Original subtitles

In a land of myth and a time of magic,

the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy.

His name, Merlin.

Calm yourself, my pretty.

We're home now.

Gaius, there have been disturbing rumors from outlying villages.

- Sire? - Someone,

some kind of physician is offering treatments.

I fear magic may have been used.

What is it that makes you suspicious?

There are reports of miracle cures.

A boy thrown from a horse, a farmhand mauled by a boar.

All hopeless cases it seems,

and yet each and every one has made a full recovery.

It's very hard for me to comment, sire. I'd have to examine the patients myself.

That won't be necessary,

as a new case has arisen here in Camelot.

- Who? - The innkeeper.

He's returned to work.

That's not possible.

The condition was critical, I saw him only days ago.

So you agree that magic must be involved.

Well, I couldn't say for sure.

Then go to the tavern and find out.

If sorcery is at work here, we must act quickly.

Yes, sire. I'll see to it right away.

It's unbelievable.

Uther has no problem turning to magic if his family are threatened.

Keep your voice down, Merlin.

- Oh, he is such a hypocrite. - He's also the king.

So, if you value your head, use it.

Welcome!

Gaius, what a pleasant surprise.

- Evoric. - What can I get you?

Nothing. I just dropped in to see how you're doing.

Much improved, as you can see.

Indeed. Remarkable recovery.

All thanks to you, Gaius.

I think not.

Evoric, I am, of course, delighted that you're well again,

but I must ask you,

from whom did you obtain your remedy?

Don't know what you're talking about.

Now, you mustn't be afraid. I'm not the king, after all.

My wife, she was desperate.

I was slipping away.

Go on.

She met a woman, a healer, in the lower town

and she gave her a cure.

Can I see it?

How interesting.

- Am I in some kind of trouble? - No, not at all.

You've been most helpful.

What was the nature of this treatment?

- Hogwart and fenugreek. - Excuse me?

Herbs, sire.

Whoever prescribed them was highly skilled.

Their grasp of the five principles of herbal conjoinment was...

What about the boy and the laborer?

Surely they were beyond the help of such remedies?

Not necessarily, sire.

A physician's art can achieve great things.

But not miracles.

The innkeeper was fatally ill, you said so yourself.

Yes, that was indeed my diagnosis.

But my knowledge isn't perfect.

There are many branches of my craft are yet mysteries to me.

I could not heal the innkeeper. Someone else could.

Are you absolutely satisfied that no magic was involved?

Entirely, sire.

Thank you, Gaius. You've set my mind at rest.

My lord.

I think it's great what you did,

protecting the innkeeper like that.

What do you mean?

He was a sick man.

It was a matter of life and death. Magic was his only hope.

But he didn't use magic.

The potion was enchanted, I saw it with my own eyes.

We both did.

What you saw, Merlin, was a release of gaseous pressure.

Entirely normal in a preparation of that kind.

- But what about the totem? - What totem?

The totem in the innkeeper's doorway bore the marks of the Old Religion.

Nonsense.

You're obviously tired, Merlin. I recommend you get some sleep.

Well, can...

Gaius?

Alice.

- How did you know I was in Camelot? - I recognized your work.

Your healing magic was always equal to none.

Oh, Gaius, you've lost none of your charm.

And you've lost none of your skill. You saved the innkeeper's life.

I did what I could, as I know you did.

But my humble potion was not enough, it seems.

Look at you...

Always so solemn, so serious.

And you always teasing me.

I've missed you.

And I you.

Twenty years and here we are back in Camelot together again.

It almost seems as though nothing has changed.

And some things never will.

- Uther. - It's not safe for you here.

He suspects that magic is at work in Camelot.

But he doesn't know for sure.

Not yet. But if you stay, he will find you.

But, Gaius, healing is my only gift.

It is my living. I must buy food, I must pay rent.

But why here? The dangers are too great.

Because I wanted to see you again.

Dawn is almost upon us. I must get back.

Oh, you will come back tomorrow? Please?

Of course.

You have done well. The physician is vital to our plan.

Please, must we use him this way?

I've told you before, Uther trusts him.

He alone can get us close enough to the King.

But he will be blamed for everything that happens.

And you will not. How perfect.

But his punishment will be terrible.

You must put aside your feelings and do what needs to be done.

Yes.

Did you go out last night?

Yes. I had to get some herbs.

Herbs?

A... A new supplier, just arrived.

Right.

Do your suppliers normally kiss you?

You followed me. How dare you?

Gaius, it was the middle of the night. I was worried.

I thought you might be in some sort of trouble.

There's nothing wrong.

What's her name?

Alice.

She's an old friend.

Well... More than a friend, if truth be told.

What do you mean?

We were once engaged to be married.

When was this?

More years ago than I care to remember.

I had just been made physician to the King when I met her.

It was like finding a kindred spirit, we had so much in common.

Our love of science, of healing. And of magic.

Magic?

I was just a novice,

but Alice's power and ability was uncanny.

She had the gift.

Soon she had mastered every aspect of sorcery, healing above all.

It was wonderful to behold, Merlin. She saved a great many lives.

- It was Alice that cured the innkeeper? - Indeed.

There was a time when her skills were famous in Camelot.

So what happened?

Uther declared war on magic.

Overnight her world was turned upside down.

The Great Purge.

Uther drew up a list of everyone suspected of using magic.

One by one, they were hunted down and executed.

As a close friend of the King, I was permitted to see this list.

Alice's name was on it.

What did you do?

The only thing I could do. I struck her name off.

Gaius, if you'd been caught...

I know, but it bought her time.

Just enough to get out of Camelot, to escape.

But you...

You stayed behind.

I was scared. I felt I had no choice.

I thought I'd never see her again.

But now here she is, after all these years.

I feel we've been given a second chance.

You have a kind heart.

- You always did. - It's the least I could do.

Will you stay? Please say you will.

You're my only appointment for this morning.

I made sure of that.

- You recognize them? - Of course.

It's a totem of healing.

Oh, come, Gaius. Is that the best you can do?

Have you forgotten all that we learned together?

Let us see.

It's a sorcerer's chime, to give it its proper name.

Each crystal bears an elemental sign of the Old Religion.

When enchanted, the crystals resonate,

their music giving succor to the ailing and the sick.

You've forgotten nothing.

I remember everything.

All that we saw, all that we did,

each and every day we spent together.

I remember the day you left.

Let's not dwell on that.

We found each other again. Isn't that all that matters?

Come on, Merlin! Put your back into it!

Sorry, sire. I'm just a bit...

Pathetic.

You're pretending to be a battle-hardened warrior,

not a daffodil.

Sorry, sire. Just a bit tired, that's all.

Fair enough.

Maybe this'll perk you up!

Ah, Merlin...

I... I'd like you to meet Alice.

Merlin, it's a pleasure to meet you. Gaius speaks very highly of you.

You too.

Alice... will be staying with us for a while.

- Great! - That's all right with you?

Of course. I'll make up the spare bed.

So you won't mind if she uses your room?

Be my guest.

That is his name, isn't it?

- So he does not suspect? - No, nothing.

Then you must work hard to keep it that way.

Yes. Yes.

You are doing well.

Take some of my venom.

Do not fail me.

Be careful not to hurt yourself.

Ah! That's it.

When you first knew Alice, what kinds of magic did she practice?

All kinds.

It was a time of experimentation and learning.

Right.

What about dark magic?

I daresay. But those days are long gone.

What if they aren't?

Last night there was some kind of creature in your room.

Creature?

I've never seen anything like it.

It had the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion.

Oh, come on, Merlin. You must've been dreaming.

No, I saw it with my own eyes and I could feel its power.

It was magic. Like nothing I've ever felt before.

What utter nonsense.

If you don't believe me, Gaius, I can prove it.

Come on.

This is it.

Merlin, put that back. This has gone far enough.

- Oh, it's in there. I know it is. - Ridiculous.

Gaius, no!

I hope you're satisfied, Merlin.

Morning.

Hemlock.

Nightshade.

Myrrh.

Oh, Gaius.

It's just like old times.

We always made a good team, did we not?

Yeah.

I wish Merlin had your skills.

I fear he finds the physician's craft boring.

Well, never mind, you've got me to help you now, haven't you?

Indeed I have.

Now, where's the valerian?

Valerian? For an injury, I presume?

Perfectly correct. I prescribe it to Uther for an old battle wound.

- He takes it daily? - Of course.

- Can I help you? - No.

Yes. I wonder, do you know anything about this creature?

Ah, now, that is the Manticore.

A Manticore?

Nasty looking beast, isn't it?

Yeah, you can say that again.

I believe it was first referred to almost a thousand years ago.

The Ancients lived in fear of it, trembled at its very name.

I've never even heard of it.

Yeah, well, I'm not surprised.

'Cause as far as I'm aware, the Manticore is a legend,

figment of the imagination.

- Are you sure? - Oh, yes.

So, um, if you were hoping to see one,

I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed.

- Now it's ready to go to the King. - Fascinating.

Gaius, you said you had a rare form of mountain balm.

I should like to compare it with my own, if I may.

Certainly.

Now, where did I put it?

Perhaps with the second order palliatives?

Of course.

I'm so sorry, Gaius.

Don't worry. Merlin will clear it up, won't you, Merlin?

No, no! I can do it.

What's that? Who's there?

No one. You're dreaming.

Now go back to sleep.

Gaius, I need to talk to you about Alice.

Merlin, this must stop.

There's a reason the box was empty.

It isn't a container, it's a portal, a gateway for the Manticore.

This must stop now.

No, Alice is up to something, and whatever it is, it isn't good.

You're wrong, Merlin.

Alice is the kindest and most compassionate person I've ever known.

No.

You're wrong, you're just blinded by your feelings for her.

I can see perfectly well, Merlin.

And what I can see is that you cannot bear for me to be happy.

I cannot begin to guess why that should be.

But it saddens me.

More than I can say.

Gaius, there you are.

I was beginning to wonder where you'd got to.

What's wrong?

It's nothing. A disagreement with Merlin, that's all.

Was it about me?

You mustn't worry.

He's probably a bit jealous, that's all.

Jealous?

Well, it's only to be expected. The poor lad's had you all to himself.

He's bound to be a bit hostile for a while.

Very hostile, if truth be told.

Oh, he'll... He'll soon get used to having me around.

I'm sure you're right.

Listen.

Why don't you sit yourself down for a while and take a break.

I must prepare Uther's medicine.

Well, I can take care of that. You showed me how, remember?

Thank you.

Run!

You're meant to bob, Merlin, weave.

You might as well be a barn door.

Yes, sire.

For goodness sake, what is your problem?

Nothing.

Right. Well, either you tell me, or we go back to the lance and hoops.

Gaius and me, we... Had a bit of a falling out.

Look, I row with my father all the time.

You should do what I do,

just lie low and wait till he comes to his senses.

It'll soon blow over.

No, I don't think so, somehow.

Oh, cheer up, will you?

How is punching me in the arm meant to cheer me up?

It works with the knights.

- Well, they're thick, aren't they? - I'm a knight.

There you go, then.

You gave me this book, do you remember?

It was on your birthday, wasn't it?

Or was it when I was made court physician?

Have a look inside. I'm sure there's an inscription.

You're quite right, of course. My 50th birthday.

Here we are. All done.

Wonderful. Thank you.

Hurry now. You wouldn't want to keep your king waiting.

Really, Alice, I can't imagine how I survived without you.

- Ah, Gaius, you have my medicine. - I do, sire.

To my very good health.

Father!

I found him this way. I... I can't rouse him.

The King's alive, but his pulse is weak.

- What's wrong with him? - Please, I must examine him.

Seal off the King's quarters.

What is that?

Hush, Merlin.

Well?

I am afraid I cannot yet determine the cause of your father's illness.

- Well, he's been poisoned, hasn't he? - I cannot say at this stage.

Just look at him, Gaius. What else could it be?

We must not jump to hasty conclusions, sire.

Please watch over him till I return.

I don't think we need anymore information.

Since when are you the expert in such matters?

Oh, you don't need to be a physician to see what's happened.

- Merlin! - Gaius, he's been poisoned,

and I think we both know who did it.

What exactly are you implying?

It was Alice. It had to be. She's been helping you with the potions.

She's had every opportunity to corrupt his medicine.

Merlin, you have no proof of any of this.

How else did he ingest the poison?

There is no other explanation.

- Of course there is. - Oh, come on, Gaius!

I understand why you're protecting her. Really, I do.

But in your heart of hearts, you must know what I'm saying is true.

All I know is that the King is gravely ill

and that you're place is by Arthur's side!

It doesn't make any sense.

His food and wine are tasted each and every meal.

It's brought here under armed guard. No one can interfere with it in any way.

So it can't be his food and drink.

The only other thing he's had is...

Gaius' remedy.

Arthur, I think I know what happened.

I think, I know who did this.

- What's going on? - The King has been poisoned.

It appears that someone has tampered with his medicine.

But surely you don't think it was me?

Don't lie to me, Alice. Please.

Gaius, I... I...

Alice.

You're under arrest for high treason. Take her away.

I had no choice.

It was either her or you, Gaius.

It wasn't your choice to make.

- Do you admit to using magic? - Yes.

Admit to poisoning the King?

Yes, yes, but it forced me to do it. It... It made me.

- Who forced you? - The creature. The creature.

You're lying! There's no creature.

You're just trying to save your own skin.

No, no.

Please. My father is dying.

If you have a single shred of goodness within you,

you will tell me how to cure him.

I don't know.

I don't know! I'm so sorry. The Manticore...

- How is he? - He's fading.

He won't last the day.

- Gaius... - It's all right, Merlin.

I understand.

You were only trying to save me from harm.

Thank you.

But I don't believe Alice wanted this.

I know she didn't.

The poison is from the Manticore, the creature that was in Alice's room.

We cannot counteract the Manticore's venom.

- It's too deadly, by far. - So what can we do?

We can kill the Manticore.

The poison is imbued with its magic.

With the Manticore dead, it will lose its potency.

- How do I kill it? - You can't. You don't have the power.

It's a creature of the Old Religion.

But maybe there's another way, if I can remember.

Here.

The Manticore cannot live in this world long.

Its life source is a ancient evil that exists in the spirit world.

- So if we can trap it in this world... - Exactly.

If we were to summon the creature and you kept it at bay long enough,

perhaps I could break the box.

The gateway.

If the gateway is destroyed,

then the creature's connection with its life source

would be destroyed with it.

- And the Manticore will die? - I believe so.

Gaius, the box is enchanted. It would need magic to destroy it.

I am aware of that.

Do you think you can? Command such magic?

There was a time when I could.

Let us hope I haven't forgotten.

Are you ready?

What if this doesn't work?

Then we're going to have a very angry Manticore on our hands.

Gaius!

Gaius!

Gaius, it's now or never!

Gaius!

Not too bad for a has-been.

Not too bad yourself.

I am fortunate, indeed, that you found an antidote, Gaius.

It will take time, my lord, but you will make a full recovery.

What of the woman?

We have her in the cells, sire. She awaits your judgment.

She won't have to wait long. She's sentenced to death.

We'll execute her in the morning.

Yes, Father.

- Sire, if I may... - Yes, Gaius.

It seems this woman was in the thrall of some kind of creature.

Perhaps, in the light of that, her sentence might be...

She practiced magic, Gaius.

There are no circumstances under which that is acceptable.

Her judgment stands.

I'm sorry, Alice. There was nothing I could do.

Don't.

I knew what my sentence would be. Uther will never change.

No.

I hoped that I could learn from it.

That... That I could harness its magic for the good, for healing,

but it was too strong for me.

At least you are rid of it now.

Yes.

And it's far better to die free than to live as a slave.

I can only hope that's true.

Gaius...

Before I go, I want you to know something.

I never forgot you.

Since we parted all those years ago,

not a day has gone by when I have not thought of you.

- I fear I abandoned you, Alice. - No.

I left you all alone.

You stayed behind to protect me. I know that.

You saved my life.

And there's no greater gift that I could've hoped for.

And you've achieved great things here in Camelot, whereas, I...

- Alice. - I've disgraced myself.

After everything I've done,

- you would have every right to hate me. - Hate you?

I could never hate you.

I've treasured these past days.

I love you, Alice.

I love you, and I always will.

As I will you, Gaius.

I don't... I don't want to leave you, my love.

Don't be afraid.

Please.

Something's happened.

Perhaps one of the prisoners has escaped.

How is that possible?

I wonder. The dungeons are so secure.

I really couldn't say.

You could've gone with her.

I could've done.

But then, who'd look after you?

Me? I don't need looking after.

I can fend for myself.

Ah. Well, in that case, you won't be wanting any of this, then.

Well, maybe just a slice.

Merlin.

Whatever relationship exists between Arthur and Gwen,

you must destroy it.

It's almost as though he's been enchanted.

Uther'll never believe that Morgana's responsible.

Arthur!

She has been found guilty.

You can't do this!

If we can't expose the true sorcerer...

Then we must invent one.