And then there was delightful Merlin, typically represented in media as old and bearded (the original Professor Dumbledore), but this time, we got to see him young and scrappy, forever alternating between two different colors of neckerchiefs and saving Arthur’s life with his magical gifts. There was Arthur, struggling to balance what he thought he knew about the world and what he learns through the series. There was Morgana, whose tragic storyline we got to witness from the beginning. There was Sir Percival, whose biceps were so large that his chainmail armor was cut off at his shoulders. There was Sir Gwaine who, with his long hair and swashbuckling flirtations, never wavered in his loyalty to his king. There was adorable and determined Gwen who rose through the ranks and became a regal, kind queen. It’s because the show made you care deeply about all of its characters. Spoiler alert! It wasn’t any different Arthur dies tragically in the last episode and fans were left absolutely brokenhearted.Īnd that wasn’t just because it was the last episode of a heartfelt show that was packed with foreshadowing, interesting plot and genuine humor. Fans wondered if the ending would be different too, if in this iteration, they wouldn’t have to see their beloved King Arthur die and witness the dissolution of Camelot. Guinevere - affectionately known as Gwen - was a servant before she became Arthur’s queen. The show deviated significantly from the Arthurian legend canon - in the BBC version, Merlin and Arthur were contemporaries and worked closely for the good of Camelot. After five seasons of adventuring that focused less on plot and more on the relationships between incredibly lovable characters, people were preparing themselves for a finale they knew was going to be rough. Eight years ago on Christmas Eve, millions of people sat around their televisions and tuned in to the final episode of BBC’s “ Merlin.” Expectations and emotions were running high as the audience waited to see how the show would tie up the many loose ends and conclude Arthur Pendragon’s epic saga to save Camelot with the help of his manservant-slash-secret-sorcerer, Merlin.