The first Dark One has been revealed and OUAT has been changed forever.
Hundreds of years ago Merlin was lost in the dessert with another man, both running from something and dehydrated. Ahead of them Merlin saw a shimmering light, the Holy Grail presented before them. The Holy Grail was meant for Merlin, given that the man with him perished after drinking from it, as Merlin was granted magical powers and immortality.
(ABC/Jack Rowand)
Years later, Merlin has made a name for himself by healing the sick and predicting the future. But only one woman is his kryptonite: Nimue. She approaches him one day asking that he plant some seeds, which were the only other thing to survive an attack on her village. He grows the flowers for her and they fall in love. Merlin wants to marry her, but he knows he can never truly be committed to her while he’s immortal. Nimue suggests she drink from the Holy Grail as well, but Merlin says the only way it can work is if they forge the Holy Grail into a sword. They bring the Grail to Nimue’s destroyed village and the man who destroyed it appears before them just as Merlin finishes Excalibur. Nimue tells Merlin to kill him but Merlin refuses, because once he kills using his powers, darkness will consume him. Vortigan takes the opportunity to stab Nimue, seemingly killing her and taking Excalibur but Nimue awakens and takes Vortigan’s heart. Merlin warns her not to kill him. She is angry with Merlin for taking his side but Merlin explains, “I’m not fighting for him, I’m fighting for you!”. Nimue doesn’t listen and crushes his heart in her hand. Her skin suddenly turns into a dark sparkle and she is the first Dark One. Nimue takes Excalibur and splits it into two. Merlin takes both pieces and hides one half in a stone and puts a spell on the dagger that controls the Dark One.
Flash forward to Camelot where Emma is seen making an abundance of dreamcatchers. Merlin approaches her and says the only way to take out the darkness is to confront the first Dark One and get the first spark of fire. Merlin explains there are only two ways this ends: she defeats the darkness and he survives or she lets it take her over and he dies. Emma agrees to go along, says goodbye to Hook and then her and Merlin are on their way. In the forest, Emma summons the first Dark One: Nimue. She appears and controls Emma, forcing her to strangle Merlin. Emma fights the Darkness though and tells Nimue she’s more than the darkness, then takes her heart to get the spark they need. Nimue disappears…for now and Merlin is very proud of Emma. They begin to walk back through the forest when suddenly Merlin disappears…
Merlin had been summoned by Arthur back at Camelot to get rid of the heroes, who had snuck into the castle to take Excalibur but were tricked by Zelena. Zelena had placed a spell on Excalibur (since Arthur removed her magical wrist guard) that made it so whoever holds Excalibur controls Merlin. Arthur forces Merlin to get rid of the heroes and he tells Arthur “this isn’t the man you were supposed to be.” But it is too late to save Arthur, he is already consumed by this new power.
Back in present day Storybrooke, Emma is once again confronted by Rumple who tells her to forge the dagger and Excalibur together again. Rumple explains doing this represents more than just power, it’s history and a promise that needs to be fulfilled. Nimue appears once again saying she wanted to see this for herself. Emma hesitates remembering Merlin’s words to her as a child – to not take Excalibur. But Nimue and the Dark Ones close in around Emma and convince her to grab the sword.
I loved this episode, it gave so much backstory that we had been waiting for. My only complaint is that I read the theory that Nimue was Merlin’s first love and The Dark One earlier in the week so I wasn’t too surprised. I spoiled myself, shame on me!
I think the biggest lesson of the week though is to NEVER TRUST ZELENA! Come on Snow, you should know better. She’s been milking this pregnancy for last few months. There had to have been a better option than bringing her with to Camelot, right?! Not to mention while this is all going on NO ONE has asked what happened to Belle! We all know she’s with Merida and okay but no one once asked…hey where did Belle run off? Do they all just assume she’s chilling with her rose?
I’m starting to be convinced that Emma is just playing the Dark One and actually didn’t turn. Her memory of Merlin and the fact that Merlin is being controlled by Arthur convinces me further and the fact that she told Merlin in the forest that the more she turns to the darkness the less she was seeing Rumple. She sees Rumple a lot in her basement, especially for someone who supposedly went full Dark One. And why didn’t her skin change like all the others? I think she’s keeping memories because she knows Merlin is still being controlled somehow (we haven’t seen him in Storybrooke yet) and Arthur is obviously still hiding something. I think there’s still a struggle for her, but I’m starting to believe she has a plan to rid the darkness and Arthur. I also think the Merlin “voicemail” last week was staged by Arthur to put fear into our heroes.
What do you Oncers think? Do you think Merlin is somewhere in Storybrooke? Is Emma truly the Dark One? Comment below and tweet me your theories @kristincarole13
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