The best episodes of Merlin
Ranked by viewer rating, highs first. Lit marks on the season rail place this list across the run. Vote on a placement to back it or contest it.
- 01
The Coming of Arthur: Part Two
Queen Morgana begins a reign of terrible evil over the innocent citizens of Camelot. With Morgause's immortal army at her command, it seems there is no hope for Uther, who must watch his Kingdom crumble under the unimaginable cruelty of his own daughter.
- 02
Morgana is tormented by dreams of Guinevere becoming Queen of Camelot. Encouraged by Morgause, she decides to reveal Arthur and Gwen's courtship to Uther, who will do whatever it takes to stop his son from marrying a serving girl.
- 03
Gaius is deeply troubled when a Questing Beast is spotted in Camelot. A creature conjured from the nightmares of a long dead king, not only is its bite fatal but it is feared as an omen of impending doom...Friendship, loyalty and love are all tested to the limit as Merlin is forced to choose between those he loves most in the world. Just how far is the young sorcerer prepared to go to protect his destiny? And what will he have to sacrifice in order to do so?
- 04
The Great Dragon is finally free. Full of rage, he attacks Camelot with pitiless intensity. The castle is crumbling and Arthur's men cannot hold out much longer but only a Dragonlord can kill a dragon and Utherwiped them all out years ago. Or did he? Gaius admits one such man could still be alive and in hiding.The last Dragonlord is the key to Merlin's own past as well as the future of Camelot, but will Arthur and Merlin find Balinor in time to save the kingdom?
- 05
Arthur embarks on a solitary quest to retrieve the Golden Trident from the Fisher King and prove himself worthy of the Camelot throne. With the Prince beyond the protection of the citadel, Morgana sees an opportunity to use her dark magic and gives him a precious bracelet containing a Phoenix Eye. She insists he wears it at all times for protection, but it saps him of his life force and he is left defenceless in the Fisher King's perilous realm. With the help of Gwaine, can Merlin reach him in time and fulfil his own quest to protect the future king of Camelot?
- 06
The mighty citadel is buzzing in anticipation of the prince's birthday celebrations. But Arthur's old adversary, Odin, promises to ensure this is one party Camelot will never forget. For amongst the assembling guests lurks a deadly assassin, set to strike.
- 07
When Merlin decides to help a magical young fugitive, he finds an unlikely ally in Morgana.The pair are desperate to smuggle the boy back to his own kind, but this becomes increasingly difficult, as the hunt for his whereabouts increases with every minute. Their task takes a dangerous turn when Uther declares that anyone hiding the child will be executed.With their lives now on the line, can they sneak the boy out of the castle without being caught? And perhaps more importantly, just who is the mysterious child, and how does he know so much about Merlin?
- 08
When Merlin's village is attacked by Kanan, a fearsome raider, Merlin rushes home to help - and is surprised when Gwen, Morgana and Arthur insist on coming with him.It quickly becomes clear that the odds are stacked firmly against them. With dozens of lives at stake, Merlin's old friend William forces him to make a difficult choice. Is he prepared to use magic to save the village, and in doing so reveal his sorcery to Arthur? Or will his destiny to protect the future King lead him to keep his magic a secret, which may mean leaving his old friends to die..?
- 09
Uther's past comes back to haunt him when a mysterious Black Knight rides into Camelot. The visitor quickly makes his presence felt, throwing down his gauntlet and challenging the Knights of Camelot to mortal combat.As the formidable fighter picks off his opponents one by one, it becomes clear he cannot be beaten; is it just his superior skill, or is there something more sinister behind his invincibility? With Arthur set to face this deadly foe, will Uther overcome his pride and do the right thing, or is the truth too difficult to face?
- 10
When Arthur kills a unicorn, the most prized and mystical of creatures, Merlin's heart is filled with foreboding.The young sorcerer's concerns are soon validated when a curse descends on Camelot. With the fabled city fast running out of both food and water, Arthur is desperate to help his people. But to do so he must listen to the mysterious Anhora and he doesn't like what he hears. Will Arthur take Anhora seriously before it's too late? And if so, is he brave enough to face the challenges that are thrown at him?
- 11
The Coming of Arthur: Part One
Merlin and Arthur are sent on a dangerous mission to capture the Cup of Life, a powerful magical artifact that carries the gift of immortality. Before they can retrieve the Cup, they are captured by the unscrupulous slave trader, Jarl.
- 12
The Sword in the Stone: Part Two
Morgana and Helios have successfully captured Camelot, and Merlin and Arthur are outlaws on the run. Arthur must take control before Camelot is lost forever... but the young king has started to doubt himself. Only Merlin can restore his faith, and only an extraordinary act can prove to the King that he was born to rule. Will the young warlock convince Arthur before his dreams of Albion fall to pieces?
- 13
When Gwen's father is imprisoned for treason and killed at Uther's behest, Morgana decides she must take revenge.Merlin is stunned to discover just how far she is prepared to go when he uncovers a plot to kill the King. Can the young sorcerer summon the courage to foil her plan, or is this one occasion when he should just sit back and do nothing? After all, his life would be much simpler were Uther not around.
- 14
New servant Cedric muscles in on Merlin's position as Arthur's right-hand man, and turns the prince against his loyal friend. Merlin is convinced the slippery newcomer is up to something, and he is right -Cedric is a conman and a thief who is after a magnificent jewel, recently unearthed in a tomb far beneath Camelot. Little does he know, his precious prize is more dangerous than he could possibly imagine.Camelot has never been more vulnerable, but how can Merlin make things right when, thanks to Cedric, he might have lost Arthur's friendship for good? Merlin faces the prospect of turning to the one creature he swore he would never trust again - The Great Dragon.
- 15
Arthur is determined to win Camelot's jousting tournament on his own merit, so with Merlin and Gwen's help he goes undercover as an ordinary man. But Arthur's in for a shock when Gwen challenges him to give up his spoilt, lofty ways. Will Arthur be able to shake the habits of a lifetime as easily as he did his princely robes? And why does he care so much what Gwen thinks anyway?While Arthur is distracted, the bounty hunter Myror arrives in Camelot, intent on killing him. Can Merlin save the prince from the most deadly assassin in the land?
- 16
Gwen is mistaken for Morgana and kidnapped by the savage outlaw Hengist. Uther refuses to pay her ransom, so Arthur defies his father and heads out into dangerous enemy territory to fight for Gwen's freedom.Merlin suspects Arthur's devotion to Gwen is more than that of a prince to one of his subjects. How will Arthur react when he discovers Gwen is not alone in Hengist's castle? She and Lancelot have found each other again, and powerful feelings are rekindled.
- 17
Dignitaries from rival kingdoms descend on Camelot for peace talks, but what King Alined really wants is war and he'll do everything in his power to stir up hostilities, even if it means using magic.Alined's jester Trickler puts a spell on Arthur to make him fall madly in love with rival King Olaf's daughter Vivian. Chaos reigns in the palace and Camelot is once more poised on the brink of war.Can Merlin free Arthur's heart before the prince loses his head in battle?
- 18
When the Fires of Idirsholas burn for the first time in three hundred years, Gaius fears a sorcerer has revived the deadly Knights of Medhir. And he's right; Morgause has returned, hell-bent on ending Uther's reign. Arthur and Merlin face the knights, and barely escape with their lives.Upon returning home, they find everyone in a deep, unnatural sleep - all except for Morgana. Could she be behind the sleeping spell affecting the kingdom? As Morgause and her Knights attack a helpless Camelot, Merlin's loyalties are stretched to the limit.
- 19
When Merlin has an unexpected meeting with the mysterious Taliesin, the wizened old sorcerer takes the young warlock to the crystal cave and shows him a glimpse of the future. But this gift turns out to be more of a curse when, to his horror, Merlin sees Morgana, set to kill Uther.Merlin knows he must do all that he can to stop the future from playing out. But changing the pages of destiny is a dangerous game, and his actions have fatal consequences. With the whole of Camelot in a state of grief, can the young warlock undo the damage he has caused, or is it too late?
- 20
Merlin becomes a deadly weapon in Morgana's fight for supremacy when he falls into her hands. By recurring to ancient magic, she manages to turn friend against friend and creates the perfect assassin out of the young sorcerer which puts an oblivious King Arthur in great danger. Will anyone notice Merlin's unusual behaviour before he is able to do any serious harm to the King?
- 21
The Sword in the Stone: Part One
With Morgana at the helm of a vast Southron army, a deadly net is closing in around Camelot forcing everyone to run for their lives - even Arthur. But Morgana won't let him escape that easily. And so begins a chilling hunt. Can Merlin save the King from Morgana's clutches? Or has Arthur's luck finally run out?
- 22
The Diamond of the Day: Part Two
And so it seems the Prophets did not lie. As the great battle rages on Camlann's mighty plain, Merlin faces his moment of destiny. Can he find the strength to save the man he made a King; the Camelot they fought to build; and the brotherhood they shared?
- 23
When Morgana's nightmares spill into waking hours, she becomes terrified that she has magical powers. Gaius is determined to keep her in the dark for her own good but Merlin won't stand by and watch his friend suffer. He knows exactly what she's going through and he knows she needs the truth. Is Merlin about to reveal his secret at last?Wilfully disobeying Gaius, Merlin risks everything to help Morgana, not knowing what the far-reaching consequences might be. Lives are put in danger, loyalties are tested, and Morgana is reunited with the strange young druid boy Mordred, who the dragon predicted would one day kill Arthur.
- 24
When a mysterious warrior challenges Arthur to a duel, no one could possibly predict the devastating chain of events that is set in motion - least of all the young prince himself.Arthur and Merlin soon find themselves on a strange quest at the behest of the beautiful Morgause. Through her, Arthur discovers a dark secret which threatens to bring about the downfall of the kingdom.
- 25
When Merlin discovers the beautiful druid girl Freya trapped in a bounty hunter's cage, he knows he must help her escape. Gaius warns against getting involved, but Merlin refuses to listen, harbouring Freya in the tunnels beneath Camelot. But with the bounty hunter searching for his missing prize and a ferocious magical beast on the loose, Freya cannot stay hidden for long.Merlin's intense new friendship is tested to the limit, and he is forced to make some heartbreaking decisions as he battles to keep Freya safe.
Shows like Merlin
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
- 01Adventure·Fantasy·Science-FictionThe best episodes of Sliders1995–2000·Syfy
Brilliant grad student Quinn has created a device that opens a wormhole to an infinite number of parallel universes where history has taken different paths. - 02Adventure·Science-Fiction·RomanceThe best episodes of Outlander2014–2026·STARZ
Outlander follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world where her life is threatened. - 03Adventure·Fantasy·DramaThe best episodes of Game of Thrones2011–2019
Based on the bestselling book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. - 04Adventure·Science-Fiction·ActionThe best episodes of Stargate SG·11997–2008·SyfyStargate SG-1 is a science fiction series based on the original film Stargate.
- 05Adventure·Science-Fiction·DramaThe best episodes of Doctor Who2005–2022Same network — BBC One·
- 06Adventure·Science-Fiction·ComedyThe best episodes of Rick and Morty2013–present·Adult Swim
Rick is a mentally gifted, but sociopathic and alcoholic scientist and a grandfather to Morty; an awkward, impressionable, and somewhat spineless teenage boy.
