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As the end draws near and the darkness draws in, a young seeker of knowledge (aka, a Merlin fan after some spoilers) once again ventures into the cave of the Great Dragon in the vain hope he may learn something useful from the perplexing beast .
“Great Dragon. You there?”
“Indeed I am. Just putting the finishing touches to something.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that then?”
“Well, this week’s episode is called ‘The Drawing Of The Dark’ so it inspired me to draw you a picture clue.”
“Oh God. Don’t tell me… let me guess…”
“Too late… here it is!”
“Groan. Yep. Knew it. You’ve done a drawing of the dark .”
“Ah, but not any old dark. That’s the climactic scene from this week’s episode… IN THE DARK!”
“So what’s going on?”
“Oh somebody is saying something to someone. One of them’s not very happy. The other one is.”
“That’s a rubbish clue…”
“Okay. Let me have another go. Dum-di-dum-di-dum-di-dum-di-dum… can you see what it is yet?”
“Hang on… yeah. Blimey, you’re actually a really good artist. That’s so realistic!”
“Thank you. One does one’s best.”
“Still a rubbish clue, though. That could be Arthur any week.”
“But this week is big on druids. It’s a crucial turning point in druid/muggle relationships, both on a grand and personal scale.”
“What’s a muggle?”
“Something I picked up somewhere. Handy shorthand for non-magical people.”
“Oh right. Fair enough. So things are hotting up?”
“Oh yes, and in an episode where allegiances and loyalties shift and bend in many surprising ways. You may think you can see where things are heading but the route there may not be the one you expect. It’s not a barrel of laughs this week, and many people have to consider the consequences of their actions. Or their inactions. Or their slavish adherence to beliefs.”
“Interesting. Interesting.”
“There’s not a lot of action. Or magic. In fact, it’s one of the most dialogue-driven episodes ever. But it is full of tension, and shocks, and drama. Not that Gwen gets to see much of it. She’s back to her duties as Mistress of the King’s Platitudes this week. The emphasis here is more on the politics of war. Some big questions are asked… Oh and a lot of it is very dark.”
“In tone?”
“No, literally d ark . It’s like watching black cats having a fight in a coal bunker at times. Very moody, though.”
“Any more?”
“A head will roll. Merlin catches something. Morgana receives some very exciting news. Arthur has a Bear Grylls moment. Merlin realises his horse may have been a bit high. The last line is a cracker!”
“Hang on, you said that last week!”
“And I’m saying it again this week. With knobs on…”
“So, everything’s set up for two-part finale?”
“Oh yes, the pieces are all in position. Let me draw you a diagram…”
“No. Please don‘t. There’s really no need.”
Merlin “The Drawing Of The Dark” airs on BBC One on Saturday 15 December at 8.15pm
• Read our Merlin series 5 reviews so far
