Instinctive, Unique, And Unseen Powers Of Merlin

Instinctive, Unique, and Unseen Powers of Merlin

Fandom often ponders the nature of Merlin’s powers, given how little we truly see of them. He uses certain spells repetitively, like his telekinesis, but we are told this can be learned with practice or a conduit (such as Gilli’s ring). So what powers distinguish Merlin as “the most powerful sorcerer ever to walk the earth” and why does he use them so little?

1. Ability to use magic with no physical conduit or verbal components

While we see many magic users throughout the series express this power (Morgana, Nimueh, Mordred, and Finna, to name a few), that number is disproportionate to the general population of sorcerers. There are so few who can that Gaius doesn’t believe they exist until he meets Merlin. Even so, Merlin is possibly the only one who could do this “since before [he] could talk.”

Before the Purge, it is likely that sorcerers with the innate ability became initiates of the Priesthood early in life and kept this power secret, which would also explain why Gaius didn’t know it was possible, despite apparently studying for years let’s discuss the implication of wizard schools later though

Theory: born-sorcerers act as a conduit for magic, and learned sorcerers use spells or objects to direct their focus. Merlin is different from both because he is “magic itself,” therefore no conduit (verbal or physical) is needed. He can simply will it into being. However, conduits can help him control how much force is used. Note the difference between his spells and his reflexive magic against the serkets in 3x01.

2. Taming, summoning, and hatching dragons + understanding the dragon tongue + other dragonlord abilities

Merlin’s dragonlord abilities are established in “The Last Dragonlord” and “Aithusa.” He is obviously not the only person to have this ability, but he is the last known dragonlord in Albion, ranking him higher in power than most other figures of magic.

Not so fun fact: Gaius knows for years prior to Merlin’s arrival in Camelot that he is the son of a dragonlord, but doesn’t seem to know much about their powers beyond the obvious. Balinor is not surprised that Merlin uses reflexive magic, which means it must be seen among his people, Balinor included. However, most knowledge of dragonlord culture would have died with Balinor and Kilgharrah, assuming they were as secretive as the High Priestesses on the Isle of the Blessed.

3. Senses when an object has magic and when powerful magic is used

This includes the alchemy stone, the staff Morgana used to unleash an army of the dead, the eye of the phoenix, the cup of life, the marks Finna leaves, and more. This power is expressed in other magic users, but it is still incredibly rare and only appears amongst the most powerful, such as Morgause.

4. When magic is strong in a particular location, Merlin can feel the effects on the surrounding environment

Merlin easily idenitifies the sacred grounds of the Disir because he can feel the liveliness of “every tree, every leaf, every insect,” and is shocked to find that Arthur cannot do the same. This implies much about Merlin’s relationship to nature and how deeply his magic is connected to his personhood, as he is under the impression that his experience is the universal standard for humans well into his twenties. Merlin has understood nature in this way since birth. It can be inferred that, given Arthur’s shock, Morgana did not share in this trait of Merlin’s. It is unheard of.

Genuine question: if nature responds to powerful magic, does that mean plants and animals respond to Merlin in the same way? And if Merlin has such an intricate form of communication with plants and animals, does this explain his “funny feelings” in cursed places and when he’s being watched?

5. Ability to slow or stop time

Merlin slows time twice in “The Dragon’s Call,” once to save Gaius and then to save Arthur, and does so again in “The Gates of Avalon” to watch the fae. It is unclear if this is a conscious decision or if he relies on instinct to do it. This is a considerably rare power we see from no one else in the series. In fact, we never see Merlin use it past season 1. This makes sense from a plot standpoint as it vastly overpowers him (though it is dependent on Merlin’s reaction time) and with the theory that it is a purely reflexive ability.

6. Eavesdrops on Druids’ telepathy

Those capable of telepathy can only communicate directly one-on-one, never suspecting that they can be overheard (“The Nightmare Begins” and “The Witch’s Quickening”). Merlin does not listen in by choice, merely hearing it within a certain range.

7. Sees through certain transformation or illusion spells

Merlin identifies Gwen through the animal transformation spell that Morgana used in “The Hunter’s Heart.” It is unclear whether other magic users can do this, but people without magic cannot.

Deduction from canon material: Merlin likely saw through the spell because he sensed that the “deer” was human. This may mean that the reason he can’t see through aging spells is because there are few vital differences between an older and younger version of oneself. However, he also didn’t see through troll Catrina’s disguise—maybe he learned to recognize the feeling, which is why it takes a moment to realize it’s Gwen? Or perhaps the spell on Gwen was more of an illusion than a transformation (as opposed to the one the goblin uses on Arthur), which would mean he sees through illusions but not transformations. Luckily, he saw and heard Donkey Arthur clear as day.

Actual fun fact: silver represents purity, which is why a mirror shows a person’s true image (think Mary Collins in 1x01). Merlin also represents purity and, whether it’s instinctive or not, carries on the theme of seeing a person’s true self when others cannot.

8. Witnesses the future and the past

In the Crystal Cave, where the Crystal of Neahtid was hewn from, Merlin sees uncontrolled visions. Very few can use the crystals, only the most practiced and powerful. Using the crystals visibly pains Merlin (beyond emotional damage). However, he learns to control and actively choose what the crystals show.

9. Scries in his mind

When we see other sorcerers scrying, they usually accomplish it with a magical crystal or in the surface of water. Merlin, though, scries subconsciously (and possibly without a spell) in “The Poisoned Chalice” to locate Arthur and send him a light. He presumably has no memory of doing this when he wakes.

10. Controls the weather

Whether this entails creating a wind (“The Mark of Nimueh,” “The Moment of Truth,” and “A Servant of Two Masters”), calling down a lightning storm (“The Questing Beast” and “The Diamond of the Day p2”), or creating a fog (“The Nightmare Begins”), Merlin appears to be the only person besides Cornelius Sigan (who purportedly “turned day into night”) and Nimueh that can change the weather. It is another aspect of his instinctive/elemental powers, as he can do so with no verbal or physical conduit, though he typically uses one anyway.

11. Immortality

Merlin is referred to by the Druids as “Emrys,” which translates to “Immortal One.” He apparently dies multiple times, or should have died, but comes back. There is usually some plausible deniability for this, as confirmation of Merlin’s immortality only happens in the finale (though it is implied as early as his mistaken death in “The Poisoned Chalice”).

Balinor says to Merlin, “[…] You have always been, and always will be,” though it is not confirmed whether Merlin understood this was a reference to eternal life (Balinor says he himself, as a spirit, will “always be,” so Merlin may have misinterpreted it). However, it is revealed that Merlin lives into the modern day, making him over 1,500 years old.

Other sorcerers seek immortality and longevity, but none are naturally immortal like Merlin is. Sigan impants his soul into a crystal, for example, and possesses living human bodies. Had he actually managed to possess Merlin, perhaps he would have achieved immortality after all. Too bad.

12. Classifiable as a creature of magic, but not so much as a human

A person can be both a human and a creature of magic, but Merlin’s status as the former is debatable.

Merlin is the human personification of “magic itself,” though what this implies is initially unclear. However, the fact that Merlin “always has been” (he existed long before his human form) and is not bound by the rules of mortality may mean he is beyond human. In Celtic legend, Merlin is considered a nature deity, closely mirroring many of his characteristics, like his sensitivity to nature and control of the elements.

Merlin as a deity has greater implications for world-building and creates more questions than it answers, but that’s half the joy of it.

13. Immense Power

While this is not a power in and of itself, Merlin’s sheer, innate power also influences his place on the scale of most to least powerful among sorcerers.

Merlin defeats sorcerers who are deemed untouchable, such as Nimueh and Cornelius Sigan. He is able to hold an aging spell, which quickly tires Morgana and Morgause, for extended periods—in fact, he has more difficulty turning himself back. He even holds an aging spell while summoning a goddess, despite the exhaustion it would cause a less powerful sorcerer. Additionally, he wields the Sidhe’s staff weapon, though it is unknown if sorcerers like Gaius or Morgana can do the same.

Merlin may also overextend his powers at times, such as when he tries to warm Arthur’s bath but sets it to a boil, though this may be attributed to other factors. He consistently underestimates his ability to perform powerful spells, only to use them with ease later on (like the spell he uses on the Griffin, which he uses on the Questing beast and the dragon as well).

Why don’t we see more variety in Merlin’s powers?

As Merlin learns more spells, his reflexive magic becomes far easier to control, which means he no longer uses it unintentionally not often, anyway and therefore becomes reliant on a limited number of learned spells instead of instinct.

Is this an extended metaphor for how Merlin loses his sense of self because he is guilted into believing that magic (remember that Merlin is magic itself) should only be used as a tool? Probably.

Furthermore, Merlin is a sorcerer who is employed in Camelot, which means he cannot practice his magic as often or as freely as Morgana can in her woods hut or revamped castle ruins. Merlin tells Arthur in 5x13 (as well as Lancelot in a deleted 4x02 scene) that he forgets to use magic sometimes out of “habit,” since he will be burned to death if he is caught. Merlin’s concern about using magic in Ealdor is that he won’t be able to protect Arthur anymore if he’s discovered, which doesn’t weigh on most sorcerers’ consciences.

Is this also an extended metaphor for how Merlin loses his sense of self because he is guilted into believing that magic should only be used as a tool? Probably.

And, of course, Merlin’s resources for learning magic in Camelot comes down to what Gaius has to offer. There’s not much opportunity for learning magic in Camelot, though it seems there was a multi-kingdom education system in place before Uther’s Purge. Gaius tell us about your wizarding school challenge.

Is this an extended metaph- what’s that red dot on my chest for?