OBS RECAPS & REVIEWS: MERLIN S1 – EPISODE 6

Brought to you by OBS staff member Karolina

Episode: A Remedy to Cure All Ills
Written by: Julian Jones
Directed by: Ed Fraiman

This episode opens with a man enchanting a beetle, and placing it in a flower, which he leaves anonymously for Morgana at the castle of Camelot. The man in question is heavily scarred on his face.

In the morning, Gwen unknowingly brings the flowers to her lady,stating that they could be from Arthur. Morgana scoffs at that idea and places them in a vase near her bed. that night the enchanted beetle crawls from the flower into her ear. Two days later, Morgana still has not woken, and Gaius is at a loss of what to do. He tells a panicked Uther that he believes that her coma is due to an inflammation of the brain, but cannot find a cause. Merlin suggests using magic to cure Morgana, but Gaius reminds him that last time he did that, Gwen was almost executed for being a witch. Arthur is approached by the scarred man in the court yard. He introduces himself as Edwin Muirden, and states he has a ‘remedy to cure all ills’. Arthur states that Gaius is tending to Morgana and they were in no need of his services. Edwin mentions where he is staying just in case. After Gaius is still unsure of what is wrong with Morgana, an increasingly worried Arthur does mention Edwin to his father, and he is called in. Gaius states that he thinks he has met Edwin before – but Edwin denies this. He requests that everybody leave the room while he tends to Morgana (Gaius included) and becomes angry when Gwen accidentally enters through a side door to tend to her mistress. He orders her to get hm some water, and then whispers a spell to remove the beetle from Morgana’s ear.

Edwin tells Uther that Morgana had a cerebral hemorrhage, and accuses Gaius of incompetence, indirectly. Morgana awakens, and Uther is ecstatic. Gaius, suspicious of Edwin, goes to Geoffrey of Monmouth to gain access to information prior to the “great purge” – where Uther killed all the magic users he could. Geoffrey refuses due to the king’s instructions to never let those files be opened.

While looking at Edwin’s magical equipment, Merlin finds a box containing what appears to be dead beetles. There is a magical enchantment carved into the lid and as Merlin reads it, they come to life. Edwin catches Merlin in his room and is impressed by his magical ability. He encourages Merlin not to be afraid to use magic to do good, and offers to be his mentor. Merlin says that Gaius will not allow him to use magic but Edwin insists magic is a wonderful gift, not something to be feared, and by working together they could become great.

Read the rest of this recap and disscus more HERE.