History Recap / MerlinS05E13TheDiamondOfTheDayPartII

* ActionGirl: Guinevere, briefly.

* KillEmAll: Of all the main and recurring characters, only five are left standing by the end: Merlin, Guinevere, Gaius, Leon and Percival. If you count the DistantFinale, then ''everyone'' is dead except Merlin. If you want some amusement, you'll note that the only ones to survive are the commoners, with the exception of Leon.

* FamousLastWords: "Thank you." Which coincidentally or not, were also Lancelot's FamousLastWords back in [[CallBack series 4]].

* GoOutWithASmile: Mordred. A deranged, creepy smile, but a smile.

* CallBack: Arthur and Merlin both hark back to their first fight. "You cheated."

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: Morgana. Were you expecting a huge, no holds barred, magical battle between herself and Merlin? Sorry, he just sneaks up on her and stabs her with Excalibur.

* FinalBattle

* GrandFinale

* [[WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys Where Does She Get All Those Magical Monsters?]]: Despite having ridden miles out from home on very short notice to kill Arthur, Morgana yet again happens to have a useful critter-in-a-box handy as an interrogation device.

* TheXOfY
* TwoPartEpisode

* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: [[spoiler: Guinevere gets made Queen Regnant of Camelot to replace Arthur at his request.]]
* BackForTheFinale: [[spoiler:Freya. Or at least her arm]].
* BackFromTheDead: It doesn't actually happen, merely is predicted to. [[spoiler:Arthur is the Once and Future King, and even though he dies today, he'll come back again when he's truly needed. It'll be a while.]]

* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: Oh yeah... Merlin comes complete in Emrys disguise and tears apart the enemy soldiers. He even takes out Morgana afterwards and continues through the battle.]]
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Gwaine and Arthur die, but Camelot will go on, Morgana is dead, Guinevere is Queen, and Arthur is destined to return eventually.]]
** Though some might still consider it a DownerEnding.
** The DistantFinale counts as well: [[spoiler:everyone in Merlin's life has died, but Arthur may yet return.]]

* BookEnds: [[spoiler: The series ends just as it began, Merlin traveling on a road.]]

* ContinuitySnarl: [[spoiler:Morgana's]] death looks nothing like the one she foresaw in ''The Darkest Hour''. It's not even a matter of details; the writers clearly changed their minds at some point as to when and how she would finally die.
* DiedInYourArmsTonight: [[spoiler: Gwaine dies in Percival's arms; Arthur dies in Merlin's arms]].
* DistantFinale: [[spoiler:The final scene takes place in the modern day by the lake of Avalon and reveals that Merlin really is immortal, though he is now (probably) legitimately old instead of magically disguised.]]
* DragonRider: Near the end of the episode, Merlin and [[spoiler: a dying Arthur]] ride on Kilgharrah [[spoiler: in a last-ditch attempt to reach the Lake of Avalon and save Arthur's life.]]
* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Morgana. Were you expecting a huge, no holds barred, magical battle between herself and Merlin? Sorry, he just sneaks up on her and stabs her with Excalibur]].
** Also [[spoiler:Gwaine, who wasn't given the dignity of dying in battle, but of torture wounds sustained at Morgana's hands. And to top it off, he dies thinking that he's betrayed Arthur's location]].
* DueToTheDead: Morgana takes the time to bury [[spoiler:Mordred]] and mark his grave.

* [[spoiler: EarnYourHappyEnding: All things considered, the magical people can be counted as this trope, as magic's implied to no longer be banned and Merlin's involvement in the final battle is well-known. Well, no one knows who it was, but they knew who helped them.]]
* FamousLastWords: [[spoiler: "Thank you."]] Which coincidentally or not, were also [[spoiler:Lancelot's]] FamousLastWords back in [[CallBack series 4]].

* [[spoiler: ForegoneConclusion]]: [[spoiler: It's quite an accurate depiction of the final battle in mythology, down to Arthur being taken to Avalon but unable to be saved.]]
* GoOutWithASmile: [[spoiler:Mordred]]. A deranged, creepy smile, but a smile.

* InelegantBlubbering: Played very straight. Merlin is almost unable to [[spoiler:reveal his magic to a dying Arthur]] because he's crying so hard. The line in the promo is even recorded.

* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:Morgana is killed by the same type of weapon that killed Arthur. Merlin even rubs it in that she's not the only one with a dragon-flame forged blade.]]
* [[spoiler:KillEmAll]]: Of all the main and recurring characters, only [[spoiler:five]] are left standing by the end: [[spoiler:Merlin, Guinevere, Gaius, Leon and Percival]]. If you count the DistantFinale, then [[spoiler:''everyone'' is dead except Merlin]]. If you want some amusement, you'll note that the only ones to survive are [[spoiler:the commoners, with the exception of Leon]].
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Mordred, Gwaine, Morgana and Arthur all meet their end in this episode]].
* LeftHanging: One of the many plots throughout the show (to the point of being a SeriesGoal) has been for Merlin to convince Arthur to legalize magic and let those who possess it live in freedom and peace. [[spoiler:Arthur dies]] before this happens, and there's no clear answer as to whether [[spoiler:it will happen during Guinevere's reign instead]].
** [[spoiler:WordOfGod later confirmed that Gwen did lift the ban on magic after this.]]

* NoManOfWomanBorn: Morgana boasts that she can't be killed by any weapon forged by man, neatly explaining how she's managed to walk off so many swords to the gut and other fatal wounds. [[spoiler:Unfortunately for her, she wasn't counting on Excalibur.]]

* PlayingPossum: [[spoiler:Mordred stabs Arthur, who falls to the ground. When he moves in to inspect his work, Arthur hops back up and returns the favor.]]
* PleaseDontLeaveMe: [[spoiler:Arthur, when he's sure he's going to die, tells Merlin to hold him until he does.]]

* SayMyName: '''"Emrys!"''' [[spoiler:Merlin just zaps her unconscious and continues owning the Saxons.]]
* ScreamDiscretionShot: [[spoiler:When Gwaine is tortured by Morgana's Nathair, we hear it from Percival's perspective.]]
* ShockAndAwe: [[spoiler: Merlin's BigDamnHeroes moment includes lots and lots of this.]]
* StupidSacrifice: [[spoiler:[[SarcasmMode Great plan, Gwaine]]]].

* TakingYouWithMe: True to the original legends, [[spoiler: Mordred mortally wounds Arthur but is killed in turn.]]
* TooDumbToLive: [[spoiler:Morgana has spent the last two seasons absolutely ''dreading'' her predicted defeat at the hands of Emrys. Hell, she was afraid to face him when he had no magic at all. So naturally, she chooses to grow a pair when Merlin has her at sword-point and has regained his power, bragging about how she can't die by mortal weapons. She basically let him stab her.]]
** But recall that when she [[spoiler:foresaw her own death at Emrys's hands]], it looked nothing like that: Merlin was [[spoiler:in his old man guise]], and they were on the [[spoiler:battlefield]]. She only made the same mistake that Merlin's always made in this respect: [[spoiler:averted one path that leads to a certain end, only to have the same end reach her by way of another.]] May double as [[FridgeBrilliance fridge brilliance]].

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: So, did Merlin ever [[spoiler: go back to Camelot after Arthur died?]]
** We never did find out [[spoiler:what the deal with Aithusa was, and no more than two minutes into the episode, he flies away, never to be seen again]].
** Although Percival is last seen at Camelot, there is an odd sequence of events leading up to it: after [[spoiler:Gwaine dies, stating with his final breath that Morgana is on her way to Avalon]], Percival is seen tracking footprints in the forest. It suggests he's going after them, but this plot-thread is seemingly abandoned.

* WithGreatPowerComesGreatPerks: When Merlin is trying to start a fire with a couple rocks, [[spoiler:Arthur asks why he doesn't just use magic, since it's no longer a secret. Merlin admits it's a habit then lights it.]]

* YouAreNotAlone: [[spoiler: Merlin never leaves Arthur alone as he is dying. Percival runs to Gwaine's side so he doesn't have to die alone. Leon stands beside Guinevere in solidarity when she is declared Queen Regnant.]]

* GenreSavvy: [[spoiler:Gwen actually puts two and two together about Merlin,]] making her the first and only character to ''ever'' figure out the secret intuitively.

* TheReveal: The big one. '''Finally'''.

Arthur wakes up at a camp Merlin set up, and even if he tries to laugh the pain off, it's plain that he's going to die. Merlin, sobbing hard, apologizes for failing to avert the prophecy. Arthur asks him what he's talking about. Merlin continues talking, saying that he drove off the army. Arthur tells him that that wasn't him, it was the sorcerer. Merlin tells him the truth[[hottip:*:'''FINALLY!''']], and Arthur refuses to believe him. Merlin turns to the fire, muttering a spell and causing a dragon to appear in the sparks. Arthur tells Merlin to leave him alone to think for a moment.

* YouAreNotAlone: [[spoiler: Merlin never leaves Arthur alone as he is dying. Percival runs to Gwaine's side so he doesn't have to die alone.]]

Later that night, Merlin is lighting the fire. Arthur asks him why he doesn't use magic, and Merlin says it's just habit. Arthur gives him the go-ahead, and he lights it and takes off Arthur's boots, saying he needs drying. The next morning, Merlin's prepared breakfast and starts feeding it to Arthur. Arthur asks him why he's still behaving like a servant, and Merlin says it's his destiny to serve Arthur. Both remember their first fight, and Arthur accuses him of cheating when he reveals that he used magic in the fight. Merlin then tells him the other reason: that Arthur's his friend and he doesn't want to lose him. Arthur's quiet.

* [[spoiler:KillEmAll]]: Of all the main and recurring characters, only [[spoiler:five]] are left standing by the end: [[spoiler:Merlin, Guinevere, Gaius, Leon and Percival]]. If you count the DistantFinale, then [[spoiler:''everyone'' is dead except Merlin]].

** [[spoiler:WordOfGod later confirmed it.]]

* EsotericHappyEnding: The writers perhaps may have considered the DistantFinale scene as a way of ending the show on a hopeful note, what with [[spoiler:the indication that Arthur will return some day]], but many were horrified at the idea of [[spoiler:Merlin walking the world by himself for thousands of years, outliving everyone he's ever loved]].

* HoYay: And how. Merlin spends a large portion of his scenes stroking Arthur's face.

** But recall that when she [[foresaw her own death at Emrys's hands]], it looked nothing like that: Merlin was [[in his old man guise]], and they were on the [[battlefield]]. She only made the same mistake that Merlin's always made in this respect: [[averted one path that leads to a certain end, only to have the same end reach her by way of another.]] May double as [[FridgeBrilliance fridge brilliance]].

* FamousLastWords: [[spoiler: "Thank you."]]

* GenreSavvy: [[spoiler:Gwen actually puts two and two together about Merlin.]]