'Merlin': 'The Sword in the Stone (Part 2)' recap

Published Dec 24 2011, 20:46 GMT  |  By Morgan Jeffery

So how about that for a finale, eh? 'The Sword in the Stone (Part 2)' kicks off with Merlin secretly summoning the Great Dragon to deal with Agravaine and his troops. Our heroes take refuge in a winding series of cave tunnels, but Aggy and his surviving goons follow...

Merlin breaks away from his friends to create a diversion, but is cornered by the villains. He reveals his magical powers - stunning Agravaine, who finally realises that Merlin is Emrys. Arthur's wicked uncle tries to pull a blade, but a nasty dose of magic finishes him off for good. Yep, Merlin kills Agravaine - heavy stuff!

Reunited, Merlin and company decide to head back towards Camelot in the hope of finding their friends. But Arthur is floundering - his self-esteem is at an all-time low. Gwen tries to comfort him, but Arthur spurns his former lover, still bitter about her betrayal.

Back in Camelot, Gwaine is snatched from his cell once again to fight for scraps of food. He wins another mouldy loaf, but it's not enough - the elderly Gaius is slipping away. Meanwhile, Merlin meets with the Dragon for a second time and devises a plan to restore Arthur's self-belief...



The next morning, Merlin leads the King deep into the woods, spinning him a tale about how the Five Kingdoms were first formed. The young warlock claims that the first King of Camelot thrust a mythical sword into a stone and only one worthy of the throne can remove it.

Arthur is led to said stone, where Percival, Leon and the assembled citizens of Camelot are waiting - they've all been rounded up by Merlin, with the Dragon's help. At first, Arthur struggles to remove the sword, but Merlin assures him, "You're destined to be Albion's greatest king."

With a little help from Merlin's magic, Arthur pulls Excalibur from the stone - his faith restored! But back in Camelot, the warlord Helios reports Agravaine's death to Morgana. "This is the work of Emrys," she snarls.

Emrys is indeed a busy boy - as night falls, Merlin sneaks back into Camelot, transforming himself once more into the elderly Dragoon. Incapacitating a guard and stealing his cloak, Merlin reverts to his younger self, but not before a terrified Morgana has caught a glimpse of 'Emrys'...



A frantic Morgana tries to sleep, but Merlin has already planted a magical item - similar to a voodoo doll - beneath her bed. Back in the woods, Tristan and Isolde ask Arthur if they may fight at his side - both have been impressed by the honour and leadership he's displayed.

Armed with Excalibur, Arthur leads his army to Camelot - the King's forces clash with Helios and the Southron warriors. While Percival and Leon rescue Gwaine, Elyan and a weakened Gaius from their cell, Arthur leads an assault on the throne room, where Morgana is waiting...

But thanks to Merlin's interference, Morgana has been robbed of her magical abilities. She flees the room, pursued by Merlin, while Arthur, Gwen, Tristan and Isolde battle Helios and his goons.

Morgana is wounded by a knight of Camelot as she makes her escape, while Arthur is likewise injured by Helios. Isolde saves the King before Helios can strike the killing blow, but Helios then mortally wounds her as he falls. Tristan holds his love as she dies...



Meanwhile, Guinevere bravely confronts her former friend Morgana. The two briefly spar, but Morgana knocks Gwen's sword to the ground. However, a magical force sends the sorceress flying. Gwen is saved, but moments later, Morgana has vanished...

The crisis is over - Helios and his forces have been defeated, Morgana has disappeared and Arthur sits on the throne of Camelot once more. Moved by Isolde's sacrifice, the King decides to forgive Gwen for past crimes. He proposes for a second time and she happily accepts!

Some time later, Guinevere is crowned Queen of Camelot and the kingdom rejoices. But far out in the woods, the wounded Morgana stumbles onward, before falling to the ground...

The wicked witch is all but dead, but Aithusa - the magical white dragon - arrives, restoring Morgana to life with his magical breath...

In a Land of Myth and a Time of Magic...
• And that's that for another year! 'The Sword in the Stone (Part 2)' packs a solid punch, with plenty of action, a dash of romance and that long-awaited showdown between Arthur and Morgana!
• And let's not forget Colin Morgan - his Merlin is surprisingly ruthless here, cutting down Agravaine (the terrific Nathaniel Parker) with little hesitation.
• We also loved Ben Daniels as Tristan - his final fate was never resolved, so please bring him back, Merlin writers!
• Miranda Raison's Isolde was a bit useless, though - injured in her first battle, killed in her second...
• A few other points of criticism - what happened to Merlin's poor mother Hunith? Was she left behind when Agravaine torched her village?
• Merlin's brief transformation into Dragoon also seemed a little pointless, particularly as he adopted another disguise soon afterward...
• The episode as a whole is also a little too similar to last year's finale, the excellent 'The Coming of Arthur (Part 2)'.
• But these are minor quibbles - the fourth series of Merlin has been the show's most consistent yet. With a darker tone and stronger storylines, the show is riding high - here's to series five!