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A young King Arthur is awoken from his sleep by bad dreams, about a boy who is made king because he pulls a sword from a stone. He goes to Merlin to seek his counsel, and Merlin begins a story of his own, about a young boy with strange abilities and visions.
When the Wart and the reader meet Merlyn, however, he seems more absent-minded than wise. He is first seen struggling with a bucket and dappled in bird droppings; his cottage is strewn with books and other trappings of wizardry.
- Overview
- Biography
- Personality
- Relationships
- Abilities
- Near-Death Experiences
- Memorable Quotes
- Etymology
- Trivia
King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot was the son and heir of Uther Pendragon and the only child of Ygraine de Bois. He was the husband of Queen Guinevere, brother-in-law to Sir Elyan, son-in-law to Tom the blacksmith, the paternal half-brother of Morgana, the nephew of Tristan de Bois and Agravaine de Bois. Arthur's best friend was the greatest warlock and sorcerer ever, Merlin, his servant.
According to the prophecies of Kilgharrah, Arthur was destined to unite the land of Albion. As a young prince, Arthur was spoiled, narrow-minded, and arrogant, though good-hearted; as time passed, he eventually matured and became best friends with his manservant, Merlin. This was partially due to his dislike of the way his father ruled, and also because of the influence Merlin had on him.
Arthur tended to have negative opinions about Uther’s harsher policies, particularly his aversion to magic, but during his reign he kept his father’s decree banning magical practice due to his war with Morgana. Arthur’s great conviction is in peace and justice, and during his reign he revived the Round Table and managed to establish peace between the five kingdoms for the first time in centuries.
Arthur died at the hands of Mordred by the shores of Avalon, but, Kilgharrah claimed that, as the Once and Future King, he is destined to one day rise again.
Early Life
Arthur was born in Camelot to Uther and Ygraine Pendragon with the help of magic by the sorceress and priestess, Nimueh. Unfortunately, Ygraine was infertile, thus incapable of giving birth, but Uther, who was desperate for an heir, went to Nimueh and persuaded her to use her magic to help Ygraine. However, as Nimueh used the power over life and death for Arthur to be born, a sacrifice had to be made for a life to be created and Ygraine died in the process after Arthur was born. As a result of her death, Uther despised magic and had its practitioners executed but kept the true nature of her death secret from Arthur. Arthur also had a half-sister named Morgana, who was born from an affair Uther had with her mother Vivienne. Arthur grew up with Morgana after Gorlois died, but remained unaware of her true paternity.
Meeting Merlin
“Who do you think you are? The King?" "No. I'm his son, Arthur. ” — Merlin to Arthur Arthur first encounters Merlin while he is doing target practice with his friends and bullying the servant who is carrying the target. Merlin, unaware of Arthur's identity, stands up to him. Arthur has Merlin thrown in prison and subsequently into the stocks. They later fight again in town where Merlin uses his magic to try and get the better of Arthur. Later, at a feast celebrating twenty years since magic was banished from Camelot, Mary Collins takes the guise of Lady Helen with the intent of killing Arthur as revenge for Uther killing her own son. Using his magic, Merlin manages to save Arthur and, in return, Uther makes Merlin Arthur's manservant. (The Dragon's Call) At first the two of them want nothing to do with one another, but quickly become close friends. Arthur remains ignorant of Merlin's powers for a very long time due to consequences which could occur if he finds out.
Early Adventures with Merlin
Arthur frequently finds himself in danger and though he does not often realise it, is rescued by Merlin on several occasions. These have included drinking a poisoned chalice that was supposedly for Arthur, (The Poisoned Chalice) and saving him from being sacrificed by a young Sidhe named Sophia after she enchanted him into believing he was in love with her. (The Gates of Avalon) Arthur sometimes avoids taking blame for things. He allows Merlin to be sent to the stocks twice when he abandons his duties to see Sophia and once more when he forces Merlin to lie about where he was. (The Gates of Avalon) Arthur aids other characters when they need it. He travels to the Forest of Balor to retrieve an antidote when Merlin is poisoned by Nimueh, despite the fact he is putting his life in danger and going against his father's orders, which are to let Merlin die. Through this experience he is nearly killed by giant spiders and is locked in the dungeons by his father for disobeying him. He only manages to get the antidote to Merlin through the quick thinking of Gwen. (The Poisoned Chalice) Arthur also speaks out for the druid boy Mordred when he is being pursued by Uther. He later helps Merlin and Morgana sneak Mordred out of Camelot after they are caught the first time and return him to his people. (The Beginning of the End) When Nimueh brings his uncle Tristan de Bois, "The Black Knight", back to life Arthur attempts twice to challenge him only for the gauntlet to be picked up by Sir Owain and then Sir Pellinore. After Pellinore is killed Arthur throws down his own gauntlet and challenges Tristan. However Uther has Gaius drug Arthur and fights Tristan himself with a sword intended for Arthur given to him by Merlin. (Excalibur) Arthur later helps Merlin's home village, Ealdor, to fight against a brigand named Kanen. He trains the villagers in combat, helps them prepare a battle plan, and then fights in battle alongside them. Originally he would only let men fight, however he eventually lets the women fight after he is reproached by Gwen a moment that sparks their closer involvement. He is nearly killed by Kanen himself, but a man named William jumps in front and takes the blow. (The Moment of Truth) Camelot is cursed with lack of food and water after Arthur kills a unicorn. He refuses to admit that it is his fault and only comes to terms with it after he fails the second test, supposedly leaving Camelot without food forever. When Merlin asks the keeper of the unicorns, Anhora, to give Arthur a second chance he finds himself a part of the test. When Arthur demonstrates he is willing to give his life for another person the curse is lifted as he proves that he is "pure of heart" like a unicorn. (The Labyrinth of Gedref) Around the time of Tauren's threat, Guinevere's father is killed by Uther's men. Before his death, Arthur insists to his father to spare his life, nevertheless Uther ignores him. An angry Morgana, gets herself locked up in the dungeon for threatening Uther after Tom's death. A day later, Arthur sets her free. Arthur later visits Guinevere and apologises to her about her father's death and states that he is willing to help if needed. (To Kill the King)
Arthur is portrayed as being highly courageous, honourable, dutiful and just. Having matured and succeeded to the throne as King of Camelot, Arthur is no longer shown as the spoilt and self-serving character he once was, and is far more bound by the kingly responsibilities he must fulfill. Where once he was somewhat juvenile and described by Gwen as a "rough, tough, save the world" kind of person (The Dragon's Call), his progression from boyish prince to adult king have seen a maturation in his personality.
Arthur's fairness is a particularly noteworthy element of his character. Always portrayed as seeking to do the right thing, Arthur is at times conflicted when presented with difficult moral dilemmas, such as being torn between loyalty to his father and protection of the innocent. Arthur considers his decisions very deeply and is never happy to be the reason others suffer, as shown by his offer to fight one-on-one to avoid war with Queen Annis and his offer to sacrifice himself to repair the veil. Arthur takes counsel from his trusted friends, family and advisors, among those Merlin, formerly Agravaine, Gwen and formerly Morgana, and is shown to be more lenient in his policies than his father. Arthur is very brave and willing to take risks even at the cost of his own safety, such as being willing to give his own life to save Merlin's (The Poisoned Chalice), Gwen's (Lancelot and Guinevere) and Camelot's as a whole. (The Darkest Hour) During his father's lifetime he was also willing to act against his father's decisions, particularly when reasoned with by Morgana Pendragon (The Mark of Nimueh, The Poisoned Chalice, Lancelot et al). Arthur has a great love for the people of Camelot, frequently acting to ensure their safety and wellbeing, and was stricken when he realised a curse had fallen upon them because of his actions. (The Labyrinth of Gedref) He was also unwilling to allow other people sacrifice themselves for him to fix problems he himself had caused. (The Poisoned Chalice, The Labyrinth of Gedref, The Darkest Hour, et al)
Arthur is a talented and charismatic leader, capable of inspiring great loyalty in people, though at times he doubts whether or not he deserves such devotion. However, since he would never ask his men to do anything he would not do himself, loyalty is generally forthcoming. Many characters have remarked on Arthur's good nature, including Morgana, who named him "a better man" than his father and Queen Annis, who felt Arthur inspired hope. The lengths Arthur goes to for the sake of people he cares about or is indebted to allow him to reap great loyalty in return from people in all walks of life. Arthur is adept at hiding his true feelings, having been accustomed to carrying out orders that he disagreed with for his father. He also finds it somewhat difficult to express himself emotionally, leading to initial difficulties the progression of his relationship with Guinevere and an awkward start with his one-time betrothed, Princess Mithian. As a result, open expressions of adoration were uncharacteristic and usually signs of enchantment. (The Gates of Avalon, Sweet Dreams) At times, Arthur is shown to reveal deeper emotion, such as when seeking forgiveness from the Shrine Boy, after which Merlin commented he had never seen Arthur cry before.
Arthur still retains some of the boyish elements of his personality, particularly regarding Merlin, whom he frequently teases and joins his knights in playing practical jokes on. He also seems to lack patience with Merlin and continually remarks on his servant's apparent incompetence, though at times Arthur also reveals sharper insight and comments that Merlin seems somehow "wise". Arthur does however have a habit of ignoring Merlin's advice and acting of his own - or Agravaine's - accord, sometimes heatedly telling him to be silent.
Unlike his father, Arthur was more capable of letting go of the past. He had a less extreme attitude towards sorcery and was prepared to accept that not all sorcerers were as evil as his father claimed, even assisting Morgana in saving a Druid boy's life. He grew to deeply distrust magic after Morgause caused him to nearly kill his father, but gradually returned to his old neutrality and unlike Uther he showed signs of believing that magic could be used for good as well as evil, even going so far as to seek magical intervention to save his father's life. (The Wicked Day) However, when this backfired and Uther died seemingly because of Dragoon the Great, Arthur deeply regretted giving magic a chance and denounced it as pure evil. However after Gaius told him that Uther was already dying and that Dragoon really had done his best to save him, Arthur softened though he was still wary of magic and has not lifted the ban on sorcery. (The Secret Sharer) Later, Arthur revealed that some time ago, he led a raid on a Druid village, inadvertently causing a boy's death which meant that his spirit possessed Elyan. Arthur, deeply remorseful to the point of weeping, swore to treat the Druids with respect in the future, progressing his more moderate policy towards magic-users. (A Herald of the New Age)
Despite his good nature, Arthur also has a hot temper and can at times become violent and aggressive, particularly when loved ones are threatened. This was especially shown when he learned the truth of his mother's death, when he believed Morgana was dying, when his father was dying and when he saw Gwen kissing Lancelot. In each of these cases Arthur flew into a rage and reacted violently, though stopped short of ever actually killing someone out of anger, usually because someone else intervened before he went too far.
Merlin
“I came back, because you're the only friend I have and I couldn't bear to lose you.” — Arthur, to Merlin On their first meeting, Arthur and Merlin got off on the wrong foot. Merlin, not knowing who he was, stood up for a servant Arthur was bullying, and the two then had a brief tussle. Nonetheless, from early on Arthur acknowledged that Merlin was "an idiot", but a "brave one". To both their chagrin, Uther appointed Merlin as Arthur's manservant as a 'reward' for saving Arthur's life, which led to Arthur considering him an incompetent and insolent servant, though they quickly developed a grudging affection for one another. Very soon in their friendship, they were openly willing to risk their lives against the advice and orders of others, even knowingly sacrificing for the other. (The Poisoned Chalice) They had also saved each other from peril numerous times, though often Arthur remained unaware of Merlin's secret intervention. They frequently bickered and played tricks on each other, though they rarely truly fell out. Arthur saying "shut up, Merlin" whenever the latter pointed out inconvenient truths or made poor attempts at humour became something of a catchphrase. Many times when Merlin's near death, such as in The Poisoned Chalice and The Darkest Hour, Arthur is shown to be beside himself, aching, and distressed. He was willing to give up the entire quest of saving Camelot, which would save hundreds of lives, to save Merlin, but was swayed by Leon and Lancelot to keep moving while Lancelot gets Merlin back to Gaius. (The Darkest Hour) Just the thought of Merlin being dead is too grievously sad for Arthur to think about, as when Agravaine was starting to say he's sorry that he lost Merlin, Arthur didn't even let him finish the sentence. (A Servant of Two Masters) He also often called Merlin an "idiot" and scolded him for being seemingly thick and clumsy, but at the same time seemed to be aware that there was far more to him beyond his happy-go-lucky personality. Although Arthur frequently teased and abused Merlin, occasionally claiming they could not be friends as he was a servant, the two of them become very close and Arthur was often grateful for Merlin's company, loyalty, help and advice. Princess Mithian also stated that during her stay in Camelot she noticed that Arthur valued Merlin's advice above all others. (The Hunter's Heart) Arthur entrusted Merlin with most of his secret activities and missions, and often required his help. (The Gates of Avalon, The Beginning of the End, Le Morte d'Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere) The rest of Arthur's secrets, particularly his romantic feelings, could easily be deciphered by Merlin, who seemed highly in tune with his true nature and emotions. However, Arthur in turn was predominantly highly unsuccessful in guessing Merlin's intentions, believing him to be in love with Gwen, Morgana and even Lady Catrina as a result of Merlin's many secret investigations and odd behaviour. Merlin was also one of the only people besides Gwen who could, despite the class divide, reprimand Arthur when he was being unfair or arrogant, and tell him truthfully what he was thinking without fear of severe punishment. He had often insulted Arthur, calling him a "prat", "dollophead", and a "clotpole," as well as "supercilious" and "patronising." Arthur in reality trusted and appreciated Merlin, although he had sometimes confessed that he thought that Merlin was hiding something. Arthur refused to believe that Merlin was a sorcerer, reacting with incredulity and doubt whenever he was accused of it, and saved Merlin from the suspicions of Uther several times by making up stories. (The Mark of Nimueh, The Witchfinder, Goblin's Gold) Although Arthur did not always immediately believe Merlin's warnings, he defended and rescued his friend even when he had doubts himself. (The Labyrinth of Gedref, Beauty and the Beast) However, though Arthur trusted Merlin, he would still often side with his family members and higher-ranked advisers over him, refusing to believe Merlin informing him of Agravaine's treachery (The Hunter's Heart), and would flat-out tell him to be silent when he pushed too far. Arthur and Merlin, though they would deny it, were close to the extent where Merlin was often one of the few able to reach him when others could not. However, Merlin continued to hide his powers from Arthur, knowing that it was too dangerous to reveal it after the time spent together. Despite Merlin's status as a servant, Arthur displayed great trust in him and appreciated his opinion and wisdom, sometimes even enough to uncharacteristically thank him for it. (The Tears of Uther Pendragon, The Changeling, The Coming of Arthur: Part Two) However, Arthur was still well aware of his status as prince and was angry at Merlin when he and Gwaine came to help him on his quest for the Golden Trident, though this anger did not last long and he ended up appreciative of the assistance. (The Eye of the Phoenix) Before the retaking of Camelot, Merlin was able to shake Arthur out of his despair and inspire him to continue, leading to the retaking of Camelot from Morgana. Merlin was offered a place at the Round Table, showing how Arthur valued him on the same level as his most trusted knights, and even commented that he was somehow "wise" on at least two occasions. In spite of this appreciation for Merlin's virtues, however, Arthur made sure to continue reaffirming his status as a manservant by constantly setting him endless chores. (The Coming of Arthur: Part Two) Before Arthur was crowned king, he finally called Merlin his friend, showing how close he had become to Merlin despite their differences. Arthur even hugged Merlin after finding him in the forest when he was kidnapped by Morgana, which is a notable display of affection since Arthur was unwilling to hug him when Merlin helped him prove to his father that his wife was a troll. (A Servant of Two Masters, Beauty and the Beast: Part Two) After Merlin admitted to Arthur that the former had magic when saving him from a wound caused by Mordred, Arthur was shocked, disgusted and most of all furious - very furious. Arthur could not bare to look at Merlin but had to travel with him to Avalon bringing up his anger on the way. Merlin's magic eventually grew on him for him to accept it after seeing Merlin using magic for good proving his father's theory that all magic was bad was not right. Due to an encounter with Morgana (who was finally killed by Merlin), Arthur did not survive the journey to the lake and died in Merlin's arms, but not before thanking Merlin for everything he had done for him and coming to understand why Merlin did what he did. (The Diamond of the Day)
Morgana Pendragon
“What happened to you, Morgana? I thought we were friends." "As did I. But alas, we were both wrong.” — Arthur and Morgana Morgana and Arthur grew up together in the court of Camelot and for many years their relationship was strong. On the surface they seemed like siblings, teasing one another mercilessly and trading sarcastic comments, but there was also a much deeper connection between them. Morgana proved to be Arthur's advisor and moral compass early on as she was the only one who could get him to confront and defy his father by doing what he knew in his heart was right. Despite being raised together almost as siblings, Arthur and Morgana developed romantic feelings for one another at some point. Whenever any of the knights charmed Morgana it irked Arthur, while he openly accused her of being jealous when she tried to dissuade him from pursuing Sophia. They shared a number of tender moments where it was clear that the love they had for each other went much deeper than attraction, and the prophetic dreams that terrified Morgana most were ones of Arthur's death. (The Gates of Avalon, Le Morte d'Arthur) Each time she would desperately try to save him and prevent her prophecies from being realised, on one occasion running to plead with him in front of the assembled knights when she knew he would not return safely from a quest. And just as Morgana was fiercely protective of Arthur, he in turn did everything in his power to keep her safe and happy. He defended her interests against his father, securing her release from the dungeons (To Kill the King) and agreeing to defy Uther and smuggle Mordred out of Camelot solely for her sake. However, Arthur's sudden interest in Guinevere caused his relationship with Morgana to suffer. Caught up in his new romantic problems, he failed to realise that Morgana was struggling with something serious and unintentionally left her even more isolated as she wrestled with her growing magic. When she was "kidnapped" by the druids, however, Arthur mounted a rescue and brought her back safely to Camelot, although he did not realise this was not what she wanted. The more he became infatuated with Gwen, the more his relationship with Morgana shifted towards that of brother and sister, while when Uther married Catrina, the two were horrified to discover their new stepmother was a troll. Morgana grew more defensive and less open with Arthur, for instance believing her magic to be the reason she was immune to the sleeping plague while feeling unable to risk telling him the truth. Although Arthur undoubtedly loved and cared for Morgana, she recognised that his position would be one of severe conflict due to his inherited suspicion of magic and therefore could not seek his help. After Morgause disappeared with Morgana, Arthur demonstrated his devotion to her by spending a year searching for her, feeling that he had failed to protect her. Finding her stumbling through the forest on one such patrol, with great relief Arthur brought her back to Camelot where he tenderly listened to her recount her escape and promised her that she was safe now. When Uther fell ill and Arthur was faced with the burden of ruling, he sought comfort from Morgana, embracing her and telling her how glad he was that she was there with him. Unbeknownst to Arthur, Morgana was, in fact, responsible for Uther's decline, and she continued to plot against the king in secret. When Merlin inadvertently caused a fatal head wound in Morgana in an attempt to stop her from killing Uther, Arthur was utterly grief-stricken at the thought of losing her, ironically telling Merlin he would "sacrifice [his] place on the throne for her to see another sunrise". (The Crystal Cave) For a time, Morgana's hatred was directed solely at Uther, and largely she showed no animosity towards Arthur, but after the discovery that Uther was her father, Morgause pointed out that Arthur was all that stood between Morgana and the crown, despite her being illegitimate and unrecognised. After this, Morgana began to plot against her half-sibling while he remained a doting brother, even risking his life to go back into Cenred's stronghold to rescue her, unaware that it was a trap to get him killed. (The Castle of Fyrien) It was not until Morgause's army overtook Camelot and Morgana crowned herself queen that Arthur learned of her treachery and her true paternity. Arthur reeled in the face of this knowledge and spent a whole week struggling with it, only recovering when Merlin rallied him to take back his kingdom from her Arthur lamented that he had known Morgana all his life and could not understand her betrayal, but in the end led his knights against her to take back Camelot. Over a year after he learned of her treachery, Morgana was now fully estranged from Arthur, plotting against him and bringing about Uther's death from afar which resulted in Arthur being crowned King of Camelot. Morgana therefore continued in her attempts to take Arthur's throne, eventually succeeding in conquering Camelot once again. Her first confrontation with Arthur since leaving came when he stormed the castle to take back the kingdom. (The Sword in the Stone) The reunion was visibly tense with Morgana's expression conflicted as Arthur lamented that he "thought we were friends", to which she replied "as did I" with an element of regret at the deterioration of their relationship. However, the two could not reconcile and Morgana accused Arthur of being too much like his father, leading Arthur to remark that she too resembled Uther more than she realised. Even on the brink of death at Morgana's hands when they meet again 3 years later, Arthur still tried to reach out to her, attempting to appeal to their old relationship and remind her of her compassion and kindness. While he stated to Sarrum that he hated her after she coldly refused and tried to kill him, it was later shown to be not correct as when Arthur was dying and Morgana was taunting him, he was visibly sad as she taunted him and when Merlin finishes her off for good, Arthur fleetingly looked at his sister's lifeless eyes, clearly showing grief over her death despite being soon to die himself.
Guinevere Pendragon
“I think about her all the time. I care about her more than anyone. I don't know what I'll do if any harm comes to her.” — Arthur, on Gwen Arthur's relationship with Guinevere has been difficult and slow burning. Arthur became gentle and kind in his dealings with Gwen, he listened to her opinions, and didn't react with anger when she reprimanded him. (The Moment of Truth, The Once and Future Queen) Arthur cared about her deeply and they enjoy being in each other's company. With Gwen, it became clear that despite his faults and hard demeanor, he was capable of deep love, risking his life to save her, against his father's wishes.(Lancelot and Guinevere) He proclaimed to Merlin how thinking about her "hurt" because he knew they could not be together, and he didn't know what he'd do if anything happened to her. He went on to tell Merlin that he cared about her more than anybody else, leaving Merlin shocked at Arthur's openness, and saddened by his unlucky situation. Arthur is a lot more caring when it comes to Gwen. When it became clear she had feelings for Lancelot too, he reverted back to his hard demeanor, telling harsh lies and pushing Gwen away, though when she was gone it appeared he was quite heartbroken. Their relationship was fixed when Gwen freed him from a love spell, though they still could not publicly act on their feelings. Unlike most people Arthur usually called Gwen by her full name. At the beginning of series 3, the development of their relationship was at a stand still because of the search for Morgana, but when Uther went mad, Gwen went to see and support Arthur before he went off to battle. Gwen stated that she trusted him more then any man but still calls him Sire, even though Arthur told her that she didn't have to. He did however feel more confident after her visit. Later Arthur was turned into a donkey which only Gwen saw. This embarrassed him and after the goblin had been detained they were both more than happy to forget the recent events that had occurred. (Goblin's Gold) He showed his jealousy of Gwaine when he saw him flirting with Gwen. (Gwaine) They were a comfort to each other when Morgana was badly injured. (The Crystal Cave) When Uther tried to force Arthur into marriage, the prince was adamant that he wouldn't marry Princess Elena because he didn't love her. Both he and Gwen were distressed at the thought, and they both had their first heart-to-heart about the future. Arthur didn't fully realise how much Gwen loved him until this but she couldn't stop the marriage as she was a servant. In the end Arthur couldn't go through with it, much to his, Gwen's and Elena's relief, and they both shared a moment on the stairs after the ceremony. Arthur was also willing to risk his life for her and her brother. Riding to the castle where an enemy king, Cenred, was waiting, Arthur publicly told her that she wouldn't have to worry about being scared as she has him, which made her smile. When Gwen told him that if anything happened to him she would never forgive herself, Arthur reassured her that it wouldn't. They shared a tender moment in the woods and almost kissed, but Morgana interrupted them. Arthur made Gwen promise to ride for Camelot when he feared she would die, but Gwen disobeyed and waited for him outside to make sure he was safe which surprised Arthur. At the end of their adventure she thanked him for saving her brother and he replied "It's what you do when you love someone". Before he left on his quest for the Fisher King's Trident Gwen went to visit him to make sure that he'd be safe. He reassured her and kissed her goodbye. She was greatly relieved when he returned seemingly unharmed. When Camelot is taken by Morgana, Arthur is driven by the hope of reaching Gwen and his father, even when he learns the citadel has been taken and both are likely dead. He is delighted when she escapes to come to him and he offers her a place at the Round Table. Though he leaves her with Gaius to prepare for treating the wounded, he openly admits their relationship, saying he doesn't care who sees in case he never comes back. After the battle, he reunites with her, kissing her in front of all his knights. Following Arthur being made king, Arthur and Gwens relationship became more openly known. Arthur temporarily ended their relationship, following the advice of Agravaine, who told him that as king he had to apply to certain standards. However, following his realisation of the mistakes he had made, after ending the war with Queen Annis, he went home and apologised to Gwen. Eventually Arthur decided to marry Gwen, and after proposing, he held a great tournament to celebrate, and show his affection. However, upon Lancelot's return, and Morgana's love spell, Gwen was strongly drawn towards with him, and ended up kissing him in the royal court. Where Arthur, led by Agravaine, caught them. Angered and heart broken Arthur had Gwen thrown in the dungeon for disloyalty, but decided not to execute her. Instead he had her exiled, although he admitted to Merlin he still loved her and he would likely soon find a way to forgive her. However, he now felt he could never trust her again. (Lancelot Du Lac) Despite her betrayal, Arthur greatly missed Gwen and although he briefly developed feelings for Princess Mithian, Arthur continued to love Gwen. Arthur was later reunited with Gwen when Morgana overthrew Camelot again. Although he was initially happy to see her, Arthur still remembered her betrayal and coldly rejected her. However, he allowed Gwen to join him when he recaptured Camelot from Morgana. He finally forgave her when Isolde, a smuggler who they encountered, died in the arms of her lover, Tristan, realising that he could not lose Gwen forever. He then married Gwen and crowned her Queen of Camelot. Three years after Gwen's crowning, Arthur is happily married to Gwen as their reign has started the golden age of Camelot. However, when Gwaine Percival and their men go missing, Arthur is forced to leave Gwen to rule Camelot alone in his absence. (Arthur's Bane) When Arthur calls upon Uther's spirit, Arthur defends his wife and says that he married Gwen for love and later when Uther criticises Gwen by saying that she had no idea what it took to be Queen, Arthur bites back by saying that Gwen is strong and beloved by the people of Camelot. Both these occasions show that Arthur is not only protective of his queen but he has also grown into his role as a husband. (The Death Song of Uther Pendragon) After that Gwen didn't want Arthur to go to Nemeth because she was afraid that he would be killed. (Another's Sorrow) When Morgana kidnapped Gwen, Arthur was desperately trying to find her and got mad when he realised that they had lost an entire day through the forest and that Morgana could have killed her. Arthur's heart broke when he later found out that ever since her rescue from the Dark Tower, Gwen was with Morgana and was enchanted. So her in the lake Dolma (Merlin) could brake the spell. Arthur succeeded to get her into the water with her own will when he reached the part that remained untouched by Morgana's spell by saying to her to remember what she had told him when he asked her to marry him. When Gwen got into the lake and the spell broke she hugged Arthur. (With All My Heart)
Arthur is an expert swordsmen as he has demonstrated on many occasions. He was the champion sword fighter in Camelot (Valiant) and is head of the Knights of Camelot. (Lancelot) Arthur was a swift and precise swordsman, and was known to dart out of the way of his opponents' attacks and immediately counterattack without any wasted movement, but he was by no means lacking in physical strength either, able to ward off blows from strong and aggressive opponents such as Valiant on several occasions. Arthur's expertise with a sword allowed him to defeat several opponents at once. He was also capable of throwing the weapon accurately as proven when he was attacked by a Cockatrice. (The Poisoned Chalice) Many people considered him to be the greatest warrior in the history of Camelot.
Arthur has been shown to be extremely resilient, as even when his life force was drained by the Eye of the Phoenix, he was able to journey to the realm of the Fisher King, kill two bandits who preyed on him in his sleep and fend off two Wyvern. (The Eye of the Phoenix) Also, even after receiving a sword blow that broke a few of his ribs, Arthur was still able to defeat his attacker. (The Sword in the Stone)
In addition Arthur had excellent skills with a mace and quarterstaff even though they were not his preferred weapon, although he was still beaten swiftly by King Olaf when they fought with them. He was also capable of throwing knives accurately even when he was throwing them at a moving target. (The Dragon's Call, Queen of Hearts) In addition Arthur was very skilled with a lance, and his skill with the weapon even impressed the assassin Myror. (The Once and Future Queen)
Overall, regardless of his particular speciality being with a sword, very few have been able to fight him on equal footing and best him even if he is wielding another weapon he is skilled with. Out of the countless enemies Arthur has faced, only nine known people have ever defeated him in combat, Lancelot, Myror Morgause, Olaf, Uther Pendragon Helios, Ruadan, Mordred and Albin though it has been suggested that Morgana Pendragon may have beaten him too, though this is unconfirmed as Arthur said "that never happened" (possibly out of embarrassment) when Morgana mentioned it. (The Moment of Truth) Also, some of said individuals had an advantage over him. Against Mordred, Arthur hesitated at first and despite being badly wounded still managed to strike down Mordred with a single blow. He also beat King Olaf in swordplay despite losing to him when they fought with a mace and quarterstaff. When he was defeated by Uther, Arthur likely simply held back to allow his father to beat him so as not to humiliate him. When he fought Helios, Arthur was not at peak condition as he was still wounded but still held his own for quite some time before being overpowered. Arthur also disarmed Ruadan in their sword fight and only lost because he caught him off guard and belted him with a mace. A similar situation also caused him to lose against Lancelot, when Arthur, angered by Gwen's apparent betrayal, fought Lancelot without holding back and managed to disarm him first but in his blind rage, he was caught off guard and pinned to a wall, losing his sword in process.
Arthur was also an excellent leader and a talented strategist. Many people felt that he could become a great king. He has also been shown to be aware when Merlin is putting his life in danger for him. They appear to have some kind of psychic link as Merlin was able to summon a light to guide Arthur to safety when Arthur went to find the cure to a deadly poison even though Merlin was both seriously ill and unconscious at the time. (The Poisoned Chalice) This link was also shown when Arthur was bitten by a Questing Beast because when Merlin went to the Isle of the Blessed to save Arthur's life, Arthur sensed that Merlin was danger as he became a bit agitated even though he was unconscious similar to when Merlin was poisoned. (Le Morte d'Arthur)
Since he met Merlin, Arthur has had the distinction of fighting against many creatures of magic, both alone and aided by his knights or by Merlin. He held off a Griffin, animated gargoyles, undead skeletons, the dragon Kilgharrah and two Wyverns. He also killed a Cockatrice single-handedly and slew a Troll with help from Merlin, and later a Lamia.
Series 1
•The Dragon's Call: When Mary Collins made an attempt on his life to avenge her son after swearing revenge on Uther.
•Valiant: When Valiant entered the Tournament of Camelot with a magical Serpent Shield, he nearly killed Arthur in a duel.
•The Mark of Nimueh: He was nearly killed by the Afanc when he pursued the magical creature, to try and stop the plague in Camelot.
•The Poisoned Chalice: He was nearly killed in the Caves of Balor after Nimueh left him to be killed by the Balorian spiders.
•Lancelot: When he and his Knights went out riding with lances to make an attempt on killing the Griffin, he was nearly killed by it.
•"We ride at dawn." - Arthur's favourite sentence.
•"God, have mercy." - Upon seeing Morgana Pendragon
•"Sometimes I think I know you, Merlin. Other times..." - to Merlin
•"You are nothing but a hypocrite and a liar!" - to Uther
••"Put the sword down, Merlin, you look ridiculous." - to Merlin
•"You don't have a dog and fetch the stick yourself. No offence, Merlin." - to Merlin
•"Arthur" is a masculine name of Latin and Celtic origin. The meaning of the name is "bear".
•Other spellings of the name Arthur include Artair, Artek, Arth, Arther, Arthor, Arthyr, Artor, Artus, Aurthar, Aurther, Aurthur, Arturo, and Artur.
•Before Bradley James was chosen to play Arthur, Ben Mansfield auditioned for the role, he was spotted by the casting director for Primeval and was later cast as Captain Becker.
•Under the influence of Merlin's spell, it is shown that Arthur is a tree-hugger. (The Sword in the Stone)
•Arthur is the only character to almost always call wife Guinevere, by her actual name while he has called her 'Gwen' on a few occasions.
•In the Italian version of the series, his name was translated as Artù.
In the beginning, a young boy has just regained consciousness and finds he, along with a woman with long blond hair and a tattered blue tunic, are washed up on a beach. The boy encounters a boar as he is walking toward the woman, which tries to attack him and the woman.
- T. A. Barron
- 1996
By turning Wart into different animals, Merlyn teaches him about violence, warfare and justice, and informs the King Arthur will become. Eventually, Merlyn meets and falls in love with the witch Nimue who locks him in a cave for thousands of years.
Merlyn also turns Wart into a merlin, a kind of bird, so that Wart can experience the damaging effect the emphasis on lineage has on the other hunting birds, rendering them almost psychotic.
People also ask
How does Merlyn teach the wart in the once and future King?
How did Arthur meet Merlin?
What happens to Merlin after he is thrown in prison?
How did Merlin and Arthur confront Uther?
Feb 22, 2016 · Most imaginatively, in White’s version of the Arthur story, Merlin is living his life backwards, When Merlin meets Arthur as a small boy, that is the last time he will see him, because he has already observed all of Arthur’s life, and knows what will happen in Arthur’s future.
