MERLIN CLUB: A Remedy to Cure All Ills

MERLIN CLUB: A REMEDY TO CURE ALL ILLS

Or the One When Jess Apologizes for Completely Overusing GIFs but She Just Can't Help Herself

RECAP - The episode opens with a man enchanting a beetle and putting it in a flower. Then, we see Gwen bringing a bunch of same kind of flowers into Morgana’s chambers. They had been left for the king’s ward anonymously. That night, the man is standing in the courtyard, starting creepily up at Morgan’s window. Half of his face is quite scarred.

I always feel like somebody's watching meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....

While Morgana sleeps, the beetle crawls out of the flower and into her ear. This is when I started feeling the itchies, and this continued most of the episode. A couple days later, Morgana is very ill. Gaius has diagnosed an inflammation of the brain but cannot find the cause and doesn’t know how to cure this. Merlin offers to try magic, but Gaius reminds him of what happened the last time he used magic to cure someone (Gwen’s father…and Gwen nearly being executed).

The mysterious man arrives at the castle and introduces himself to Arthur. His name is Edwin Muirden and claims to be a physician who has a “remedy to cure all ills.”

This gif is saved as "Edwin" in my files.

Arthur turns him away and Edwin tells him he’ll be at the inn if Arthur changes his mind.

Morgana worsens and Arthur tells his father about Edwin. Uther has Edwin summoned to the castle. Gaius seems to recognized Edwin but when he asks, Edwin denies having met Gaius before. Edwin asks to be left alone to examine Morgana. And everyone leaves. WTF?? Yes, let’s leave a woman on her death bed with a man who has just walked in off the street. Smart. Before he can do anything, Gwen comes in. Edwin gets pissy and orders her to get some water. As soon as she is gone, Edwin uses a spell to remove the beetle.

Edwin then tells Uther that Morgana suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, not inflammation of the brain. He doesn’t come out and call Gaius incompetent but it’s definitely the gist of what he says. Gaius asks Edwin again if they’d ever met. 

Then, suspicious, Gaius goes to Geoffrey of the Fake Eyebrows…I mean Geoffrey of Monmouth to see records from the Great Purge (when Uther banned magic). But Geoffrey is hesitant to open the records – afraid because the king would not be happy with it.

Merlin is in Edwin’s room, looking at his equipment 

and thank GAWD that is NOT a metaphor!

when he finds the box with the beetles, which are not moving. When he reads the inscription on the box... 

Because no harm EVER came from reading an inscription on a box... Oh wait, The Mummy sucked the life from like three men (in the original and the sequel! I apologize for randomness of this but when Merlin started reading the inscription it's the first thing I thought of) Quit reading boxes, people!!

...the beetles come to life. Edwin catches him and seems impressed with his magic. He tells Merlin not to be afraid to use magic for good and offers to help Merlin learn…be his mentor.

Geoffrey comes to Gaius’ chambers with records from the Great Purge – apparently his friendship with Gaius is stronger than his fear of the king. Meanwhile at dinner with Uther, Edwin fills Uthers head with doubts about whether Gaius is competent. 

Later in the evening, Gaius confronts Edwin. He has learned who the man is. His parents were friends of Gaius and were executed for practices dark magic. This is also how Edwin was scarred – he ran into the fire as his parents burned. Edwin places some of the blame for their deaths on Gaius, as the older man was a sorcerer but chose to stop using magic and turning his back on his friends. He threatens Gaius, saying if Gaius goes to Uther or anyone about him, he will turn Merlin in for using magic.

Edwin now doesn’t just hint about Gaius, he comes right out and tells Uther that the physician is failing at his job in his old age.

Gaius goes to see the Great Dragon. It’s a basic smack down between them. And honestly, I think, the dragon totally wins. Saying Merlin and Arthur will unite Albion but cannot do so until Uther’s time has passed. Gaius is unwilling to sacrifice Uther for Merlin so the dragon tells him to turn a blind eye, “that is after all, your talent.” Ouch.

Gaius is called before the king and is dismissed as court physician. 

The fact that he thanks Gaius for his years of service and offers him a generous allowance is the only thing stopping me from using the full on Martin Freeman gif. He just gets the Ryan Stiles…for trusting a stranger;s word - who had been in Camelot a matter of DAYS - over his friend and faithful subject who had been there for YEARS.

Gaius decides to leave Camelot. He tells Merlin that he is like a son to him and that he has a great destiny. Gwen sees Gaius leaving. She tells him she doesn’t trust Edwin, but Gaius says there is nothing he can do.

The next day, Edwin wastes no time. He gives Uther something for an old battle wound that acts up and the potion paralyzes the king. He then inserts one of the beetles into Uther’s ear telling the king it will eat his brain and kill him within hours.

seriously I kept feelings things crawl on me this whole freaking episode!

Gaius returns to the castle, unwilling to let Edwin kill Uther. He tries to use magic against Edwin but fails – I think he got the pronunciation wrong. Edwin then makes this ring of fire flare up around Gaius.

Merlin, having been told by Arthur that something is wrong with Uther, bursts in. Edwin tries to convince Merlin that they could rule together using magic. Merlin doesn’t fall for that and Edwin magically sends an ax from the wall flying towards Merlin. Merlin, wordlessly, stops it and sends it back at Edwin. Apparently, Edwin’s remedy couldn't cure an ax to the face and Edwin is dead.

Gaius and Merlin rush to the king. Merlin is hesitant to save Uther with magic but Gaius convinces him it needs to be done. Merlin magically extracts the beetle and Uther is all better. Later, believing it was Gaius who saved his life, Uther gives Gaius his job back and makes him a free man. Then, tells Gaius privately that Gaius is the only man he can trust in the fight against magic.

If I'd written this episode, I would have changed...I wouldn't have had Merlin be so trusting with Edwin so quickly. It's like, ooooh he has magic, so I should trust him. I think he should have been more wary. Especially since it's a guy who shows up, miraculously cures Morgana - and no one yells SORCERY? Are you kidding me? - and is worming his way into the king's good graces. Suspicious as hell, imo. I don't see Merlin being THAT trusting. I think he should have been more cautious. 

The thing I loved about this episode - I actually really liked the moment between Gaius and Merlin when Gaius is packing to leave. When he tells Merlin he is like a son to him. It was a heartwarming moment.

The thing I hated about this episode - How little Merlin - Arthur interaction there was in this episode. It gives me a sad, people. 

Something I never noticed about this episode before - This was a hard one. I have to go with Uther's leather pants as he's recovering. I didn't notice that until Jen pointed it out. But, c'mon, we all throw on a pair of leathers when we are recovering from a near death experiences, don't we? 

Favorite costume - Morgana's night clothes. 

Here is proof of some random head canon I've created - I have nothing in this episode. :( 

What would Bronwyn steal from Camelot in this episode? Morgana's snake necklace

What made Jen lose her shit (in a good or bad way) in this episode?

Good way - That our guy is getting even more screen time.

Bad way - That everyone just left an unconscious Morgana alone with some stranger. 

Bron's Merlin Club: A Remedy to Cure All Ills Post

Jen's Merlin Club: A Remedy to Cure All Ills Post

Until the next episode - The Gates of Avalon - which we'll be watching Monday, 3/3, at 8pm EST. We'll be on Twitter with the hashtag #MerlinClub