the outset.

Merlin: I liked him. He was cute and boyish; his compassion for others was clear at the beginning. He was friendly. He also was a bit naïve or foolish. He just saw a man beheaded for using magic and he used magic to save Gaius. Standing up to Arthur not knowing who he was to protect the servant was brave. Later, standing up to Arthur and using magic after Gaius as warned him again is foolish and immature. Not wise. A great strength of character to save the life of someone you don’t like and caused you nothing but pain.

Arthur: Mixed feelings in the episode. I highly dislike bullies, so to watch him bully the servant who was under him brings a dislike towards him. He is arrogant and a show off. He has power and uses it on people who are in no position to stand up for themselves. Then he shows there is something more to his character then the prat everyone sees by letting Merlin go. Arthur compliments Merlin off handedly; it may be an idiot, but he is a brave one. Merlin surprised Arthur and although he would not admit it to himself or others that day he earned Arthur’s respect. Again, later when Merlin says Arthur’s life, his face says I can’t believe you did that.

One of my favorite moments is the looks that give each other when Uther gives Merlin the position of Prince Arthur manservant. (Priceless)

7. Compare Uther’s treatment of Morgana here to his treatment of her later.

Controlling.

8. How did this episode link with remaining ones of the series? Let’s start connecting the dots...if we can.

The links here are the characters themselves, their relationships to each up. They start to weave their lives together, how they grow and develop and fall apart.

9. Do you see a lesson in this episode? If so, share it! If anybody cares to, talk about how the episode could have been better.

I saw love and vengeance, mercy and forgiveness. The mother’s love for her son turned to murder of innocence people in order to inflict the same pain she was feeling. Your actions can affect others. Merlin on the other hand showed mercy and compassion to the person that tried to kill him.

No, it gave a brief summary of each person and the show.

10. Talk about anything else that hits your fancy: Merlin/Gaius; Merlin/Gwen; Uther/Arthur; magic in the episode; how effective the villain; whatever.

Gwen and Merlin were cute. You could see the connection and friendship starting quickly.

Arina: Great in depth commentary! You took time and care and I can see you got a good handle on the episode and how the show was leading:
#3. Definitely I agree with you that the show was trying to steer us in the direction of Arthur/Morgana and I think there were many who fell in line with that. Right away though IMO it didn't work.

#4. I liked the word you used: "irony." Indeed that was one thing they did pretty well early on. You could see it loud and clear in the attitude of Gwen towards Arthur and I liked how you picked up on the irony in the words "some people are born to be queen."
#5. So I'm assuming you're saying that the Dragon did not contradict himself in what he said here and what he said in the finale? Hmmmm. You seem to be making a pretty decent point here. Have to think on that some more.
#6. Love what you said about that A/M look when Uther made Merlin his manservant. Priceless indeed.
#7. This is the one I wanted to get to and forgot. Controlling is indeed the word. IMO throughout Season 1 not only was he controlling but sometimes I feel he was abusive in the way he treated her. In his words particularly. He was forever putting her down for her thoughts and actions. I'm going to be looking for when this began to change. He knew the true relationship at this point as well as he did in Season 3 when we found out. But gradually he became softer in his attitude towards her and in some ways the roles changed in that she "controlled" him. Yes, hers was as a manipulator but it's almost as though she mattered to him far more later on than she did here. I'm a little hazy on what brought about his attitude change towards her. Hope others will have thoughts on this along the way.

Liked everything else you had to say and I'm glad you found the time to share because your thoughts were awesome, Arina.

Arina ... that was awesome. Loved your comments on Kilgarrah especially. Now that is something I am going to be going over again...
Thanks for joining and let us promise you, it's going to be fun, fun and fun all the way.
Well nanna ... i have already rewatched and have some of the questions readied so i will have the forum readied tomorrow. Another fun week awaits us.

The dragon tells Merlin; “that none of us can choice our destiny and none of us can escape.” He tells Merlin it is Arthur’s destiny to unite Albion, at no time did he says Arthur would live beyond uniting the kingdom. He also says no one can escape their destiny. At the end he said that Arthur united Albion with Merlin’s help and that basically Arthur was destined to die.

That is a good point, however, we never got to see Arthur restoring magic to the kingdom or uniting the kingdoms (the speech in 5x12 doesn't count, saying it doesn't mean that it happened). That I think is what is disappointing to a lot of fans (including myself) is that it would have been a little more acceptable Arthur dying so young (and after being King for 4 years) if we actually got to see Arthur trying to get the other kingdoms to unite with Camelot.

I had a thought on this, but I was going to save it until we got further on with the re-watch, but what the hell I'll mention it now. Throughout the series we hear a few destinies and one of them was that Mordred would align with Morgana and kill Arthur. Now Merlin was warned to let Mordred die, however, he didn't. Same with Morgana. So really I think its a case of two very big destinies and one in the end outweighed the other. Not only that but I think that the choices that Merlin made had a huge part to play in them as well. It makes you wonder whether him having the knowledge helped or just made it happen just in a different way or way sooner.

I get what you're saying, Millie and Arina, but for me the issue is what did Kilgarrah say and what did he mean when he said it? Did he intentionally tell Merlin one thing and then change what he said in the final analysis? Was it Merlin's "destiny" to assure that Arthur became the great king who would unite Albion? That appears to be what he said here. And did that happen? If it didn't, then the Dragon lied to Merlin about what his destiny actually was. It's very hazy, as you said, if Arthur did become who he was supposed to become. One hint is the fact that in the finale, Camelot fought it's battle against Morgana without calling for the aid of Annis and others who would surely be a part of the united kingdom. So why should we assume that did indeed take place. So it's really not so much about the fact that he died, but whether he died without accomplishing his proposed destiny.

I also struggle with the whole concept of destiny on this show. I can't get a handle on it. Maybe because as a Christian, I view "destiny" in the same way I do "fate" or the term we use which is "predestination," If something is destiny or fate or predestination, God has ordained this or that and nothing can change it. So if indeed Merlin could change what would happen by his actions, it's not really destiny. If it was Arthur's destiny to be and do what he was ordained to be and do, then Morgana would not be able to stop him; she would die before that or be unsuccessful. Maybe it would be Mordred's destiny to kill Arthur, but fate would not allow that to happen until after Arthur's destiny was fulfilled.

One of my favorite episodes dealing with the whole fate issue was 4x11 because I thought that showed clearly how it works. Merlin asked Gaius "Is Arthur's fate to marry Gwen?" to which Gaius replied "If that's the case then he will." To me that's the accurate view of fate/destiny. And all the rest of that episode we got the answer that it was indeed Arthur's fate to marry Gwen. That's why she made her way to Camelot, Morgana yanked the ring off her neck, and Arthur found it. That's why no matter how "perfect" Mithian may have seemed to be as a suitable choice for him, his heart was "fixed" on Guinevere and no beautiful princess dressed in all that white garb could crack through to his heart. That's why he made the choice he did and didn't even understand himself why he'd make such a choice. That's why we left the episode knowing he would find her, wherever she was, just as Merlin said. Being married to this woman was his destiny and it took the death of Isolde to bring it home full force.

Now. If it was his destiny to be the great King who would unite Albion, than that's exactly what should have happened and everything Merlin would have done along the way should have resulted in that being fulfilled. So in that sense I don't get it. I'm going to listen very carefully to how Kilgarrah words himself each time. Maybe they shouldn't use the term "destiny." It bothers me that they do and keep making statements that indicate Merlin can change it. I think he was a fixed PART of it.

Two exams down, seven to go, but I have some time so I thought I'd quickly put my thoughts into this before I return to my dungeon of textbooks.

1. What are your thoughts about our Gwen as she’s first introduced to us?
Ah, well, already going into the show with the knowledge that Guinevere would become Queen, I think my perspective on her was shaped through that knowledge. I found it refreshing that she was portrayed as a handmaiden because that would make her journey very interesting. She was actually the first character that I got really invested in (and keep in mind that I was on the fence with this show until episode 3 when I was hooked) right from the beginning. I thought she was sweet and humble; I also thought she was bright and adorable. I think about how far she's come now, but she never lost those qualities and that's one of the things that I've always loved about Gwen.

2. Let’s evaluate Gwen’s relationship with Morgana as the season begins and continue as we progress.
They appeared to care about each other; Gwen was under the impression that Morgana would become Queen as proven by her comments at the banquet.

3. What do you think we’re supposed to see with regard to the Arthur/Morgana relationship. How do you see it? (In this episode)
Um... I don't know? I knew the lore, so once again that came into play. I thought they had chemistry, but apart from that I never really looked much into their relationship, because I knew how it was going to turn out.

4. Some time ago, someone suggested to me that there are two indicators in the very first episode that the show would go the Arthur/Gwen route. Did you pick them up?
Ooh, when she said, "Who'd want to marry Arthur?" and "Some people are just born to be Queen," I actually squealed because of how ironic it was. It was these massive foreshadowing hints, and I got really excited. I think it's indicative, also, of how far Gwen has come. It outlined her journey- particularly that line "Some people are just born to be Queen." She never meant her statement as something more than a passing comment when she says it, but as the seasons go we see how relevant her statement become.

5. Any thoughts about what the Dragon said in his initial appearance and how it compares to what he said in his final appearance? (We’ll be making further comparisons along the way.)
The Dragon, actually, was relatively consistent in terms of his feelings on destiny. He said that no one could escape their destiny- and it was for that precise reason that Merlin could never alter Arthur's destiny. It was Arthur's destiny to die; Kilgarrah tells Merlin there is nothing he can do. What troubles me is less what Kilgarrah says and more so how rushed the writers took season 5, but that's a whole other story. Anyways, I think what Kilgarrah originally said on destiny and its binding power in the first episode ultimately came full circle in the finale. Especially after we know the events which come to pass in 1x08.

6. What were your initial impressions of Merlin the character when you first met him here? Did you like/dislike him? Answer the same about Arthur. Also you might want to talk about how they related to each other at the outset.
I loved Merlin originally, (he was actually me favorite character during season 1/2) and I loved him since the moment he came on screen. You know, maybe it's because I've never seen Merlin portrayed this way which made me gravitate immediately to his character. But I liked how he developed in the episode, and I liked how he stood up to Arthur when he was bullying the other servant. I also thought it was very telling of his own character when he saved Arthur despite having told the Dragon that if anyone wanted to kill the prince, he'd be more than happy to give them a hand.

As for Arthur, apart from fangirling over Bradley James, I wasn't a fan at the beginning (which is interesting, because I adored Arthur in the previous lore that I had read.) Obviously he came to become my favorite character on the show as well, but originally, I wasn't sure because he just didn't appeal to me as a character- he was a bully and I didn't spot very many kingly qualities. But I remained relatively neutral on him in this episode, because I was interested to see his journey to become the greatest king.

7. Compare Uther’s treatment of Morgana here to his treatment of her later.
He's very controlling of her- as he is throughout this season and in season 2. (Although they do have some moments like in 1x12 where we see how much Uther cares for her.) It's only when he loses her that he realizes how much she means to him so their dynamic completely changed then, although it was ironic because Morgana was plotting to kill him but it is what it is.

8. How did this episode link with remaining ones of the series? Let’s start connecting the dots...if we can.
So, I think the main links here are the OT4 because this is where they begin their journeys. That's what was interesting about the pilot, at least for me.

9. Do you see a lesson in this episode? If so, share it! If anybody cares to, talk about how the episode could have been better.
Well, the difference between compassion and vengeance. How pain and hatred can blind a person- in this case, we see it with Mary Collins and Uther. And how important compassion is. Merlin is on the other end, because he ultimately saves Arthur's life after saying that he'd be happy to help anyone who wants to kill him. So you see how important forgiveness is versus revenge which clouds your judgement.

Meh, I wasn't a fan of the episode, but I think with what they were working with, there's not much to improve. They set up everyone's story, so that's what mattered.

10. Talk about anything else that hits your fancy: Merlin/Gaius; Merlin/Gwen; Uther/Arthur; magic in the episode; how effective the villain; whatever.
I like to think A/G started here with Gwen's comments. If you connect it to how their relationship develops this season, it's actually really nice to see how they've slowly developed them throughout season 1. Merlin and Gwen were really cute; they were my favorite relationship in the episode. You can see their friendship really begin to blossom (and I'm still bitter that the writers completely sidelined them in season 5.) Arthur and Uther's dynamic wasn't as strong as in some future episodes, but their father/son bond is still there. I think you can tell that Uther really loves Arthur, and that Arthur wishes to make his father proud.

Yep, so that's my input :)

Issie!!!!!! I miss you! As always, wonderful in depth review which I'd be surprised if it was anything else.

I can see your knowledge of the lore made a huge impact on how you viewed the first episode and esp. the characters. Some of us are still learning the legend so it was all fresh and new for us and made our impressions on a lot of this a bit different. So it's good to hear from folks like you. Forgive if this is a bit jumbled because I'm on the run but I wanted to take a minute to thank you for taking part. I was really hoping to hear from some of the early birds of the club. Couple of thoughts, Issie:

I like to think A/G started here with Gwen's comments. If you connect it to how their relationship develops this season, it's actually really nice to see how they've slowly developed them throughout season 1
Bingo! They did have slow development no matter how often you hear the song sung so often that the relationship was rushed, came out of the blue, etc. etc. The seeds of Arwen started getting sown from the very beginning and once the watering took place in ep. 10 the roots started taking firm hold. 2x2 did NOT come out of the blue. I see what you said for #4. So you squealed even in the first episode ever, huh? VERY interesting.

The Dragon, actually, was relatively consistent in terms of his feelings on destiny. He said that no one could escape their destiny- and it was for that precise reason that Merlin could never alter Arthur's destiny. It was Arthur's destiny to die; Kilgarrah tells Merlin there is nothing he can do.

Here's where I'm stumbling with this destiny thing. (I said a whole bunch in the comment before yours.) To me, the Dragon flip-flopped.. Seems to me there were several occasions he gave the impression that Merlin could make a difference on how destiny would play out. Re-watching this is a good thing in this regard because maybe I'm too hazy on some of his predictions and advice and need to be refreshed on just what exactly he did say on a lot of this. Seems I remember him not being consistent and I'm not talking about in the finale. But let's see what future episodes bring.

Aw, I miss you too, Nanna <3

Yes, I was thinking just that. 2x02 did not come out of the blue; as you said, the roots started taking hold even from the pilot. Which is what I really liked. All the little hints and everything. Yes, I did squeal in the first episode even, lol- and maybe that's why I ALWAYS argue that A/G was there right from the beginning.

Oh, I hear you- I think, at the end of the day, Kilgarrah was trying to test Merlin. Whenever Merlin is burdened with knowledge of the future, it comes to pass. So, when he said Arthur was going to die by Mordred's hand in 1x08, I knew that there was no way for Merlin to stop it- no matter how much Kilgarrah tested him. (I just did not think- because the writers wrote this story on the basis that it was the story before they became legends, that they'd actually come up to Arthur's death.) Everything Merlin did in 3x05 was already foretold in the crystals; Kilgarrah ultimately gives in to Merlin's demands to help him heal Morgana. Also, I blame the writers for the lack of consistency. They bound themselves to a story-line in season 5 by casting on older Mordred. Don't get me wrong, I thought for once Merlin had brought in a villain who was complex with so many layers- whose feelings we could relate to. And I think Alex Vlahos did a wonderful job in the execution, BUT I still think it was a major mistake on their part to have Mordred grow up. My ideal ending, which would have been consistent to their original story-line, would have been Camelot's Golden Age just beginning, and we see the kingdom at peace. But the last scene of the entire series could have been young Mordred (Asa) coming into the picture once again which would have tied everything involving Kilgarrah's prophecies nicely together without completely truncating their own premise.

The series started off quite well I must say because no one had any idea about Merlin. It's always been about Arthur with the older Merlin assisting him. SO to have a show that focuses on Merlin and before he became the legendary wizard, was interesting and particularly intriguing.
And we too had the younger versions of Arthur, Gwen and Morgana which like been promised dealt with "a fresh take on the legend". Despite the freshness of the series, there were mentions of the legend along the way to ensure that we are kept at the edge of our seats and this is where the writers and the directors really lost their focus. Like you said Issie, they lost the consistency and it was telling in the further seasons especially season 5. And that is where they failed as well. But in season 1, they questioned us using Kilgarrah's term of destiny which would have been a decisive factor in the final season had they followed the bits with some consistency and interest.

Yes, my thoughts exactly, Shu! I actually liked season 1, for the most part, for that reason. It was this fresh new take on the legends. We've never seen these four characters portrayed this way before and this new take on the legends was actually really interesting. But, as you said, they got caught up in the hints of the classic legend and ultimately it's as if they lost direction in terms of what they originally wanted and what they were going to do now. Especially in season 5.
So, it's exactly as you said- the hints which were dropped particularly with Kilgarrah's use of the "destiny" could have actually been a nice twist at the end of the final season- the Golden Age begins, but even then the seeds of Camelot's destruction are being sewn. They could have tied together loose ends in regards to their hints of the legend, and still remain consistent with their original premise.

Aha, so that's probably at the root of my unsettledness on this. I'm going to try to get a better understanding from the way you girls are describing it and not be so hung up on the use of the word but on focusing on what they were trying to achieve this season. We all know the issues with the writing so, *sigh.* So it was a loss of focus. You guys understand the legends better than I do anyway so I'm just going to try to enjoy the fresh new take for what it is and forget about the way it was resolved. At least for now....

Have a great day and all of you made this first re-watch a real pleasure and success.

They could have done a lot of things, but they chose to do the worst one. Oh well, i am still in denial.

And I am happy this first try was successful!