Tragic Merlin on Once Upon a Time

Every version of the Arthurian Legend has its own version of each of the legendary figures, and Once Upon a Time is no different. After several episodes in which we've gotten to know these versions of Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, in episodes 505 & 507 we finally learn Merlin's story.

Warning: Spoilers for Season 5 of Once Upon a Time from here on out!

Camelot meets Storybrooke in Season 5a of Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a Time started out based on the characters in the fairy tale of Snow White, then episode by episode expanded the cast to include other stories, sometimes even letting us visit those other lands. But through the first four seasons to only reference to Camelot was in passing, a land of legend mentioned by an exiled Lancelot when he meets Snow White and Prince Charming in the Enchanted Forest. That ends now as a magical twister drops Grannie's dinner and our heroes in the Kingdom of Camelot!

WARNING! Spoilers ahead for season 5a of Once Upon a Time.

The first half of season 5 of OUAT takes place between Camelot and Storybrooke, with the Camelot stories taking place 6 weeks before the "present time" in Storybrooke. I won't go into all the story details of each episode, since the point of this blog isn't OUAT. We'll just look into our favorite Arthurian characters and see what they're like in their fairytale world, and how they adapt to our modern world.

In Camelot

First off, this Camelot is definitely a fairytale-medieval version of Camelot! Gorgeous castle with turrets and pennants etc, you can definitely see the Disney influence. They of course throw a gorgeous ball (to welcome our heroes to their land, and to celebrate Merlin's prophesied imminent release from the tree).

Lancelot returns to Once Upon a Time!

We met Lancelot in the s2 episode "Lady of the Lake". A knight who exiled himself from Camelot for the love of a woman, and who helped out Snow and Charming in the past, and who was apparently killed by Cora (Regina's very evil mother, the Queen of Hearts). Episode 503 "The Siege Perilous" references this when Arthur and Charming talk of the Round Table.

"This is the Siege Perilous, reserved for the knight with the purest heart. The one destined to carry out the most sacred quests. It belonged to a man I trusted more than a brother, but he betrayed me. It's been vacant since."

When Charming tells Arthur that he and Snow met him once, Arthur seems genuinely happy to hear of him and asks how he is. And truly downcast when Charming tells him that he died.

"Lancelot failed to resits temptation but he was a good knight. He tortured himself for his sins more than I would have done and I wished him happy, just not with my wife."

But Snow sees Lancelot at the end of the episode! He warns Snow that the Dark One is not the only villain in Camelot.

"There is a terrible villain in Camelot. (...) Arthur. Trust me, Camelot is not the place it seems."

And with that cryptic beginning, Lancelot is BACK! And definitely not dead. ;o)

Once Upon a Time meets the world of Arthurian Legend in the Season 5 premiere

"Don't. (...) One day you will have the opportunity to remove Excalibur from its stone. And you mustn't. Leave the sword alone."

Says a mysterious cinema usher to a very young Emma Swan. It's Minneapolis 1989. Disney's "The Sword in the Stone" is playing in a theatre. How does this usher know her name? Why does he tell her not to take the sword from the stone? He says if you do something you're not supposed to do, even if you do it for a good reason, bad things will happen. A young terrified Emma watches young Wart pull Excalibur from the stone as our screen fades to black and then to 3 knights galloping across the land: it's King Arthur, Lancelot and another knight! Arthur pulls Excalibur from the stone... an incomplete Excalibur which is missing the tip.

Zoom in on the Dark One's dagger with Emma Swan's name on it, and you realize that dagger looks an awful lot like the missing piece of Excalibur...

Maid Marian arrives in Storybrooke

Aside from a brief glimpse of a pregnant and ill Marian when we first met Robin Hood in the season 2 episode "Lacey", the only mentions of her in Once Upon a Time have been Robin Hood reminiscing about her, his regrets that her death was his fault. But no mention of how she died, or when. Until the season 3 double episode finale "Snow Drifts" and "There's No Place Like Home", when a portal set in motion by Zelena sends Emma and Hook to the Enchanted Forest, but back in time. To the moment Snow and Charming first met...

Warning, from here on out spoilers abound for the season 3 finale!

Robin Hood comes to Storybrooke

WARNING! Contains plenty of spoilers for Season 3B of Once Upon a Time which splits the action between Storybrooke (a year after the action in episode 3.11) and the Enchanted Forest (immediately after episode 3.11). In it we get to more of Robin Hood in the Enchanted Forest, and find out how he (and the Merry Men) ends up in Storybrooke and what his life is like there.

Outlaw by Angus Donald

When young Alan Dale barely escapes from the Sheriff of Nottingham's men after being caught stealing (and almost loses his hand as punishment!), his mother takes him to the Lord of the Wood for Sanctuary, to Robin Hood. Robin takes him in and Alan's life is forever changed. Serving a violent man, in a violent period of history, Alan will learn to follow Robin's rules and fight to survive.

The Outlaw Chronicles by Angus Donald

The Outlaw Chronicles is a series of historical fiction novels (and a few e-novellas) in which author Angus Donald shares his version of Robin Hood. They bring to life a Robin somewhat different from the traditional "noble thief" figure. This is a violent and ruthless man (think mafia don), who lived in violent times. Seen through the memory of one of Robin's most trusted lieutenants, Alan Dale (framed as if were writing his memoirs in his old age), we travel through England, the Holy Land (on Crusade), Germany (searching for a captive King Richard), Normandy (fighting the French) and more.

This is the Middle Ages, the Crusades, the battles between English and French kings over Plantagenet lands in France, sibling rivalries which threaten to topple a monarch, baronial rebellions against tyrannical kings. A very violent period of history, and very vividly brought to life in these tales.

Birth of Robin "Hood" on Once Upon A Time

"Heart of Gold", Episode 18 of Once Upon a Time's Season 4 is a Robin-centric episode that delves into his past and presents us with this series' version of how Robin of Locksley came to be known as Robin Hood, as well as the origin of his particular code of thievery, and a little wink at how it is he's such an amazing archer! 

Warning, spoilers aplenty below!

The Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper

Ever since I first read these books as a child (or teenager? Don't remember!), these lines have been engrained in my memory:

"When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back;

Three from the Circle, three from the track;

Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone;

Five shall return, and one go alone. 

Iron for the birthday, bronze carried long;

Wood from the burning, stone out of song;

Fire on the candle ring, water from the thaw;

Six Signs the circle and the grail gone before. 

Fire from the mountains shall find the harp of gold

Played to wake the Sleepers, oldest of the old;

Power from the green witch, lost beneath the sea;

All shall find the light at last, silver on the tree."