#harmoniavids

Here's a thorough explanation of everything in the vid (also TW for attempted suicide):

So! Basically, I kept canon the same here, except for a couple of things. Merlin doesn't age physically (unlike what we see in the show's ending) and Kilgharrah gets replaced with a GoT dragon xd (what can I say the VFX are much cooler). Whenever you see bearded merlin though, that's an older post-Arthur merlin. And the video jumps back and forward a bit.

It starts with an older post-Camelot Merlin (00:05) (during the witch burnings), and then there's a clip that's supposed to be earlier on when Gwen is still alive and queen (00:15) (after Arthur's death though). It's a battle/invasion that I'll leave open for interpretation because I didn't think through it a lot xd, but it can't be in Camelot (the city) itself obviously, because of the sea. I'm thinking they went to a coastal fortress to defend themselves against the invading Saxons.

Then we have more battles (00:23) (I'm thinking the one in season 4, where Merlin calls on Kilgharrah, since he's supposed to die in season 5).

Then we have some visuals for the great purge (00:33).

I leant on a couple of fan theories: that Merlin is magic itself made flesh and blood, and that his birth was a direct result of the great purge (that is to say, because such a great amount of magic was snuffed out suddenly, it concentrated and poured itself into merlin -- basically balance, and magic being this immutable force that can't be created or destroyed, only transformed and passed on).

Then we get to see Merlin through the ages, until the present day (01:10), struggling with his immortality. There's a callback to Camelot and the witch hunts (01:25), and then we get Camlann! Where he called on Kilgarrah this time! (01:36) It is intercut with a later post-canon scene, where Guinevere has been captured by some warlord or another at some point (01:45). Leon goes to Merlin for help and rescues her (this is not long after Arthur's death, which is why Merlin still looks like he does in canon).

At (01:56) we get Camlann again.

Then we have Merlin losing Gwen and Leon to the years (02:01), and we see the impact of being alone throughout eternity on his psyche. We get some nightmares (02:19), mostly centred on Arthur (because they'd absolutely be -- #merthurforlife).

There's Merlin talking down some soldiers going after him during the witch hunts (02:36). In (02:43) we see Merlin in Avalon lake (now I'll be honest here, my intention wasn't to put Merlin on the isle, since I'm not sure if it's even supposed to be accessible xd but I couldn't find a way to put him on the other margin, so let's just assume all is well xd).

We get Merlin in present-day (02:44), still chasing breadcrumbs (and maybe even starting to doubt his sanity a little bit? -- see "Was King Arthur a real person?").

And then,,,, the attempted suicides (02:49). Because you can't tell me a person with Merlin's behemoth amount of trauma wouldn't develop a major depression after lifetimes of waiting around alone -- not even knowing quite what he's waiting for or if it'll ever happen). Aaaaaaand (03:06) Merlin has maybe lost it a little bit. I think he tries to venture into necromancy and some,,,, not-great stuff (magic-wise).

But we catch a glimpse of Arthur at (03:19) so either it worked or... well, you decide.