Merlin Season 5 Ep 3

The one where Uther is back ........

Merlin and Arthur are returning back from an unsuccessful day hunting when they stumble on a village about to burn a witch. Arthur intervenes and they save her life. In thanks she gives him a horn that he can use to talk to the dead.

Being unable to resist the urge to speak to his father again, Arthur despite Merlin's protests that its powerful and dangerous magic drags him on a trip to some ruins (looked suspiciously like stone henge to me!) and he blows the horn, walks through a portal and has a chat with dear departed dad.

It was wicked to see Anthony Head back on the show again.

Arthur soon regrets his decision as Uther berates him for how he has run the kingdom and for marrying Gwen. Arthur argues he needs to run Camelot how he sees fit. Arthur leaves and before disappearing through the little portal back to the world turns back one last time to look at his father who says he will always love him.

Merlin trys to cheer him up and encourage Arthur that he is respected and a much better king than Uther ever was.

Back at Camelot - upon returning back from their magical detour creepy things are happening in the castle. Doors are opening, chandeliers falling. One of the knights gets attacked by an axe. The Gwen gets quite seriously attacked in the kitchens.

Big Bad - Gaius susses out that in looking back at Uther, Arthur has inadvertently brought his fathers spirit back with him and Uther is pretty mad. Upon Arthur's asking for help, he brews up a potion that will allow Arthur and Merlin to see Uther in his spirit form.

Arthur and Merlin go hunting for Uther. They get separated. Uther knocks his son out after more cruel berating at his running of Camelot. Merlin reveals he is a wizard and attacks Uther who then comes after him intend on killing him but Arthur manages to get there in the nick of time and blow the horn again sending his Dad back to death city just before he revealed our wizards secret.

I liked this episode. Firstly Uther was back and secondly it showed how far Arthur has come. He spared a witch, he accepted and used the magic gift, he sought Gaius to help fix the problem and he stood up to his dad. The magic reveal can't be too far away I think.

The atmosphere of the episode was creepy, flipping back and forth between Uther causing mayhem and some nice scenes between Arther and Merlin. Next week Morgana is back.