Merlin (2008–2012): Season 2, Episode 12 - The Fires of Idirsholas - full transcript

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.

I'm a herder
from the northern plains, Sire.

Three nights back, we were camped
beneath the walls of Idirsholas.

Not sure I would've chosen
such a place.

Good pasture is scarce
at this time of year, Sire.

-What is it you have to tell me?
-While we were there we...

We saw smoke
rising from the citadel.

-And did you see anything else?
-No.

Did you go inside?
-No.



Nobody has stepped over
that threshold for 300 years.

You must know the legend, Sire.

When the fires of
Idirsholas burn,

the Knights of Medhir
will ride again.

See to it this man is fed
and has a bed for the night.

-Take a ride out there.
-Why?

So we can put
people's minds at rest.

Surely this is superstitious nonsense.

Gather the guard
and do as I say.

-Why is Uther so worried?
-'Cause the Knights of Medhir

are a force to
be reckoned with.

-Do you believe the story, as well?
-It's more than a story, Merlin.

Some 300 years ago,
seven of Camelot's knights

were seduced by
a sorcerer's call.



One by one
they succumbed to her power.

At her command, they became
a terrifying and brutal force

that rode through the lands

leaving death
and destruction in their wake.

-What happened?
-It was only after

the sorcerer
herself was killed,

that the Knights of Medhir
finally grew still.

Merlin, if what Joseph says is true,
then something has awoken them.

And I fear for each
and every one of us.

-Are you all right?
-Yes.

Just a little cold.

-Do you need something warmer?
-No. Thank you.

What is it, Merlin?

Don't tell me you've been listening

to Gaius' bedtime stories again?

I just hope
that's all they are.

-You look well.
-Thanks to you.

I wear it all the time.

I can't remember
when I last had a bad dream.

But you do not seem happy.
Why's that?

I would be.

-If I didn't have to pretend.
-Pretend?

That I am Uther's loving ward

when I hate him.

Have you ever imagined
a new world, Morgana?

One where Uther was no more?

-Sometimes.
-And is that what you'd like?

I once had the chance
to be his assassin.

-And what stopped you?
-I don't know.

I believed he cared for me.

But not anymore.
He cares for no one.

So you want Uther destroyed
and his reign to end?

More than anything.

But it doesn't
matter what I want.

The future is
not of my making.

You are wrong, Morgana.
You underestimate your importance.

The decisions you make now,

will change the shape
of everything that is to come.

-What do you mean?
-Whose side are you on, Morgana?

Are you with Uther,
or are you with me?

Are you prepared to help me
bring about his downfall?

I am.

I can't tell you how much
it means to hear you say that.

Good morning, my Lady.

Morgana? Morgana?

-Yes?
-Did you sleep well?

Yes.

Better than you
by the looks of it.

Sorry.

I have court business
that needs attending to.

You have to stay in bed, Sire.
You have a fever.

I'll prepare a tonic for you.

-When did he first fall ill?
-It came on this morning.

-It's not something to worry about?
-No. It'll soon pass.

Be sure to let me know
if there's any change.

-What's that noise?
-What noise?

-A sort of trembling sound.
-That's your knees knocking together.

I fear this
contagion is spreading.

You're the fifth person
I've seen today.

I'm sure it's nothing...

Damn!

Oh!

I'll pick that up later.

I think I might need
a little something myself.

If I can ever find
what it is I'm looking for.

Seems part of Joseph's story
was true.

Probably just travelers
passing through.

Or maybe not.

Arthur!

-Run, Merlin!
-No!

Will you do as I say?

-What happened to your arm?
-Must've caught on something.

Let me see.

Your first battle wound. Here.

-No. No, don't... You'll ruin it.
-Don't worry. You can mend it.

Did anyone else escape?

We need to get back to Camelot.
Gather reinforcements.

-Are they dead?
-No. They're breathing.

-What's happened to them?
-I don't know.

What's going on?

I'll get Gaius.

Arthur!

They're all fast asleep.

It must be some
kind of sickness.

Where's my father?

Where is he?

Gaius!

-It must be the work of magic.
-We have to find my father.

It's me! It's me, Morgana!

-What's happened?
-I didn't know it was you.

Calm down, Morgana.
Just tell me what happened.

People were complaining,
saying that they weren't feeling well.

-And what then?
-They started falling asleep.

-Everyone. Everywhere I went.
-Was someone here?

Then why were you hiding?

I told you.
I didn't know who you were.

-Where's my father?
-I don't know.

Arthur, she's distressed!

If she was awake,
then she must have seen something.

-I didn't see anything.
-You saw people getting sick.

-What did you do?
-What could I do?

Morgana, I don't understand!

Why is it that
you're the only person awake?

Don't worry,
I won't say anything.

-About what?
-The illness.

-That has nothing to do with me.
-No, of course not, but you've magic.

-You haven't told anyone that?
-No, and I won't tell Arthur...

There must be something
keeping you safe

and I think that must be it.

-Right.
I've found him!

-Father!
-See, he's all right.

-He's not all right!
-He's just asleep.

All we have to
do is find a cure, a way to wake them.

Who could have done this?

You're the only one
who's not been affected, Morgana.

There must be a reason.

-I don't know.
-That's all you keep saying.

You must know something.

No. They just fell asleep!
One by one.

It's obvious.
When she started feeling sick,

Gaius gave her a potion.
Right?

When was she sick?
She never said that.

She was one of the last
to be affected.

-Somehow the potion must've helped.
-What about everyone else?

By then Gaius was too ill.

He didn't have the chance
to treat anyone else.

Go and see if you can
find this potion.

I'll search for signs of life
in the lower town.

Morgana, you stay here and you look
after my father, keep him safe.

Here. You protect him
with your life, you understand?

All right, Gaius,
this is going to wake you.

Gaius!

Gaius?

All right?

Uh...

Hmm.

We can try this.

Well, maybe not.

Come on, Gaius,
I need you to wake up.

I really need your help.

Ah! Here we go.

Merlin, come quickly!

According to the legend there are
only seven Knights of Medhir.

-Then who's the extra rider?
-I don't know,

-but Camelot is defenseless.
-We have to get back to my father.

This'll be one of the first
places they look.

We have to get him
somewhere else.

-What's going on?
-We're under attack.

No time to explain.
Grab his legs, carry him.

You're not meant to be sweeping
the floor with him! Pick his feet up!

-His feet aren't the problem.
-Morgana, give him a hand.

It is not funny, Merlin.

Did you find
the potion Morgana took?

Uh... No.

We can't leave him here.
We have to lift him onto the bed.

Why? He's asleep.
He's not going to know.

Merlin!

Well, I'll get him a pillow.

-He's the King!
-All right, two pillows.

-Are you all right?
-You feeling the same?

We're getting sick.

We can't let that happen.
We must keep my father hidden.

Why don't we disguise him?

-That might just work.
-We could dress him as a woman.

That, on the other hand...

-We could dress him as a servant.
-That's better.

I'll get him some clothes.

Are you all right, Morgana?
You seem quiet.

-I'm fine.
-Are you sure?

I can always tell
when you're lying.

Don't worry.
I won't let any harm come to him.

What's going on?
Why is everyone asleep?

Please, not you as well.

I need your help.
What am I going to do?

Don't pretend.
I know you're listening to me.

I don't need
to listen to you, Merlin.

You always say the same thing,
"Help me!"

And yet you refuse
to give anything in return.

Now you will face the consequence
of that decision.

Camelot's end is nigh and
there's nothing you can do about it.

I know, I promised to free you.
And I will.

-I will. I promise.
-I no longer trust your promises.

I swear on my mother's life.

Careful what you say.

You have to help me. Please?

Her life matters more to you
than your own.

This is an oath
I believe you will honor.

I will.

It is one thing to cast a spell
that puts everyone to sleep,

the power to maintain it
is a very different matter.

It will need more than just words
to break this enchantment.

-What do you mean?
-You must eradicate the source, Merlin.

-Great! What is that?
-Not "what"' but who.

Such spells need a vessel.

A constant living presence
to give them strength.

The source of this pestilence
is the witch,

the Lady Morgana.

-It can't be.
-I've warned you about her in the past,

but you have failed to take heed.
She is dangerous.

- No.
-And now she has chosen

to turn her back on her own.

-How do I stop her?
-That is easy, young warlock.

You must kill her.

-No!
-The spell is woven

with magic of such power
that even you are not immune.

You must act now,
before it's too late.

If you do not,

then Camelot will fall
and Arthur will die.

And the future
you were destined to share,

will die with you.

-What took you so long?
-I didn't know Uther's size.

I was worried about you.

-They're here. They're in the castle.
-Where's Arthur?

He's gone to find somewhere safe
to move to.

Thank you
for not saying anything to him.

That's all right.

You're a good friend.

We have to move my father
before Morgause gets here.

Morgause.

Come on, let's go!

-You're not surprised?
-No, I am.

We should be safe
here for a while.

-Must be the potion Gaius gave her.
-Yeah, must be the potion.

We can't
keep this up much longer.

I know.

We're in a servant's quarters.

If we leave him here
they'll just think he's a servant.

Not if Morgause sees him.
We need to get him out of Camelot.

When we arrived, there was a cart
in the main square. Remember?

You are full of
good ideas today, Merlin.

You go and look.

They're closing in, we won't make it
to the cart, not carrying Uther!

That's why we've made this.
We're going to pull him.

Get down and keep quiet.

Protect the King,
get him out of here!

Merlin!

Please!

Merlin, follow me

Morgana. We need
the remedy that Gaius gave you.

-Morgana?
-I don't have it.

I know that, but you must remember
what it was, what was in it.

Come on, Morgana, we can't
keep going much longer. Think!

I'm sorry.

It doesn't matter.
We can't get it now anyway.

-We're trapped.
-There has to be something we can do!

Why...

-Why didn't that knight kill you?
-How do I know?

Because I'm a woman.

Yeah. Maybe.

Unless we can rid ourselves
of this sickness,

then I don't see
how we're going to hold out.

We have to destroy
the source of the magic.

Which is?

-I don't know.
-Then our only chance

is to get out of Camelot.

Help me with my father.

You cut the blanket up,
we'll tie it to my father

and we'll lower him onto the cart.

-Arthur?
-Morgana, please, just do as I say.

I'll fetch the cart round
to the window.

You're going out there?

-I'll come with you.
-No!

You stay,
you protect my father.

You won't reach
the cart alone.

-It's suicide.
-We have no choice.

-How are you feeling?
-Not bad.

-You sure?
-Yeah. You?

Never better.

-Get me a pillow, could you?
-Don't mess around.

Arthur? You...
Arthur, you need to stay awake.

-Merlin!
-That's better.

If you ever do that again...

Well, don't fall asleep, then!

-That your knees again?

If I need a servant
in the next life...

-Don't ask me.

He's not going to
survive out there.

-I know.
-We've got to do something!

I know.

Here. You tear this up.
I'll make some rope.

Here, have some water.

I'm not thirsty.

If we get out of here,
you may not get another chance to drink.

If we get out of here.

-Here.
-I'm fine.

No, you have some
before I finish it.

Thank you.

What has he done to you?

I had to.

You poisoned her.

You gave me no choice.

Tell me what you used
and I can save her.

First stop the attack.

You're nothing but a simple servant,
you don't tell me what to do.

If you want to know
what poison it is,

you will undo the magic
that drives the Knights.

-Tell me the poison or you'll die.
-Then she'll die with me.

I don't want this anymore than you.
But you give me no choice.

Stop the Knights
and you can save her.

-What have you done with my father?
-He's safe.

-Morgana!
-Keep away from her.

I couldn't find you.

-Are you all right?
-Still no sign of her?

We've looked, Father.

Morgause must not be allowed
to get away with this!

Yes, Father.

Arthur.

I haven't had a chance
to say "thank you".

I failed, Father.

-I should've protected Morgana.
-No.

That was my duty.

Her loss will forever be
on my conscience, not yours.

You did the right thing.

You don't mean that.

Morgana was your friend, too.

-You cared about her.
-I did.

But I fear that unlike you,

Morgana chose not to
use her gift for good.

You had no choice.

Would we be sitting here now
if you had not made that decision?

Where are you going?

-I'll eat that later.
-Merlin?

There's
something I have to do.

You must steal a sword
from the Knights of Medhir.

Their blades were forged
by the Old Religion.

If you harness its
power to your own,

you will have the strength
to break the chains

with which Uther Pendragon
keeps me prisoner.

The time has come,
young warlock.

-Where will you go?
-I am the last of my kind.

There is but one
road I can take.

-What does that mean?
-You will see.

Before I do this,

you promise me

that you will
not harm Camelot.

I think there have been
enough bargains.

Don't you?

Now!

Guinevere!