Fanmix: "you were always meant to be" (Arthur/Merlin)

[whatevermortal]

you were always meant to be 

 

Selection of some of not-embarrassing songs from an old Merthur fanmix from way back when. I'm trying to follow a bit of a narrative of Arthur finding out about ~the magic~ in the order I've chosen, with POV flipping back and forth, but man idk how successful I was.

Supertramp The Logical Song
Phantom Planet Big Brat
The Real Tuesday Weld (Still) Terminally Ambivalent Over You
The Buzzcocks Ever Fallen in Love
Dragonette True Believer
The Darkness Growing on Me
Nil Lara Fighting For My Love
Aqualung Easier to Lie
Elbow Red
Moving Units Between Us and Them
The Magic Numbers Forever Lost
Glen Phillips Courage
Oasis Wonderwall
Maria Mena You're the Only One
Boyzone Love You Anyway
Anberlin Time and Confusion

So, look, I gave up on the show around season 2-3. I was unhappy with the pacing and characterisation (especially Arthur, who seemed to revert to his early season 1 characterisation at will, losing all the legitimately wonderful development he'd received), but also I was bitter as all hell that I wasn't going to get my headcanon of how Merlin's magic is revealed. 

I was bitter that Merlin's magic use was becoming increasingly blatant and, as Arthur continued to somehow not notice, his character looked worse and worse. It felt like the default episode climax had become Arthur passing out, Merlin dealing with the problem, Arthur waking up, and Merlin saying, "Oh lol yeah man you killed it and tHEN YOU JUST PASSED OUT IDEK, IT WAS WEIRD. ALL YOU THO BRO, ALL YOU." 

So a big part of this mix was me reimagining the series with Arthur discovering Merlin's magic much earlier. Actually, I imagine it happening in Ealdor in 1x10. I think I remember Bradley James saying it was an intentional acting choice on his part to, from the moment he sees Merlin conjuring that whirlwind, act as if he knew & was pretending not to. It seemed like he got shut down and had to stop playing Arthur that way (and I'm gonna be real, imo after that it felt like his acting felt like he was less passionate about the role), but I prefer his version so much I wrote fic of it. I think the reason it was so important to me that Arthur finds out early on is that either:

a) Merlin tells Arthur. It provides tension in that Arthur must debate what he should do about knowing but decides to keep Merlin's secret. The act of Merlin trusting Arthur enough to tell him without yet knowing the consequences reinforces the friendship/bond between Arthur and Merlin that the show initially intended. And, eventually, there would be lots of great episodes with them working together instead of Merlin working behind Arthur's back. 

or

b) Arthur figures it out on his own. ALSO provides tension of Arthur not knowing what to know but deciding to keep Merlin's secret. Regardless of how Arthur eventually tells Merlin that he knows (whether he says so unprompted, or waits for Merlin to trust him enough to bring it up himself), this method reinforces Arthur's characterisation as an intelligent, observant man who deserves his kingship (which the show constantly undermines with their actual depiction of Arthur; they were telling the audience one thing, while showing them something else). And, eventually, there would be lots of great episodes with them working together instead of Merlin working behind Arthur's back. 

But, ok, anyway. So this mix begins with Merlin coming from Ealdor to Camelot (The Logical Song), their initial mixed emotions about each other and growing affection. In Between Us and Them Arthur finds out (it's so clear now, i'm understanding / and the furniture matches the ceiling) and there's an inevitable fallout. Arthur feels angry and betrayed, he feels like he doesn't know Merlin at all, but Courage is his realisation that his reaction has hurt Merlin just as much as Merlin withholding this secret has hurt him and that, of course, Merlin wanted to tell him and only didn't because he rightly feared for his life. And then after that is just cuteness and HEA. For science.