Home Artists Posts Import Register

Content

https://ws.onehub.com/files/1uo1pffp

no spoilers in comments pls :)

Comments

Heidi Elizabeth Marcum

Nimue- For the most part, I absolutely love this episode very much!! Each storyline all throughout this episode is really amazing. So, thank you again for your reaction, Travis! First, regarding some people's past comments about Killian not existing for any reason other than for Emma... I can understand why some fans of this show might feel this way for right now. He is Emma's light and strength. Killian helps Emma in a way no one else can. But Killian does very much have his own story, and there is so much more for him to come! I think you will really like what's to come for him. At least... I really hope you will. And now... My absolute favorite moment throughout this episode is between Killian and Emma, when Killian comes to her to say goodbye for a time before she leaves on her mission with Merlin to seek out the Promethean Flame. I just love how adorable they are with one another. I love how Killian pleads with Emma to come back to him, as Emma reminds him that she's immortal, to which he lovingly answers, "The Dark One is immortal. Emma isn't. Bring her home to me." I also love how Killian gives her the ring he's always worn around his neck, and then explains how he believes it's what has kept him alive all of his years while living alone after the death of his brother and in seeking revenge against Rumplestiltskin while trapped in Neverland. I also love how Emma thinks at first that Killian is proposing to her and gets nervous, as Killian quickly assures her that he's not. And yet Emma actually looks a little disappointed when he says he's not proposing too, which is fantastic. And my favorite line from this moment is spoken by Killian when he whispers lovingly and charmingly, "At the very least, it's a reminder that you've got a piercing eyed, smoldering pirate here who loves you." My heart melts a little every time I hear him say this line, and then when I see Emma's big smile just before they kiss. So beautiful. I absolutely love, love, love this moment!! :) As for the backstory between Merlin and Nimue, as well as Vortigan... Overall, it's very good. I really love how Merlin comes to be the all powerful Sorcerer we know him to be, through drinking from the Holy Grail after praying for permission to do so in spite of him dying from thirst upon crossing the blistering hot desert, when the man with him dies because he failed to ask for permission. This shows the good man Merlin truly is. I also love how Merlin later reforges the cup into Excalibur after he and Nimue arrive at the ruins so Merlin can free himself from his immortality in order to be with Nimue. And then... We have a big reveal when Nimue attempts to protect Merlin from Vortigan when the villain appears before them, and is supposedly killed, until it is soon revealed that she only pretends to die so she could sneak up on Vortigan and rip out his heart upon becoming immortal herself after drinking from the grail before Merlin forged it into Excalibur. I really enjoy this whole scene with its reveal. And as tragic as it is, I really love that Nimue goes on to kill Vortigan upon crushing his heart, causing her to become the first of all Dark Ones. I think this scene is brilliantly done. And you can see the heartbreak in Merlin's eyes when he knows right away that he's lost the woman he loved to the darkness now inside of her. Regarding why Nimue doesn't turn to ashes when she drinks from the Holy Grail, when we've seen the first guy who tries to drink from it turn to ash... It isn't whoever isn't worthy of drinking from the Holy Grail who dies. If you remember back to the first episode of this season... The Dark Swan, we see Arthur's cousin, Sir Kay, try to pull Excalibur from the stone and then suddenly become ashes the moment he tries. And then in the beginning of this episode, we see the man with Merlin try to drink from the Grail and turn to ashes as well. It's because Sir Kay attempts to remove Excalibur from its stone that protects this sword upon Merlin casting his magic over it to keep it safe, while the man in the beginning attempts to remove the Grail from its original mantle without asking for permission. It's the attempt of the removal from Grail's and Excalibur's protection that cause them to turn to ash. This is why Regina warns Hook not to touch Excalibur when they discover it beneath Emma's house once again, in its stone protecting the blade, because she senses the magic protecting it. This is also why Emma is unable to remove the Sword from the stone, which is why she needed Rumple... someone who's heart was a blank slate and who was brave. Emma is the Dark One and therefore she cannot be killed when she tried to remove the sword herself, but it also remained protected within the stone until she is able to succeed through Rumple. I hope my explanation helps you understand and makes sense. Now... I also really like the brief scenes we have between Merlin and the young boy we come to learn is the Apprentice at a very young age, as Merlin binds Nimue to the smaller broken piece of Excalibur after Nimue had broken the blade, creating the Dark One dagger so he can keep her under his control for a time. I absolutely love this origin story for all Dark Ones and the Dark One dagger, as well as for the Holy Grail upon it becoming forged into Excalibur. Once Upon a Time has once again taken well known and beloved myths and legends about King Arthur and the many quests for the Holy Grail all throughout history, and has put its own spin on the tales to create quite a phenomenal story. Absolutely brilliant!!! :) As for Merlin's and Nimue's love story before Nimue's betrayal... It's believable and sweet, and these two certainly have nice chemistry with one another. However, I feel about their love the same way I feel about Arthur's and Guinevere's love. Both of their relationships are strained and twisted because of troubles between them. Not at first, but over time. Arthur's obsession and Guinevere's love for Lancelot ruins their relationship, leading Arthur to use the Sands of Avalon on her to keep her. Just as Nimue's obsession for revenge against Vortigan ruins her relationship with Merlin. And because neither couple get their happy endings and they become twisted into dark and sad tales, I can't appreciate their love stories like I love so many others' love stories throughout this beautiful show. However, I will say that I do love and appreciate seeing the love Merlin holds... and still holds even now for Nimue even after she destroys their love and then betrays him. You can see in his eyes just how much he truly loves her, and you can see the heartbreak in his eyes as well upon her betrayal. So, so sad. Elliot Knight's acting as Merlin is amazing, and I really love his take on this famous and beloved character from the Arthurian legends very much! As for the Camelot storyline... I love the scene between the heroes inside Granny's Diner in the beginning, when they're discussing what they must do next to help free Emma from the darkness. I love how Merlin says that his and Emma's quest is to get the Flame, while the others must find a way to take back Excalibur from Arthur. Just like we also learned back in season two's episode... Manhattan, through the Seer who helps Rumple both before and after him becoming the Dark One, Merlin goes on to tell Killian that the future is seen in parts and can go differently than how it may appear, for which Killian becomes angry with Merlin. I love how he responds by asking Killian to have patience, with him and with Emma because her power for good or for evil is a weight on the soul. And how love is a great help if he can find it. And as we know... Killian's love for Emma is unwavering, no matter their struggles throughout this overall storyline. Now... I also really love the scenes though the rest of this episode between Emma and Merlin. From when Merlin tells Emma about the Promethean Flame, how they will have to face the first Dark One who destroyed his love, and to what's to come should Emma either succeed or fail in their quest. And he warns her should she fail, then he will die, and her loved ones will all be in dire danger from the most powerful Dark One to have ever lived. I love how Emma confesses to Merlin that she fears the Darkness is winning after what she did to Henry and Violet, then asks Merlin if he believes they have hope, to which Merlin assures her there is hope they will succeed. And then... I absolutely love Emma's inner battle with the Darkness inside of her, when Nimue appears before her and Merlin to tempt her to kill Merlin upon them finally coming to the ruins where Nimue became the first Dark One. I love seeing Emma find her strength the moment Nimue warns her not to allow Merlin and her love take her back to being nothing, as Emma suddenly cries out fiercely, "I'm not nothing! I was never nothing! The power you have, I don't need!" I love how she then faces Nimue and commands her with the dagger to give up the ember. This is one of my favorite moments for Emma throughout the entire series because she's so strong and powerful, but powerful like she is when she was the Savior and not as the Dark One. I love it! Beautiful acting from Jennifer Morrison!! Unfortunately, Nimue warns Emma she isn't gone from her mind, and that she will be there when she's needed again. Not good, but I like her warning. In regards to Nimue being the first Dark One and not the second... Vortigan was only a man seeking immortality and great power from the Holy Grail so that he can cause more death and destruction. He never had any power to begin with and never drank from the Holy Grail or even possessed Excalibur for more than a brief moment. Once Nimue drinks from the Grail and then uses her power to kill by ripping out his heart and crushing it upon allowing her deep thirst for revenge to consume her, her power is corrupted and the first Dark One is born. I hope this explanation helps you to understand. Also... Something I absolutely love, that might be missed by most people if they don't watch closely, is the moments in which Emma pulls Killian's ring he had given her that is now being worn on its chain around her neck, into her hands for strength to overcome her fear of what she must face and do to get the Promethean Flame from the first Dark One. I just love how she looks to the man she loves for the strength she needs through his ring, as it represents the strength he has always seen in her. Because she knows Killian has always been there for her to give her strength when she most needs it. Absolutely beautiful!!! :) I also love how Merlin assures Emma she has succeeded, then asks her how she feels upon taking the right path, to which she answers happily, "To be honest, Merlin... it feels damn good." Love it! I enjoy seeing the heroes work together in an attempt to steal Excalibur from Arthur. Unfortunately, they trust in Zelena enough to show them a way into the castle, until she later on betrays them. First by tricking Mary Margaret enough to be able to render her unconscious, then goes to Arthur, who happily accepts her help in his plans in exchange for him removing the cuff so she can gain back her power. Zelena can be frustrating at times, and yet I absolutely continue to love her snarkiness. Especially throughout the scene between her, Arthur, Guinevere, and the heroes once they all stand down upon seeing Zelena and Arthur now have the upper hand. Then... Zelena enacts a tethering spell in order to tether Merlin to Excalibur instead of to the dagger like Emma currently is, and Arthur demands Merlin at last to come to him. And when Merlin appears against his will, the King demands Merlin render the heroes powerless to try to stop him, then to whisk them away someplace where he can keep them as his bargaining chips against Emma when she comes for her loved ones. Also... I like how Merlin continues to plead with Arthur to allow him to help him fulfill his true destiny, until Arthur refuses to listen any longer. I do actually finally come to appreciate the twist with Arthur being a villain in this moment, because Merlin apologizes to Arthur for him not becoming the man he was supposed to be... the man and hero we know him to be in all the Arthurian Legends. I really appreciate how who he should be, is at least acknowledged in this arc since Arthur never is never the hero I initially wished he could have been. And lastly... Emma finally reforges the two blades together with the Promethean Flame down in cavern in her basement within the scene we get briefly within the Storybrooke storyline. And I love how Rumplestiltskin, Nimue, and all the rest of the previous Dark Ones, including Zoso, who the Dark One just before Rumplestiltskin as is seen in season one's episode... Desperate Souls, although we really don't see his face... all appear before Emma to witness her make Excalibur whole once more. Nimue then states that instead of using Excalibur to cut away the darkness like Nimue sensed Emma wished to do within the Camelot storyline, Emma can now use it to douse the light instead. Now that Emma has given into the darkness for reasons still yet to be revealed. At this point... We're not sure exactly what Nimue really means, but it certainly sounds terrifying. I also really love how Emma hesitates momentarily upon remembering Merlin's warning to her not to take the sword when she was little as is seen in this season's premiere episode... The Dark Swan, until Nimue and the others break her from her conscience by taunting her to take the sword until Emma does so. Thank you so much again for another great reaction, Travis! Like always, I very much enjoyed watching this episode again with you!! Until next time, my dear friend... Please stay healthy, and be happy. :) Sincerely, Heidi

Miguelito

Definitely one of the best episodes this season, it’s one of my faves. My favorite scene is one you pointed out when Emma almost killed Merlin. Goosebumps every time!