Review – Merlin: Excalibur (1.09)

Nimueh uses her magic to brew up more trouble for Camelot. A mysterious black knight arrives during a ceremony for Arthur’s coming of age to challenge the knights of Camelot to mortal combat. The knight is a wraith raised by Nimueh  from Uther’s past to haunt him once more. The knight begins killing all who accept his challenge, and soon Arthur is next in line for his deadly blade. Merlin seeks a way to save Arthur and when his magic initially fails to remedy the problem.  He searches for a new way to kill the black knight and he finds it in the shape of a magic sword he forges with the Great Dragon’s help. The sword is forged for Arthur’s use, but is used by Uther instead. This act threatens to bring great doom until Merlin secretly hides the new sword before Uther realizes that it is a sword of power.

The black knight was a great touch for this episode and allowed for an interesting new creation myth for Excalibur. I loved the fight scenes and they were once again done tastefully to allow for a younger audience. This episode also brought light upon Arthur’s birth and the mystery we have seen Uther and Gaius chat about through shadowy words. We learn that Nimueh used magic to bring about Arthur’s birth, but also that the type of magic has a price. Igrayne, Arthur’s mother died in childbirth, to bring balance back into the world, it was her death that caused Uther to take up his crusade against magic, and why Nimueh is seeking revenge for the deaths of the ones she loved.  Now the viewer can fully understand Uther’s rage and dislike for all things magic, and can appreciate his despair.

The creation of Excalibur was a new twist and Merlin’s casting of the sword into the lake was a great way to avoid Arthur becoming too powerful. The more this show expands its mythos, the more I enjoy the retelling of this great legend. I am hooked on Merlin and really hope it keeps up the great story telling I have seen thus far.