Secure Cup

“The melee is the ultimate test of strength and courage.” -Arthur

"Then you must be courage."

"Ah, finally! Strength has arrived." -Grettir

Always meant to find each other <3

A recurring theme that I think is found in Merlin is the use of windows as a symbol for watching the impacts of Magic and the prejudice against those who have it from a (seemingly) safe distance. As if the effects of persecution don't cut deeper than the purge it attempts.

1x01: Morgana turns her face away from the beheading of Thomas Collins in defiance and denial, as she watched from her window. While she has not yet accepted that she has Magic herself, she acts as a fiercely outspoken ally to those who were persecuted in the great purge. Morgana also turns her face away as she tries to deny her inherent qualities and avoid suffering the same fate.

Referenced in 1x04

“I can’t stand by and watch him die.” “Then don’t look.”

Arthur is recognizing the extent of his father’s elitism and rigid views, which enrages him and inspires him to defy Uther. 

Callback to Morgana turning her face from the window in S1E1 because she cannot bear to see Thomas Collins die.

Arthur and Morgana know that they cannot stop the horrible fates that await those who have Magic, and Morgana cannot bear to watch.

1x09 Morgana and Arthur speak at the window in half-light, as she begs Arthur not to fight the Black Knight. Morgana knows Arthur’s future is dire, but she can’t tell why she feels that way. Morgana has an innate ability to sense the dark Magic that revived Tristan's spirit.

The half-light represents the half of herself that Morgana has to hide not only from herself, but also from those she loves.

Merlin and Arthur look down through the window to where the Black Knight stands still, not eating or sleeping. There is no uncertainty that the Black Knight is conjured from Magic, and that the Magic is sure to kill whomever blocks its path.

2x07 Morgana watches the building of the Witchfinder's pyre outside her window. The punishment for sorcery has only increased in severity in the time that she started to accept her true nature. The glass of the window represents the final, fragile barrier between Morgana and the fate she would suffer if she were found out.

(Gwen is so afraid for Morgana to be found by Auredian because she is always and forever an ally.)

2x08 Arthur must convince himself that Magic has no place in Camelot and that he was wrong to think it ever could. As he stands at the window, half in darkness, he separates himself from Magic and can’t look Merlin in the eye. 

“I am indebted to you, Merlin. I had become...confused. It is once again clear to me that those who practice magic are evil and dangerous. And that is thanks to you.”

Arthur can sense that what he is saying is wrong, but Merlin does not usually lead him astray. Merlin has always been his voice of honest advice and earnest reason. If Merlin tells Arthur that Magic cannot be legal in Camelot, he has no choice but to believe him. Arthur is fighting his instincts to embrace what he knows is right and fair because of the judgments from those around him.

Arthur looks out the window, away from Merlin, looking down on and keeping himself carefully separated from the people he started to believe he should protect.

4x03 Merlin watches Uther’s vigil through the same window where Arthur declared all Magic was evil in S2E8. This time, Arthur joins Merlin at the window and suggests that they use Magic to save Uther’s life. 

If Magic can save Uther’s life, Arthur may change his attitude, and Merlin has real hope for the first time that he could be able to finally live freely.

Arthur would not confide this desire in any other person because he knows that Merlin holds no judgment toward others. 

“If you were me, and it was your father, would you use Magic to save his life?” Merlin’s answer is immediate and confident, giving Arthur all the resolve he needed.

The vulnerability and openness in Arthur’s face is as fragile and clear as the glass of the windows they stand by -- so delicate that Merlin is afraid to blink. If he blinks, Arthur's vulnerability might crumble. If he changes his mind, the opportunity might be lost forever.

5x11 Arthur stands at the window and contemplates if he should free Mordred and Kara, despite their Magic. This time, he claims it is his decision to make. 

Arthur stands on his own, and Merlin is proud of him for choosing to give Kara a chance to repent. Arthur chooses to pardon a person with Magic, so long as she repents for killing innocent men.

Kara refuses to apologize and seals her fate. 

“I’ve made a terrible mistake, haven’t I?”

Arthur sits at the window and recognizes his error. Arthur could be referencing any number of things. He may be regretting his decision to execute Kara, not making an exception for Mordred, or the lasting impacts of his lifelong position on Magic.

There is no shortage of evidence that I interpret Merlin and Arthur as sharing a connection beyond the platonic relationship explicitly portrayed on screen. They have spoken to my heart in new depths with each rewatch of the series, of which there have been... many.

However, I do not believe that an established romantic relationship between the two men would have been a productive or believable choice within the canon events of the show. In fact, due to the availability of characters and the qualities they possess, Arthur and Gwen sharing a romantic connection was the only effective choice for Arthur in his canon journey.

To suggest that Arthur would overcome the emotional barriers of breaking down his father’s prejudice toward those with Magic, his learned classism and misogyny toward his knights and servants, and the historical prejudices against LGBTQIA+ individuals over the course of just a few years would be unreasonable. Within the constraints of the show, Arthur does make great strides in his character, but he is not given enough time to overcome every emotional obstacle he is raised to have. Arthur is able to, in part, overcome his classism toward the non-nobles in his kingdom. Through his interactions with Guinevere and Merlin, Arthur can see the value and wisdom of their counsel. The insight that an individual who has one foot in the world of the average citizen and one foot in the world of the nobles has is incomparable. Gwen and Merlin have their eyes on many components of noble life and can pinpoint the disparities between what the nobles believe and what the average individuals in Camelot know to be true about their kingdom.

Gwen, Arthur, and Merlin, especially toward the middle seasons of the show, have a similar dynamic to Jem, Tessa, and Will in The Infernal Devices (sort of, kind of, bear with me). Each member of the group loves the other two equally, albeit in different ways. For Arthur, Merlin is absolutely the only constant in his life. At no point over their time together does Merlin betray him, leave him for long periods, or otherwise push him to the side. Merlin considers Arthur to be his destiny – his reason for existence – and regularly refers to him as such during their lifetime together. Gwen loves Merlin dearly; the two of them had an instant connection (and potential attraction) upon his arrival in Camelot. Their friendship runs deep and transcends their vastly different paths in helping Arthur achieve his destiny. Gwen is the logic to Arthur’s and Merlin’s rash decision-making skills. More than just a steady presence and a kind word, Gwen is strong and capable, and she does not allow others to silence her when she knows what is right.

In Arthur’s desire for a romantic connection, Gwen is a spectacular choice, and their love for each other is genuine to every extent. Each of her qualities is a supplement or complement to his own, and they form a beautifully well-rounded pair.

Gwen and Arthur have the ability and opportunity to open themselves to each other, and to Merlin, completely. A successful romantic relationship requires all parties to participate equitably, providing comparable levels of support and vulnerability to each other to the greatest extent possible. Because of this, Merlin and Arthur could not be romantically involved within the events that take place in the show. A romantic relationship requires both parties to open themselves to each other. 

Arthur is open to Merlin, completely. There is no component of Arthur that Merlin has not seen, and Arthur has surrendered to his vulnerability consistently in Merlin’s presence. Arthur’s trust in and honesty with Merlin is a cornerstone to Arthur’s development, and he relies on Merlin’s constant presence and counsel to be an effective leader. Conversely, Merlin can never be completely open and truthful with Arthur. A primary component of Merlin’s identity is a component that he could not safely reveal to Arthur. Arthur references that Merlin is a mystery to him on many instances, and Merlin cannot fill those gaps for him without placing himself in an unsafe position. There is no possibility for a relationship without the capacity for complete openness and honesty, which are not qualities Merlin can provide to Arthur without revealing his Magic. 

If Merlin was to place himself in that unsafe position, he would, without a doubt,  completely surrender to whatever sentence Arthur laid upon him. If the sentence were to result in Merlin’s death or banishment from Camelot, he would not be in a position to protect Arthur and support him on his path to fulfilling his destiny. To Merlin, the potential of not being in a position to help Arthur is absolutely unacceptable and would invalidate his entire reason for existence. For that reason, he would never tell Arthur of his Magic if he had any other choice.

Ultimately, Merlin could never have a romantic relationship with anyone while Arthur was alive because he would have to put Arthur above that other person every single time. His destiny is Arthur, and while Arthur is a living presence in his life, he could never provide his romantic partner the attention and prioritization that they would deserve. 

In fact, it does not seem that Merlin and Arthur are entirely aware of their apparent romantic feelings for each other at all. In their time together, Merlin is aware of the destiny he and Arthur share, and he dedicates every moment to bettering and supplementing Arthur’s life. Merlin’s catering to Arthur is quite extreme, almost ridiculous, but Arthur does not believe it to be so. Arthur grows reliant on Merlin’s care and assistance in every step of his day. The man who once maintained that he did not need or want a manservant became so reliant on Merlin’s presence that he lost much of his independence in functional skills. By the end of their time together, Merlin dresses Arthur, washes Arthur, and combs Arthur’s hair, not to mention orchestrates many of the events and gestures Arthur makes toward Gwen. The bond shared by Arthur and Merlin is constantly questioned, then accepted, by friend and foe alike.

Nevertheless, Merlin and Arthur do not view this as unusual. Merlin’s identity is half-hidden, kept away so as to be in the best position to serve and protect his most precious relationship; the side of himself that he can reveal to others is also completely devoted to Arthur, publicly and privately. He was born to serve Arthur, from combing his hair to holding him in his last breaths. Because he can explain away their love and connection as friendship and destiny, Merlin never notices that he does not form romantic bonds with other people. Merlin will occasionally notice a person’s aesthetic appeal or respond to flirting from a stranger, but he does not reciprocate or initiate romantic connections with anyone (save Freya, which was a different situation entirely). This is not to necessarily say that he does not have romantic tendencies, because his behaviors with Arthur compare to any romantic gesture depicted elsewhere in the show. Merlin’s lack of canon romance is a direct result of his complete devotion to Arthur.

Arthur knows that he and Merlin share a bond beyond the line of duty. Save Gwen, Arthur affords no other person in his life the care and devotion he does for Merlin. Without Merlin, Arthur feels lost, ungrounded, and frantic until they can be reunited. Arthur was not provided with the emotional tools to break down and process his feelings as a child; this stunts his ability to express the feelings he has for others as an adult. Arthur makes a marked improvement in his emotional expression as he learns and grows, but he makes an effort from the beginning to, at a minimum, express the inherent trust he has in Merlin. In Arthur’s view, Merlin is above suspicion, even more so than Gwen is. No matter how many times Merlin is caught red-handed, confesses to crimes, or absolutely obliterates the line of professionalism (bordering on treason), Arthur explains away Merlin’s behaviors, trusts in his pleas of innocence, and breaks the law to help Merlin escape from Camelot alive. Arthur knows and expresses that Merlin does not open himself up to the same extent that he opens up to Merlin, and regularly feels that he has to press Merlin for his feelings and troubles. Despite the secrets Arthur knows Merlin keeps, in Arthur’s mind, there is no wrong Merlin could be capable of committing that would separate them forever, and there is no circumstance that would cause Merlin to abandon him in his time of need. 

In their final days together, Merlin and Arthur must face the consequences of their secrets and unaired emotions. Only when all cards are on the table can the two of them recognize the depth of their feelings for each other. Prior to this honesty, recognition of their romantic feelings would be unlikely, and acting on those feelings would be unbelievable (not to mention out of character). Arthur and Merlin do not take liberties with each other’s bodies. They use physical contact to express themselves to and connect with each other, but they are attuned to and respect each other’s boundaries. If the two men are not in a place to express themselves emotionally and they are not willing to overstep boundaries by acting on physical chemistry and cues, they would also not initiate a romantic relationship.

In the event of Arthur’s return as the Once and Future King, in a world where relationships of all structures are accepted and celebrated by the LGBTQIA+ community, there may be an avenue for Merlin and Arthur to explore their romantic chemistry. Arthur and Merlin would never abandon or betray Guinevere, but in the event of her future absence, or a future where the three could romantically love each other together, the two might find themselves in a position to explore their love and vulnerability in new ways.

Undoubtedly, Merlin and Arthur share feelings for each other that are more significant than platonic. Within the context of the show, Arthur’s romance with Gwen was the most believable and productive decision for their time together, while also maintaining Merlin’s significance in both of their lives <3

(Ideally, in my view, Gwen and Arthur would find themselves resurrected, and all three of them would love each other romantically and passionately for a lifetime and beyond. That's besides the point lol.)