Merlin Season 1 Episode 1 Part One

Merlin season 1 episode 1, titled "Part One" is the premiere episode for the British fantasy-adventure series that first aired on September 20, 2008, on BBC One. This episode introduces the show's audience to the legendary story of Merlin, one of the greatest wizards in Arthurian Legend.

Merlin, played by Colin Morgan, is a young warlock who arrives in the kingdom of Camelot. Upon his arrival, he comes across Prince Arthur (Bradley James) who is being attacked by a troll. Merlin uses his magical powers to save the prince and this inspires his journey into the kingdom to become Arthur's servant.

The episode features the young Merlin struggling to control his powers and navigate his way through the world of Camelot, where magic is outlawed. He meets Gaius (Richard Wilson), a physician and an ex-servant to King Uther (Anthony Head), and becomes his apprentice. Gaius becomes a mentor to Merlin and helps him learn the intricate ways of life in the kingdom.

Merlin soon discovers that King Uther has outlawed magic and has ordered the persecution of anyone who practices it. In such a situation, Merlin has to hide his powers from everyone and put up a façade of an ordinary servant boy in Camelot.

Merlin's first assignment as Arthur's servant is to clean his armor, but he accidentally smashes it and has to replace it overnight before the prince's tournament. As Merlin struggles to fix the armor, he is also introduced to Morgana, King Uther's ward, played by Katie McGrath.

Morgana is destined to play a significant role in Merlin's journey, and the audience can see the tension between Merlin and Morgana, as she despises him for being Arthur’s servant. However, Merlin shows his bravery when he saves Morgana from a dangerous situation, and this slowly changes the dynamics of their relationship.

As the day of the tournament arrives, Merlin attends the event with Gaius, where he sees the fallen knights rise from the dead and attack Arthur. The knights were controlled by a sorcerer named Nimueh (Michelle Ryan), who was plotting to kill Prince Arthur.

In this episode, the audience also sees the beginning of a series of events that will eventually lead to Arthur becoming the King of Camelot. Arthur and his father King Uther have a complex relationship, and both have their own demons to deal with. The episode also offers glimpses of the lead cast's backstory, and their characters' development sets the tone for the rest of the series.

To sum it up, Merlin season 1 episode 1 titled "Part One" introduces the audience to the story of Merlin and his quest to become the greatest wizard in Arthurian Legend. Colin Morgan, who bagged the lead role, did justice to his character's portrayal, and his on-screen chemistry with other casts was a treat to watch. This episode is an excellent start to a thrilling fantasy-adventure series, and it sets the standard for the seasons to come.