Merlin Series 5 Episode 5 Review: The Disir

Ok, before I put the spoiler warning I just want to express the level of anger I'm feeling after watching this episode.

WTH?

No, I mean, really. I actually wanted to go and smack Merlin in the face to get him to wake up. Just no. The levels of stupidity these writers are inflicting on viewers... just unbelievable.

/incoherent rambling.

SPOILERS BELOW THIS POINT

Synopsis: In this episode Arthur is given some kind of magical token by "The Disir" - these powerful witches who are basically warning him that he (and Camelot) are both Doomed unless he accepts magic and embraces the old religion. And then somehow Mordred's life is at stake and now he has to accept Magic in order to save Mordred. Then the Dragon tells Merlin that he should kill Mordred or let him die. So Merlin - given the chance to convince Arthur to let Sorcerers live freely in Camelot actually tells him that there's no place in Camelot for magic-users. Why? Because he sees it as a chance to get rid of Mordred. And then of course because of Arthur's stupid decision Mordred is still alive, but now I'm sure he's pretty angry and bent on vengeance.

Allow me to *headdesk* for a moment.

There are a number of things I wanted to say to the various characters in this episode. I think the writers are either suffering amnesia or they just thing it's funny to make Merlin do stupid things.

To Writers: 

1) Remember the whole Taliesin episode where Merlin was supposed to learn not to act on information gained from bad prophecies or he was going to MAKE THEM COME TRUE?

2) Why is Merlin so stupid?

3) If you want to create a Moral dilemma then at least resolve it in a logical and moral way rather than an idiotic one.

To Arthur: 

1) Yes, you've created a kingdom where people are judged according to their merit and their actions, except for Sorcerers. That's the problem. Got it?

2) Yes, it's unfair that these Disir people who you think don't know you are judging you, but isn't that exactly what you do every day to hundreds of people who were born with magic?

3) Get over Uther, already, I thought we'd been through this. You're not him. K?

4) Merlin's a wizard. No, really, he is. And so is Mordred - didn't you know that already?

To Merlin: 

1) Stop being an idiot.

2) The Dragon doesn't exist just you can summon him to tell you to kill Mordred. We've been through this a hundred times. When has listening to him when it comes to Mordred - or Morgana for that matter - ever served you well?

3) Mordred is a threat to Arthur because of Arthur's policies against magic. If those change, Mordred's not a problem anymore, he has no more reason to want to kill Arthur. Stop trying to kill him and go talk some sense into Arthur now.

4) Remember the last time you tried changing Arthur's fate based on a Prophecy?

5) You are no longer moral, or doing what's in the interest of Camelot, if you're willing to kill Mordred just because the Dragon told you that he might be Arthur's bane in some distant future. You save people's life regardless of what evil they might one day think of doing. Stop trying to kill Mordred.

6) Mordred hated you and vowed revenge the last time you didn't help save him. Don't you think that's part of the problem, here? Learn from your past mistakes.

7) Tell Arthur you have magic.

8) Did you just seriously throw away your chance to reveal your magic to Arthur and be safe, to build the fair and just kingdom of Camelot that you've always dreamed of, so you could kill a random kid whose position and grievances you should completely understand? No, really?

9) Remember that weird alien lady who was supposed to be the Key to all Knowledge who told you that Arthur is his OWN bane and NOT MORDRED? Why are we listening to the Dragon and not her?


Conclusion: 

I've come to a couple of conclusions here.

1) The writers are idiots. So is Merlin.

2) The dragon has a personal vendetta against Mordred.

3) The writers are wimps. They'd rather keep writing the same thing over and over than actually write something meaningful and see what happens. Something exciting and new. Something that the show has been screaming for.

If Merlin had done some Magic in front of Arthur at that point when Arthur asked for his opinion and he went all nervous and you could see his bottled up power... if that had happened I would have forgiven every stupid thing that the writers have done in this show. As it is, I'm just very, very angry.