Merlin quotes from Merlin

Merlin

You would think the appeal of pelting the same person with fruit would wear off after a while, but oh no.

Merlin

She's not a witch! She's my friend!

Merlin

Here, have some water. (holds his waterskin out to Morgana)

(Old) Merlin

And you, oh I've heard how you...mistreat your servants! They do everything for you but they don't have any thanks! You are an arrogant prat, with the brain of a donkey and a face of a toad!

(Old) Merlin

I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!

Gaius

What did your mother say to you about your gifts?

Merlin

That I was special.

Gaius

You are special. The likes of which I've never seen before.

Merlin

What do you mean?

Gaius

Well... magic requires incantations, spells that take years to study. What I saw you do was... elemental. Instinctive.

Merlin

What's the point if it can't be used?

Gaius

That I do not know. You are a question that has never been posed before, Merlin.

Merlin

Did you ever study magic?

Gaius

Uther banned all such work twenty years ago.

Merlin

Why?

Gaius

People used magic for the wrong ends at that time. It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons.

Merlin

What, all of them?

Gaius

There was one dragon he chose not to kill. He kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave deep beneath the castle where no-one can free it.

Merlin

Hello? Gaius? (He spots Gaius standing and clears his throat. Gaius is startled and falls.)

Gaius

Whoa!

Gaius

What did you just do?

Merlin

Ehm.

Gaius

Tell me.

Merlin

I ... I ... I have no idea what just happened.

Gaius

If anyone has seen that ...

Merlin

Oh no, that was .. that was nothing to do with me, that was.

Gaius

I know what it was. I just want to know where you learned how to do it.

Merlin

No I..

Gaius

So how is it that you know magic.

Merlin

I don't.

Gaius

:(after Merlin uses magic to save him from a fall) Where did you study? Answer me!

Merlin

I've... I've never studied magic or been taught.

Gaius

Are you lying to me, boy?

Merlin

What do you want me to say?

Gaius

The truth!

Merlin

I was born like this.

Gaius

That's impossible!

Arthur

I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth.

Merlin

Wow. And how long have you been training to be a prat?

Arthur

You can't address me like that.

Merlin

Sorry. How long have you been training to be a prat, my lord?

Gwen

I saw what you did. It was so brave.

Merlin

It was stupid.

Gwen

Well, I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him.

Merlin

Oh, I could beat him.

Gwen

You think? Because you don't look like one of these big muscley kind of fellows.

Merlin

Thanks.

Gwen

No, no. I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just... Arthur's one of these real rough, tough save-the-world kind of men and well...

Merlin

What?

Gwen

You don't look like that.

Merlin

(beckoning her closer) I'm in disguise.

Gwen

(laughing) Well, it's great you stood up to him.

Merlin

You think so?

Gwen

Arthur's a bully and everyone thought you were a real hero.

Merlin

I save Arthur from being killed and end up as a servant. How is that fair?

Gaius

I'm not sure fairness comes into it. You never know, it might be fun.

Merlin

What, you think mucking out Arthur's horses is going to be fun? You should see my list of duties.

Gaius

We all have our duties, even Arthur.

Merlin

It must be so tough for him, with all the... girls and the glory.

Gaius

He is the future king. People expect so much of him. He's under a lot of pressure.

Gwen

I guess you know what to do with the helmet.

Merlin

Yeah. Yeah, that was the only bit I figured out. How come you're so much better at this than me?

Gwen

I'm a blacksmith's daughter. I know pretty much everything there is to know about armour, which is actually kind of sad.

Merlin

(after preparing Arthur for combat) I think you're all set.

Arthur

Aren't you forgetting something?

Merlin

What?

Arthur

My sword?

Merlin

Oh, yeah. Sorry. You'll be needing that.

Gaius

It's most odd. Look at this. See these two small wounds? Looks like a snake bite.

Merlin

How could he be bitten by a snake? He was injured in a sword-fight.

Gaius

His symptoms are consistent with poisoning. Slow pulse, fever, paralysis.

Merlin

Can you heal him?

Gaius

If it's a snake bite, I'll need to extract venom from the snake that bit him to make an antidote.

Merlin

What happens if he doesn't get the antidote?

Gaius

Then I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do for him. He's going to die.

Merlin

I've just seen one of the snakes on Valiant's shield come alive. He's using magic.

Gaius

Are you sure?

Merlin

The snake ate a mouse. One swallow, straight down. Ewan was fighting Valiant when he collapsed. It must have been one of the snakes from the shield. I have to tell Arthur.

Gaius

Is there any chance you might be mistaken?

Merlin

I know magic when I see it.

Gaius

Perhaps, but have you any proof?

Merlin

Don't you believe me?

Gaius

I fear you'll land yourself in trouble. How will you explain why you were in Valiant's chambers?

Merlin

That doesn't matter! He's using magic to cheat in the tournament.

Gaius

But you can't go accusing a knight of using magic without proof. The king would never accept the word of a servant over the word of a knight.

Merlin

So what I say doesn't count for anything?

Gaius

I'm afraid it counts for very little as far as the king is concerned. That's the way it is.