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One of the big draws for our readers, and I guess for a lot of Merlin viewers, is Merlin and Arthur’s relationship. Can you tell us how we’re going to see that grow and change over the course of Series 4?
Yeah, I mean it’s one of the most iconic relationships in legend, and it’s very much about Merlin bringing Arthur to the point where he can rule the kingdom, where it’s fit for him, and he’s fit for himself. And in the fourth season we see them growing apart a bit, actually. There’s a new character called Agravaine, who’s Arthur’s uncle, who [Merlin] realizes very, very quickly is not all it appears he is. Yet he’s Arthur’s right-hand man, he’s exactly where Merlin should be… and it’s about Merlin trying to re-gain that position, to be by Arthur’s side, to get him to make the right decisions. Because things very quickly change and Arthur gets more responsibility. And it’s where Merlin should be, and he’s not there, and it’s about him sort of grappling with the whole concept.
What is your favorite Merlin to play? Is it the sort of clumsy, funny Merlin, or the dramatic Merlin, or the Great Dragoon Merlin?
I would say it’s the variety, that I like, it’s the facets of the character, that’s what fascinates me. I think variety’s the spice of life, and being able to push yourself in all directions – that’s what it is, the complexity that I enjoy the most.
What attracted me to the series was the fact that growing up I read all the different variations on Camelot and the Arthurian legends, and what I liked about it was that this one’s focusing on Merlin’s backstory. I mean Merlin, to me, was always a mysterious character, and I liked that. But also, in seasons four and five will he be taking more of that puppetmaster role that I was used to seeing in the previous stories and the previous tellings of that legend? Yeah, that’s a big theme, actually, coming up in this season, because that’s absolutely what Merlin’s driving towards. He’s gaining wisdom and a certain kind of power in that wisdom. Certainly in parts you’re seeing Arthur listen to him a lot more, you’re seeing Arthur in fact change the way he’s thinking, sometimes, because of what Merlin says. And you see the beginnings of that, and that’s pretty exciting. But they’re also growing a little bit further apart, so I’d say Merlin has to work ultra-hard to try and be heard. And hopefully by the end of the season you’ll see that the relationship has come to the point where maybe they’re ready to set rules and set grounds and become a good team to rule the kingdom.
Merlin is famously awkward around fair maidens, and he is no stranger to embarrassing himself around Camelot’s royalty as well. In Season 4, do we start to see a more capable Merlin and perhaps even someone we should begin to recognize as Camelot’s great wizard warrior?
Our characters always had this kind of growing-up feel, particularly for Merlin. In a way, he’s got the slowest-burning journey. He has to put himself last, after everyone else. He’s been thrown into this world, with his destiny of ensuring that the kingdom reaches its full height, that magic is restored to the kingdom and that Arthur becomes the greatest king the land has ever known. Only then can Merlin be who he is going to be. He really has to put himself last, which is maybe why he hasn’t developed as much as the others but he certainly is becoming a lot more mature. He is becoming a lot less naïve, he’s wiser and he’s more grounded. He is also developing a better understanding of who he is supposed to be and what he’s supposed to do.
As we enter into the fourth series, we really see him grappling to keep hold of his relationship with Arthur too because in a way, things happen and things come to head where they are slowly growing apart and that’s a big, big challenge for Merlin this series – to really hold onto what he has.
Some of the best parts of Merlin are the banter between Merlin and Arthur. Despite all these big-budget, epic battles coming this season, is there still the same level of playfulness between the characters?
There’s definitely still that banter-filled relationship between Merlin and Arthur. As dark as the show goes, it always balances itself with some great humor. It really makes it interesting when the writers try to balance it out that way. Fans of the relationship and the banter between Merlin and Arthur really should have no worries at all – it’s all still there.
I have added 441 screencaps from last nights episode, how cute was that Deer? An we also have a new deisgn by NowhereLand9, let us know what you think.
>> Did you ever think the show would be this successful?
I don’t think anyone thought it would end up where it has. That’s not to say we didn’t believe in the stories. Five years is a hard thing to imagine for any commitment. The fan base is growing bigger right across the world.
>> How has the Merlin character changed?
It was always going to be a tale of growing up for Merlin. How does he become the great wizard that we know from the legends? Merlin is the one who is most lost amongst everyone. That is because the one thing he loves (magic) is the one thing he cannot do (because it is outlawed) in Camelot.
We have seen him go from a naive boy who trusted in people a little bit too much to now having gained wisdom, power and strength. We’re seeing him grow into a young man. The same thing has happened with Arthur, who has just become king.
This is the biggest step but it has happened in the wrong way. Arthur’s father died by magic, which is not what Merlin wanted at all. Now there are higher stakes. Everything could be lost.
>> The show centres on the relationship between Merlin and Arthur. How do you get on with your co-star Bradley James?
We were all new when we started this show so we were all embarking on this adventure together. Bradley and I were always going to have a lot of scenes together. We have a great rapport.
>> The tone of the show has changed, especially in series three when Morgana (Katie McGrath) became a villain.
I think the series is at its strongest when it goes a little bit darker. It will always have elements of humour but we’re entering into serious territory now. You see our characters going through these huge emotional things that are going to change their lives forever. They are stories that shouldn’t be taken lightly. We’re not afraid to go in that direction.
>> Morgana seems to hate Camelot even more in the current series.
One of Merlin’s big things is using your powers for the right reasons. Morgana is the perfect example of how things can go so badly wrong. It is a great shift for Katie’s character and she does it perfectly.
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