VID: Handlebars [Merlin]

[such_heights]

Handlebars
edited by such_heights
fandom: Merlin
music: Flobots
spoilers: Season one only.
summary: "What would that solve? That would make me a murderer. That would make me as bad as him."
download: @mediafire [43MB .mp4]
stream: below
notes: Many thanks to sunnyrea and kel_reiley for audiencing, and avendya for the beta and general support. If you're having trouble playing the file, I recommend VLC.



"If you had, you know, the choice, what would you do? If you had the power over life and death over Uther? Would you kill him for what he did?"

"No."

"No?"

"What would that solve? That would make me a murderer. That would make me as bad as him."

-- Gwen & Merlin, To Kill The King

Indeed, Gwen. Indeed.

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Comments

How I See It

[ex_spacecadet931]

The song throws me out of the setting a little, but I think that it's really because I'm comparing it to a Doctor Who video I once saw and I keep waiting for global destruction at the end and emo Tennant, hehe.

Hahaha, Arthur jumping around at the beginning being all boyish. I should not be giggling.

"Look at me, look at me" and Arthur opens his arms all arrogantly, like a little boy. Perfect.

"I can show you how to do-si-do" Arthur giving Morgana his arm. Hahahaha, oh Arthur. I think she already knows.

"I can take apart the remote control and I can almost put it back together". THIS SHIT JUST GOT REAAAAAL. Sorry. It's a really perfect place to put this scene, even though I never would have thought of it. Like the remote control is his life (or life, period) or control over it or something. Ugh, jealous.

"I know all the words to De Colores" Ahahaha, it looks like Arthur is bragging about this to Lancelot. Thank you for that moment <3

I love that "and I'm proud to be an American" is when Arthur puts on his helmet in sexy slowish motion.

"...me and my friend..." I love that it's him and Merlin. I mean, obviously, but still. They saw a Platypus = GIANT MONSTER. "We made a comic book" and there is Gwen clapping with a '...I hate that I have to clap for this shit' look on her face.

Also love that the rhythm part was about his fighting prowess, I would have had little idea on how to handle that.

Nimueh looking directly at the audience was a nice transition to the more serious aspects.

Yay, Merlin's turn. Being generally adorable and all magicy.

"Me and my friends understand the future" Oh Haaaaaay hbic Morgana. This is a perfect time to see you in your awesome clothes with apt lyrics.

"I can lead a nation with a microphone" I love how this demonstrates the few times we've been able to see Arthur's ability to lead and that it makes it feel so potentially WRONG and awesomely horrific. And now Merlin with his splitting of molecules, and how benign that seems when Arthur can raise armies, even though Merlin's powers will still put the fear of god in you.

The musical breakdown with the ladies and the boys. In my interpretation, it seems like the representation of women here is positive, putting the boyos in a questionable light. I'm fine with that, I find it interesting. They (the girls, that is) are the ones who are forced to deal with the emotions before battle, to hand them their sword and feel powerless, only able to try to turn them with words, to cry when they come back dead.

Morgana's nightmare shots leading up to the climax was very epically and subtly done. The horn as Arthur is crowned makes it seem, again, pretty sinister. Oooh, nice.

I think it's telling that at the peak of the music, Arthur is in his war gear and Merlin is shown with the potential of the words that he "could let them all die" or "have them all killed".

Then the prison part. Oh, Arthur. "I could make anybody go to prison - just because I don't like them and I can do anything with no permission" That this is what he could become, what it seems Uther will become - that's really the horrific part of this. Poor Morgana. Again, I think that the guys are being painted in harsh reality here. Death of the Unicorn seems fairly poignant at this point, too.

"I could end the planet in a holocaust" Yes, Arthur, you could. Hello, again, swords and Merlin's ridiculous magic and Nimueh's triumphant look. Morgana looks horrified and then everyone exploooodes.

And the gentle music comes back and the girls are there, dealing with the reality of the situation and the emotional, human consequences of the things that the boys are doing.

I would walk the fuck away, too, Morgana.

Re: How I See It

[such_heights]

Wow, first off, thank you so much for taking the time to leave this fabulous comment! *glee*

but I think that it's really because I'm comparing it to a Doctor Who video

Yep - I know that vid is famous and very widely watched, but I hope that wouldn't be too offputting and stop people engaging with this retelling of the narrative of the song, which I love.

Like the remote control is his life (or life, period) or control over it or something.

You know, I would love to say that was totally my conscious intention, but actually it wasn't. What I was trying to get at was this idea that there's never really any danger Arthur's going to die, in way that there's always danger for other people - someone always puts him back together. I didn't really think that through consciously until your comment, though!

Also love that the rhythm part was about his fighting prowess, I would have had little idea on how to handle that.

I enjoy editing Arthur's swishy fight scenes like no one's business, so, any excuse. *g*

In my interpretation, it seems like the representation of women here is positive, putting the boyos in a questionable light. I'm fine with that, I find it interesting. They (the girls, that is) are the ones who are forced to deal with the emotions before battle, to hand them their sword and feel powerless, only able to try to turn them with words, to cry when they come back dead.

*nod* Yes, absolutely, I think you can pretty much sum this vid up as 'Arthur and Merlin can be vengeful/creepy fuckers sometimes, sucks to be Gwen or Morgana'. Morgana tried to kill Uther that one time, but the show really dealt with that as a big thing, whereas Arthur and Merlin have license to deal out punishment as they see fit without anything really being made of it. It says a lot about male vs. female agency and action both in the fictional world of Camelot and in terms of the choices the writers make.

I would walk the fuck away, too, Morgana.

Me too, me too.