Before I begin, I’d like to say that I’m actually fucking proud of this, even if it might be “too convenient” or “fanciful nonsense” – which I’m sure it isn’t, but I might be biased. If it turns out to be fanciful nonsense in the end, however, I don’t care. IT EXPLAINS 89% OF THE SHOW’S BULLSHIT
With this theory I attempt to explain Arthur’s wildly varying characterisation (re: magic, Merlin’s magic, attitude towards Merlin; yes, this is meta that lends itself to a Merlin/Arthur interpretation of the show) throughout the five series we got him.
Okay.
I’ll be talking about things with 100% certainty, just so I don’t have to use “maybe”, “perhaps”, “there’s a chance”, “assume”, etc. ad nauseam.
In series 1, Arthur and Merlin already had developed a bond (strong, if not unshakeable) by the Afanc episode, owing to the whole Valiant fiasco. This would explain Arthur’s reaction when Merlin bursts into the council chamber and confesses to being a sorcerer: he immediately leaps to Merlin’s defence and makes up a bullshit excuse on the spot, rounding off the entire thing with a meaningful stare into Merlin’s eyes and an equally meaning-laden “There’s no way he’s a sorcerer”, as if he’s trying to tell Merlin to shut up and stop trying to kill himself.
What if Arthur accepted Merlin’s words as the truth, however? (It’s an idea that’s been explored multiple times in fanworks.) What if he just… accepted Merlin as he was? That his emotion for Merlin was such that only three episodes into the first series he would essentially commit treason for Merlin? (Explains why Arthur risks his life to save Merlin’s, and why we never get the whole “so the ball of light was you” thing in canon: Arthur already knew it was Merlin. He just couldn’t say it out loud to anybody.)
Now. Arthur gets placed under a HELL of a lot of enchantments and spells throughout the show, and more than once is plain knocked out. You have to admit there’s a non-zero chance that it screws with his memory and/or personality characteristics. And these incidences are what make him forget, maybe, that Merlin has magic. I remember saying something about asserting things to avoid “maybe” usage. LOL fun times.
(This is the “too convenient” thing I was talking about, but then again, the writers shoehorned wtf relationships into the show willy-nilly and also turned Kilgharrah from an I Hate Humanity DragonBarbie™ to a Wise Reptilian Codger™, so…)
I don’t want this to grow too long I grew lazy, so here are just some of the multiple things this theory would explain (assuming that Merlin and Arthur always hazily suspect that Arthur knows about Merlin’s magic and Merlin knows about Arthur knowing about Merlin’s magic BUT Arthur’s unfortunate head injuries fucking with him change the status quo conveniently):
1. The Moment of Truth – Arthur forgot about Merlin because of Sophia’s enchantment and so Merlin tries to confess, but Will beats him to it.
2. His protectiveness of Merlin and the utterly bewildered “Merlin?” he says in the Witchfinder episode.
3. The Last Dragonlord; he might be dreaming about protecting Merlin the way Merlin dreamt of protecting him in the Poisoned Chalice episode.
4. *clears throat* YOU KNOW THAT SUPER ODD EPISODE WHERE MERLIN TURNS ARTHUR INTO A SIMPLETON. Why does Arthur never question afterwards what happened between the time he was injured in the castle and the time he woke up to find himself in a different location, wearing different clothes, with days obviously having elapsed that he doesn’t remember? he knew he was supposed to act like a simpleton and merlin knew arthur was acting but neither could admit it to each other and so merlin’s teasing was okay and not upsetting at all
5. THAT DELETED SCENE WHERE ARTHUR SAID HE WAS GENUINELY CHANGING HIS MIND ON MAGIC
6. The series 5 episode where Arthur asks Merlin whether he should legalise magic or not – he was giving Merlin the chance to confess and Merlin fumbled it because he wanted Mordred dead to evade a certain prophecy.
7. the worst one of them all. The Diamond of the Day. Merlin weeps because he’s confessing a secret Arthur is already supposed to know, that Arthur has known subconsciously for ten years; he weeps because Arthur will go to his grave believing Merlin lied to him about something Arthur has always, always protected him for.
(yes i’m also crying)
merlin 