Sunday 23 October 2011

Merlin Episode 4 Series 4: Aithusa.


You know, I think I really am starting to get old, I really am.



Either, that, or Merlin really is starting to get shown well past my bedtime … !



At ANY rate … ?

I meant to tell you about last night’s fourth episode of MerlinAithusa — last night, after the episode had actually finished.

But my eyeballs felt too much like knot-holes.

You know, maybe getting my eyes checked might not actually hurt …

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At any rate … ?

At any rate, let’s talk about Aithusa, shall we?

Aithusa sees Gaius contacted by an Julius Borden, an old pupil: and one who needs Gaius’ help to gain access to the vaults of Camelot.

Borden’s not actually interested in loot. He’s interested in just one thing that’s kept there: the third part of a magical key — called a triskelion — that he already has two-thirds of.

Borden has plans: he knows perfectly well that possession of the complete key allows him access to the Ancient Tomb of Ashkanar and it’s most important contents.

Not Ashkanar’s body.

But the last remaining dragon’s egg.

Given that Merlin is watching both the exchange between Gaius and Julius? And that — as we know — Merlin is the last Dragon lord … ?

Well …

We can probably see what’s coming, can’t we … ?

And it’s not just that Julius and Merlin have different motives in seeking the egg out, either.

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Suffice to say that the good guys —Merlin, in this specific case —win through to claim the dragon’s egg.

And find out — from the Great Dragon, Kilgharrah — that the only way a dragon’s egg may hatch is if a dragon lord names it …

»»·««

Now … I’ll quite happily admit, I’m still enjoying series 4 of Merlin.

And believe it or not, Aithusa is — of the four episodes, so far — the lightest to date: although in any of the earlier series it would’ve had quite an ambiguous tone.

Ambiguous …

But with something of an upbeat finish.

Which is something I know I’ve been wondering about.

I used to love Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders novels and have to ask …

Where exactly did Merlin’s producer’s get the idea of a white dragon … ?

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