The Fires of Idirsholas: Difference between revisions
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In a ruined castle, the sorceress Morgause performs a magic ritual in an abandoned room in the castle, in the centre of seven motionless figures clad in black. As Morgause completes her spell, a fire in the centre of the room springs to life: as it burns, the black-robed figures slowly begin to move while Morgause looks on in triumphant delight. |
In a ruined castle, the sorceress Morgause performs a magic ritual in an abandoned room in the castle, in the centre of seven motionless figures clad in black. As Morgause completes her spell, a fire in the centre of the room springs to life: as it burns, the black-robed figures slowly begin to move while Morgause looks on in triumphant delight. |
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At Camelot, a farmer brings word to Uther of having seen smoke rise from the ruined citadel of Idirsholas. Uther and Gaius are particularly worried by this: Gaius warns of the old legend that says when the fires of Idirsholas burn, the Knights of Medhir shall ride again. Uther orders Arthur to take some men and go to Idirsholas to investigate, in spite of Arthur's insistence they will find nothing. Back in Gaius's quarters, Gaius gives Merlin more information regarding the tale: 300 years ago, seven of Camelot's finest knights were seduced by the charms of a sorceress called Medhir. Swearing themselves to her service and protected by her magic, the Knights became a force to be reckoned with |
At Camelot, a farmer brings word to Uther of having seen smoke rise from the ruined citadel of Idirsholas. Uther and Gaius are particularly worried by this: Gaius warns of the old legend that says when the fires of Idirsholas burn, the Knights of Medhir shall ride again. Uther orders Arthur to take some men and go to Idirsholas to investigate, in spite of Arthur's insistence they will find nothing. Back in Gaius's quarters, Gaius gives Merlin more information regarding the tale: 300 years ago, seven of Camelot's finest knights were seduced by the charms of a sorceress called Medhir. Swearing themselves to her service and protected by her magic, the Knights became a force to be reckoned with that rampaged through the kingdom and destroyed everything in their path, leaving death and destruction in their wake. They were only stopped when Medhir herself was killed: without her magic, the Knights became lifeless and still. Gaius fears that if the Knights have been reawoken, all are in great danger. |
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Arthur, Merlin and a group of Camelot's soldiers go to Idirsholas, where they are ambushed by the Knights as they search the ruins. The Knights prove to be deadly fighters: the men of Camelot are overwhelmed and slaughtered, while Arthur and Merlin only just manage to escape with their lives (thanks to some quick magic from Merlin). The pair decide to head back to Camelot to gather more men for another attack. Back at Camelot, Morgana receives a message from Morgause (her half-sister) to meet her that night in the woods outside Camelot. The two sisters discuss their hate for Uther: when Morgause asks Morgana if she is willing to help her ring down Uther, Morgana agrees. A delighted Morgause thanks her, then uses her magic to send Morgana into a deep sleep, before performing a spell on Morgana while she slumbers. |
Arthur, Merlin and a group of Camelot's soldiers go to Idirsholas, where they are ambushed by the Knights as they search the ruins. The Knights prove to be deadly fighters: the men of Camelot are overwhelmed and slaughtered, while Arthur and Merlin only just manage to escape with their lives (thanks to some quick magic from Merlin). The pair decide to head back to Camelot to gather more men for another attack. Back at Camelot, Morgana receives a message from Morgause (her half-sister) to meet her that night in the woods outside Camelot. The two sisters discuss their hate for Uther: when Morgause asks Morgana if she is willing to help her ring down Uther, Morgana agrees. A delighted Morgause thanks her, then uses her magic to send Morgana into a deep sleep, before performing a spell on Morgana while she slumbers. |
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Merlin steals a bottle of the poison, [[hemlock]] from Gaius's cupboard and hurries back to Arthur and Morgana, who are trying to carry Uther to a cart outside so they can get him out of Camelot to safety. However, the Knights of Medhir ambush them and Arthur stays behind to slow them down. As Merlin and Morgana desperately try to drag Uther away, she stumbles as a Knight appears and bears down on her. Merlin, remembering the Dragon's warning, ignores her pleas for help, leaving her helpless as the Knight raises its sword to strike. But to her amazement, the Knight halts its strike inches from her face, examines Morgana as though recognising her, and then spares her to go after Merlin: fortunately, Arthur comes to the rescue. The trio are forced into the throne room, where they plan to make a [[last stand]]: Arthur will leave the room and fight the Knights so Merlin and Morgana can lower Uther on a rope to the cart below. As Arthur desperately fights the Knights, Merlin secretly poisons a [[waterskin]] with the hemlock and offers it insistently to Morgana. At his insistence, she drinks: too late, she realises what Merlin has done. Merlin apologises but Morgana only glares at him in fury and horror as the posion takes its toll. |
Merlin steals a bottle of the poison, [[hemlock]] from Gaius's cupboard and hurries back to Arthur and Morgana, who are trying to carry Uther to a cart outside so they can get him out of Camelot to safety. However, the Knights of Medhir ambush them and Arthur stays behind to slow them down. As Merlin and Morgana desperately try to drag Uther away, she stumbles as a Knight appears and bears down on her. Merlin, remembering the Dragon's warning, ignores her pleas for help, leaving her helpless as the Knight raises its sword to strike. But to her amazement, the Knight halts its strike inches from her face, examines Morgana as though recognising her, and then spares her to go after Merlin: fortunately, Arthur comes to the rescue. The trio are forced into the throne room, where they plan to make a [[last stand]]: Arthur will leave the room and fight the Knights so Merlin and Morgana can lower Uther on a rope to the cart below. As Arthur desperately fights the Knights, Merlin secretly poisons a [[waterskin]] with the hemlock and offers it insistently to Morgana. At his insistence, she drinks: too late, she realises what Merlin has done. Merlin apologises but Morgana only glares at him in fury and horror as the posion takes its toll. |
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Morgause, hearing her sister's dying |
Morgause, hearing her sister's dying cries telepathically, races to the throne room and accuses Merlin of murdering Morgana: Merlin retorts she left him no choice. Morgause demands to know what poison he used so she can save her sister, but Merlin replies he will only do so if she calls off the attack. Morgause threatens to kill Merlin, but he replies that if she does, Morgana will die with him, and sadly replies ''"I don't want this any more than you!"''. Reluctantly, Morgause uses her magic and the Knights, who were almost about to kill Arthur, collapse, lifeless once again. As Arthur and the newly reawoken Uther and knights of Camelot surround her, Morgause again uses her magic to heal Morgana and escape from Camelot with her sister. |
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In the aftermath, Uther thanks Arthur for all he did and remarks Morgause cannot be allowed to get away with her crimes. Arthur apologises for his failure to stop Morgana's abduction, but Uther replies it is his fault: Morgana was his ward and therefore his responsibility. Back at his quarters as they eat, Gaius consoles a guilt-ridden Merlin that he did the right thing, commenting that although they both cared for Morgana, she has chosen not to use her magic for good and neither of them would be there if Merlin hadn't tried to stop her: however, Merlin is reluctant to agree and leaves, saying there is something he has to do... |
In the aftermath, Uther thanks Arthur for all he did and remarks Morgause cannot be allowed to get away with her crimes. Arthur apologises for his failure to stop Morgana's abduction, but Uther replies it is his fault: Morgana was his ward and therefore his responsibility. Back at his quarters as they eat, Gaius consoles a guilt-ridden Merlin that he did the right thing, commenting that although they both cared for Morgana, she has chosen not to use her magic for good and neither of them would be there if Merlin hadn't tried to stop her: however, Merlin is reluctant to agree and leaves, saying there is something he has to do... |
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Revision as of 11:12, 13 December 2009
| "The Fires of Idirsholas" |
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"The Fires of Idirsholas" is the twelfth episode of the second series of the British fantasy drama television series Merlin, which was broadcast on BBC One on 12 December 2009.
Synopsis
When the Fires of Idirsholas burn for the first time in three hundred years, Gaius fears a sorcerer has revived the deadly Knights of Medhir. And he's right; Morgause has returned, hell-bent on ending Uther's reign. Arthur and Merlin face the Knights, and barely escape with their lives.
Upon returning home, they find everyone in a deep, unnatural sleep - all except for Morgana. Could she be behind the sleeping spell affecting the kingdom? As Morgause and her Knights attack a helpless Camelot, Merlin's loyalties are stretched to the limit.[1]
Plot
In a ruined castle, the sorceress Morgause performs a magic ritual in an abandoned room in the castle, in the centre of seven motionless figures clad in black. As Morgause completes her spell, a fire in the centre of the room springs to life: as it burns, the black-robed figures slowly begin to move while Morgause looks on in triumphant delight.
At Camelot, a farmer brings word to Uther of having seen smoke rise from the ruined citadel of Idirsholas. Uther and Gaius are particularly worried by this: Gaius warns of the old legend that says when the fires of Idirsholas burn, the Knights of Medhir shall ride again. Uther orders Arthur to take some men and go to Idirsholas to investigate, in spite of Arthur's insistence they will find nothing. Back in Gaius's quarters, Gaius gives Merlin more information regarding the tale: 300 years ago, seven of Camelot's finest knights were seduced by the charms of a sorceress called Medhir. Swearing themselves to her service and protected by her magic, the Knights became a force to be reckoned with that rampaged through the kingdom and destroyed everything in their path, leaving death and destruction in their wake. They were only stopped when Medhir herself was killed: without her magic, the Knights became lifeless and still. Gaius fears that if the Knights have been reawoken, all are in great danger.
Arthur, Merlin and a group of Camelot's soldiers go to Idirsholas, where they are ambushed by the Knights as they search the ruins. The Knights prove to be deadly fighters: the men of Camelot are overwhelmed and slaughtered, while Arthur and Merlin only just manage to escape with their lives (thanks to some quick magic from Merlin). The pair decide to head back to Camelot to gather more men for another attack. Back at Camelot, Morgana receives a message from Morgause (her half-sister) to meet her that night in the woods outside Camelot. The two sisters discuss their hate for Uther: when Morgause asks Morgana if she is willing to help her ring down Uther, Morgana agrees. A delighted Morgause thanks her, then uses her magic to send Morgana into a deep sleep, before performing a spell on Morgana while she slumbers.
Morgana wakes back in her bed in Camelot, seemingly unharmed: by contrast, everyone else in Camelot has come down with a strange sickness, becoming weak and sleepy. Before long, everyone in Camelot has fallen into a deep, unbreakable sleep. When Arthur and Merlin arrive back at Camelot, they are horrified at what they find. Matters only worsen when they discover Morgana is unaffected: Arthur becomes suspicious that she is the cause of the magic, though Merlin is able to deflect his suspicions by claiming she took a potion that Gaius concocted before he fell ill. Matters grow worse as Arthur and Merlin begin to succumb to the sleeping sickness, and Morgause and the Knights of Medhir arrive to kill Uther and destroy Camelot. Under the pretence of going to look for the potion in Gaius's quarters, and after narrowly escaping a Knight hunting for him, Merlin goes to the Great Dragon for help. The Dragon flatly refuses to help initially, since Merlin still has not kept his promise to set him free, but after Merlin insists that he will, the Dragon relents reluctantly. The Dragon explains that the sleeping spell requires a host, a living body to give it power to work: in this case, Morgana, and thus the only way to break the spell and save Camelot is to kill her. When Merlin insists he cannot, the Dragon coldly replies that if Merlin doesn't, he and Arthur will die here, and the future they are destined to share will die with them.
Merlin steals a bottle of the poison, hemlock from Gaius's cupboard and hurries back to Arthur and Morgana, who are trying to carry Uther to a cart outside so they can get him out of Camelot to safety. However, the Knights of Medhir ambush them and Arthur stays behind to slow them down. As Merlin and Morgana desperately try to drag Uther away, she stumbles as a Knight appears and bears down on her. Merlin, remembering the Dragon's warning, ignores her pleas for help, leaving her helpless as the Knight raises its sword to strike. But to her amazement, the Knight halts its strike inches from her face, examines Morgana as though recognising her, and then spares her to go after Merlin: fortunately, Arthur comes to the rescue. The trio are forced into the throne room, where they plan to make a last stand: Arthur will leave the room and fight the Knights so Merlin and Morgana can lower Uther on a rope to the cart below. As Arthur desperately fights the Knights, Merlin secretly poisons a waterskin with the hemlock and offers it insistently to Morgana. At his insistence, she drinks: too late, she realises what Merlin has done. Merlin apologises but Morgana only glares at him in fury and horror as the posion takes its toll.
Morgause, hearing her sister's dying cries telepathically, races to the throne room and accuses Merlin of murdering Morgana: Merlin retorts she left him no choice. Morgause demands to know what poison he used so she can save her sister, but Merlin replies he will only do so if she calls off the attack. Morgause threatens to kill Merlin, but he replies that if she does, Morgana will die with him, and sadly replies "I don't want this any more than you!". Reluctantly, Morgause uses her magic and the Knights, who were almost about to kill Arthur, collapse, lifeless once again. As Arthur and the newly reawoken Uther and knights of Camelot surround her, Morgause again uses her magic to heal Morgana and escape from Camelot with her sister.
In the aftermath, Uther thanks Arthur for all he did and remarks Morgause cannot be allowed to get away with her crimes. Arthur apologises for his failure to stop Morgana's abduction, but Uther replies it is his fault: Morgana was his ward and therefore his responsibility. Back at his quarters as they eat, Gaius consoles a guilt-ridden Merlin that he did the right thing, commenting that although they both cared for Morgana, she has chosen not to use her magic for good and neither of them would be there if Merlin hadn't tried to stop her: however, Merlin is reluctant to agree and leaves, saying there is something he has to do...
Merlin goes back to the Great Dragon, taking with him a sword from a Knight of Medhir- an artefact of the Old Religion. The Dragon explains that the sword, combined with Merlin's power, will break the chains Uther uses to imprison him. Merlin asks the Dragon what he will do once free: the Dragon cryptically replies that as the last of his kind, there is only one road he can take, but does not elaborate on this. Merlin is about to break the chain when he asks the Dragon to promise not to harm Camelot once he is released, but the Dragon coldly refuses, remarking that enough bargains have been made. With the Dragon forcing him on, Merlin draws the sword and destroys the chains: free at last, the Dragon roars in triumphant joy and flies out of the caves beneath Camelot to freedom, while an uneasy Merlin looks on...
Cast
- Colin Morgan as Merlin
- Bradley James as Prince Arthur
- Richard Wilson as Gaius
- Anthony Head as Uther Pendragon
- Angel Coulby as Gwen
- Katie McGrath as Morgana
- John Hurt as The Great Dragon
- Emilia Fox as Morgause
- Jem Wall as Joseph
- Rupert Young as Sir Leon
Notes
- This is the 12th episode of the second series, which aired on the 12th day of the 12th month.
- This episode sees the return of Morgause and the departure of Morgana.
Release
The episode aired on BBC One at 6:00pm on 12 December 2009.
This episode, the five previous episodes and the one that follows, will be on Volume Two of Merlin Season Two, released 9 February 2010.