- The young wizard Merlin must rescue the helpless people from the evil King Vidus and his ruthless high counselor.
- Merlin (Sam Neill), an elderly man telling his life story, describes a Britain faced with rulers and invasion that are increasingly destructive to its people. King Constant (John Gielgud) was the first christian King of England, but could not keep the country together as it plunged into civil war. The crown changed hands very quickly. Pagan sites were also defiled, riling the followers of the old ways. Queen Mab (Miranda Richardson) (born of magic and sister to the Lady of the Lake) seeks to reclaim her power by drawing people back to the "Old Ways". The lady of the lake refuses to help Mab, as she accepts her fate that she will die when the people forget about the old Gods. To do so, she creates a wizard named Merlin, whom she intends to champion her crusade. Merlin's mother dies giving birth to him and he is raised by his guardian, Ambrosia (Billie Whitelaw) (Ambrosia used to serve Mab, but is now a Christian and agrees to take care of Merlin), until his magic emerges.
Years later, a teenage Merlin recounts to Ambrosia how he has rescued a nobleman's daughter, Nimue (Isabella Rossellini) (daughter of Lord Ardente (John McEnery)), from drowning by magically growing a small branch. Ambrosia tells him of his past and he is sent to Mab to begin his training with Frik (Martin Short) (who teaches him in the 3 stages of wizardry), Mab's gnome servant; however, Merlin has little interest in helping Mab's crusade to restore the Old Ways, angering her. Merlin finds out from the Lady of the Lake (Miranda Richardson) (who came to visit him secretly during his training) that her sister Mab let his birth mother die and that Ambrosia is ill. Mab reaches Ambrosia's home before Merlin, but when Ambrosia refuses to convince Merlin to return to Mab, Mab lashes out mortally injuring Ambrosia. Merlin tries to attack Mab but can't defeat her; she coldly dismisses the deaths of his mother and Ambrosia as "casualties of war" and vows that Merlin will help her in her quest for power. Merlin makes a blood-oath never to use magic.
Many years pass. Merlin is brought before the tyrant King Vortigern (Rutger Hauer), who is having problems constructing his castle (Mab had told Vortigen that his castle would stand if he mixes Merlin's blood in the mortar). Merlin tells the king his vision: a crimson dragon representing Uther Pendragon (Mark Jax) defeats the white dragon that represents Vortigern. Vortigen imprisons Merlin, but Nimue argues for his release (as only Merlin can tell Vortigen how to defeat Uther, who has just attacked England). In their time alone, Nimue tells Merlin about the Holy Grail. Mab tells the king that he can vanquish Uther by sacrificing Nimue (Vortigen had captured Nimue to ensure the loyalty of Ardente's forces towards him) to a dragon (she wants Merlin in return), in the hope that Merlin will break his vow not to use magic. Merlin uses magic to save Nimue (but she is still singed by the dragon) and she is sent to Avalon to recover from her burns. Merlin asks the Lady of the Lake for help, and she gives him the magical sword Excalibur.
Merlin warns Uther of Vortigern's intention to attack him under the cover of winter; Uther heeds Merlin's warning and uses Excalibur to defeat the king in battle. Vortigen's army surrenders at the death of its master. Uther becomes obsessed with Igraine (Rachel De Thame), the wife of Gorlois, Lord of Cornwall. Merlin tricks Uther out of the sword (with the pretext of using it to get Igraine to fall in love with him) and plunges it into the Rock of Ages (James Earl Jones), who promises to keep it until a good man can withdraw it. Uther's mind is plagued by madness and lust, and Britain slides back into civil war. Merlin strikes a deal with Uther to let him bed Igraine in exchange for guardianship of the son born from the union, and for Gorlois and his men to be spared. Merlin transforms Uther's appearance into that of Gorlois, fooling everyone in Tintagel Castle except for Igraine's young daughter, Morgan Le Fay (Helena Bonham Carter). Uther later has Gorlois and his men slaughtered, deliberately going-back on his word to Merlin.
While Igraine is in labor, at Mab's behest, Frik convinces Morgan to place a black stone beneath the baby's sheets in his crib. Igraine gives birth to Arthur (Paul Curran). Mab then confronts Merlin, proclaiming Arthur to be damned, but Merlin vows to raise him in the ways of good and hopes Arthur will help bring her down. Arthur is tutored by Merlin. Uther continues to sink yet-further into his madness and later commits suicide, leaving the kingdom in turmoil. The noblemen in the kingdom try to take Excalibur from the Rock of Ages, but none can until Merlin presents Arthur, who is allowed to take the sword.
After some initial hostility, the nobles unite behind Arthur as their rightful king. Merlin leaves, thinking the kingdom is finally at peace, but Mab instructs Frik to seek out Morgan (Helena Bonham Carter) and poison her mind by making her beautiful, and has her seduce Arthur, who is unaware of their relationship (that they are step siblings). Merlin races back to Camelot to confront Arthur. Morgan gives birth to Mordred (Jason Done), whom Mab raises to become Arthur's downfall. Arthur starts construction of his castle of Camelot and marries Guinevere (Lena Headey). Merlin pays a visit to Morgan and begs her not to teach the old ways to Mordred. But Morgan is angry at Merlin for choosing Uther and then helping him seduce her mother and killing her father. She will see to Arthur's downfall. Arthur decides to take his knights on a quest for the Holy Grail, so he holds a tournament to crown a champion who will defend and complete Camelot in his absence. The Lady of the Lake vows to guide Merlin to a man worthy of being Camelot's guardian. Merlin meets a boy, Galahad, and his parents, Lancelot (Jeremy Sheffield), a skilled rider and swordsman, and Elaine of Astolat, Lancelot's wife. Merlin brings Lancelot to Camelot, where he wins the tournament.
In Arthur's absence, Guinevere and Lancelot embark on a love affair. Mab makes sure Elaine sees his betrayal (in a magic mirror), and she is found dead at the shores of Camelot not long after. Lancelot flees Camelot in his guilt and shame. Arthur and his knights return, their quest a failure. Mordred introduces himself as Arthur's son and heir and reveals Guinevere's betrayal to all. Arthur is forced to condemn her to be burned at the stake for treason, but relents and has Merlin save her before she is harmed, causing him to lose respect among the younger nobles. Lancelot rides back to Camelot to save her, both of them riding away into exile.
Mordred raises an army among those dissatisfied with Arthur and Merlin. Meanwhile, Frik and Morgan have fallen in love. When Morgan refuses to allow Mab to further use Mordred for her own ends, Mab kills her. Frik vows revenge on Mab and she takes his powers away. Mab creates an idyllic wilderness home for Nimue, and asks her to persuade Merlin to stay there with her, hoping to stop him intervening in the coming battle. Wanting to be with him, Nimue agrees and sends for Merlin.
The armies of Mordred and Arthur begin the Battle of Camlann, where many on both sides are slain. Arthur defeats Mordred and kills him, but Mordred deals Arthur a fatal blow. Sensing his protege is dying, Merlin leaves Nimue to go to Arthur. Mab's creation seals itself behind him, parting Merlin from Nimue. At the battlefield, Mab's magic is unable to save Mordred, and Arthur lives long enough to tell Merlin to return Excalibur to the place it was found. Merlin gives back the sword to the Lady of the Lake. She tells Merlin she is slowly dying as the Old Ways are rejected and forgotten. Merlin accuses her of lying to him about the guardian of Camelot, but she explains that it was Galahad who was the true guardian and could have averted all this, though she assures Merlin that Arthur's death is not his fault. Merlin encounters Frik among the survivors of Arthur's army, who warns him that although Mab is greatly weakened, she is still dangerous.
Merlin confronts Mab at Camelot but the ensuing magical duel ends in stalemate. Mab sneers that she is invulnerable to conventional means of destruction, but Merlin responds that she will be defeated when she is forgotten. Mab slowly fades into nothing as Merlin, Frik and the entire court of Camelot turn their backs on her and walk away. Merlin is again shown back in the "present" finishing his story. Frik appears along with Merlin's aged magic horse, who Frik says will take him to Nimue. Frik explains that some time after Mab disappeared, the spells she had cast lost their effectiveness, and Nimue was set free. Merlin finds the elderly Nimue at Ambrosia's old forest home. He manages one last act of magic to restore them both to youth so they can live out their lives together.
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