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Post by Mabforever on Feb 1, 2018 18:57:48 GMT
Think ive commented on everyones work i love Mordred/Merlin fic boys, boys, boys im sure auntie Mab wont mind letting you share. Eeeeee, so much lovely new fanwork! *happy flail* Loving the family tree Morgan le Fay - Merlin with his three mothers making things complicated  I will try and get back onto ff.net at some point and leave proper reviews, but just to say, I love both of your fics. I always liked the idea of there still being some part of Mab alive - it's not as though Merlin and Frik will forget her (plus Nimue who is also still alive at this point), but the film never addresses this and the novelisation just kind of handwaves it with "Well, ummm... needs more than two people, I guess!" And the vignettes of the various families of the story are great too - we don't get to see a lot from Elissa's point of view, and it makes sense that after what happened with the grail, and with being impregnated without her knowledge she would feel somewhat conflicted about the whole situation. And of course, Ambrosia is just entirely practical about the whole thing. And we don't get to see a lot of Morgan musing on her parents either, other than through her anger at Merlin. I just really like the whole thing. I've put together one too - I've not had a chance to go back and look through it, unfortunately, but I wanted to get it posted before the end of the month, so apologies for any massive grammar/ continuity errors. I did have another, slightly Merlin's Apprentice - linked idea, but that one needs a good deal of work yet. Hopefully you will enjoy. CousinThanks again to everyone taking part so far, long may it continue! |
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Post by Morgan le Fay on Feb 26, 2018 7:55:53 GMT
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Post by himiko on Mar 1, 2018 23:26:23 GMT
So, firstly, as a forum user: YAY! More goodies! I love all of them, particularly your fanfic - I particularly like Mordred's birth scene. For myself, I apologise for being late in my entry - I am going to try and get my entry for February finished at the weekend if I can. In the meantime, I have submitted another entry for January's prompt (Family), which I didn't finish in time for that XD. History Repeats FF.net/ AO3And secondly, apologies for also being late in updating the main post! We are now in March, and our new prompt for this month is Faith - whether it be in the Old Ways or the New Religion, faith in the inherent goodness of humanity or faith only in oneself and one's sword, that's up to you! If, like me, you are running behind on the previous challenges (Family and Women), that's fine, feel free to keep posting those too!  |
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Post by Mabforever on Mar 5, 2018 2:12:51 GMT
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Post by Morgan le Fay on Mar 6, 2018 5:05:55 GMT
Thank you. It means a lot to hear such praise coming from you. The fact that every segment contains a woman thinking of a man in some way, shape or form is something I would've rather avoided. But, with the way things are, I'm lucky to have written anything at all. That you have the strength to continue after writing for Merlin's Apprentice is a miracle in and of itself. Hope you're not feeling too drained. When it comes to the general feeling of MA, I believe Merlin speaks for most of us in these images:  History Repeats is haunting, feverish. Absolutely beautiful and powerful. Thank you so much for sharing. I look forward to reading your other works. There isn't enough Mab/Morgan content available. Thank you for making them the main pairing in Poison Paradise. The image of Morgan having her hair combed is lovely. Both stories are wonderful! |
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Post by Mabforever on Mar 8, 2018 22:38:08 GMT
Very true. Yknow I argued with myself at length whether to make it more smutty sex scene but I decided against that as I wanted Mab to seduce Morgan with that fae magick of her's  in my head I imagined it to be like the paradise cave she creates for Merlin and Nimue but instead of creating a place for Morgan she drips the magick into her brain directly which I imagine to be pretty potent. |
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Post by Morgan le Fay on Mar 15, 2018 6:50:03 GMT
It's perfect as it is. And personally, I prefer stories that are non-explicit as I'm pretty-close-to-if-not asexual and primarily into romance. Poison Paradise was very heady. It wasn't lacking.
Morgan didn't stand a chance. But you know, somehow, I don't think she minded a bit.
What a lovely idea, Mab sending people to their own personal paradise cave. It's nice to imagine Morgan and Mab in such an eerie setting. The colors of their gowns blurring together, the strange, stilted sounds. Mab moving as Morgan is still, bewitched. Thank you again, for sharing.
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Post by Morgan le Fay on Mar 25, 2018 17:51:38 GMT
March offerings: Story   |
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Post by himiko on Mar 30, 2018 23:56:40 GMT
The fact that every segment contains a woman thinking of a man in some way, shape or form is something I would've rather avoided. But, with the way things are, I'm lucky to have written anything at all. In fairness, I think that's an issue with the source material rather than your writing - there are a lot of female characters in the film, but most of them tend to be linked to male characters (predominantly Merlin) than each other. I tried to think of scenes where the female characters talk to each other about something that isn't a man, and it's a bit of a struggle. There's the scene between Mab and the Lady of the Lake. The first scene between Mab and Ambrosia MIGHT count - a lot of the conversation is about who will be raising baby Merlin, but a lot of the focus is on Ambrosia's knowledge of who/ what Mab is, so if you're being generous you could count it. Oh, and there's the scene from the shooting script which was cut from the film, with the woman at the start who summons Mab and begs her to fight for the Old Ways, but not sure if that should count since it's not in the final film. Both of Mab's scenes with Nimue heavily revolve around Merlin, as does Ambrosia's second scene with Mab. Mab and Morgan don't exchange words AT ALL until their final scene together, and then they're all about Mordred. I mean, a lot of Merlin's scenes revolve around the women in his life (Mab, Nimue, Ambrosia etc.) but there are definitely more scenes between the male characters overall than there are between the women. And haha, yes, I think Merlin does speak for us all there! Also, many thanks for your kind words about History Repeats! Apologies for there not being any "other works" as yet- I suck! Loving "When All Other Lights Go Out", and the explorations of the different ways faith manifests itself in the different characters. And since I don't believe I've commented on yours yet, Mabforever, YAY FEMSLASH! Morgan is both very lucky and very unlucky in this, I think XD |
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Post by himiko on Mar 31, 2018 23:14:35 GMT
And April is upon us! Prompt for April is "Past and Future". And this prompt was in no way to give me an excuse to post a thematically appropriate Blind Guardian song |
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Post by Morgan le Fay on Apr 1, 2018 4:53:19 GMT
Thank you, Himiko. As much as I love Merlin, the writing does at times leave something to be desired, especially when it comes to how the miniseries portrays women. Too many characters became victims of weak storytelling. Morgan and Nimue in particular come to mind while writing this, as they were both needlessly made into sad generalizations of women. I honestly don't understand how the creators couldn't see that having two female characters so heavily fixated on their appearances was an excess. It's unfair to their characters, the actors, the myths and the audience.
The following may seem off topic but it's from a similar train of thought. Though the use of the stone in Arthur's crib is explained in the novels, I can't help but wonder if the original subsequent plot was one that became a casualty of the rewrites Steve Barron has mentioned. By the end of part one, Arthur is supposedly cursed and Morgan is promised to be taught magic in exchange for her help, but this is never mentioned in part two. As an adult, Morgan says Frik promised her child-self that he would make her beautiful, which is something we never were privy to overhear. There is never an exchange concerning an unfulfilled oath to teach her "real magic" - a wish that before was of great importance.
After reading online about the different versions of Morgan le Fay in Arthurian myth, I discovered she is at times depicted as being able to magically alter her appearance. "She could change shape at will (and to be young or old, beautiful or ugly, or an animal or other object)" This description bears more than a slight resemblance to the transformative abilities Frik demonstrates to Morgan as a child. Seeing as Morgan is considered different due her way of speech, her looks, wouldn't the chance to change herself be irresistible? Wouldn't it make sense a once possible storyline could have involved Frik teaching Morgan the means of transforming herself? It was his ability to change form that most captivated her as a child. To have written Morgan as able to change her appearance at will, a magic performer in her own right, would have been so much more interesting and empowering than her being reliant on Frik's aid. Perhaps at first she may have required his assistance, but she wouldn't over time.
Different possibilities could then arise. Mab could have then wished to remove her from the picture, not only because of her interference with Mordred, but also because she could have grown too defiant and powerful. It seems curious to have the character of Morgan le Fay in a film and not allow her to be a sorceress, as she is most commonly known in myth.
As short as the sequences containing Morgan are they could possibly have been tacked on. Re-shot.
Moving to Nimue, the woman is a paradox. She at times is strong and willful, such as when she confronts Vortigern (again it is about a man; Merlin's release from prison), but as the film progresses she shrinks away. Becomes next to nothing because of her vanity. She's even willing to cast aside her morals, the future of Britain, the wishes of her beloved, so that she might regain her unscarred face and then be sealed away with Merlin in a world all their own. (Seeing as they were alone, what did it matter if Nimue was scarred or not? Again, it has to be about her own obsession. Merlin was accepting of Nimue no matter what.)
Going back to Himiko's comments, or trying to, I don't feel very comfortable making up scenes that are outside of canon, especially important plot-driven moments. And I don't feel comfortable rewriting scenes that were included in film, such as filling in a character's thoughts. Writing the prompt for February was really difficult. I was depressed, and no matter how many times I tried, I couldn't get beyond what I had first written. No elaborations or better ideas. I had to just work with it, and that was all there was too it. Bad or even worse. The prompt was 'Women' and I hoped that as long as what I wrote was from a woman's POV it would count. There's so little published in the fandom, I hoped it would be better than nothing at all. Thank you for reading my stories. It means a lot. Thanks also for the update and for sharing the song by Blind Guardians. It is an interesting find.
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Post by himiko on Apr 2, 2018 1:22:33 GMT
Hey, what you wrote was excellent, and gives us an interesting insight into the thoughts of the characters, building on them more from what we see in the film. There's certainly nothing to be embarassed or ashamed about them I will ALWAYS share Blind Guardian when there is the option to share Blind Guardian XD - that song has a special place in my heart, as it was the soundtrack to the first Merlin fanvid I ever found (though sadly I wasn't able to find it again for this post, it may no longer be on YT), and that was what introduced me to Blind Guardian in the first place. I have to agree with you on the female characters. In fairness, I think that part of this is that there's simply too much plot to cram in to the time allotted, and it doesn't allow for much character building/ development. Though that doesn't really excuse the plot inconsistencies (the curse on Arthur, Morgan and Frik's conversations etc.). But yeah, I agree that having two women whose plotlines are tied into their appearances is not ideal. With Morgan, I can kind of understand it - she's in the film for a much shorter time, and we already have Mab fulfilling the role of powerful sorceress antagonist. I mean, that doesn't excuse the inconsistencies between Frik's conversations with Morgan and Young Morgan, that should probably have been addressed. But I guess Frik or Mab giving her powers would raise the question as to why Merlin's creation was even needed in the first place if Mab could just have taught any of her faithful followers to use magic instead. I mean, I suppose the main question I would have for Morgan's storyline is why give her the transformation storyline in the first place - as in, why give her the eye deformity and the speech impediment etc? They mostly seem to serve Morgan and Frik's relationship, and the "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" ending they have, rather than Morgan as a character. I suppose you could argue that it gives Morgan a reason to turn to the Old Ways, but you could very easily find other reasons for that - Mordred? The fact they're willing to back her and her son against Arthur? The "enemy of my enemy is my friend" approach, against Uther's son, and against Merlin? Particularly, as you say, given that Nimue already has a very appearance focussed storyline. I really think they dropped the ball with Nimue as a character. She's a major character throughout the entire miniseries, she's probably got one of the highest screentime counts after Merlin, Mab and Frik (I assume all three of them have more- though they may simply have made more of an impression), but she never really has much purpose to the plot besides Merlin's love interest, and much character. I can understand why Nimue becomes a reclusive nun - she is the daughter of a nobleman, and even whilst she is kept as a hostage believes that this keeps her safe, hence why she has the confidence to do things like stand up to Vortigern. And then she gets permanently scarred and almost dies anyway, and THEN loses her father and any protection he could still afford her, and meanwhile her lover is still at war with the being that caused this to happen to her, meaning that she may well be in the line of fire again. Plus, whilst Merlin loves her despite her scars, she fears what others will say. But I think we could have done with more scenes making some of this explicit - perhaps people from outside the abbey shrinking back from her, and e.g. Father Abbott offering the hand of friendship. We also don't see how Nimue reacts to Merlin's frequent lengthy absences. And more puzzlingly, we never really see her struggle to reconcile her faith (which is one of the big features of her character) with the fact that she not only has a lover, but that he is a wizard, he does use his magic, and he is in some way the son of the woman who hurt her. But all we get is that she's ashamed of her scars and in love with Merlin. It's a shame, because she could be a very interesting character, albeit very different in tone from her book counterpart. |
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Post by Morgan le Fay on Apr 5, 2018 2:18:07 GMT
Thank you, Himiko. That is very kind of you to say.
All the more reason why there should have been a third episode!
Why include the scene of Frik and Young Morgan instead of others that were cut, such as the one you mentioned in the Officially Released Items thread containing Mab and one of her followers, Gudrun? Why include this scene over Charlotte Church or whatever else was taken away? You would think it was of importance since it was given such precedence. Why allow us to know about a potential subplot only to not follow up on it? I know Guinevere and Lancelot are in part two, but in terms of viewing the mini-series as a whole at three hours in length, I would have preferred to see them cut out entirely than to not see scenes concerning the main characters.
In the confusion of trying to explain my thoughts I didn't convey them as clearly as I should have. I was tired when I last commented on this thread, and posted as quickly as possible.
It was not my intention to indicate that Morgan, had she learned magic, would in time come to possess power in as great a manner as Mab or Merlin. By saying she might grow too defiant and/or powerful, I was thinking in small terms. Defiance such as she showed before her death, fighting for Mordred. I didn't really envision of her performing magic outside of transformation. I imagine if she had any power at all, it wouldn't be to Mab's liking. In the series, Mab could have sent Morgan away instead of willing her to die. Morgan was a pawn, a vessel to carry Mab's new son, and once she overstepped her boundaries, after having served her purpose, she could be eliminated. My thoughts were also not well executed with my mentioning Morgan le Fay in myth being known as a sorceress... By including that she is most often known as a sorceress, I did not mean to indicate that she should have been one in the Hallmark mini-series. I only meant that magic is usually connected to her. It's even in her name. As for magic, I was under the impression that in the Land of Magic the beings that inhabit Mab's realm had limited powers of their own, such as the horse that first brought Merlin to Mab. At the end of Merlin, Sir Rupert even says that he's still alive because he "has a little magic". Sir Rupert was originally Merlin's steed during The Great Hunt in the novels. Mab, as far as we know, had nothing to do with his creation. The elves or sprites that follow Merlin through the forest seem to have supernatural abilities, judging by the way they are able to move. I imagined Morgan having a similar allotment of magic. Faint.
What I wrote in my previous post was simply a theory as to what could have been in preceding drafts. The reason I even mentioned reshoots is because some moments from the film appear to have been filmed at an earlier date than others.
That's a question for the ages. I've always wondered if Helena had some influence regarding Morgan's appearance, since she's wearing the same false teeth as she wore in the film Sweet Revenge. Plus the replacement of Rs with Ws is something she's done in other performances.
Did Morgan even really need a reason to turn to The Old Ways? She was headstrong as a child and never struck me as the god fearing type. I would think she would want to defy convention. Also, if you want to take the novels into account, considering how in them Gorlois is a religious zealot, it would make sense that Morgan would want to rebel against her father and what she believed Christianity stood for.
I can understand why Nimue would want to stay within Avalon Abbey. It's a sacred place and, as she said, in it she felt closer to God.
Maybe others might feel differently, but I would rather be near my family were I to undergo a trauma such as Nimue endured. Especially knowing what it is to lose a parent, her first instinct after her father died should have been to be near family -- in my opinion. The brothers and sisters of the abbey may have offered some comfort but it wouldn't be the same. If she had any family aside from her father, I would think they would be accepting of her scars if they loved her. Christians are supposed to believe that God is everywhere not just in the church. She could have been near him in any location. And if she wanted to be locked away at home as well, she wouldn't have had to encounter so many strangers as at the abbey. Perhaps she felt close to the brothers and sisters of the abbey because they had been by her side while she healed. Maybe she felt as though they understood her and all she'd been through in ways others couldn't, but if she was truly content, why did she usually seem so melancholy and withdrawn?
Also, Nimue was somehow able to take care of herself after she was freed from Mab's enchanted forest within the rock. And she didn't return to Avalon, she went to Barnstable forest.
That would have been beneficial, proving Nimue's point and also making viewers feel sympathy towards her.
I agree on all accounts.
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Post by sleepyqueenie on Apr 10, 2018 7:58:08 GMT
On your Nimue and Morgan discussion, I am constantly nodding as I read this.
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Post by Morgan le Fay on Apr 12, 2018 17:57:08 GMT
Hope my contributions make sense. Thanks for reading.
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Eeeeee, so much lovely new fanwork! *happy flail* Loving the family tree Morgan le Fay - Merlin with his three mothers making things complicated 
in my head I imagined it to be like the paradise cave she creates for Merlin and Nimue but instead of creating a place for Morgan she drips the magick into her brain directly which I imagine to be pretty potent. 
