The Poisoned Chalice

RECAP AND THOUGHTS

THE POISONED CHALICE
Season 1 Episode 4

Hello again Merlin fans!

I finished up some of my work for classes (grad school can be a pain!) early, so I decided to blog about this episode. This is definitely one of my favorites of this first series.

Arthur: Please father, he saved my life. I cant stand by and watch him die.

Uther: Then dont look.

This episode really brings out Arthur's true feelings of friendship for Merlin. It's the first time that we really get to see Arthur helping Merlin, instead of Merlin helping Arthur (although he still helps a bit). 

It starts with another evil seen of Nimueh. She has some kind of goblet beside some kind of basin, in which she can see current day Merlin. She summons a leaf and places it inside the goblet, and state "Merlin". Hmm...don't think that bolds well for Merlin.

Then we turn to Camolot, where Lord Bayard visits Uther. They apparently had a very tenacious relationship in the past, but are trying to move forward. The look in their faces still suggests distrust. And...who do we spy in the crowd behind Bayard? Nimueh dressed as a servant. Can't be good.

Nimueh and Merlin have a bit of a moment out in the hall. Merlin seems to be taken with Nimueh, not knowing who she is. 

When she gets away from Merlin, however, she makes it to Bayard's chambers and switches one of the goblets with the one she put the leaf in.

Merlin: (helping Arthur dress): When was the last time these were cleaned?

Arthur: Last year, sometime. Before the feast of Beltane.

Merlin: Did it end in a food fight?

Arthur: Don't all feasts?

Merlin helps Arthur gets ready, and Arthur gets to show Merlin his official ceremonial servant of Camolot uniform for the night. Ridiculously funny, and as we see on Merlin's face, he's a bit in disbelief. Later at the feast we see Merlin wearing the uniform which is decorated with a oversized feather in the hat, making Merlin look ridiculous. Gwen adn Arthur both laugh finding it highly amusing.
Gwen notices Merlin looking at Nimueh and you can see her jealousy. Aww.

Bayard presents the goblets as a token of their new friendship to Uther and Arthur. Nimueh tells Merlin she has something to tell him, and she pulls him in the hall. She tells him that she saw Bayard poison Arthur's chalice. Merlin rushes to save Arthur, and we see Nimueh smile.

Merlin steals away Arthur's goblet before he can drink out of it.  He yells that it's poisoned. All swords in the room are pulled out on each side. Bayard is angry at the accusation and challenges it. Uther states that if he is telling the truth he has nothing to fear, Bayard offers to take a drink from the goblet to prove it, but he states no, if it is poisoned he wants to kill him, himself. So...he hands the poisoned goblet to Merlin to test it. Poor Merlin! He knows it's poisoned and drinks it anyway! As Arthur points out later:

Arthur: He knew the danger he was putting himself in. He knew what would happen if he drank from that goblet, but he did it anyway. He saved my life.

At first it seems Merlin will be okay. Bayard pulls his sword out to slay Merlin for saying it was poisoned, when Merlin starts to choke and collapses.  :(

Gwen, Gaius and Arthur all drag Merlin back to Gaius' place. Bayard is arrested and Nimueh flees. Gaius sees the leaf stuck inside the goblet. Gaius is able to identify it coming from the Morteus flower. They find that the only way to cure it...I guess is to get more of the flower? Idk..that parts confusing. But Gaius says that Merlin will die if they don't get the flower. Arthur is determined he will save Merlin's life. 

Uther does not give Arthur permission to go though. The quote on the top of the page is used. Uther is a jackass, and does not care if Merlin dies. Morgana being sly, however, convinces Arthur that he should do what's right, and not listen to Uther. So Arthur runs over some guards on his way out of Camelot, in search of the flower. 

Merlin's health is fading faster than expected, however, and they realize that the poison must have been strengthened by magic, meaning Bayard didn't do it. He starts saying spells under his breath. Gwen is confused by what he is saying, and Gaius convinces her that it's just nonsense. Gullible Guinevere.

But realizing that it was magic, Gwen goes looking for the girl she saw Merlin attracted to. Amazingly, she's not in the cells. Hmmm.

Gaius realizes that she would know where the antidote could be found, and therefore Arthur would be walking into a trap. 

Arthur spies the girl crying, and she appears to be physically hurt. A creature comes up, which kind of reminds me of a cross between a dinosaur and a Komodo dragon. Arthur defeats the creature obviously. It's Arthur. He then agrees to take Nimueh with him. He heads for the caves, and she questions what he's looking for. She tells him, she knows where it is, and leads him into the caves. 

Merlin starts saying "Arthur, it's a trap" in his feverish state, suggesting he knows what's going on. Meanwhile Nimueh points out the flowers to Arthur. Arhur starts to cross the thin piece of rock bridging the gap. Nimueh says a spell and the thin sheet of rock collapses. Arthur jumps and clings onto the ledge on the wall. Arthur realizes she's a super evil witch, who obviously planned this.  A giant scary ass spider starts to crawl towards Arthur, who is still only holding onto the wall with his two hands. He manages to swing his sword with one hand and kill the snake. But then lots of spiders come. Oh crap. She informs Arthur that she'll let them finish him off, because it's not her destiny to kill him.

Merlin, still knowing what's going on, casts a spell. He has a glowing orb in his hand, and it magically appears in the cave with Arthur. Arthur is fearful at first, but then realizes that it is there to show him the way. It helps Arthur, because without it, it was pitch black. Merlin tells Arthur to leave the flowers, and follow the light. OF course Arthur doesn't do this. He gets the flowers, and then follows the light out of the cave. Yay!!!!!

There's a problem on the home front, however. Uther's PISSED. He asked Arthur arrested the second he shows back up in Camelot.  Arthur and Uther fight, but gives Uther the flower to give to Gaius:

Arthur: (handing the Mortaeus to Uther) Gaius knows what to do with it. Put me in the stocks for a week, a month even. I don't care. Just make sure that it gets to him. I'm begging you.(Uther crushes the flower in his hand) No!

Uther: You have to learn there's a right and a wrong way of doing things. I'll see you're let out in a week. Then you can find yourself another servant.

UGH Jackass! The flower is on the flower outside the cell, and Arthur tries to reach for the flower. Gwen has to find a way to see Arthur, even though it's forbidden. She pretends to bring him some food and so the guards let her pass. Arthur puts the crushed flower on the plate, and states "I couldn't possibly eat it, it's disgusting. The state that it's in, I'm not sure it's fit for anyone." Gwen takes back the place, happy to see the flower on it. She is caught in the end, as another person brings down some food for Arthur. She manages to run though without getting caught...somehow.

Gaius makes the remedy, having to ask Gwen to get him some water so he could try to enhance the antidote with magic. Gaius is apparently pretty poor at magic. Gwen comes back and the administer the antidote. At first, it seems like all's lost. But don't fret Merlin fans....I doubt the title character is really going to die four shows into the first series :)

Gaius: His heart has stopped. 

Gwen: He's dead?!

Gaius: He can't be. It can't be. It was his destiny.

Gwen: It's my fault. If I'd got here sooner, if I'd been quicker...

(Gaius pulls Gwen into a hug)

Gaius: There, there. It was me, I should have looked after him better. It's my fault.

Merlin: That's disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself, you're old enough to be her grandfather!

Gaius: Merlin! You're alive!

Merlin: No, I'm a ghost come back to haunt you!

(Gwen laughs, then leans over and kisses Merlin)

Gwen: Sorry, I'm just... I thought you were dead.

Merlin: It's fine... it's more than fine.

Aww! Merlin and Gwen kiss!!! Which is....a little weird for the viewer who knows anything about the Arhurian legend. But whatever.

The day is saved. Merlin and Arthur have another wonderful moment where they thank each other for saving each other's lives. Touching. 

Arthur admits to Morgana, that he thinks he had help in the cave. Someone knew that he was in trouble and sent the light. He has no ideas who. 

Gaius tells Uther that it was Nimueh. Gaius is furious, but has to accept that it wasn't Bayard. Uther obviously knows Nimueh, and is upset and nervous. He questions Arthur a bit, but he doesn't want Arthur to know that he knows of Nimueh, for some IMPORTANT reason. Gaius does question Uther about whether or not Arthur should be told about Nimueh, but it doesn't happen. Uther once again warns Arthur against the evils of magic, and tells him that he really did the right thing, and that he's proud of him.

Overall great episode. It was great to see Arthur care so much for Merlin, and willing to put his life on the line and go against his father for a servant. It's one of the first steps to see him move pass being a spoiled self-absorbed brat, into a caring compassionate leader.

NEXT EPISODE: We meet the famous (or infamous...depending on your view) Lancelot!!

-Love Always,

Lily Jaymes

References: 

All pictures were gathered from here:

http://merlin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Poisoned_Chalice

All quotes were gathered from here:

http://www.merlintvshow.com/page/EP+04+The+Poisoned+Chalice

Thanks!