Ep 8. Lamia

Merlin season 4 episode 8, Lamia, starts with a village girl being attacked in the woods by a mysterious creature. When she's brought back to Camelot, Gaius diagnoses her with a rare disease called Lamia, which gradually turns its victims into delusional, deadly maniacs. Merlin, who shares a bond with the girl because he saved her life in the woods, takes it upon himself to save her by finding a cure for the disease.

Meanwhile, a visiting lord from a neighboring kingdom arrives in Camelot with his servant, and soon catches the eye of Gwen, who's been trying to move on from her recent break up with Arthur. She accompanies them on a hunting trip in the woods, but things soon take a dark turn when they too get attacked by the creature. The lord's servant doesn't make it, and Gwen and the lord barely manage to make it back to Camelot alive. The lord is smitten with Gwen and proposes to her, but she refuses, revealing that her heart still lies with Arthur.

Back in Camelot, Merlin is seen scouring through books trying to find a cure for the Lamia disease. He soon discovers that the only cure involves using the blood of a unicorn, which is extremely rare and hard to come by. Despite the fact that Arthur has outlawed hunting the creatures, Merlin sets out into the woods to try and catch a unicorn on his own.

Merlin's journey into the woods leads him to a magical grove where the unicorns reside. However, he soon finds out that he's not the only one interested in the mystical creatures. Morgana, who's grown increasingly powerful in magic, is also lurking around the grove, trying to catch a unicorn as part of her own dark plan.

In an eerie scene, Merlin encounters the unicorns and tries to convince them to let him take some of their sacred blood to save the girl from the Lamia disease. However, his intentions are interrupted by Morgana, who appears and tries to attack him. She's quickly driven away by the magical powers of the unicorns, and Merlin manages to catch a sample of their blood before making his way back to Camelot.

Back in Camelot, Merlin uses the unicorn blood to cure the girl and stop the spread of the Lamia disease in the village. However, his actions have repercussions, and Arthur soon finds out about his illegal hunting expedition. Despite believing in Merlin's good intentions, Arthur has no choice but to punish him for violating the laws of Camelot. The episode ends with Gwen and Merlin exchanging glances as Merlin is led away to his punishment, hinting at a future storyline between the two of them.

Overall, Merlin season 4 episode 8, Lamia, is a thrilling and magical episode filled with suspenseful moments and strong character development. It sets up important plot points for the rest of the season, specifically concerning Morgana's motivations and intentions. The episode also touches on themes of love, sacrifice, and the lengths people will go to save those closest to them.