Merlin

Gaius: You know why I'm looking at you. Uther told me you provided him with his sword today. Must have been a very powerful blade to slay the dead. Did you enchant it? Merlin: No. I didn't. Gaius: Who did then? Merlin: It wasn't me. Gaius: Shame. It saved the king's life. I'd have been very proud of you.

Arthur: You had Gaius drug me! I was meant to fight him! Uther: No, you weren't. Arthur: But the knight's code... Uther: Be damned. I believed you would die, that was a risk I could not take. You are too precious to me. You mean more to me than anything I know. More than this entire kingdom and certainly more than my own life. Arthur: I always thought that... Uther: What? Arthur: Well, that, I was a big disappointment to you. Uther: Well, that is my fault and not yours.

(Gaius is tending Uther's wounds after he vanquished the Black Knight) Uther: I thought you said a wraith couldn't be killed. Gaius: Yes, it was remarkable. Is that a new sword, sire? Uther: It's the best I've ever fought with. Gaius: May I have a look? Uther: I was intrigued by those markings. Gaius: (examining the sword) On one side, it says 'take me up'. On the other, 'cast me away'. Uther: What does that mean? Gaius: May I ask who made it, sire? Uther: Merlin gave it to me. It was forged for Arthur.

(Merlin is preparing Uther to fight the Black Knight; Uther picks up Excalibur) Merlin: I'll get you your sword. Uther: This will be fine. Merlin: No, sire. You don't understand. That one was made specifically for Arthur. Uther: Who made it? Merlin: Tom the blacksmith. Uther: It's worthy of a king. Merlin: You would be better off with a sword you trusted. Uther: This has almost perfect balance. Tom's not the royal swordsmith. I'm surprised Arthur went to him. Merlin: That was me. I felt he needed a better sword. Uther: You show him the most extraordinary loyalty. Merlin: That is my job, sire. Uther: It's beyond the line of duty. Merlin: Well, you could say that there is a bond between us. Uther: I'm glad. Look after him.

The Great Dragon: Merlin. Merlin: Do you know why I'm here? The Great Dragon: It may surprise you, Merlin, but my knowledge of your life is not universal. Merlin: It's to do with Arthur. His life's in danger. He will die unless I can make a weapon that will kill the dead. The Great Dragon: So what do you come to ask of me? Merlin: (showing the sword) Will you burnish it, to save Arthur? The Great Dragon: The dead do not return without reason. Who has he come for? Merlin: Uther. The Great Dragon: Then let him take his vengeance, and the wraith will die without my aid. Merlin: But it's Arthur who's going to fight him. You have to save him! The Great Dragon: That is your destiny, young warlock, not mine. Merlin: But if Arthur fights the wraith and dies, Camelot will have no heir. I will have no destiny. The Great Dragon: A weapon forged with my assistance will have great power. Merlin: I know. The Great Dragon: You do not know. You can only guess. You have not seen what I have seen. If you had, perhaps you would not ask this of me. Merlin: What do you mean? The Great Dragon: In the wrong hands, this sword could do great evil. It must be wielded by Arthur and him alone. Merlin: I understand. The Great Dragon: You must do more than understand. You must promise. Merlin: I promise. (The Dragon breathes fire onto the sword) The Great Dragon: Heed my words. The sword was forged for Arthur and him alone.

Uther: You knew that, one day, this business would come back to haunt me. Gaius: Not quite so literally. Uther: I should have listened to you. You said that no good would come of using witchcraft at Arthur's birth. Gaius: You wanted an heir. You thought it was the only way. Uther: Nimueh told me there would be a price to pay. Gaius: You weren't to know that price would be Ygraine's life. Uther: I cannot let Arthur die. Gaius: Then you must stop the fight. Uther: No, I will take his place. Gaius: Do you know what you're saying? Uther: Ygraine gave up her life for him. So must I. Gaius: Uther... Uther: I have no other choice. Gaius: There must be another way. Uther: My death will stop the wraith and Arthur will live. But it means you are the only person left who knows the truth about Arthur's birth. I want you to swear to me that you will keep your oath. Gaius: I will take it to my grave. Uther: You've always been a good friend, despite my temper. Gaius: I always thought that would be the death of you.

Gwen: Merlin, what are you doing here? Merlin: I've come to ask a favour. Gwen: Yes? Merlin: I'm not sure how to ask it. Gwen: Ask, Merlin. You know I'd grant you anything. (pause) I mean, not anything. Obviously not anything. What is it you want? Merlin: I've come to ask for a sword. The strongest sword your father's ever made. Gwen: What for? Merlin: To save Arthur.

Merlin: I was looking for a book, for Gaius. He thinks the Black Knight is a wraith. Geoffrey of Monmouth: Then Arthur is in grave peril. Merlin: That's why I'm here. I need to find a weapon that will kill something that's already dead. Geoffrey of Monmouth: Well, I've read of such things in the ancient chronicles. Merlin: Really? What did they say? Geoffrey of Monmouth: Well, several fables speak of ancient swords. Merlin: That can kill the dead? Geoffrey of Monmouth: The swords the fables speak of could destroy anything, alive or dead. Merlin: Can you show me one of these fables? Geoffrey of Monmouth: Well... let me think... Yes. (Geoffrey turns to one of the bookshelves and starts looking through it) Merlin: I'm sort of in a hurry. Geoffrey of Monmouth: Yes, you young people always are.

(Nimueh appears to Uther) Uther: I should have known. Nimueh: It is more than I had hoped for, Uther. Soon Arthur will be slain. You will have sent him to his death. Uther: Haven't you tired of revenge? Nimueh: Haven't you? You began this war when you threw me from the court and slaughtered all of my kind. Uther: You brought it on yourselves. You practiced evil! Nimueh: I was your friend, Uther. You welcomed me here. Uther: You betrayed that friendship. Nimueh: I did as you asked! I used the magic you so despise to give your barren wife the son you craved. Uther: Don't ever speak of her in that way. She was my heart. My soul. And you took her from me. Nimueh: She died giving birth to your son. It was not my choice. That is the law of magic. To create a life, there had to be a death. The balance of the world had to be repaid. Uther: You knew it would kill her. Nimueh: No. You're wrong! If I had foreseen her death and the terrible retribution you would seek, I would never have granted your wish. Uther: I wish you hadn't. Nimueh: You wish you didn't have a son? Well, your wish will come true tomorrow. Uther: I will not let you take him. Nimueh: I have watched so many people I love die at your hands, Uther Pendragon. Now it is your turn.

Merlin: Just pull out. You're the Crown Prince. No-one wants to see you die over some stupid challenge. Arthur: I'm not a coward. Merlin: I know that. I've stood there and watched you overcome every fear you've ever faced. Arthur: That's what's required of me. Merlin: But you're more than that. You're not merely a warrior. You're a prince, a future king! You've proved your courage, now you must prove your wisdom. Arthur: I'm not backing down. Merlin: Please, Arthur. Listen to me. This is no ordinary knight. Look at him. He doesn't eat. He doesn't sleep. Just stands there in complete silence. Doesn't that tell you something? Arthur: No-one is unbeatable. Merlin: If you fight him, you will die.

Gaius: Tristan's tomb is empty. I believe he's been conjured from the dead. Uther: How is this possible? Gaius: I believe he's a wraith. Uther: A spirit? Gaius: He has come to take vengeance for Ygraine's death. Uther: It was magic that killed her, not I. Gaius: Nevertheless, it was you he blamed. You cannot allow Arthur to fight. No weapon forged by man can kill a wraith. It will stop at nothing until it has accomplished what it came for. Arthur cannot win. He will die. Uther: He will not listen to me! Gaius: Then you must tell him who the knight is. Uther: No! Gaius: You cannot hide the truth forever. Uther: I am the king! You will not tell me what I can and cannot do. Gaius: That is your choice, sire. You tell him or let him go to his death. Uther: No-one but you or I will ever know the secret of Arthur's birth. Gaius: The boy is of age. He should know. Uther: Never! Now, you made an oath. I warn you not to break it.

(Arthur has thrown down his gauntlet to the Black Knight, challenging him to mortal combat) Uther: How can you be so stupid? I'll revoke the challenge. Arthur: No. The knight's code must be upheld. That's what you told me. Uther: This is different. Arthur: Once a challenge has been laid down, it cannot be revoked. Uther: You are Crown Prince! Arthur: There cannot be one rule for me and one for all the rest. Uther: I forbid you to fight. Arthur: You want me to prove that I'm worthy of the throne. I cannot do that by being a coward. Uther: No, Arthur! This will be your death. Arthur: I'm sorry you have so little faith in me, father.

Gaius: It's my guess we're dealing with a wraith. Merlin: A wraith? Gaius: The spirit of a dead man conjured from the grave. Merlin: So this is the work of a sorcerer? Gaius: Powerful magic can harness the grief and rage of a tormented soul and make it live again. Merlin: How do we stop it? Gaius: We can't. Because it's not alive, no mortal weapon can kill it. Merlin: Surely there must be something. Gaius: Nothing can stop it until it has achieved what it came for. Merlin: And what's that? Gaius: Revenge. Merlin: On Camelot? What does that mean for Sir Pellinor? Gaius: I'm afraid it doesn't look good.

Gaius: Tristan De Bois was the brother of Ygraine, Uther's wife. Merlin: Arthur's mother. Gaius: Ygraine died in childbirth. He blamed Uther and came to the gates of Camelot and challenged him. Merlin: To single combat Gaius: Uther won. But in his dying breath, Tristan cursed Camelot to one day suffer his return. I thought it was the ramblings of a dying man.

Arthur: Why did you stop me? Uther: We have to give our knights the chance to prove themselves. Arthur: Have you seen how this stranger fights? Uther: And Sir Pellinor is more than a match for him. Arthur: He's not recovered from the wounds he suffered at Athanden. Uther: I can't help that. Arthur: So you send him to his death? Uther: It was his choice to take up the gauntlet! I'm not to blame.

Arthur: You've never fought in mortal combat before. It's different. It's not like the training I've been giving you. Sir Owain: Yeah. I know. Arthur: Listen to me. The problem is, we've never seen him fight. You have to quickly get the measure of him. Sir Owain: But I have the same advantage. He's never seen me fight. Arthur: True. Sir Owain: You've watched me. Arthur: Yes. Sir Owain: And? Arthur: And I know no-one braver. Remember, all it takes to kill a man is one well-aimed blow. (Gwen enters the chamber) Gwen: The Lady Morgana asked me to give you this token. She wishes you to wear it for luck. Sir Owain: You can thank her, and tell her I shall wear it with pride. But I won't need luck.

Gaius: I'm sorry to disturb you, sire. Uther: What is it? Gaius: The knight. The stranger. He bears the crest of Tristan De Bois. Uther: Yes. Gaius: But he's been dead for twenty years. Uther: I know. I killed him. Gaius: But how do you explain... Uther: Dead men do not return.

Gaius: You know why I'm here? Geoffrey of Monmouth: The Black Knight. Gaius: So it is he? Geoffrey of Monmouth: You saw his crest. Gaius: Have you confirmed it? Geoffrey of Monmouth: It is the crest of Tristan De Bois. Gaius: And he is the only knight ever to have carried such a crest? Geoffrey of Monmouth: Yes, according to the records.

Arthur: He shouldn't have picked up the gauntlet! Morgana: So put an end to it. Arthur: The challenge has been taken up. The fight cannot be stopped. Morgana: Then fight in his place. Arthur: I can't. Morgana: Why not? Arthur: Owain picked up the gauntlet. Owain is the one who must fight. That's the knight's code. He knew that. Morgana: But it's a fight to the death!

Merlin: Have you ever seen this Black Knight before? Gaius: I don't believe so. Merlin: Didn't recognise his crest? Gaius: Crest? Merlin: Which house is it? Gaius: I'm not sure. I didn't see it that clearly. Merlin: Yeah, but he's not someone you'd forget in a hurry, is he? Gaius: No. Merlin: So you don't think he's from around here? Gaius: That would seem likely. Merlin: Then what's he doing here? Gaius: Merlin, your faith in my all-seeing knowledge is both touching and wholly misplaced. If you've finished your work, you could go to bed and leave me to finish mine.

Gwen: So how does it feel to be servant to the Crown Prince of Camelot? Merlin: Washing his royal socks will be even more of a privilege. Gwen: You're proud of him, even though you complain about him constantly. Merlin: I am not. Gwen: You are! I can see it in your face. Merlin: Those socks are very clean. Of course I'm proud of them.