Merlin (1. 99. 8) (Series) - TV Tropes. Merlin is a television miniseries released in 1. King Arthur from the perspective of the wizard. Merlin, starring Sam Neill in the title role, Miranda Richardson as the antagonist Queen Mab, Martin Short as her henchman Frik and Helena Bonham- Carter as Morgan le Fay. The story covers not only the rise and fall of Camelot, but the phase in the legendary history in Britain that precedes it. Unlike the traditional version where he suffers from Mentor Occupational Hazard, Merlin stays active throughout the entire reign of King Arthur, with some details altered to fit the story more from his point of view. The series is also influenced by other Celtic/European legends and folklore. Thousands of old TV shows pages and new ones with cast photos, TV trivia, TV forums, episode lists, theme song lyrics and much more.
Rurouni Kenshin (1996-1998) 133. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-1996) 132. The New Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1997-1998 live-action TV series on Turner Network. The New Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1997-1998 live-action TV series on Turner Network Television. It introduces Queen Mab, a fairy first attested in Romeo and Juliet, as the leader of The Fair Folk and the Big Bad of the Arthurian legend who manipulates traditional villains Morgan le Fay and Mordred. Other magical creatures like gnomes, griffins and even a talking mountain appear. The series was followed by a novelization in the form of a trilogy in 1. In 2. 00. 6 it received a sequel, Merlin's Apprentice, which had less to do with traditional Arthurian legend, had some Continuity Snarls and was not as popular as the first movie. Not related to the 2. Absurdly Sharp Blade: Excalibur. So sharp that just parrying a regular sword will cut the lesser weapon in two, which makes you wonder what Mordred's axe was made of/how heavily enchanted it was. According to the novelization, the axe was a form of the black sword Caliban, an Artifact of Doom that Mab helped Mordred retrieve, which shapeshifted to become a weapon more suitable to Mordred's desires and is an Absurdly Sharp Axe. Actually Pretty Funny: Vortigern has a small chuckle after Merlin encourages him not to worry about lacking patience when the king possesses so few other virtues. Adaptation Explanation Extrication: Several scenes were deleted for the VHS version. Among them, a description of the workings of magic. This makes it difficult to understand Frik's later comment about Merlin never progressing past being a Hand Wizard. Here, she's a dark pagan goddess (the counterpart of the good pagan goddess the Lady of the Lake). Alas, Poor Villain: It's a bit hard not to feel for Queen Mab as she fades from existence along with the last of the world's magic and the Old Ways, crying out for Merlin and Frik to look at her, rasping that she loves Merlin as a son while her voice grows increasingly thin and hoarse. Morgan le Fay as well. Sure, she seduced Arthur and concieved Mordred, but she had been grievously wronged by Merlin and Uther, and really was just a lonely, miserable girl underneath it all. All Myths Are True. All There in the Manual: The novelizations. One big one that isn't explained on- screen is that the version of the story Merlin tells doesn't have Mab in it (which is what Frik is commenting on at the end). Arcadia: Merlin and Arthur's childhood homes, and the dream- like sanctuary created for Nimue and Merlin by Mab appear to be the forest version of this - a small cottage with plentiful friendly animals all around, allowing a simple, peaceful life at home with nature. Arrogant Kung- Fu Guy: Mordred. Ambition Is Evil: Morgan le Fay is entirely motivated by getting herself closer to the throne. Anachronism Stew: The setting is closer to the period of the late Roman Empire than most adaptations of the legend, with Iron Age costumes, armor and weapons. The setting is called . The Saxons are here only stated to be recent arrivals. Normandy is also mentioned as the place where Uther gathers his armies against Vortigern. The area gained this name only after year 9. Viking Chieftain Rollo was granted the lands to protect them from the rest of the marauding Norsemen. That could just be Translation Convention, though. Almost all of the place names should really be different, and they wouldn't be speaking modern English with American accents either. Or an Antipodean accent, as in the case of Sam Neill. Some of Frik's disguises seem to reflect the future; for example, his dashing swashbuckler- character wears 1. But then, Mab does mention that the fairykind sometimes see into the future. One of the doctors/astrologers mentions the planet Uranus which wasn't discovered until 1. An Axe to Grind: Mordred. Anyone Can Die. Artistic License . Uther later delivers a more true moment - although it too is undercut by Merlin's voiceover. Curiously averted with Arthur who is not actually crowned onscreen - he draws Excalibur from the stone, Merlin presents him to the lords, then the film cuts to gathering armies because some lords have challenged him for the throne. But Arthur averts a war by giving their leader Excalibur to strike him down if he can. The rebel leader feels the magic of the sword and declares Arthur to be the true king. Badass Boast Vortigern apparently (and amusingly appropriately) didn't seem to think his through: Vortigern: You're too slow, like my enemies. They think before they act. The Rock of Ages does better: The Rock of Ages: I cannot die. I am the Rock of Ages. I will live forever.. Mordred, in typically chilling fashion. Mordred: I'm sorry, Father, but I'm going to destroy you. And this time, your pet wizard won't save you. Merlin even manages to get one in. Merlin: I'll kill you any way I can Vortigern.. I will kill you. Badass Normal: Arthur, Uther, Vortigern, Lancelot, Frik after he loses his powers. Special mention also goes to Ambrosia, who declares that if Mab harms Merlin in any way, . Some combatants literally pause in mid- swing to stare at what just happened. Beauty Is Never Tarnished: Very, very strongly averted when Nimue is disfigured with an enormous scar across her face that Merlin cannot heal, after narrowly escaping a dragon. Ouch. Because Destiny Says So: The Lady of the Lake accepts her impending doom because . Morgan le Fay converts to the Old Ways simply because they were the only people ever to show her kindness. Bed Trick: Arthur and Mordred are both conceived in this way. Beta Couple: Frik and Morgan le Fay. Big . To ratchet up the significance, he cuts his hand and lets the blood drip to the ground, in front of Ambrosia's grave, while swearing, . Mab does not take kindly to it. Mab: Where's Merlin? Ambrosia: You've lost him! Well, I must say that's typical. You've been sliding down the ladder of success so quickly these last few years, you must have splinters in your backside! No, wait, wrong work of fantasy.. I know I've heard of this one.. Composite Character: Morgan le Fay is a composite of both the legendary sorceress and Morgause, Morgan's sister and the true mother of Mordred in the Arthurian Cycle. Every one of Morgan's defining aspects in Medieval tradition (her healing powers, her magical studies under Merlin, her unhappy marriage to King Urien and the resulting lovers she takes from among the knights of Camelot, her rule over Avalon and her taking of Arthur there after the Battle of Camlann) are gone. The character is really Morgause in all but name. Lancelot's wife Elaine also counts, as she has traits of two women from Arthurian Mythology who were both named Elaine. On the one hand, she's Lancelot's wife (Elaine of Astolat) and on the other, she's given the fate of the other Elaine (the Lady of Shalott) what with her vision of Lancelot in a magic mirror and her body floating past Camelot on a funeral barge. Court Mage: Merlin. Cruel Mercy: A case where it is the villain doing it to a much less evil character. Mab takes Frik's magic, leaving him to wander the world as a powerless gnome, with his true love dead, having nothing but his misery and pain, unable to do anything about it. When asked why she didn't kill him, she responds, . Frik takes up arms against Mordred and outlives her and the rest of the Old Peoples. Curb- Stomp Battle: Vortigern vs. Merlin. Damsel in Distress: Nimue, several times. Inverted in one occasion where she gets Merlin out of Vortigern's prison with only persuasiveness and the use of her political leverage, while being kept as a hostage herself. Dark Action Girl: Mab. Deadpan Snarker: Ambrosia. Merlin, Frik and Mordred also get in on it at times. Decapitated Army: Vortigern's army surrenders and fighting stops after their king is killed. Of course, he was killed by a freakin' wizard using a magical sword to seal him under the surface of a frozen lake. Deceased Parents Are the Best. Death by Childbirth: Merlin's mother Elissa. Demoted to Extra: Galahad, Gawain. Dialogue Reversal: Played for a laugh. Merlin is asked by Morgan Le Fay, eight years old at the time, to show her a magical effect. He performs a coin- behind- the- ear trick. Morgan Le Faye says it isn't real magic, which it usually wouldn't be, and Merlin challenges her to perform it. When she is successful, Merlin's response to her success is to admit: . Somewhat justified in that he has seen many of Vortigern's previous soothsayers executed. Don't Explain the Joke: One of Frik's many quirks. I'll tell you from personal experience that elves are so short, that when it rains.. When Mab and Frik come crashing through the entrance to Tintagel: Mab: We thought we'd come in the traditional way.. Dreaming of Things to Come: Merlin's ability to tell the future comes in either visions or in dreams. Driven to Villainy: The decline of the Old Ways has forced Mab to abandon her compassion in the desperate struggle to preserve herself and her people. Earn Your Happy Ending. Enemy Mine: When Vortigern allies with Mab, Merlin figures that the enemy of the friend of his enemy is his friend, and thus allies himself with Uther, admitting upfront to Uther that this is his reason for joining him. Enfant Terrible: Mordred, as a young boy, attempts to throw a knife at Merlin. According to Morgan, it's his way of demanding attention. Everyone Calls Him . Merlin was given the sword by the Lady of the Lake first, and later plunged it into the Rock of Ages to keep it from Uther, where Arthur eventually drew it from.
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