#arthur always asks merlin's opinion | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

eddiediaaz · 6 months

Note

Hi! Can I ask how you did the double exposure gifs for your merlin set? They're beautiful btw!

heyy, thank you!! of course!

it's actually not very hard, the trick is to find the right shots for this. here's how i did it (reference gifset), under the cut.

for this tutorial i will be: — using photoshop cs5 on windows — assuming you know how to make gifs using the timeline — have basic coloring, sharpening, groups, and layer masks knowledge

I. CHOOSING THE RIGHT SHOTS

the ultimate trick to pull this off is to choose the right image. in order to do the double exposure, you need a silhouette shot that has these:

a defined and dark silhouette with a background that is not too busy

enough contrast between the silhouette and the background

the silhouette should take at least 50% of the space

not too much movement

here are a few examples of why they work and why they won't:

gwen: perfect example since this shot is already quite contrasted with a defined silhouette. there won't be a lot of work needed to make this one work.

merlin: not a great example because even tho there's a somewhat good contrast between him and the background, the silhouette is just too bright, not dark enough.

arthur: another good example, even if there are some bright spots on his face and armor. since he's not moving too much, you can definitely brush some black over him to make his silhouette darker (i'll explain/show later)

morgana: this one could work because the contrast is great, but of course her skintone is very bright against the black clothing. that being said, since the movement is not too bad, it could be possible to brush some black over her and move these layers with keyframes (as mentioned for arthur's example). i haven't tried it tho, but i think it would work well enough.

once you have your silhouette shot, you need another gif for the double exposure. what works best, in my opinion, are:

wide, large shots

shots with no to little camera movement (no pan, zoom, etc), but the subjects in the shot can have little movement of course

pretty cinematography/scenery shots

i find these are easier to find and make it work, it's not as "precise" as with silhouette shots. it's mostly just trial and error to see what works best with the silhouettes.

II. PREPPING THE SILHOUETTE

for the effect to work, we want a silhouette that's dark as possible. i'm gonna use the gwen and arthur shots as examples.

for the gwen gif, i started by sharpening, and then upped the contrast by quite a lot so her silhouette is mostly black, while retaining some nice details. i've used only 3 layers here:

selective color layer: in the blacks tab, playing with the black slider (value: +10)

brightness/contrast layer: added a lot of contrast (+61) and a bit of brightness (+10)

black and white layer: on top, its blending mode set to soft light and at 20% opacity. gives a bit more depth and contrast

then for the arthur example, i've also sharpened it first, and added contrast layers in this order (the skintone looks horrible, but it won't matter soon lol):

levels layer: black slider at 0, grey slider at 0.76, white slider at 104

selective color layer: in the blacks tab, black slider at +10

brightness/contrast layer: brightness at +1-, contrast at +47

black and white layer: on top, its blending mode set to soft light and at 20% opacity. gives a bit more depth and contrast

as you can see, half of his face is still quite bright. to correct that, create a new empty layer and put it between the gif and the coloring layers.

using a really soft brush and the black color, brush some black over his face and body on that new empty layer. you can edit the layer's opacity if you want, i've set mine to 71%. since arthur doesn't move much here, there's no need to keyframe this layer's position. for the morgana example, this is where you'd need to play with keyframes to make it work. here's where i'm at now after this:

you can always edit this layer later if you need, after doing the double exposure blending.

once the silhouette is all ready, you can put all layers in a group and rename it (i've renamed mine silhouette).

III. BLENDING

now the fun part! import the wide/scenery shot in photoshop, then resize it to the same height of your silhouette gif. make sure the gif is a smart object layer, and sharpen it. finally, bring this gif onto the silhouette canvas (by right clicking the smart object > duplicate layer). once you have both gifs onto your canvas, put the wide shot gif layer in a group, and set this group's blending option to screen.

you can then position the wide/scenery gif the way you like it in the canvas. this is how it looks for both examples after i've done that:

if the blending mode screen doesn't give you the best result, so you can play around with other blending modes (such as lighten and linear dodge in these particular cases), but generally speaking, screen is the real mvp here haha.

IV. COLORING

now that the double exposure effect is done, we need to color the gifs to bring them together. i went with simple coloring here, simply enhancing the colors that were already there. just make sure that the coloring layers for each gif are in their respective groups. here's how i've colored both examples:

gwen silhouette group: i added a gradient map layer on top of the contrast layers in black to green and set the blending mode to color

scenery shot group: multiple coloring layers, with a green color fill layer (blending mode set to color), with a layer mask so it only affects the top half of the gif

for the arthur gif, i did something very similar but with warmer colors. i didn't use a gradient map for arthur though:

arthur silhouette group: i made the yellow warmer, closer to orange/red, with a hue/saturation layer, and added more vibrance. didn't feel like it needed a gradient map layer here though.

wide shot group: basic coloring layers to enhance colors from the merlin & daegal shot, and an orange color fill layer set to the color blending mode.

at this point you're pretty much done. just need to add some final touches and typography (if you want).

V. FINAL TOUCHES

a small and completely optional detail, but i wanted to soften the edges of the wide gifs. to do so i've duplicated the smart object gif layer and removed the sharpening filters (right click on smart filter > clear smart filters). put this layer on top of the other smart object layers (but still below the coloring).

then with this same layer still selected, go to filter > blur > gaussian blur... > 10px. this will give you a very blurry gif, but we only want the edges of the canvas to be softer. so add a layer mask to this layer. with a very large and soft brush (mine was at 0% hardness and about 800px size), brush some black onto the layer mask to remove the blur in the middle of the gif.

you can play with this layer's opacity or gaussian blur amount if you want (by double clicking on the gaussian blur smart layer filter). here how both examples look with this gaussian blur layer:

you can also mask some of wide/scenery gifs if you'd prefer, so it shows less outside of the silhouette. just put a layer mask on that whole wide shot group and brush some black or grey on the layer mask. it's what i did for the gwen gif, with a very soft brush and i set the mask density to 72% (i kept the arthur one as is tho):

and that's how i did it! hopefully that was clear enough :)

968 notes · View notes

chronicowboy · 1 year

Text

in 505 the disir when arthur is asking for merlin's opinion and he says "what should we do?" WE!!!! FUCKING WE!!!! that we has me up in the middle of the night kicking my feet and twirling my hair, that we has me sobbing myself to sleep in the wee hours of the morning, that we has me running naked through foggy moors and screaming my lungs out. we know merlin is arthur's most trusted advisor, arthur always listens to merlin's council no matter what comes of it, but its one thing to ask him what he would do in his place and an entirely different thing to ask him what they should do together. its so likely that whatever answer merlin had have given there would have been the final decision because that's the trust arthur is placing on him in that moment. he's not just asking for advice, he's not just giving merlin the position of advisor in everything but title, he's giving merlin the power of a king.

#sami rambles #which is what makes his answer all the more painful but that we is what keeps me up at night so #also colin morgan but his whole merlussy into those few seconds of heavy breathing #cannot watch that scene without breaking down #bbc merlin #merlin #merlin x arthur #merthur #arthur pendragon

314 notes · View notes

sneakyboymerlin · 1 month

Note

random ask inspired by your post about gwaine being merlin's ride or die and how he was the only knight who went to see merlin released in 5x07. first of all so many points being made. second of all your tags about how leon probably led merlin's arrest were validating for me personally as someone who has always found leon a bit annoying. or at least, who's always found the accepted idea that leon is like this beacon of morality and goodness as really boring, canonically unrealistic and unimaginative. this is an unpopular opinion but i do kind of feel like the fandom's idea that all of the round table knights love/protect merlin is somewhat exaggerated. and esp irt to leon, i think it's potentially interesting to explore the way his loyalty to the throne, his personal code of chivalry, and the ideals he likely grew up with as a noble-born child of uther's camelot interact with each other. then again i truly do understand why no one wants to give him much thought as he is basically just a piece of stale white bread.

Gwaine is Merlin’s ride or die! There’s truly no one quite like it besides Will or maybe Lancelot. But what makes Gwaine unique here is a combination of beliefs/behaviors:

Gwaine never knew about Merlin’s magic! He saw how special he was without his gifts and his destiny. He saw it before Arthur’s life was in danger, just from being around him under casual, non-life-threatening circumstances.

Gwaine’s loyalties aren’t divided—or at least, as far as they are divided, he’s already prioritized Merlin above his other loyalties (whether that’s Arthur, Eira, Gaius, and by extension, maybe the greater good…)

Gwaine always implicitly trusts Merlin, even when he himself doesn’t have all the information… even when Merlin admits to Gwaine’s face that he is lying to him. This is why he assumes that Merlin is right about Gaius in 4x07, despite having no evidence. It’s also why he lets Merlin go in the Valley of the Fallen Kings. And it’s why he was the only one who believed Merlin didn’t do it in 5x07, as evidenced by his appearance in the cells.

The only time Gwaine questions Merlin is when Merlin is potentially endangering himself. He doesn’t ask any questions about why Merlin needs his protection in the Valley of the Fallen Kings. He only asks what they’re there for when Merlin tries to send him away.

Gwaine is the only one who’s still alive when Merlin needs him 💀💀💀 so by deduction…

Anyways, 5x07 is one of those rare episodes where it’s actually interesting to look at Leon! (Non-canon events notwithstanding—I once played a good game of Merlin-themed DND where someone made Leon interesting which, in the spirit of this post, is an impressive feat).

Now, in my personal opinion, Leon’s significance is over-inflated by fandom in the sense that the attention and depth his character receives is highly disproportionate to what we see of him in canon. I think the reason that Leon isn’t included much in canon isn’t because he’s being screwed over but, simply, his characterization narrows down what roles he can fit into.

His unquestioning loyalty to the crown means that he’s unlikely to ever prioritize protecting Merlin, and it shows that he has no issue with the ban on magic. Therefore, he fits well in 5x04 when he worries that Arthur is risking too much on his quest, and in 5x07 when he has Merlin arrested on the word of his queen alone. These two episodes provide a great contrast to Gwaine’s respective roles in them, where he stays behind when Merlin is injured in 5x04 and releases Merlin from the dungeons in 5x07.

This is why I posit that Gwaine and Leon are the perfect foils to each other. Both of them are unquestioningly loyal, protective, and caring towards the person/people they prioritize. However, for Gwaine, that person is Merlin, a “mere” servant, while for Leon, it’s the royals.

Gwaine’s devotion is towards his best friend—one irreplaceable person—while Leon’s is more of a distanced loyalty that follows a line of heirs (though Leon does show some preference to Arthur and Gwen, despite his steadfast loyalty to Uther). Leon also strikes me as a very methodical, rules-adhering fighter, which contrasts Gwaine’s more resourceful, bar brawl-based style.

And let’s never let ourselves forget that Gwaine and Leon’s first-ever interaction was when Leon—under Uther’s orders—arrested Gwaine for protecting Merlin! It’s a miracle they can tolerate each other on quests and patrols.

This difference seems to be the source of their tension in 4x08 as well. Under Lamia’s enchantment, Leon calls Merlin “nothing but a servant,” which Gwaine apparently takes offense to despite also being enchanted against Merlin:

Leon: Why don’t you watch what you’re doing?

Gwaine: Why don’t you watch your damn tongue?

Leon: You’d do well to learn some manners.

Gwaine: Nothing I can learn from you, Leon.

At this point, Leon has said nothing in this scene for these remarks to make much sense. However, Leon’s last line before this is where he insults Merlin. And as we know, Gwaine is no fan of nobles who devalue people for being servants.

So, imo, if you want to bring out Leon’s full potential: instead of turning him into a clone of Gwaine, fans can take his loyalty towards the royals to the exact opposite extreme. As Gwaine takes Merlin’s side, Leon takes Arthur’s >:)

#leon critical #sir gwaine #bbc merlin #merlin meta

27 notes · View notes

starkskypines · 18 days

Text

follow your heart gently

having fun with the ace thoughts today my friends. love and acceptance in this merthur fic tonight <33

*****

Arthur has always been one to measure distances. Doing so helps him categorize the mettle of connection between himself and the person, the thing, the kingdom. Knowing the distance from the tip of another’s sword to himself keeps him alive. Knowing the distance between Camelot and a neighboring kingdom shows him his allies. The distance between a knight and himself in the journey. The distance between him and his knights on the training field. The distance between his father and himself–now this gap that can never be crossed but in death. The distance between him and his servants, him and Morgana, him and Merlin. Knowing the distance helps plan for the next move, helps him protect his heart.

The distance from Camelot to the Eastern Sea has always seemed so unfathomable a distance. Spices and supplies from there take months to make it to Camelot. Arthur always compared that distance to the distance between him and his father in their later years. Working so closely together, seeing each other every day, and yet their ideas for Camelot are so vastly different. Arthur always thought that distance would be the greatest one he’d ever measure. Now, looking down at the sleeping figures of Merlin and his knights, he knows there’s something more. The distance from a king to others.

Arthur had already planned to move quietly through the room to grab his sword, knowing from overheard conversations the night before that the knights were planning a night of drinking and carousing and would likely crash in the weapons room with all their gear rather than making it up the steps to their respective chambers. But now Arthur moves silently. He will not wake them and have them see the tears in his eyes that he can’t quite make go away.

He won’t have them question him over tears brought on by something as ridiculous as a Council meeting that no one else took issue with. Not even Merlin, who sat beside him, offered an opinion when the council asked if two years were enough time to find a queen.

It’s not like Arthur didn't know this day was coming. His father reminded him often on those days where someone thought to question why the Prince didn’t have any princesses interested in him. His father would tell him to enter negotiations, and he would but nothing ever came of the matches. Uther thought he was being willful and stubborn. Arthur didn’t know how to word his fears. As king, he still doesn’t.

As royalty, intimacy with others is a tricky thing. For one, there’s always the matter of trust. Arthur learned quickly that trust must be earned and can be just as easily taken away. His father is the prime example of that, Morgana too. Then, there’s the matter of his position. His elevated status means that he has to maintain a level of distance between himself and others. It’s never been an all-encompassing issue until now. Or maybe it’s always been there in the back of his mind, but now it’s joined with the knowledge that he’s fairly sure he’s done taking lovers.

read on ao3

#merthur fic #asexual arthur pendragon #ace arthur #merthur #arthur pendragon #merlin #bbc merlin #merlin fic

22 notes · View notes

nextstopparis · 10 months

Text

actually you know. the 5.05 conversation is horrible the worst so frustrating and wretched to sit through i want to rip my hair out and sob interesting because arthur sort of… does go through an arc while trying to parse out what merlin’s thinking? and he gets so so so close but ultimately decides to leave it alone for some reason? like, okay.

at first, after he asks for merlins opinion, merlin only gives him vague answers. he says things like wanting “a fair and just kingdom for all” and wanting arthur to “become the king [he’s] destined to be” without clearly stating (to arthur) what he believes a fair and just kingdom for all means. who it encompasses. what kind of king arthur is destined to be. what that destiny entails.

we know, obviously, but arthur doesnt. its always interested me how when merlin says “a fair and just kingdom for all” arthur automatically takes that to mean that merlin is telling him to turn magic away. like, its just vague enough that for arthur, who doesn’t consider magic users to be in the equation, who does not consider them as part of his people in order to incorporate their needs and stuff within his laws, it means to not accept the disirs demands. but for literally anyone without those prejudices, without that life long indoctrination and belief, it could also be taken for all. like. all all. everyone. including sorcerers. so while merlin is saying one thing, arthur takes it to mean something else completely—and merlin. doesn’t correct him. just makes another statement that could mean two very different things depending on how much context you have.

anyway. my point is that, at this point, arthur was mostly thinking of legalizing magic as a means to an end. something he must do to save one of his men. like obviously he’s considering the consequences it would bring and exactly just how significant of a thing it would be but… he’s not really doubting his view on magic at this point.

but then he asks merlin if sorcery reigning once more is what merlin would want. he looks at merlin closer. sees how tense and silent he is. probably sees his glassy eyes and just how uncomfortable he looks. then he changes his stance. up until this point, a fair and just kingdom for everyone meant the exclusion of tolerating magic. up until this point, those two things were just obviously/inherently mutually exclusive to arthurs mind. but then he sees merlin and changes tactic. says, well, “maybe my father was wrong” and “maybe the old ways aren’t as evil as we once thought”. starts looking at merlin intently and admitting that perhaps theres another angle to this (an angle that, whenever he has started to consider, hes been immediately turned away from).

which i thought was interesting. idk. everyone always like HOW DID ARTHUR NOT SEE!!! and like. same. but also i think he did see?

#was going through my drafts and found this #to be honest i think maybe arthur thought that merlins internal struggle was more about mordred than magic #like i think he thought merlin was that messed up over needing to decide to kill mordred rather than forsake magic #idk if this makes sense but anyway. just watched the scene again. he is very adamant on getting merlins opinion #bbc merlin #ignore me

77 notes · View notes

that-nerd-who-writes-fanfiction · 3 months

Note

Hello.... Can I ask your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from Merlin BBC? And why you loved them? And your top 5 favorite moments from the series? Thanks if you want to answer....

Hi, you’re welcome to ask anything:)

My top five characters (in no particular order) are Lancelot, Gwen, Arthur, Merlin, and Morgana

Lancelot because he was just an all around great guy from the start without sacrificing character development. He’s probably my favourite character in the show for that. The way he prioritised friendship and Gwen’s happiness over a romantic relationship, the way he cared about his friends was just something I really loved seeing in his character. Also how respectful he was of magic even when he was scared, he didn’t draw his sword at Kilgharrah and he was so nice to the river spirits too. Just the best knight (in my opinion)

Gwen because she was such a compassionate person, she was never afraid to call Arthur out when he needed it, she and Merlin would’ve been better friends through all the seasons if the writers didn’t forget to carry that on, she was also a brilliant Queen and it was so obvious how much she loved her friends.

Arthur because he was overcoming trauma, worked to be a good king for his people, he was always kind to his citizens and cared for their wellbeing. Also his friendship with Merlin, and his trust in him. He was stubborn and it definitely took him time to learn from his mistakes with thinking he was above people, but he’s always cared about his people. In episode 2, he believed a servant accusing a knight of sorcery, he disobeyed his father to get Merlin a cure in episode 4, I could go on.

I’m trying not to ramble too much. The show’s been my special interest for a while, I could go on for hours /lh

Merlin because he’s so nuanced as a character and doing character analysis for him is always fun. The contrast between choosing magic and Arthur throughout the show, surviving and dealing with the trauma of believing he’s a monster unless he’s serving Arthur and giving his whole life to Arthur. (Kilgharrah is awful, but that’s a whole other rant)

And Morgana because she’s also really fun to think about and analyse. The show really did us dirty in not showing anything for why she became evil while staying with Morgause. But in season 1 she was brave and kind and always stood up for what she believed in, which was her main character trait throughout even while she was evil, she stood up for what she believed. She was absolutely manipulated and groomed by Morgause to some extent, which is why she lost the kindness (the writers did her dirty) but it’s so interesting to think about the nuances and moments where her older character breaks through.

As for top five moments, (there’s more than just five but narrowing it down as much as I can)

Season 1 episode 4 when Merlin realises Morgana and Gwen are coming to help him, also when he’s talking to his mother. But this whole episode is amazing.

Season 1 episode 13 when Merlin says goodbye to Arthur before going to sacrifice his life

Season 2 episode 2 for the Arwen date in Gwen’s house

Season 2 episode 13 when Balinor and Merlin are talking over the fire

Season 3 episode 11 because it’s one of the only times where Merlin genuinely helps a sorcerer over Arthur (except Freya because she was a love interest and Daegal because he wasn’t actually a Druid)

And finally because this is getting long,

Season 4 episode 1/2 for the deleted scene where Merlin and Lancelot are talking in the hut

(I have more but I’m already over five)

#bbc merlin #arthur pendragon #lancelot #guinevere #guinevere pendragon #merlin emrys #morgana #ask me anything #merthur #arwen #mercelot #i’m bad at tagging #merlin #sir lancelot

31 notes · View notes

theroundbartable · 3 months

Note

Random ask, if Klance, Gajevy, and Merthur are going to Hogwarts, what houses do you think that will fit them (in your opinions)? Why?

Hmmm.... That's a very good question too.

1. Gajevy

Levy would definitely be a Ravenclaw. She's academic smart and solves riddles. She's pretty clearly a Ravenclaw.

Gajeel would, I think, be a Slytherin. Once he's decided on a family, he sticks to them. This has a little to do with my definition of Slytherins but I think Gajeel would be really family and blood oriented. If he can't have that, then he's going to stick to the group of people he accepts as family and goes way too far for them. It's what he did when we first see him. (I watched the show 10 years ago, I can't remember the guild name) but I remember that his entire life revolved around them and he simply accepted their guild rules as law.

My house definition on that note:

Hufflepuffs don't focus so much on blood/family relations and more on found family. Their friendship bonds are self made and soft.

Ravenclaws are study groups that help each other become smarter.

Gryffindors are friends who are willing to fight each other for their believes if necessary.

Slytherins stick to blood relations and accept tradition as law and would never stand up to one another. Nor are their relationships necessarily emotional or have specific goals. They stick together in order to stick together. That's why they are easier to manipulate.

2. Klance

Lance: Gryffindor. The reason for that is not necessarily that it's the house that fits him best but Lance would have chosen it. He has as much Hufflepuff energy as he is brave but he wants to be brave, wants to be a hero. So, naturally, the hat let him choose the house. And he grows really into that role.

Keith: Gryffindor. He's reckless, he's couragous and gets himself in trouble. He's always been a Gryffindor. And Lance hates to know that the hat didn't hesitate to put Keith there. That Keith is more of a Gryffindor than him. Keith doesn't really believe that he fits though.

However, I believe that both of them would be able to pull the sword from the hat. I might even argue that Lance would do it first.

3. Merthur

Oh.... Boy. This one is difficult, I swear.

Arthur is easily a Gryffindor. He's courage incarnate, whereelse would HE go? He's pulled the sword from the stone, he's a Pendragon, gold on red. That's a Gryffindor alright. (Although I would find it funny if he chose family over himself at the age of 11 and therefore lands in Slytherin on accident.)

Merlin, however.... Merlin could go anywhere.

Merlin is the bravest man Arthur has ever known. Merlin is smart (a physician). Merlin is accepting and trusting and he's also cunning and far too tied to his friends. The hat never needed longer to decide where to put him.

I have a few theories where Merlin would go, possibly.

A) if he knows Arthur is his destiny, he will follow him to Gryffindor.

B) if it's purely based on his characteristics and the hat gets to decide, he'd be a Slytherin. (Unless the hat has Kilgharrahs voice, then he'll be in Gryffindor again)

C) if Merlin chooses his own future, decides to focus on studying his magic, he'd go to Ravenclaw.

D) if Merlin can't decide, if the hat can't decide and Merlin doesn't want to give up on either of his characteristics, then the hat will put him in Hufflepuff to become an Allrounder.

That's my thoughts on this :) feel free to share yours as well ^^

#bbc merlin #vld #fairy Tail #klance #merthur #gajevy #ask #answer #faq #hp #Hogwarts houses #sorting

24 notes · View notes

gaiussleechtank · 1 year

Text

Just an idea that's trapped in my idea notes, but imagine if there was a magic reveal around the time Arthur became King, magic gets repealed and Merlin is generally accepted all round:

It was one of those days that, in Merlin's opinion, made the ego of the knights increase several times over. The sun was unfairly hot, increasing in heat as the day goes on, so obviously everyone had stripped every unneeded layer that was possible.

Everyone except Merlin.

Gwaine launches a punch at Arthur and nearly gives the guy a black eye. He swerves our of the way and staggers into the dirt just in time.

"Oi, Princess! What the fuck?" He mutters as he wipes the sweaty mud from his chest.

Arthur is staring at something off the field, following the King's line of sight directly to everyone's favourite manservant.

"Ah, of course." Gwaine smirked. "Merlin. Why am I not surprised?"

"He must be boiling." Arthur muttered, referring to Merlin's horrid lacklessness of clothes. There were way too many clothes on that man's body.

"Lancelot." Arthur snapped loudly.

"Yes, my lord?" Lancelot tried innocently as he approached the King warily.

Arthur grabbed Lancelot's arm and whispered, "You're closest to Merlin-"

"I don't agree with that."

"- so convince him to at least get him to take off his neckerchief, or even better his jacket."

Lancelot stared at Arthur with an unreadable expression before smiling. "Yes, sire."

The loyal Knight jogged over to Merlin, the servant looked up to his friend and they started to converse but then Merlin launched to his feet with a stricken expression. He grabbed Lancelot by the arm and dragged him into a tent.

#__#

"You know exactly why I can't take off my shirt." Merlin cried out as the flaps of the tent closed.

"Of course I know, Merlin. But you're not in hiding anymore. Arthur knows, everyone knows. And they know what you've done for the kingdom. They would understand where you got your scars from." Lancelot replied gently. "The others will admire your bravery and strength, I know I do. I know Arthur will."

Merlin stared at Lancelot, biting his lip. "They aren't pretty scars, they're ugly and nasty-"

"And show that against everything you've survived, you've beaten all odds." Lancelot stepped close to Merlin and took his hand, he would hug the warlock but he's sweating far too much. "Scars aren't meant to be pretty, they show the honest truth and the truth isn't always nice. But you're Merlin, you look the bad stuff in the face and tell it to piss off." Merlin snorted. "Look, I'm not saying to be shirtless, just take the neckerchief and jacket off before you get heatstroke and Arthur gets an aneurism."

Merlin's brow creased in confusion.

"Arthur asked me to since apparently I'm the one that's closest to you." Lancelot rolled his eyes.

"Bloody hell he's an idiot."

"You're the only one that can tell him that." Lancelot chuckled, heading towards the tent entrance. "Do something about your clothes because I'm sweating just looking at you."

"Yeah, yeah," Merlin waved the knight off. "Leave me in peace."

Lancelot left the tent grinning, going back to Arthur with a little congregation of knights and squires already forming.

"I did what I could, Arthur." Lancelot put his hands up in defence.

Arthur nodded distractedly in Lancelot's direction whilst keeping his eyes trained on the tent. When the tent reopened, everyone quickly dispersed, humming and talking nonsense as Merlin walks through the training field.

"Holy shitting fuck." Gwaine openly gawked at Merlin.

They knew he was lean, no longer the skinny twig he was when he first came to Camelot, but not built. Not this built. And gods, the scars that rippled over his muscles. Even through the mix of faded reds, pink and white, it took nothing away from Merlin.

Lancelot spoke the truth, the knights did admire Merlin, after learning everything that he had done over camp fires, nights at the tavern and the random comments. The squires looked up to him as a role model. The knights admired his strength in every aspect.

But right now?

The heat had melted every persons ability to think, and Merlin was scarred, sweating, and looking like the glorious god that the druids claimed him to be.

"Eyes up here, knight." Merlin motioned with his fingers.

"I'm just saying what everyone's thinking." Gwaine smirked. "Especially Arthur."

Arthur closed his mouth but continued to stare.

"Happy now, prat?"

"Y-yeah." Arthur managed to say.

#__#

"Five pieces of gold they fuck."

"You're on."

#I dont have my laptop #Is is obvious?#Will write further later #Arthur: awooga #Merlin is sex on a stick #Everyone is in love with Merlin #Or at least attracted #bbc merlin #bbc merthur #merlin #Accidentally wrote fanfiction #What is my life #Projecting a little because Merlin would be hot

232 notes · View notes

a-d-nox · 1 year

Text

asteroids that aren’t getting more attention than this and aren’t related to my typical mythological shenanigans but that i still love (part 3: a semester’s worth of literature edition)

everyone hold on to your hats, my last semester is due to begin next week, and i just finished unpacking the fall semester in this post lmao. but don't worry though, there is always more literature and asteroids to explore! but do note i slow down on tumblr when i am in school so bear with me on slow ask response!

i have written about 25 literary asteroids based on what i read about this past semester in college and thus have never been mentioned by me and likely will never be mentioned again on my page (mythology is my main focus). this post is very different and long. if you have no interest in the history, look for bolded statements to avoid all the reading lol. an asterisk in the OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS section indicates that the other mentioned asteroid(s) can be found in this post!

angelou (asteroid 9011)

Maya Angelou was a popular poet and civil rights activist, who received many awards and honorary degrees during her life. She wasn’t born into the prized poet career - originally she worked in a fried food restaurant, as a sex work, etc. In the late 60s her publication of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” became very popular and she became an extremely popular poet/writer. She is the first black American woman featured on the a US quarter. IN MY OPINION Angelou in your chart can represent a) where you work hard to make your dreams reality, b) where you rise, c) where you advocate for others, d) where your intellect is rewarded, and/or e) your love for or aptitude for poetry.

antigone (asteroid 129)

Antigone is the incestuous daughter made by Oedipus and his mother, Jocasta. The play by Sophocles in which she is featured opens with the chorus singing that will rise alone and die young. After Oedipus dies his brother, Creon, sits on the throne. Her brother is faced with the challenge of what to do with the body of an invader; he declares that anyone who tries to bury the body will be put to death. Antigone goes against this order and then is sealed in a tomb to die from starvation. When Creon is advised by a prophet that the gods look down on his lack of honor regarding the body of the invader, Creon goes to the tomb to free Antigone. Antigone is found right all along only and Creon finds that she has killed herself. IN MY OPINION Antigone in your chart can represent a) where you are taboo, b) the piece of you that dies young, c) where you are willing to die for your beliefs, c) where you stand against your family, d) where you are forced to starve yourself, and/or e) suicidal tendencies or experience hopelessness.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: sophocles (2921)!

arthur (asteroid 2597)

King Arthur was born from deception - the King of Britain, Uther Pendragon, had a great lust for the Duke of Tintagel’s wife, Ygraine. When the Duke and his wife left the castle, King Uther demanded that they return - the Duke declined his request, suspecting his lust for Ygraine. The Duke and the King went head to head for a short time until King Uther went to Merlin for help, desperate to have Ygraine. Merlin agreed to help him in exchange for any child born from their union. The King readily agreed, and Merlin transformed the King to look like the Duke. He went to the Duchess and the two spent the night together. When the “Duke” (Uther) left in the morning, soldiers came to the castle shortly after stating that the Duke had been killed in battle. Shocked and in denial after having spent the night with her “husband,” the soldiers told her that she must have been visited by a ghost to bring her peace of mind. After King Uther took control of Tintagel and married Ygraine. Nearly nine months later, Arthur was born, and Merlin takes Arthur by force. "The Sword in the Stone" is a famous tale most of us know regarding how Arthur comes into power and becomes King after living life as the “bastard son” of Sir Ector (the knight whom Merlin has raise Arthur). King Uther Pendragon died shortly after Arthur was taken, leaving no one to reign over the kingdom. Merlin wanting no one to take Arthur’s spot place a sword in the stone; "Whoso pulleth out this sword from this stone, / is right wise King born of all England" was inscribed on it’s blade. At fifteen, Arthur pulls the blade from the stone to the shock of many people - his stepbrother, Sir Kay, does try to claim he pulled it, but after placing it back in the stone he and many others fail to pull it from the stone. Only Arthur is capable of pulling it out and therefore is the legitimate king. Onto something not many of us talk about - Arthur's death. In Le Monte d’Arthur, after a long reign, the knights of The Round Table appear to stray from their morality. Guinevere and Lancelot have a love affair and Arthur knows (he cared too much for each of them to expose/punish them), but when the other knights learn of this, they demand the two be held accountable for their actions. Lancelot escapes with his followers after slaughtering many knights. Sir Gawain insists that he and Arthur go after them - Arthur agrees to this. While they are gone Mordred - recently knighted by Arthur and brother of Gawain - claims himself King of England and new husband to Guinevere... and sends an army to attack Arthur whom is already dealing with the whole Lancelot campaign. Mordred mortal wounds Arthur, but Arthur kills Mordred. Lancelot and Guinevere die from illness and Constantine is instated as king. Arthur is momerialized and said to one day return to the lands. IN MY OPINION Arthur in your chart can represent a) adoptive families, b) where a lot of the world around you is filled with deception, c) where you lack knowledge of who you are or underestimate yourself, d) where you have power at a young age, e) where you are passive in a situation, f) where you care more about those around you than you do for yourself, and/or g) where you are the model for greatness.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: lancelot (2041), gawain (2054)*, guinevere (2483), merlin (2598), and camelot (9500)*!

atlantis (asteroid 1198)

Atlantis is a lost city at the bottom of the ocean. The ocean is one of Earth’s most unexplored frontiers - 80% hasn’t even been looked at beyond boating and satellite imaging. So it is not hard (for me at least) to imagine that Atlantis may have existed. Plato is the first to discuss this city in any “modern text” and all this is in reference to another philosopher who went to Egypt and studied the city that was lost... about 1000 years before him. Like all of Plato’s other musings a lesson was presented in the “downfall of Atlantis” that luxury, hubris, and wealth were bad for the virtue of humanity. Plato stated that Poseidon and his wife at the time, Cleito, lived on this island - Poseidon then gave fractions of the land to his demi-god children. Plato steps in to state that when the generations continue to progress they get further from their original godliness and find they are more susceptible to things like greed and pride. Plato’s dialogue is actually lost after this point so we have to infer from Plato’s “abstract summary” at the beginning that Zeus noticed that Atlantis was becoming too corrupt and forced Poseidon to sink the island using his powers over storms and earthquakes. IN MY OPINION Atlantis in your chart can represent a) where you should be careful and beware of vices, b) where you are undiscovered and dreamlike, c) where there a lot of rumors regarding yourself, d) living with a lot of your family members or multiple generations, and/or e) where you are torn down for your actions.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: zeus (5731), plato (5451)*, and poseidon (4341)!

beatrix (asteroid 83)

Beatrice was both a real and a fiction person. Dante immortalized her and his adoration for her character via The Divine Comedy - at age nine he saw her for the first time and it was something like "love at first sight." In Dante's Inferno (the epic i read this semester; i will not be writing about her role in the other two parts of The Divine Comedy), Beatrice lives on as the object of Dante's love. Her spirit brings forth the great poet, and Dante's idol, Virgil to escort the Dante, the pilgrim through Hell. At the beginning of Inferno Beatrice is seen by Dante, the pilgrim as a beautiful and virtuous angel who makes him wish to renew his faith in the heavens and make his soul more virtuous. IN MY OPINION Beatrix in your chart can represent a) where you are graceful, b) where you are likely to capture someone's eternal attention, c) where you are seen as angelic, d) how you inspire people to be better, and/or e) where/how you connect people with those that can help them reach their goals.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: dante (2999)* and vergilius (asteroid 2798)*!

bede (asteroid 3691)

The Venerable Bede is considered one of the greatest Anglo-Saxon theologian and historian of the Early Middle Ages. His Historia ecclesiastica is one of the most vital sources of history for Christians on the Anglo-Saxon tribes. IN MY OPINION Bede in your chart can represent a) where you're considered an expert by those of a set belief, b) your interest in the Middle Ages, and/or c) where your knowledge goes unquestioned.

beowulf (asteroid 38086)

Beowulf is the one of the first epic poems to have existed dating back to the seventh century. The poem was found in the tenth century and was saved in a rather noteworthy fire - sections of Beowulf are thought to be missing due to the great devastation cause by this fire (often marked *** in sections where ashes landed on the pages). Beowulf as a character is a Pagan warrior who is Christianized by the anonymous Christian transcriptionist. Beowulf is an incredibly strong and notorious hero in the ancient realm of Geatland/Denmark. After hearing word that a monster named Grendel haunts the halls in Hrothgar’s land, Beowulf lends a helping hand. Beowulf beats the creature who has been destroying Hrothgar’s realm for twelve years in one night - empty handed. Beowulf himself vanquishes two more nearly indestructible creatures after his first victory. He dies gloriously at an old age, post-battle with a dragon as a king surrounded by gold. IN MY OPINION Beowulf represents a) where you may be culturally washed over by those who believe they are superior, b) where you are heroic/humble/strong, c) where your tale is nearly destroyed but has been preserved, and d) where you attract glory.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: grendel (541982)*!

see part 2.5 for other christmas-y & wintry asteroids!

camelot (asteroid 9500)

Camelot is the city and castle of the famous King Arthur and his knights. Camelot was home to the round table - which presents as a utopia in which everyone must abide by the code of chivalry. Allegedly Camelot was given to Arthur and Guinevere by Merlin. IN MY OPINION Camelot in your chart can represent a) where you abide by a code of morality, b) where you experience honorable acts, c) where you meet a lot of people with good intentions, and/or d) large gifts given to you.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: guinevere (2483), merlin (2598), and arthur (2597)*!

click here for camelot-sn aspects in synastry

chaucer (asteroid 2984)

Geoffrey Chaucer is considered perhaps one of the greatest poets to have existed. This belief arises from his work The Canterbury Tales. As a man involved in diplomacy and politics (he aided Edward III, Richard II, and Henry IV), he saw many aspects of life and was capable of encompassing the political satire associated with any given class. Chaucer grew up around royalty and had what is assumed to be a decent education. He married well - to a woman of higher class. Upon his turbulent retirement from clerk of the king, Chaucer began his work on The Canterbury Tales. This epic consists of twenty four unique tales following a different character who each tell their own tale in hopes of entertaining those on a pilgrimage in order to win a free supper. Each tale has a different genre in mind, ranging from romance to fabliau, sermons to allegories, etc. To accomplish such a feat (despite him having a bigger goal in mind - that each character tell four stories total (he did not accomplish this)) one could only assume that Chaucer was a very talented writer/poet with great knowledge of life within and outside of his class station. IN MY OPINION Chaucer in your chart can represent a) being deeply involved in politics, b) your appreciation for satire, c) where you can see the perspective of others, d) your judgement of the class system, e) your talent in story telling, and/or f) where you don’t reach the goal you had in mind but you are still praised for greatness.

chekhov (asteroid 2369)

Anton Chekhov was a great writer and playwright; his works are identifiable by their simple plot and messy conclusions. Chekhov wished to focus on the everyday lives of the average person - a characteristic of Russian realism. Chekhov originally got into writing to support his family and pay his tuition - he was a doctor then a writer. Shortly after he became a physician, he learned that he had tuberculosis and seemed to gravitate towards the calmer world on writing (over the world of a traveling physician). Chekhov lived a shorter but full life of drama and the arts. IN MY OPINION Chekhov in your chart can represent a) where you wish for simple life but experience drama, b) where you are forced to go with a second option, c) how your health effects your career, d) where you support your family and self, and/or e) where simple life makes you money.

click here for taurus chekhov and chekhov-mc aspects in a natal chart

cslewis (asteroid 7644)

Many of us know C. S. Lewis as the man that wrote the Chronicles of Narnia - a thrilling high fantasy book series that had so much popularity, that it was made into a popular movie series as well in the 2000s. Lewis served in the infantry division during World War II then found himself engrossed in a literary education. He completed a three year degree in one in regards to English Literature (note to my readers: i too am doing my english major in one year (my cslewis is at 27° in my 12h)) then became a professor of medieval and renaissance literature. Most don't know that Lewis was an atheist for a long time in his youth and that later he became an apologist. Notably he wrote Mere Christianity in which he defended Christianity. IN MY OPINION Cslewis in your chart can represent a) your love for high fantasy, b) your enjoyment of anthropomorphic creatures, c) how must you enjoy a topic, d) quick education, and/or e) where you change beliefs.

see part 2.5 for other christmas-y & wintry asteroids!

dante (asteroid 2999)

Dante Alighieri was an infamous poet and philosopher. His Divine Comedy is likely one of the most important of the poetics from the Middle Ages because of its unique nature and inspiration of topic. During the Middle Ages most poet wrote in Latin - making the topic accessible to only the educated - but Dante wrote his Commedia in Italian. Most poets at the time also wrote in some kind of pentameter, but because Dante wrote in Italian and not Latin so he had to deviate from the typical rhyme scheme too. Dante was the first poet to use terza rima - three-line rhyme scheme, triplets in iamb (aba bcb cdc). Dante wrote his Divine Comedy in exile from Florence, Italy after being accused of corruption and financial fraud and due to not paying the fine associated with the crime. It is thought that his opening line of Inferno reflects his feelings whilst in exile: "In the middle of our life's journey, I found myself in a dark wood." The lines following are Dante, the poet's, musings of what Hell and it's punishments are like. Dante, the pilgrim, and Virgil, the ghost of the Roman poet, takes readers on a tour of Hell where all readers can observe the punishments of sinners via contrapasso. Contrapasso is a law of nature, much like karma, stating that for the crime there must be an equal and fitting punishment. Dante, the pilgrim, is in a constant state of existentialism as he reflects on the wrongdoings of others as well as his own wrongdoings. Dante, the poet, also included political figures in the sinners whom Dante, the pilgrim, sees along his journey through Hell... because Dante, the poet, was bitter over being exiled... IN MY OPINION Dante in your chart can represent a) how your writing differs from other people's, b) where you do your own thing despite common practice, c) where you reflect on your actions, d) your thoughts on the afterlife, and/or e) your metaphysical journey.

gawain (asteroid 2054)

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a popular epic that opens at the winter dinner party of King Arthur. The party is interrupted by a stranger who introduces himself as the Green Knight (no shock he is quite literally all green) - he challenges the room of party-goers to strike him with his own blade, so that he will be peaceful and may gift his great golden axe to the winner. The only condition is that the Green Knight will strike whoever strikes him in return in one year’s time. Sir Gawain volunteers claiming that he would be no loss to the company because his life only means something because he is related to Arthur. Sir Gawain takes up the axe and decapitates the Green Knight. The Green Knight simply picks up his head and rides away reminding Sir Gawain he must seek him out at the Green Chapel a year and a day from now. Sir Gawain leaves around fall that year to seek the Green Knight only to find that he is unsure where to go - he finds his way to a castle. At the castle Gawain is invited to stay with the lord and take part in a hunting game; each day the lord and Gawain will exchange what they caught that day. The lord hunts, but Gawain stays in and finds himself pursued by the lord's wife... At the end of each day Gawain gets various animals and gives the lord the kisses he has gained from the lord’s wife. On the last day, Gawain keeps a girdle that the lady of the castle gives him claiming that it has the power to protect the wearer. When Gawain leaves with the lord - who states he knows where the Green Chapel is - he guides him then states he will go no further. When the Green Knight emerges the act ensue in which the knight strike Gawain. Gawain flinches twice until the third blow, but nothing happen but a tiny nick on his neck - thanks to the girdle. The Green Knight laughs then announces that he is actually the lord of the castle and the lady is actually Morgan le Faye who wanted to test Arthur’s court. Gawain returns to the court wearing the sash as a reminder of his failure to remain truthful, his cowardice, and his sinful nature. IN MY OPINION Gawain in your chart can represent a) a lack of confidence and/or good self-esteem, b) where you fear death but feign fearlessness, c) where you toe the line of your code of honor, and/or d) where you are constantly reminded of your cowardice and/or failure.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: arthur (2597)*!

see part 2.5 for other christmas-y & wintry asteroids!

gogol (asteroid 2361)

Nikolai Gogol was a famous Russian writer. Gogol is thought to be the first writer to use the grotesque in the Golden Era of Russian Literature. His writing is identifiable by its his use of his character's defamiliarization with themselves (ex: in "The Nose," Major Kovalyov wakes up without his nose one day and experiences life as someone of low status and regard). Gogol himself was not a popular peer - he was thought to have a dark disposition. Gogol had many ambitions in life - he wanted to be an actor, a poet... When he tried to be a poet, his poetry (published under a pseudonym) was ridiculed by everyone everywhere. In response, Gogol bought all the copies that remained in stores and destroyed them swearing to never write poetry again. Gogol later decided to try literature and he excelled. IN MY OPINION Gogol in your chart can represent a) where you see the world through a strange and dark lens, b) where you degrade others as they degrade you, c) where you can't be everything that you dreamt of being, d) where you may be close to your job of choice yet you fail, and/or e) how you approach rejection on a grand scale and which area you are likely to face it in.

grendel (asteroid 541982)

Grendel is the first monster faced in Beowulf. Grendel is a lonesome beast who lives in the cold outreaches of Denmark. After being constantly annoyed by Hrothgar’s hall and the rowdy people within, Grendel decides to exterminate those within as punishment for disturbing his peace. For twelve years, each night Grendel slaughters Hrothgar’s people until Beowulf’s arrival. Grendel appears in the hall as he had many times before to discover that a shirtless, disarmed man lay in wait for him. The two battle and Grendel loses after Beowulf tears his arm clean off. Grendel retreats to his cold, lonesome lake in the forest to die. IN MY OPINION Grendel represents a) where you may feel alone/depressed, b) where you are envious of others, c) where you are annoyed the most, and d) where you must return to baser instincts to achieve peace.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: beowulf (38086)*!

see part 2.5 for other christmas-y & wintry asteroids!

haiku (asteroid 12477)

Haikus came to popularity in the 17th century and really didn’t have a name until the 19th. Haikus were originally targeted as zen philosophies for life - they aimed to have the reader reengage with world around them. Now these three lined poems (following the 5 syllables, 7 syllables, then 5 syllables pattern) follow any subject matter. The practice of writing a haiku is to practice the ability to use concise wording despite limitations. IN MY OPINION Haiku in your chart can represent a) where you can find peace, b) your talent regarding haikus, c) where you tend to be short and consistent, and/or d) where you experience peaceful thoughts.

isolda (asteroid 211)

This one is fun - so in the Arthurian legends in which Tristan is the central character, Ysolt is his love interest. The thing is how crazy this is her name is often evolved with language: Iseult, Isolde, Isolda, etc. In the versions I read (The Madness of Tristan, Chevrefoil, and Le Roman de Tristran) she was referred to as Ysolt - so that’s what I am rolling with. BUT the horrible this is that there are three Ysolts: the mother Ysolt, the Queen Ysolt, and Ysolt of the White Hands. I’m referring to Queen Ysolt because the founder of the asteroid was referring to Queen Ysolt, the star-crossed lover of Tristan. So here we go - Tristan is a bit nutty because Ysolt is his uncle’s wife… and he is in love with her… because of a love potion… He is obsessed, she is hopelessly in love with him as well. Ysolt constantly stands by Tristan and approaches him with gifts of recognition - honeysuckle, hazel branch, scissors, etc. In The Madness of Tristan, she refuses to believe that Tristan is indeed himself and despite his ostracism of her and her “lack of loyalty,” she is still accepted by him when she final believes him. IN MY OPINION Isolda in your chart can represent a) where you may have an identity crisis, b) where people may struggle to differentiate you from others, c) where you are hopelessly obsessed with others, and/or d) the types of gifts you give lovers.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: tristan (1966)*!

click here for isolda-krama aspects in synastry

click here for isolda-vesta aspects in synastry

kafka (asteroid 3412)

Franz Kafka was a Bohemian writer, who is considered a big part of the modernist movement as he fused ideas of reality with the fantastical. Much like Chekhov, Kafka was not initially a writer by trade - Kafka was going to school to be a lawyer (but went into insurance) and spent his free time writing. He often wrote late at night but struggled with anxiety and self doubt - he burned an estimated 90% of his work. During his life he received very little recognition - publishing only a few works and mostly sending letters to those he had strained or romantic relationships with. Kafka died at 40 from tuberculosis (just like Chekhov), and in his will he instructed his friend Max Brod to destroy everything left unfinished (The Castle, The Trial, etc.) - but Brod ignored this and had most of these works published. The Castle and The Trial are two of his most popular works - both would have been destoryed had his friend followed his wishes. His works explore alienation, existential dread, guilt, absurdity, and so much more - many people relate to Kafka though he struggled with self esteem most of his life. IN MY OPINION Kafka in your chart represents a) where your reality is distorted, b) where you doubt yourself, c) your anxiety and existential dread, and/or d) where your thinking/intrusive thoughts are the most relatable.

ortrud (asteroid 551)

Ortrud is a character from Lohengrin - a final chapter in the medieval epic poem Parzival. Ortrud is the wife to the Duke's guard, Telramund. The Duke has been murdered, Telramund believes the Duke was murdered by his sister Elsa - when the King finds no answer to who is responsible for this murder he blames Telramund and orders a trial by combat. When a Knight arrives on the scene, supporters of Telramund beg the guard to withdraw from the duel but he refuses. All of his supporters begin praying, only Ortrud does not - instead she claims that he will live and likely win against the Knight. The Knight spares Telramund's life and Telramund and Ortrud are banished from the court. Ortrud confesses that she is a witch and can promise that they will rule the kingdom. Ortrud convinces Elsa to take pity on her and Elsa allows Ortrud into the castle again. Ortrud plans to topple the Knight's reputation by claiming he is some sort of sorcerer because the Knight has yet to introduce himself and share his identity. Despite not knowing who the Knight is Elsa marries him. The Knight easily defeats Telramund, who tries to attack him on his wedding night. The Knight states that his name is Lohengrin and Elsa has learned his identity so he must go home (somewhere in the fight scene there is mention of "In fernem land" which indicates his identity). A swan boat arrives to take him home but Ortrud comes forward to claim that the swan figure is Elsa's brother who Ortrud cursed into becoming a swan. Ortrud is then found guilt of witchcraft and essentially melts into nothing as she watches Lohengrin turn the swan back into the Duke. IN MY OPINION Ortrud in your chart represents a) where you are wrong about everything, b) your deception of others, c) where you expose yourself and your wrongdoings, and/or d) where your beliefs aren't in alignment with the majority of those around you. This asteroid was asked for by @brielledoesastrology !

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: lohengrin (9505), telramund (9506), and gottfried (9507) aka the duke!

plato (asteroid 5451)

Yes, we have talked Plato before in a prior post BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT. Today we are talking Plato’s Myth of the Cave. Imagine that all your life you have lived life in a cave - chained since childhood. Your back to the exit you don’t even know exists because you can’t turn your head. People walk behind you carrying objects, the shadows they cast are all you know. You are likely to belief that this is the reality of life - chains, shadows, and darkness. One day you break free and discover the exit - life exists outside of the cave. At first you would only pay attention to the shadows that are casted by the objects around you. You would eventually come to the realization that more than what you previously believed existed is real. This is how Plato explained knowledge - often people are trapped by their own perception, and what they see they believe. IN MY OPINION Plato in this context can represent a) where your beliefs rule your reality, b) where knowledge limits you most, c) where you need to shift your perspective, and/or d) where you can experience a major shift in belief and reality.

poe (asteroid 17427)

Edgar Allen Poe was a famous American writer known for his macabre mysteries - he is perhaps America’s first short story writer. Poe had several jobs before his creative writing - clerk, journalist, the military, etc. Poe also had many issues in his live including drugs, alcohol, women, and more. Most interestingly about Poe is his death; at age 40 he died from “congestion of the brain” according to the papers, but his death certificate is lost. “Congestion of the brain” is akin to inflammation of the brain - which means he could have suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning, epilepsy, menginitis, etc. Poe is also theorized to have been a victim of cooping - which is when someone is held hostage forced to drink alcohol whilst being beaten based on popular vote of hatred. IN MY OPINION Poe in your chart can represent a) where you have a dark perceptive, b) where you have a lot of life struggles, and/or c) uncertainty and skepticism surrounding death.

pushkin (asteroid 2208)

Born of noble descendant but lacking any of the titles or entitlement associated with said descendant, Pushkin became Russia’s most famous author and poet. Pushkin went to school with other children of nobility but only ever excelled at literature. When he graduated he was free to do what he wished and he chose to write poetry - around 130 were written and were unpublished due to them being deemed too lewd for the era. One poem in particular was about a political figure and caused Pushkin to be exiled from Moscow. The Czar forgives him about ten years later and Pushkin returned home. He married a very lovely woman who had many suitors... One suitor she continued to see - and I’m not talking about Pushkin. Pushkin was then forced to propose a duel (completely illegal). Both survive the duel but Pushkin suffers for three days with a bullet wound and inevitably dies. On his death bed whole neighborhoods and even the Czar sent his regards. IN MY OPINION Pushkin in your chart can represent a) where you have increased opportunity, b) how well you do with literature, c) where you are forgiven and loved despite your shortcomings, and/or d) how love wounds you.

shakespeare (asteroid 2985)

Shakespeare, also known as the Bard and Sawn of Avon, is perhaps the greatest dramatist and poet of all time. Very little exists regarding Shakespeare’s childhood and education though most assume he was taught the basics as a public official’s son - often people doubt his authorship because of this lack of information. This gap in information and mysterious nature regarding his life is found frequently in his timeline; it is only when he becomes active in theatre that we have consistent knowledge regarding Shakespeare. IN MY OPINION Shakespeare in your chart can represent a) your appreciation for theatre/plays/poetry, b) where you are prolific, c) long-lasting public recognition, and/or d) where your life is mysterious and no one knows anything worth noting about you.

tristan (asteroid 1966)

Sir Tristan is part of a popular Celtic legend in which Ysolt and he are often experiencing tragedy and illicit love - by illicit, I mean that Ysolt is married to Tristan’s uncle, so technically this relationship would be consider at the time adulterous and incestuous. This relationship often begins with Tristan escorting Ysolt to Ireland to marry his uncle. On this trip the two accidentally drink a love potion causing a love affair to arise between the two. In Madness of Tristan, Tristan tests Ysolt’s claims of loyalty - he disguises himself as a homeless man and interrogates Ysolt about her love for Sir Tristan. He claims that she lacks loyalty and proves he is Tristan. She of course is so relieved to see him and the two have a reunion - in Chevrefoil the two actually are indicated to have sexual interaction. Anyone who knows about the chivalric code knows that knights aren't supposed to be adulterous and anyone who knows about chivalric love knows that there shouldn't be intimacy of that level for any coupling. In Le Roman de Tristran, the couple travels to meet one another out of lust and but when Ysolt arrives Tristan is dying and quite literally does so in her arms, while she begs God to help him (news flash God doesn't support your adultery or incest, Ysolt lol). IN MY OPINION Tristan in your chart can represent a) a tragic and/or forbidden romance, b) where you go against your moral code for love, c) incest, d) distrust of your lover, e) lust or a “romance” you can not avoid, and/or f) where you die for “love.” Tagging @factsrological as a follow up to our Tristan conversation back in December 2022!

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: isolda (211)*!

click here for mars-tristan aspects in synastry

vergilius (asteroid 2798)

Virgil, the Greek poet, wrote many great poems and epics (most notably the Aeneid), but his appearance as the guide of Dante, the pilgrim, in Inferno is one of his greatest historical moments. Virgil's ghost guides and protects Dante through Hell despite being seen as damned and not good enough for heaven due to his polytheism. Virgil advises and gives wisdom to Dante on human flaws and sins through out the journey to help Dante become pure enough to reach Paradiso. IN MY OPINION Virgilius in your chart can represent a) your appreciation for mythology, b) where centuries later you may inspire another with your work, c) where/how you protect those you guide, d) where you advise others to reach their highest potential, and/or d) where you are kept down due to your beliefs.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: dante (2999)*!

please let me know if you’d like to see a part 4!

like what you read? leave a tip and state what post it is for! please use my "suggest a post topic" button if you want to see a specific post or mythical asteroid next!

click here for the masterlist

click here for more asteroids that aren't getting more attention than this

want a personal reading? click here to check out my reading options and prices!

319 notes · View notes

fluffypotatey · 2 years

Note

God, watched "Sins of the Father" last night and I. Just. Love. How the writers were like, "Ah, yes, let's finish out this episode with the most violent upheaval of Arthur's relationship with Uther. There is no need to mention this again."

Like, yeah, I get it, Merlin lied and stopped Arthur from killing King Cunt, but STILL. It happened. Arthur and Uther have had disagreements before, but those were small potatoes. Arthur challenged his father, the King, to a fight to the death. He was actively trying to kill his father. And that....had no effect on him? Or Uther?

Arthur doesn't always agree with Uther, and he does disobey him when he has to, but I don't think he ever would imagine himself capable of hurting his father, let alone killing him.

And Uther, being the manipulative, abusive piece of shit he is, was probably 100% certain Arthur would never turn on him, the same way any abusive parent is confident in their power over their victim.

But it happened.

And that's just........not important?

bestie.....are you sure you want the open that can of worms with me

------

NO BECAUSE LISTEN I HAVE TOO MANY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT THIS

imma holler @nextstopparis because they have bombass posts and meta about exactly this

anyway

yes bestie so true, we have seen in s1 and s2 that arthur is capable of having a little rebellious streak but not enough to truly slight his father because (despite his shitty and abusive uther is) arthur still loves him. arthur has craved uther's approval since day one. all he gets from uther is stunted shoulder pats and "you're my son" kind of affection. which, you know, explains SO MUCH about why arthur is emotionally constipated, compensates his emotions into hyper-masculinity, and a grade A jock.

we know arthur seeks uther's approval and just wants uther to be proud of him. motherfucker (uther) literally in episode 2 of s1 "stops by Arthur on his way to the stands and speaks to him in a low voice" about he "trust [Arthur] will make [him] proud" like bitch???? way to stress out your child.

tips on how to emotionally abuse/keep your child wanting you love

always makes sure you pressure them into making you proud

place conditions on your love (trust = love = pride for son = no longer disappointed = no longer sees arthur as the cause of ygraine's death oop did i type that)

move them away and speak in a low threatening voice because self image matters and your child would never risk that

undermine your child's worth to exterior factors, aka things your child never had a say in (being a captain/high ranking knight at 15, being the son of your dead wife, telling them to grow up when they literally are acting their age)

enforcing patriarcal ideals such as only encouraging stoicism for arthur because feelings are for weaklings and dismissing morgana's opinions for 'outbursts'

howdy folks! welcome to the uther sucks club and why the hell did bbc just ignore arthur's very understandable anger towards uther in s2 ep8

we will not touch arthur's self loathing blame for his mother's death because i will derail from this post

what happened in s2 ep8???? i'm so glad you asked

it is revealed that uther pendragon's reason for committing genocide for over 20 years boils down to a highly dangerous spell that he forced the high priestess nimueh to cast on his wife (who wasn't aware of the spell in the first place) so she could become pregnant and grant him an heir.

uther, the caricature of the british empire himself, caused the death of his queen then turned around and blamed a whole community of innocent people because "magic is evil and shouldn't be trusted" and "when you know one sorcerer, you know them all"

arthur, daddy issues galore, is understandably pissed and enraged. why, you ask? because for years he believed it was his birth that led to his mother's death

ARTHUR I'm so sorry. YGRAINE You have nothing to be sorry for. ARTHUR It was my birth that caused you to die.

ok so we are actually gonna discuss this

FOR 20 YEARS THIS MAN BELIEVED HIS FATHER'S GRIEF WAS HIS FAULT

AND YOU KNOW WHAT

UTHER NEVER CORRECTED HIM! UTHER NEVER SAID ANYTHING TO CONTRADICT ARTHUR'S INTERNAL STRUGGLE!

WHY YOU ASK????

BECAUSE THEN ARTHUR WOULD STAY LOYAL TO HIM, BECAUSE THEN ARTHUR WOULD DO EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO PROVE THAT HE COULD 'right this old wrong' EVEN THO IT WAS NEVER HIS FAULT!

ahem

and then arthur learns the truth. arthur learns that ygraine's death was never his fault. ygraine's death was all because uther pendragon "was so desperate for an heir". that was all uther cared about.

ARTHUR This is what fuels your hatred for those who practice magic. Rather than blame yourself for what you did, you blame them.

ARTHUR How many hundreds have you condemned to death to ease your guilt?

ARTHUR You speak of honour and nobility! You're nothing but a hypocrite and a liar!

do you think....after arthur learned the truth, he remembered all of morgana's old arguments that went ignored by uther? he could hear her voice, filled with self-righteousness and selfless anger about how uther always placed the blame on others, projected fear and hatred to those who were innocent. do you wonder if arthur thought of morgana as he spewed those words to uther?

and then he is told that morgause lied to him. that the ygraine he saw was actually an illusion meant to divide camelot. arthur is told that the ygraine he saw who told him that holding him was "the most precious" moments of her life was nothing more than a lie.

so, what does mean for arthur? does that mean that it truly was his fault that ygraine died? does he go back to blaming himself?

is there still that doubt of his father's ruling that lays restless inside of him? does he watch his father more closely and how he reacts to magic crimes compared to non-magical? does he begin to confide in morgana more because she, too, understand this kind of anger he feels nestled inside of him?

but we don't get that

what we get after this is a week or maybe more of a time skip where gwen is kidnapped and the show tries to further the arwencelot love triangle (and i mean, i'm not against the love triangle, it's just...timing my dude)

it just goes ignored by the show like it wasn't a big deal that arthur was ready to commit regicide (unlike morgana), like it wasn't a big deal that merlin lied to arthur like that and didn't feel conflicted, like it wasn't a big deal that uther's Purge began because of misplaced anger.

no, instead, arthur is back as his snarky and uptight self who never again thinks back to what happened when some big plot is heading his way. and so the show never dives back into that. mentions of arthur's mother don't come back until s4 but that's with agravaine and i do not have the time for that man.

this episode really seemed like it was supposed to lead to a shift in arthur's character, and yet it didn't. it was just...never touched on again and i will never forgive them for that

#long post #excuse me while i go off #i brought receipts (transcipts)#bbc merlin #arthur pendragon #uther pendragon #anti uther #we do not stan that man in this household #not to mention that this is the ep where arthur doubts his father's views on magic bc morgause is granting him this chance to see his mom #he has already doubted his father's views on class (lancelot) & duty (going to help merlin even if his presence could cause war w/ Essetir)#and then he learns that his father LIED #uther lied about magic users for 20 fucking years and didn't care #all he cared about was that the spell didn't work the way he wanted and decided that a whole community of ppl deserved to be wiped out #arthur is devasted bc you know what that means??????#that means that when arthur raided that druid camp all those years ago as a young captain of the knights its purpose was never moral #arthur aided his father and his father LIED ABOUT IT #the sins of the father #s2 ep8 #2.08 #i'm not sorry but also i am sorry that the post is a little long #merlin meta

245 notes · View notes

tansyuduri · 3 months

Text

Hello I decided to ask opinions on a bit of how my WIP Merther Longfic will go! (spoilers but please help)

So its a merther fanfic that takes place post arther's return and one of the things it adresses is Merlin being immortal and Arthur not, But we need a happy ending! SOOO Arthur needs to be imortal. We have a few options First of all Arthur could be all along! (or when he gets back) not sure I really like this one! Edit freind has suggusted somthing hella cool so adding it to this "Picking immortal arthur under the explanation that he was created from magic and didn't come into the world naturally. Therefore, he wouldn't have a natural death, and only a non-mortal blade could put him down (dragon-forged blade). Then, Avalon spat him back out once he was done cookin." (Obviously this would be the all along route) The second option and the one most people have liked so far is imortal leon showing up at the ending being like "I lived a good life was happy but Don't want to be importal anymore you take it arthur" (this is the one I'm leaning toword!) Another possability is arthur becomes a keeper a bit like the Keeper of the bridge and the Keeper of the unicorns Not so sure what he would even be a Keeper of! I dunwant him tied to one place! But I do have some interesting ideas for this!!! OR if you have another idea message me SO thoughts? I can't promise to follow the poll (My mind might go in one direction) but I wanted to get peoples oipinions!

#merthur #bbc merlin #fanfic writing

16 notes · View notes

honeyxmonkey · 8 months

Note

for the toa ask game: 8 and 25?

8. Favorite episode from Wizards

Oohh man this is a tough one but I gotta say episode 4: Lady of the Lake

It's just so fun and it's really when Douxie starts to distance himself from the philosophy that Merlin is always right. He starts to become his own person, his own wizard, and I really love that. Also his sass to Merlin at the end of the episode is unmatched

25. Unpopular opinion?

Hmmm I'm not sure if I have an unpopular opinion? Or if I do, I don't know that it's unpopular.

I'll give you one of my niche opinions, and it's that I think they should've stuck with making Wizards a longer series and had that Excalibur Jim arc they'd planned for, and the Douxie/Jim/Claire paralleling Merlin/Arthur/Morgana thing be more prevalent. I think all in all I just wanted more of the Wizards storyline and how they could've incorporated that into the lore and storyline of the show better

#tales of arcadia #wizards tales of arcadia #hisirdoux casperan #toa wizards #toa trollhunters #trollhunters #trollhunters tales of arcadia #asks #answered asks #ask games

22 notes · View notes

castelled-away · 11 months

Text

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Mergwenthur beginnings from Merlin‘s pov bc he has the potential to make all of this SO angsty mmm

Like think abt Merlin feeling like he imposed on Arthur & Gwen's relationship simply bc he thinks the 2 are perfect (Merlin is obv so gone for them) & therefore perfect for each other but without him mixed into it bc „he doesn’t have a place there in their relationship“

Or him already feeling insecure abt a potential position in a 3-way-relationship bc of the whole thing with Lancelot’s shade & probably thinks Arthur would therefore react badly or hurt

Or maybe throw in a magic reveal where Guinevere & Arthur are both shocked at first ofc & Gwen gets over that & is all reasonable/starting to understand & Arthur is still blown away/angry & just can’t understand so maybe Merlin sees their different opinions on the magic matter & thinks he’s or at least will soon be tearing a rift between Arwen through that

Or maybe him not feeling good enough for them since not only is Arthur the king but Gwen as his queen has ALSO risen in rank & is now „above“ him as well (tho I think this is a bit ooc for Merlin)

Or to try & keep Arthur away from him/not tempt himself (bc Merlin still has to hide his magic& therefore cannot get too close to anyone) Merlin pushes Gwen & Arthur together with effort & he thinks he’s left alone & that both of them will/can never know how much he loves them or know who he really is. Then Arwen ask why he wants them to be together SO BAD since the 2 don’t really ever want to spent time together without Merlin (bc they’re all in love your honor) & Merlin just explodes with a whole speech like because if you two don’t end up together all of the pain & the suffering I have gone through while having to watch from far away was worth for nothing & then Gwen thinks Merls were in love only with Arthur & Arthur thinks Merlin were only in love with Gwen & then they are all being stupid & sad abt that whole love triangle till it comes out that Merlin loves them BOTH at the end

Or ofc the Lancelot-Gwen-Arthur fiasco, but where Merlin & Gwen get enchanted by Morgana instead & they’re all super angsty abt this (there’s the fic, it’s great: https://archiveofourown.org/works/46578598 by @burglarhobbit)

While reading this fic the idea came to me that maybe Merlin takes the blame for Morgana’s love spell volunteeringly so that Arthur doesn’t get hurt by thinking Gwen cheated of her own free will & takes her back, but Gwen (the goddess that she is) straight up tells Arthur no, Merlin wouldn’t ever do that, it must’ve somehow been Morgana & they ask Merlin why he lied & his answer is I just wanted you two to be happy but then followed with I guess that I’m just selfish for wanting you two to love me as well, that would have been to good to be true anyways

Or Arthur seeing Gwen & Merlin hug like they used to do all the time in the show bc they’re best friends & always help each other through their hard stuff, so cue Arthur having his big bi panic & while still being a bit traumatised by the whole Lancelot’s shade-fiasco, he mistakes his romantic feelings for them as jealousy/insecurity/fear of Gwen leaving him for Merlin & saying smth like „you wouldn’t take her from me would you?“ to Merlin (maybe even just as a dumb joke without all those negative feelings) & Merlin being all surprised no ofc i wouldn’t do that, not to you Arthur, to neither of you, you mean too much to me to do that & being scared that he somehow crossed a line while talking to Gwen or smth to warrant this kind of question from Arthur

Or Merlin thinking: You already have to take care of Arthurs destiny (protecting him, be loyal to him, make him see magic is good without outing himself as a sorcerer etc.) you can’t also take his heart/feelings aswell. You can’t do that to Gwen.Arthur is already forced to spend forever with Merls due to destiny, let him choose Gwen on his own free will, so that means Merlin thinking his connection to Arthur is less important that Gwen’s connection to Arthur bc of destiny

Or Gwen & Arthur together trying to court him & invite him into their throuple so they kiss him on separate occasions without the other one present & Merlin is just alone walking with Gwen through the halls of Camelot & reeling with why did she just kiss me isn’t she in love with Arthur?? & Arthur then also kissing him or giving him gifts & he’s starting to catch on/hope that they might return his feelings but then he overhears Gwen telling Arthur that he (Arthur) is her everything (bc Arthur is emotionally constipated & needs reassurance & affection like he deserves), so Merls tries to gaslight himself à la oh those kisses where just friendly, friends kiss each other sometimes don’t they??? Gwen probably just missed me that 1 time/wanted to reassure me of something & Arthur was probably still high of of a particularly good fight during training OR he thinks maybe they were just playing a joke on him OR he assumes he’s just their mistress/playtoy now & therefore are his connections to them second to their marriage connection OR even angstier, he thinks they’re both cheating on each other with him & don’t know abt it & he fears they have problems in their relationship & is plagued by guilt bc he doesn’t know how to tell them that they’re kind of cheating with the same person (lol) & anytime he looks at them he asks himself how do I tell you that your wife is cheating on you with me, but I’m actually in love with the BOTH of you? Arthur surely won’t believe that for a second, he’ll just be rly angry

OR the 3 of them already being an item but like still in the beginnings & then the magic reveal happens & Arthur is just like you didn’t enchant us to fall in love with you right? (don’t worry, Arthur isn’t that bigoted, he’s just surprised that he feels so much love for not 1 BUT 2 whole wonderful ppl & starts to doubt bc he’s constipated like that) & Merlin says no, I wouldn’t do that, I don’t even know how to do a spell like that, but then comes the rocky acceptance-of-Merlin’s-magic-phase where everything including their budding relationship gets difficult & Merlin is doubting with thoughts like they don’t seem very in love with me anymore so maybe I DID put a love spell on them without knowing? Maybe I wanted them to love me so much so that my magic/I just enchanted them subconsciously??? Maybe all we had, all that THEY felt for me was a lie & I have been using them for my own personal gain?? And he’s just beating himself up over that in a puddle of guilt & heartbreak

#this is long I’m sorry but I was hit with one (1) idea & it kept spiralling into different alternate side roads #fr mergwenthur jas SO much angst potential i love it #if anyone wants to use these for writing fanfic pls do #but tag meeeee so I can read it🥺#bbc merlin #arthur pendragon #gwen #merlin emrys #merlin #mergwenthur #my ot3

38 notes · View notes