Please accept these uncomfortable parallels between Jim Lake and Angor Rot:
1. They are both loyal to a fault; while Angor Rot has no evident affection for Morgana it takes a surprisingly strong push for him to finally turn against her in the finale.
2. They both made a deal with a powerful sorcerer, trading something in exchange for the strength to fight Gunmar without fully understanding the consequences. To Merlin’s credit (and you’re not going to see those words on my blog very often so cherish them while they’re here), he explained the stakes to Jim better than Morgana did to Angor. Not well enough, though. Both Merlin and Morgana view their respective champions as tools.
Do I think Angor Rot has been set up as either a literary foil or precedent for Jim? Yes. Yes I do. Does this make me afraid? Yes. Yes it does.
