You say, "I don't understand, " and I say, "I know you don't"

Arthur responds to finding out about Merlin’s magic with confusion and disbelief

We thought a cure would come through in time, now, I fear it won't

Merlin thought he could save Arthur from his fate but now he realizes he can’t

Remember lookin' at this room, we loved it 'cause of the light Now, I just sit in the dark and wonder if it's time

Merlin and Arthur loved Camelot because of the life it held. Merlin loved it even more because of Arthur and the future it promised, but now Arthur’s gone and he didn’t get what he wanted.

Do I throw out everything we built or keep it?

When things get hard Merlin might wonder if all this was worth it

I'm getting tired even for a phoenix Always risin' from the ashes Mendin' all her gashes

Merlin is a a resilient person enemies keep beating him down but he just keeps going. He’d destroy himself and he’d destroy other people and things just to keep Arthur safe.

You might just have dealt the final blow

Merlin loves Arthur more than anything but he knows that Arthur might kill him if he learned about his magic and he knows he’d let him (at least if he knew Arthur would be ok afterwards)

Stop, you're losin' me… I can’t find a pulse My heart won't start anymore For you 'Cause you're losin' me

As Arthur put all of his focus on Gwen and then on the anger that came from losing her. He started to lose Merlin, Merlin would never leave but he didn’t have as much energy, his smile faded, he didn’t joke as much anymore.

Every mornin', I glared at you with storms in my eyes How can you say that you love someone you can't tell is dyin'? I sent you signals and bit my nails down to the quick. My face was gray, but you wouldn't admit that we were sick

Arthur said he loved Merlin but yet he chose Gwen that slowly drained Merlin. The one Merlin loved so deeply couldn’t give the same love back.

And the air is thick with loss and indecision

When Arthur finds out about Merlin’s magic their relationship will never be the same again. No matter if it turned out ok or horribly it still could never be the same. Arthur doesn’t know what to do with this information, he knows what someone having magic should mean but it’s Merlin.

I know my pain is such an imposition

Merlin is an imposition of the law just by being himself, but his pain is something of a burden because he wants something he can’t have not only is he a servant but he’s a man. Arthur and him could never be accepted.

Now, you're runnin' down the hallway And you know what they all say You don't know what you got until it's gone

Merlin couldn’t imagine how much it would hurt to see Arthur marry someone else until it happened and he didn’t even confront the possibility of losing him until it happened and he had to deal with the pain

How long could we be a sad song 'Til we were too far gone to bring back to life?

Arthur and Merlin were a tragic story and that started even before Arthur died but when he died that cemented the end. They could have been something greater if Arthur had known sooner but it’s too late now.

I gave you all my best me's, my endless empathy

Merlin gave Arthur his everything. He stayed even when Arthur lashed out at him. He wasn’t mad at Arthur for hating what made Merlin because he understood that was how he was made.

And all I did was bleed as I tried to be the bravest soldier

But in the end all Merlin got was pain.

Fighting in only your army

Merlin only ever used his magic for Arthur

Frontlines, don't you ignore me

He stood by Arthur’s side against all odds, the dragon, Morgana, the Vikings, you name it. No matter the odds he was there, that was something Arthur saw and respected.

I'm the best thing at this party

Ok a little break from the angst. Do you ever think of that scene during a feast where it’s Merthur having intense eye contact like they’re the only thing that matters? Because that’s the only Merthur connection I could think of here

And I wouldn't marry me either

Merlin realizes why Arthur chose Gwen.

A pathological people pleaser Who only wanted you to see her

Merlin despite being argumentative and sometimes annoying still just wants to make Arthur happy.

And I'm fadin', thinkin' "Do something, babe, say something” "Lose something, babe, risk something" "Choose something, babe, I got nothing To believe Unless you're choosin' me"

Babe There's something tragic about you

Merlin is ultimately a tragic character, he constantly tries to stop things and in all his efforts he just makes it worse.

Something so magic about you Don't you agree?

But there’s also magic to Merlin. And not just in the clear obvious way but he naturally draws people in. He gains adoration and interest so easily. (Also these two first parts juxtapose something typically bad with something good)

Babe There's something lonesome about you Something so wholesome about you Get closer to me

Once again there’s that juxtaposition. Now this line comes off as more about Arthur but it can be either way.

Arthur was a very lonesome character before Merlin. He never had deep connections with anyone because people were always to scared and respectful towards him since he was the Prince. But then also Arthur is so loyal, kind and honorable, he wants to help people and would die for those he loves

Then there’s Merlin who told Arthur “I just didn’t fit in anymore. I wanted to find somewhere that I did.”. Merlin who’s the last of his kind (dragon lord). Merlin who’s magical but not part of the community. Merlin who’s immortal. But Merlin also came to Camelot with bright eyes and quick wit. Merlin also didn’t like the idea of killing animals. (So this line also can apply to Merlin)

No tired sighs, no rolling eyes, no irony No 'who cares', no vacant stares, no time for me

This line is the realization in the last season that they’re missing the key prices of their relationship the witty banter, the feigned annoyance. Instead it is replaced by the feeling that they both seem to be putting other things first (though Merlin is actually just trying to save Arthur’s life)

Honey, you're familiar like my mirror years ago

There’s something familiar about eachother after all they’re eachothers’ other half. They just fit so well together and mirror eachother (born magically but powerless vs born naturally but full of magic I could go on). But there’s also a sense of nostalgia to their relationship especially later on as they are the only constants in eachothers lives.

Idealism sits in prison

Not really Merthur related but Lance is who picture as idealism (in this song at least). He believed in Merlin, he believed in Arthur, he believed in the ideals of the knights and what they were supposed to be. That landed him in prison for impersonating a noble, that killed him, and he was brought back only to land in prison again (then he died again).

chivalry fell on its sword

Chivalry is Arthur and well I think you guys know what this means. Arthur was always ready to die for Camelot and in the end he did by a sword fashioned in the same way as his own,

Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me I should know

This is the Merlin line. He was innocent when he came to Camelot, he had yet to witness an execution, he didn’t know what destiny had in store for him, and he had yet to kill anyone and maybe not even anything since he seems to dislike hunting. But that all ended he was forced to take up a mantle, he had to kill, he was tortured, he could have been killed and in the end it all came to naught.

I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door

What is really interesting is the wording of slithered because that is the snake the inciter of evil. Merlin is something seen as inherently evil by the kingdom he came to. He risked his safety (Eden) to stay in a kingdom which would have him killed just to be a foot note in Arthur’s story. We know Merlin’s importance but Merlin didn’t expect recognition he stayed in the shadow saving Arthur’s life and dealing with his clothes.

Babe There's something wretched about this Something so precious about this Where to begin?

They’re relationship would have been seen as wrong for many reasons, but they held it preciously, it was the best things in their lives. They are eachothers’ everything so they wouldn’t even begin to be able to express what they feel and would do for eachother.

Babe There's something broken about this but I might be hoping about this Oh, what a sin

Once again touching on how their relationship would have been interpreted as wrong. In the later seasons their relationship is falling apart they’ll argue and not in the joking way they would before but they wanted things to get better. They were doomed but Merlin was always trying to change that.

To the strand a picnic plan for you and me A rope in hand for your other man to hang from a tree

the reason Arthur befriended Merlin and grew to trust him was mostly because he stood up to him. in a place where everyone was afraid of their prince, Merlin actively irritated and annoyed him, just for the fun of it.

but more than that, Merlin helped Arthur become a better version of himself. I believe that Arthur respected that.

Gwen and Merlin, at their heart of hearts, are very similar. they are both kind and sweet. they both ramble when nervous. they are sassy and witty when the time comes. they are responsible and good leaders. but above all, they both stood up to Arthur and worked to make him better.

Arthur noticed Merlin immediately because right at the get-go, he was challenging his authority and forcing him to question his power. they became close companions very quickly despite—or truly, because of—their constant bickering.

Arthur didn't notice Gwen until she did the same thing. she challenged his authority and pointed out his flaws. she worked to make him a better person. canonically, this was why Arthur fell in love with her. she wasn't afraid to speak her mind and call the prince of Camelot out on his bullshit.

but isn't that what Merlin did the whole series? isn't that what Merlin has done from day one? with that logic, Arthur must have been in love with Merlin the whole time.