Merlin --- The Queen of Hearts

In this week's episode of Merlin, Guinevere is revealed to be the Once and Future "Queen of Hearts" and Morgana doesn't like this one bit. After a prophetic dream in which she sees Gwen crowned as Queen of Camelot, Morgana manipulates a chain of events to rid herself of her rival at all costs. But Detective Merlin is on the case and he may have come up with the grandaddy of all schemes to save Gwen and to make sure that love wins.

After a week of taking a break from her EVIL scheming, Morgana is in a tizzy when she realizes that Arthur is destined to marry Gwen and place her on the throne, that as Uther's secret female spawn, is rightfully hers! She easily manipulates Arthur and Gwen into throwing caution  to the wind and taking a romantic picnic in the forest. She then coos and bats her eyelashes at Daddy Uther until he agrees to go riding with her where they conveniently catch an unsuspecting Gwen and Arthur making out among the grass and flowers.

Uther is amused to see his son getting it on with the help, since he has been known to "court" a servant or two in his day, but he quickly becomes angry when he orders Arthur to end whatever is going on between them and Gwen and Arthur balks. Uther realizes that Arthur actually has feelings for this servant girl and banishes her.

Morgana is thrilled until she realizes that Arthur is planning on running away with Gwen and returning with her after Uther croaks, making her his wife and queen. Realizing that she has in fact made her the prophesy come true by causing the banishment, she decides to kill Gwen. She convinces Uther that Arthur is bewitched, something that Uther is all too willing to believe because a) he seems to believe that everything is the work of magic and b) it's the only explanation that he can stomach for his son being in love with a servant.

Gwen is tried, slapped and sentenced to death by Uther in about two minutes as a horrified Arthur looks on. Morgana is pleased that one of her EVIL plans has finally worked, but she tosses out one EVIL smirk too many and Gwen sees it. Gwen being on to her is the least of Morgana's problems, however. Detective Merlin morphs into Merlin the Magician and the warlock comes up with a magical solution that Morgana doesn't see coming.   

My shipper heart LOVED this episode. It had everything --- romantic picnics, epic declarations of love, slow mo kissage, life and death drama and Gwen being kick ass. Also, kudos to seeing Merlin actually use his magic in such a focused and calculating way instead of just off the cuff like he usually does.

Once again, these are the episodes when Merlin could benefit from a darker tone and a longer season.
If this arc didn't have to be tied up in a bow by episodes end we could have had the lovers discovered and Uther either banishing Gwen, and we could see how that played out and how it affected his relationship with Arthur, or choosing to accept Gwen, something that he would be loathed to do. We could have really seen the fallout of their outing, how everyone would react, how they would cope. Also, imagine Morgana having to pretend to accept Gwen as an equal, something that would have been hard for her to do even if she weren't EVIL. It would have been much more interesting then this magical quick fix.

Also, those scenes where Uther is talking about his randy past and confronting Gwen and Arthur hinted at  terrifying consequences for the duo that are never really actualized. Now, nobody expected Gwen to be executed, but there would have been more suffering. She takes her banishment like she takes everything else --- stoically, and her trial and imprisonment lasts about a nanosecond. What if Uther had her flogged or worse tortured? What if he had Arthur flogged or thrown into the dungeons until he saw reason? What if Gwen was actually saved at the eleventh hour by Elyan and Lancelot? That to me would have made a much better set-up for the The Coming of Arthur. She, Gawain and Lance could form the Banish by Uther Brigaide and come across Arthur in the forest after Morgana's coup.

I just wish that such an important revelation actually lead somewhere. I'm tired of these resets. Yes, by episode's end Gwen now suspects that Morgana is EVIL, and yes Gwen FINALLY agreed to wait for Arthur, sorry Lancelot, but the Arthur/Uther dynamic, something that really fascinates me about this show, doesn't seem to change, despite him wanting to barbecue Gwen. Arthur doesn't seem to hold any of what his father did to them against him, at least not outwardly, and that is a problem for me.    

Questions/Comments

Angel Coulby looked absolutely beautiful as Queen Guinevere.

Why was Merlin still dressed as a servant during Gwen's coronation? Surely he would have risen up in rank. At least he got front row seats to the event. And Gauis outlives Uther? Figures.

One thing I can say for Morgana is that she is getting better at this EVIL thing. After one convoluted, DISASTROUS plan after another she finally decides to keep it simple and it almost works.

This is actually one time when I don't mind Morgana trying to kill Gwen because I feel as if it's in character. Nonevil Morgana would never have accepted her servant girl as her Queen, it would be unrealistic to expect her too no matter how much she may have liked Gwen. She would have agreed with the banishment "for both their sakes" or something "noble" like that. EVIL Morgana just took things further.

All the Arthur and Gwen scenes were something out of a romance novel and I thought it was great. The picnic date was lush and beautiful. Also loved the hallway scene at the end where they basically became betrothed. It was good to actually hear Gwen tell Arthur that she was in it for the long haul. It was also
good to hear Gwen say that Camelot comes first because it shows that she understands what she will be getting herself into as Queen. It's not all dresses and jewelry and parties --- being Queen means work and sacrifice. And that scene where Arthur and Gwen kiss and Arthur declares his undying love before they are pulled apart by the guards in slow motion? An instant favorite of mine.

I'm going to give Arthur a pass for not seemingly doing more to rescue Gwen and fanwank that he was feverishly planning to save her up until the very end. Once again since this show is all about Merlin always coming to the rescuse we really don't know what Arthur was up too.

As much as I was not a fan of the magical fix I have to say that Colin was amazing as old Merlin. Simply funny. He has great comedic timing, so does Bradley James by the way who has the thankless role as the straight man for the most part. Also, I appreciate any nod to Arthurian lore.

Kudos to Anthony Head and Angel Coulby who were just amazing in that trial scene. Uther was scary and Gwen managed to keep her dignity in the face of certain death, she even brought up that Uther killed her father. Imagine that.

I'm sorry but I laughed when Gauis tried to plead Gwen's case and Uther basically told him to shut up. You can really tell that when push comes to shove Uther values him and he really made the right decision turning and blind eye to his murderous ways and standing by him all these years. Not! But his own near burning in season one should have taught him that.

Uther really is mad. Seriously, he is crazy. That scene when he takes Arthur's face in his hands and promises him that he will thank him after Gwen is dead  is Uther at his scariest and delusional best.

Where is Elyan when his sister is banished and imprisoned? Working overtime at the forge?

Guardians of Destiny Book Cover

One of the great things about being an Indie Writing Chick is the freedom. Ever since I decided to step into the brave new world of e-books and indie publishing I have been writing a lot more, I kind of expected that. What I didn't expect was that creating my own book covers, something that I was actually dreading, would be so much fun. I'm actually addicted to it. Enjoy a sneak peak at my book cover for The Specter of War-- Book One in My Guardians of Destiny series coming out in May.

Merlin --- Love in the Time of Dragons

This week on Merlin, Gauis gets a mysterious letter from an old love. The letter awakens memories in him long forgotten and we get a flashback episode  in which we see the beginnings of the purge, Uther's madness and cruelty, and how the choices Gauis had to make to stay in Uther's good graces continue to haunt him to this day. We even get a cameo of Baby Arthur! OK that didn't happen. Instead of fleshing out the mythology and shedding some light on Gauis's mysterious past, "Love in the Time of Dragons" turns into yet another episode about a magical baddie trying to kill a Pendragon, this time it's Uther's turn.

Gauis's old love Alice reappears. Alice is a healer who went on the run during the purge and her most recent patient was a peasant who would have died without her care. The word some how gets back to Uther that a peasant escaped the Grim Reaper and his Royal Pain gets all excited at the prospect that magic is afoot and starts drooling over who he can burn. Gaius decided to investigate, but covers when he realizes who the witch is. He is thrilled to see Alice, but Merlin....come on guess what happens... you can do it....you guessed it! Merlin's magical senses starts tingling and Detective Merlin soon figures out that Alice is up to no good. She's formed an alliance with a manticore who has used his powerful magic to help her save tons of sick people in need. All he wants is for her to help him poison Uther, sounds like a fair price to me. But the catch is that Alice is going to have to frame Gaius and Merlin isn't having that so he must find a way to stop Alice before it's too late.

I'll admit I wasn't excited about an episode that focused on Gauis, but I hoped this episode would at least give us something to ponder. Uther's purge is a big deal. He killed a lot of people and Gauis watched and perhaps even helped. These are issues that Merlin needs to deal with and it being a kid friendly story is no excuse, so is Harry Potter! Also a big thumbs down for Alice escaping. While I didn't want her to die I think her death would have created a rift between Uther and Gauis, and maybe even Merlin and Gauis, and it would have been nice to see where that lead everybody.

Questions/Comments

I am not to fond of Gauis. He is a collaborator and I hate collaborators. Yes, he does his bit here and there, helping Merlin and what not , but so what? Where was all his concern for Merlin when Uther was hunting his dad down like a dog and forcing him to leave him and his mother? I'm actually surprised that Merlin never questions Gauis more. If Arthur has a blind spot for Uther, Merlin has one for Gauis.

I understand that keeping his mouth shut saved his life, but Gauis had another option, in this episode we learn that he could have left with Alice, instead he stayed because he was scared.

So let me get this straight. When the purge went down Gauis knew that Uther had a list of people to slaughter, a list that I'm guessing he showed Gauis, and all Gauis did was erase Alice's name and keep on keeping on? How does he look at the families of the people that Uther killed?

This episode just seemed like one wasted opportunity after another. We learn very little about the past and there is no shakeup in the status quo. This reminds me of the episode where Arthur's Zoombie Uncle reappears to avenge his death at Uther's hads and we learn very little about the the nature of Uther and Ygraine's marriage,  Arthur learns nothing about his mother's true fate, and Uther ends up looking like the freaking hero! Memo to Merlin writers. You have added some brilliant twists to this legend, but if you don't flesh it, or even really get in there and play with it, what's the point?

Most important of all, why did the writers make me go through a whole 45 minutes with Arthur being all up Uther's you know what and no Gwen. And  you thought Morgana was EVIL!

Merlin - Eye of the Phoenix

In this week's episode of Merlin, “The Eye of the Phoenix,” Arthur is off on another dangerous quest, that his enemies have decided would be the perfect cover to assassinate him, and once again it's Merlin to the rescue.

Despite slaying dragons, beating back the undead, and generally acting like Uther's kick ass hammer all his life,  Arthur must prove that he is worthy of being King by going on a dangerous quest that could very well get him killed.  That this would leave Camelot without an heir doesn't seem to matter.  What matters is that the princes of Camelot have been doing this for eons and Uther, ever the traditionalist, will not break the rules for the son he killed his wife to have!

Arthur, after much meditation with the The Force, realizes that he has to travel to Dagobah, I mean the Perilous Lands, to retrieve the trident of the famed Fisher King. Merlin wants to go with Arthur, but Arthur says this is a solo project and he must stay behind. While Merlin is dismayed by the idea of the journey, Morgana couldn't be more thrilled. After her failed attempt at killing Arthur last week, Morgana decides to keep it simple this week and give Arthur an EVIL life sucking bracelet that she got from Morgause, who hobbles into Camelot looking like Snow White's Stepmother when she's got her Crone on. Merlin is suspicious when Arthur shows him Morgana's "good luck" trinket and Detective Merlin figures out that it's a tool of the Dark side and he has to find Arthur before it destroys him.

Realizing that he has to get to Arthur without Morgana or Uther knowing, Merlin tracks down Gawain, who is bored and down for an adventure. Merlin and Gawain arrive to The Perilous Lands and runs in to Yoda, Willow, Grettir, the keeper of the bridge, who tells them that he has been waiting for them and that they, along with Arthur, have a great destiny ahead of them.

Back in Camelot, Morgana is getting impatient with Arthur's unwillingness to just die already and gets all snappy when Gwen interrupts her Death to Arthur Voodoo Chant. She later apologizes, but Gwen is on to her and you can tell that things between them will never be the same.

Meanwhile, Merlin and Gawain track down Arthur, but will rescuing him really be that easy? And what will happen once they find The Fisher King?

“The Eye of the Phoenix”  is a good old fashion adventure and I loved it. It was great seeing Warwick Davis, WILLOW!,  being all snarky with Arthur and Co. and of course anytime Merlin and Gawain get together we are instantly in a buddy movie. It was also great that the girls got their own subplot as Morgana's EVIL became apparently to Gwen, no doubt setting up a showdown between the two former friends.


Questions/Comments

I know that that this show is about Merlin, it's called Merlin after all, but would it be too much trouble to let us see an adventure with Arthur where he saves himself ,giving that he is The Once and Future King of legend and all?  Arthur gets props for making it as far as he does alive with Morgana's Magic Bracelet of Evil on his wrists, but once Merlin arrives he is made to look like a clueless ingrate. His total obliviousness to Morgana's EVIL is also painful to watch. I know he loves and trusts her, but if Gwen can see that something is up, Arthur should have at least a small inkling that Morgana is acting different.

The Fisher King mentions that his kingdoms will be restored to greatness, it's implied by Arthur, yet His Cobwebbed Majesty is going on and on about Merlin's destiny, again, and how this was really Merlin's quest, and how it is up to Merlin to unite Albion. Huh? If the world of magic played a bigger part in the politics of the land I could buy this, by right now it's hard to swallow. It's more believable that Arthur's will and vision is why Albion will be united one day, not because of a Warlock, who may be the greatest bodyguard ever, but whose larger role, even now, seems small compared to Arthur's destiny.

Anybody else disappointed that that beautiful scene of Arthur on his knees crying  that we saw in the season teaser trailer was about a vision of tracking down the Fisher King? But it was funny watching Gwen and Merlin make fun of him.

So let me get this straight, in order to prove that you are worthy to assume the throne you have to take on a dangerous mission of the Fate's choosing in which death is very much likely? And if you die, then? Sounds like a great custom.

I like Gawain, really I do, but I can't help but thinking that it should be Lancelot in this episode not him.

Why is Morgan so cold towards Gwen? I understand that she was in the middle of some supernatural scheming and all and Gwen was getting in the way, but up until this point Gwen has been nothing but loyal to her.

Loved the quick kiss between Arthur and Gwen, it shows how comfortable they are now with each other.

It's great to see Gwen doing her own detective work and getting the goods on a scheming Morgana.
She's not the Once and Future Queen of Legend for Nothing.

Other Worlds Spotlight - My Top Ten Scifi/Fantasy Pairings of All Time

Many people become immersed in the world of science fiction and fantasy for many different reasons, I am all about the love. I have always been attracted to the relationships that characters have with each other in my favorite stories/movies and I thought it would be fun to list my top ten favorite sci-fi/fantasy ships of all times.

Deanna Troi and William Riker

Star Trek the Next Generation

"And somewhere, somewhere deep within Riker's mind, merged with his spirit, a word echoed. A word that he had never heard before. A word filled with mystery and promise and a future . . .
And the word was Imzadi"---- Imzadi, Peter David 

This was the couple who made me fall in love with science fiction, really, they were my gate way into other planets, parallel universes and got my

eleven-year-old self dreaming about what happily ever after looks like in a place where no one has gone before. I watched for the romance and ended up falling in love with the genre.

Their onscreen chemistry was amazing, but it was actually Peter David's novel Imzadi that cemented them as one of my favorite romances of all time.

I think I love them so much because Will and Deanna are true soul mates in the literary sense of the word.  They call each other Imzadi, a  ridiculously romantic word for ultimate soul mate, they can communicate telepathically, and they seem to feel each others emotions. It was also obvious that no matter who they got involved with they were the love of each others lives. As Next Gen began to wind down its run it looked like they would never get it together and the finale, and first two subsequent movies, did little to reignite the flame. They FINALLY reunited in Insurrection and married in Nemeses,  much to my utter delight. The best part is that I can follow their continued adventures in the wonderful Star Trek: Titans books in which they are not only happily married, but raising a daughter.

Lois Lane and Clark Kent

The Superman Universe

 "You were the one that I've always needed." -- Clark Kent to Lois Lane, Smallville: Salvation.

Lois and Clark are my favorite comic book pairing of all time. There is something really romantic about the most powerful man on Earth finding peace and happiness not with a superpowered equal but a snoopy reporter with a penchant for getting into trouble.

Their dynamic has always been fascinating --- a triangle built for two in which Lois often times doesn't realize that the mild manner Clark is really the Superman of her dreams. Their banter is fun and funny and whether they are competing for a story or sharing a romantic flight in the sky it is clear that they both challenge and anchor each other.

One of the reasons this pairing works is that Lois is a great character in her own right --- spunky, independent and no nonsense. You see why Clark likes her and its been so amazing to see them sparkling in every incarnation, especially in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Smallville. This is a timeless couple who always works (even in Superman Returns, no small feat) and they will always be relevant to readers. Lois and Clark forever!

Dana Scully and Fox Mulder

The X-files

Mulder: I think what we feared were the possibilities. The truth we both know.
Scully: Which is what?
(Still holding the BABY between them, Mulder leans down and kisses Scully on the lips. And keeps kissing her. Scully reaches out to hold Mulder's arms and returns the lover's kiss) --- X-files: Existence

Many people believe that shipping began with Mulder and Scully, I don't know about that, but I don't know another couple who could send their fan base into an overwhelming tizzy at the mere notion that after five years in a not exactly platonic partnership they were finally going to kiss. Damn that bee! Damn him!

Beautiful, independent, and SMART, Mulder and Scully were a new type of pairing whose bond was sexy, but not necessarily sexual. They respected and loved each other as friends and colleagues long before they realized they wanted something more. They could convey more passion by touching hands then most couples locked in steamy embraces. What also separates them from other couples who try unsuccessfully to emulate their dynamic is that their relationship was just icing on a very delicious cake. The X-files was one amazingly written show that didn't need their sexual tension to keep it alive, but the dynamic, rather you were a noromo or a shipper, just made it even more special.

Yes, their relationship was co-dependent and unhealthy at times, but their need for each other was palatable and they made each other better. They were also complete opposites --- logic and emotion, faith and facts drawn together by the need to find their truths.  Finally they realized that after everything they were trying to uncover and expose, the truth was that their love was the only thing that mattered.The truth is that there will never be another pair like them.

Han Solo and Leia Organa

Star Wars

Leia Organa : "I love you." 

Han Solo: "I know."

The Tracy and Hepburn of a galaxy far, far away, Princess Leia and Han Solo took the standard love/hate relationship and made it their own icon dance. Brother or no brother, hero and farm boy Luke never had a chance.Few movie screen pairings have ever worked as well as the princess and the pirate and they continue to fascinate and delight after three decades. They cemented their relationship in Return of the Jedi and I'd like to think that after helping to topple an evil empire that they took on marriage and a family--- the biggest adventure of them all.

Note on The Expanded Universe

I know that Leia and Han marry in the EU ,and while I am Anakin/Tahiri shipper, I reject a future where Han and Leia lose so much, therefore the EU does not exists in my fannon. But I think they do marry and Leia takes over the government while Luke rebuilds the Jedi Order.

Guinvere and Arthur Pendragon

The Arthurian Legend

As his Queen, Guinevere gave Arthur every happiness he could wished for.
Camelot flourished as never before. Knights flocked to offer their services to the King for they were determined to rid the land of evil. They were happy times,  "The Once and Future King."

While there are those who consider Lancelot and Guinevere to be the true love story of the Authurian Legend, I have always shipped Guinevere and Arthur and wished that their pairing got more love, so I have been very happy with recent interpretions such as Antoine Fuqua's King Arthur and Helen Hollick's Kingmaker that put the romance front and center. With Merlin I feel like I hit the Holy Grail of Guinevere/ Arthur Shipdom, as they are painted as star crossed lovers who have to beat all odds to be together.

Merlin portrays Gwen and Arthur's romance as epic and legendary and most importantly essential to the king he will become. It is Gwen who brings out his soft side, keeps him steady, and helps gives him purpose. While Lancelot is around, he is portrayed as the second choice, the attainable love, not the preferred one. While many interpretations have Guinevere only marrying Arthur out of duty,  this Gwen clearly loves Arthur, even as she fears he will break her heart. But when she does allow herself to believe in Arthur's love she gives herself to him completely, promising to wait for him and showing her loyalty to him by fleeing Camelot to join him on the run when Morgana takes over Camelot. How this pairing will play out on Merlin in not yet known, but I a enjoying it immensely. I haven't been this excited about a couple in a while and they  have become my favorite interpretation of the pair.

Richard Grayson and and Barbara Gordon

The Batverse

Dick Grayson: You're right I need to find out who I really am and when I do you are the first person that I am going to look for.
Barbara Gordon:  I'm going to hold you to that.

There are a lot of reasons that I love this pairing.  Firstly, I love the two separately, Dick Grayson is my favorite comic book hero and Barbara Gordon is my favorite comic book heroine so I was going to love them together. I love the fact that they fought together as Robin and Batgirl. I love that as Nightwing and Batgirl 1.0 they became the template of the Batfamily dynamic. I love the idea that they fell in love as kids but couldn't come together due to age gaps and bad timing. I love their playful banter. I love the way they look together. I love the fact that the smart, nerdy  girl gets the hunkiest guy in the DCU. I love the fact that even after a great romance with Starfire that he still sees Babs as the one. I just love them. Babs and Dick are so imperfect that they are perfect for each other. Truth is, Babs and Dick are two people who just can't get out of each others way. Fear and uncertainty keep them apart. Dick is more emotional than Babs, but they both live in a dark world and neither one of them really believes in happily ever afters. With Dick now firmly entrenched as Batman and Barbara doing her Birds of Prey thing there seems to be no reconciliation on the horizon but these are two characters that I am always going to root for to find their way back to each other.

Ronald Weasley  and Hermione Granger

The Potterverse

All's fair in love and war - Ronald Weasley

Everybody knew from the very first novel that Ron and Hermione were destined to fall in love, everybody except them that is. They've been battling it out since the first moment they saw each other, but it's obvious they'd rather make love, not war. I'm a sucker for side kicks in love and their budding romance is one of the best things in The Potterverse. What I like about Ron and Hermione is that they actually act like kids in love who don't know how to act on it. Also, kudos to Ms. Rowlins for NOT going the dreaded triangle route. I love a triangle as much as anybody, but not among close, young friends. Harry/Hermione have one of the best friendships EVER and part of the reason it works is that the romantic element was never involved. Also, Ron can be a prat and I like that about him, it's easy to love the hero, but loving Ron Weasley was enough to drive even the greatest of witches batty!

They were especially hilarious in The Goblet of Fire and The Half-Blooded Prince, where they didn't take too kindly to other people looking at their boo, but while Ron was happy to sulk and be a jerk about it, Hermione let him have it and boy was it glorious. The movies have not done the romance the justice it deserves, but it has done an admirable job and thankfully Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have chemistry, invoke their novel counterparts perfectly, and look great together. While I was surprised that JK. Rowlins dragged their will their/won't they dance out for all seven books, the moment they finally kissed was one of the most satisfying literary moments ever. Plus, they get married and have Rose who seems destined  for some bad boy Malfoy loving. Now if J.K. Rowlins would only write that series...

Julian Bashir and Miles O'Brien

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Chief O'Brien: [of Keiko] She always said I... I liked you more than I liked her.

Doctor Bashir: That's ridiculous!

Chief O'Brien: Right.

Doctor Bashir: Well, maybe, maybe you do, a bit more.

Chief O'Brien: What? Are you crazy? She's my wife, I love her!

Doctor Bashir: Of course you love her - she's your wife.

Chief O'Brien: Yeah.

Doctor Bashir: I'm just saying, maybe you like me a bit more, that's all.

Chief O'Brien: I do not.

Doctor Bashir: You spend more time with me.

Chief O'Brien: We work together!

Doctor Bashir: We have more in common.

Chief O'Brien: Julian, you are beginning to annoy me.

Doctor Bashir: Darts, racquetball, Vic's lounge, the Alamo... Need I go on?

Chief O'Brien: I *love* my wife.

Doctor Bashir: And I love Ezri - passionately.

Chief O'Brien: You do?

Doctor Bashir: Yes.

Chief O'Brien: Have you told her?

Doctor Bashir: Not yet. But I will.

Chief O'Brien: Oh, yeah? Huh... When?

Doctor Bashir: When I'm ready. It's just that I... like you... a bit more. See? There, I've admitted it.

Chief O'Brien: Yeah, well - I *love* my wife, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Extreme Measures

Anybody who wants to know what a real bromance looks like needs look no further then Julian Bashir and Miles O'Brien. Total opposites ---  a hardened military guy and an optimistic doctor, they exacerbated and exhilarated each other and made each other better. While they both had fairly popular romantic pairings,  it was their brotherly love that defined the these guys. Their characters really came alive when they were together and whether they were battling in the holedeck or in space they were a joy to watch. Bashir and O'Brien were THE RELATIONSHIP of DS9 and it was their goodbye in the final episode that hurt the most and the one thing that every DS9 fan was going to miss most.

Dr. Julie Parrish and Michael Donovan

V

I'd like to build a future with my son and I'd like you to be a part of it.  --- Michael Donovon to Julie Parrish. V: The Final Battle

V and V: The Final Battle may be considered cheeseball classics today, but there is no denying that they were two of the best and most popular miniseries of all time. Mike Donovan and Julie Parrish managed to find love in a time of resistance and their relationship was a large part of why I enjoyed the story so much. Who can forget their big, long almost slow mo kiss at the end when the Resistance wins? "This war isn't about your love life," my man Ham (played by the amazing Michael Ironside) said when Mike wanted to rescue a captured Julie, but in a very real way it was. Everybody was fighting for their lives and the lives of the ones they loved. Mike and Julie were fighting for a future, one they wanted to spend together.

Aeryn Sun  and John Crichton

Farscape

You see that one, that's that star right there. It's my point of reference, my guide, and it always becomes the center of my chart. I always name it Aeryn. --- John Crichton

John and Aeryn's romance was the heart and soul of Farscape. These were two people who were literally from two different worlds who had to overcome their own beliefs, prejudices and expectations to find the love they always needed. This was an imperfect romance. There was no violins or flower petals in sight, but it was also very raw and very real. They couldn't always trust each other, hell they didn't even always like each other. There were times when I honestly wanted John to walk away from Aeryn and her lies, but the pull between them was so strong that you just knew they'd figure out a way to come together and they actually got to live happily ever after, a nice surprise in a universe where the likelihood of that happening was the same as Darth Vader suddenly deciding he was a pacifist and wearing all white. But it was a nice gift to the fans and an even nicer way to say goodbye to a show that was all about love and family from the beginning.

And Five Pairings that Make Me Go Ugh!

Clark Kent and Lana Lang

Smallville

I am a die hard Lois and Clark shipper from back in the day so I was never going to be fully on the Clana train, but I do like Comic Lana and the Clark/Lana dynamic in the comic book and when Smallville aired I was  looking forward to a sweet romance built on friendship and roads not taken, not the never ending abyss that was Clana.

Part of the problem was their individual piss poor characterizations. Clark seemed angry way too often and he seemed wishy washy and insecure, running away from his destiny instead of trying to accept and live with it.  Lana fared even worse as we watched her morph into a different girl every season --- from damsel in distress, to kung fu expert, to scheming vixen, to super heroine --- faster than you can say, "up, up and away." When your two parts need so much tinkling it's hard to enjoy the whole.

Also frustrating was that despite the fact that everybody knows that Lois and Clark have been destined to be together since 1939, The Smallville Gods decides that Clana were soul mates and they were going to be
treated as such. Had they been given the Chloe/Clark treatment these guys really could have been interesting. They would have been two best friends who brought out the best in each other who, through a series of events, slowly realized that they weren't meant to be together in that way, but NOOO.  Lana had to be the unattainable perfect princess and they spent the first three seasons dancing around each other and when they finally did get together even the writers had to admit they were BORING.

The Powers that Be had the right idea by bringing in Lois and Jason in beginning of  Season Four, Clark never sparkled more than he did with Lois, and Lana actually seemed to be in a relationship that could work, but by the end  of the season Jason was a villain, Clark wanted Lana back, and the dreaded Lexana was on the horizon. Now, I thought Lex and Lana had chemistry, but it made no logical sense that they would be together. Why would Lex want Lana?She's beautiful but so are a million other women. She lacked the fire and mystery that would attract a guy like Lex. Conversely, by turning to Lex, a man she showed no prior interest in, when Clark was pushing her away, Lana looked like a little girl who would just leaned on any man who was interested, not a good look for the show's heroine.

An even bigger problem was that I couldn't figure out what Clark liked about Lana besides how she looked. Again, although I love Chloe to bits, the writers really messed up by giving Chloe Lana's comicbook history with Clark. Had they been friends who could trust and lean on each other their relationship wouldn't have seemed so shallow and hard to swallow.  Also, one of the running themes of the show was that they never really knew each other, so why would I root for them, and the Romeo and Juliet antics? They also spent a great deal of time making each other miserable. Kristin Kreuk's exit gave them the prefect opportunity to have these two part as friends and to let us see that Lana will be ok without Clark. But like a dog with a bone the writers wouldn't drop their STAR CROSSED LOVERS refrain and their last episodes together involved a disastrous plot in which the two were forced apart by a Kryptonite  Power Suit. Yeah, you read that right. It wasn't until a few episodes later when Clark realized that he had already moved on and smiled as he put his picture of Lana in a high school scrapbook that Lana  and Clark finally got a dignified end that invoked a sense of sweet nostalgia that this romance was supposed to always be about. And I couldn't have been happier to see that book literally closed.

Bella Swan and Edward Cullen

The Twilightverse

I have heard of people who have death wishes but geesh no girl has rarely been as eager to die and throw her family away as Bella Swan and I think that's why I detest this pairing. Twilight is little more than a young adult romance novel so I don't expect much from Bella's characterization, but come on can she at least be a bit relatable or likable?  Bella is a girl with serious issues. She has no hopes, no dreams, no goals. Edward arrives just in time to give her life meaning and she becomes all about being with him, even though that means she'll literally have to die to do it.

Bella is also a wuss. I mean seriously, becoming catatonic because your boyfriend dumps you and doing dangeous stunts to invoke his spirit self? Honestly, I had a really hard time caring about whether her attempts at "suicide" failed because they made her look almost too stupid to live. Also, Edward isn't very interesting. Really, he's a Dud Muffin. Sullen and self-pitying and stalkerish to the extreme he just doesn't float my boat. I understand that Bella is an immature seventeen- year -old girl, but what's Edward's excuse for all this foolishness?

Truth is if there was any attempt to make this pairing look like anything other than the Ultimate Teen Romance I'd be able to give it a pass, but if this is a "great love story" I'll make due with some mediocre ones, thanks. 

Worf and Deanna Troi

Star Trek the Next Generation

I hate this pairing with the passion of ten thousand Vulcan suns. No seriously, it came out of nowhere and was the most unwelcome of surprises. These two were mismatched from the go and it wasn't believable that Worf would be interested in Deanna and vice versa. Worf likes rough and tough women --- see wives Keylar and Jadzia Dax. Deanna likes tall, dark and handsome men with a sensitive side and a heavy dose of rogue --- Will, Devononi Ral, Connor, etc. So their attraction to each other made sense because? Yes, I could buy that they would become FRIENDS because of Deanna's interest in Worf's son Alexander, but that  friendship blossoming into romance? No way.

On another note, I will never understand why the writers thought that after eight years of watching Will and Deanna's will they/won't they dance that we wanted to see her walking down the corridor with, and kissing Worf in the first scene of the last episode, instead of Will and Deanna reconciling. Yeah, I'm still bitter about that. But thankfully Will and Deanna reunited and everyone acts like this debacle never happened so all is right in the Trekverse.

Movieverse Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter

This actually pains me to write because I have been shipping Harry/Ginny since The Chamber of Secrets but as much as I LOVE this pairing in the BOOK, their celluloid counterparts are an absolute snooze. Daniel Radcliffe and  Bonnie Wright have no chemistry--- zilch, zero, nada. Sorry, but Bonnie is miscast as Ginny, who is a lively, popular, funny girl, in the book, not this sullen one expression wisp of a girl we see onscreen. Also, the movie didn't do this romance any favors by skipping their book hook-up so we could see how their sweet romance unfolded and how happy it made Harry. Zipping up the object of your affections dress does not a great romance make.

Chakotay and Seven

Star Trek: Voyager

This pairing existed for one reason only --- to quiet the Janeway/Chakotey shippers. With Kate Mulgrew adamantly against the idea of a captain sleeping with her first officer the Voyager couple that everybody was rooting for was over before they began. Seeing the desire for more loving on the ship the writers decided to pair Chakotey with the Ex-Borg Formerly Known as Seven of Nine, but the romance, you know, made no sense and no matter how much we were TOLD they were true love it just seemed forced. Janeway/Chakotey forever!

Merlin --- The Castle of Fryrien

This week on Merlin Gwen takes center stage which is never a good thing for her --- it means she is either going to be arrested, have to watch the man she loves slip away from her, get kidnapped, get threatened with death, or have to watch a family member die. It's two out of three this week for our girl, as she and her long lost brother Elyan are kidnapped by Sisters Morgana and Morgause and their smoldering puppet Cendred as part of a plan to kill Arthur.

Last week, Morgana's EVIL powers of perception honed in on the fact that Arthur loves Gwen and like any good villain worth their salt she quickly deduces that she can use this bit of info to her advantage. Instead of letting it slip to Uther and instigating a showdown, that if she played her cards right could rid her of  both Uther and Arthur (That is Plan B apparently, see Queen of Hearts), Morgana comes with an extremely convoluted plan to have Cendred and Morgause kidnap Gwen and Elyan and force Gwen to lure Arthur to where her Partners in Evil are so that they can kill him.

Gwen doesn't take the bait however, and even though Cendred has threatened to kill her brother if she doesn't bring Arthur back after they release her, Gwen keeps mum. Luckily for Elyan, Detective Merlin is on the case and takes one look at a distraught Gwen, and her newly acquired bruises, and not only gets the whole story about the kidnapping, but convinces her to tell Arthur.

Arthur decided that he is going to ride to Elyan's rescue, much to the pleasure of the eavesdropping Morgana. The next morning Merlin is happy to be accompanying Arthur and Gwen, but worried and upset when Morgana announces that she is tagging along too. Now Merlin must find a way to help Gwen and Arthur rescue Elyan and keep Arthur alive without Morgana sabotaging their every move.

I really liked this episode, not only was it action packed, but it was great seeing Gwen get to interact with someone who she could really feel close too. Gwen's brother came out the blue, but Angel Coulby and Adetomiwa Edun have a nice chemistry and you believe that they are siblings who love each other.Guinevere has always been the damsel in distress in most of Arthurian Lore and I don't expect that to change. I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing because Gwen is not a silly girl. She has a quiet strength that makes Arthur a better man and gives Merlin someone to rely on and she goes out on a limb for the people that she cares about. She was willing to live with her brother's death on her conscience without ever telling Arthur. That takes a lot of inner fortitude.

Questions/Comments

So, you are an EVIL princess who needs to kill her beloved brother to upsurp his rights to the throne. You have access to said brother all the time but instead of poisoning him, assassinating him, or just running your sword threw both him and your much hated Daddy, you come up with this elaborate plan to kidnap your servant's long lost brother so that your Partners in EVIL can use him as bait when they kidnap your said servant and demand that she bring your brother to them or they'll kill hers knowing that your servant will run back to your brother and he will ride to the rescue of your servant's brother and be killed by your Partners in EVIL so that you now become the sole heir of the kingdom? Okay. 

Morgana's faux concern for Gwen only makes her plan seem more convoluted. If the plan was always to let Gwen go so that she could lure Arthur to them, why alert Arthur to the fact that she is missing in the first place?  Did she want to get Arthur so riled up that when Gwen did return he would demand to know what happened, forcing her hand?

LOVED The scene when Merlin tried to pour Morgana a drink and she put her hand over the glass like one poisoning is enough in one life time thank you very much!

Gwen seems to walk home at an ungodly hour ALONE and walks into an open house. Surely, the object of the prince's affections, the servant of the king's ward, and the daughter of a blacksmith can get a lock. 

Uther's continuous sloberfest over Morgana is really just icky at this point.

Does the fact that Uther agreed to send a mini search party after Gwen mean he like her in some itty bitty tiny weenie way, or does he have some sense of fairness somewhere in that cold, black soul?

I really enjoyed the Gwen/Arthur scenes. These two really have great chemistry and the almost kiss was perfect.

Morgana and Merlin have a fascinating dynamic. I actually understand why she hates Merlin and vice versa, go figure lol. They both have dirt on each other and can't tell on each other without telling on themselves. It was great watching Merlin try to foil Morgana's plans while Arthur and Gwen remained oblivious to her true intentions.  

I had a hard time at first believing that Arthur would agree to bring Morgana along on such a dangerous mission but later I rationalized it as him feeling that this had to be top secret and Morgana and Merlin were the only two people he could trust.

I love Cendred and Morgause but I think their characters are pretty much wasted. All they do is smirk and flirt and execute one ill-fated plan after another. Frankly, they hardly seem like a threat to our heroes. What kind of a king is Cendred really? This is an opportunity to show how other kingdoms are run and why Arthur will be such a great High King. Also, Morgause gives the show a chance to really delve into the world of magic in the Merlinverse and the politics of that world so why not go there.

I thought that Gwen trying to handle all this alone was so Gwen, but does the fact that she said nothing to Arthur mean that she was going to let Elyan die? I think so and not because she loves Art more, but because she would feel as prince his life was "more important." A horrible choice for anybody.

I really liked Elyan, but I didn't get a good read on him. He's typically a knight in Arthurian Lore so it's nice to see that all of Gwen's family will be moving on up, but why did he leave Camelot in the first place? Gwen tells us he is a bad boy and a nomad, but he seems like a great guy and at the end of the episode he has settled back down in Camelot with a home and a job, hardly the actions of a rascal.

Speaking of kin, I am glad to see that Gwen has family and glad that this family wasn't a long lost king, making her a instaprincess. Also kudos for mentioning Tom. Am I the only one though who thinks its unnatural that Gwen and Arthur never talk about Tom's death? Arthur was the one who arrested him after all. Does she only blame Uther? Was Arthur's "I'm sorry" after her father's death "proof" to her that if he had his way her father would still be alive? Are we even supposed to wonder about this because Gwen seems okay with it? Moving along...

Why has Morgana suddenly lost all feelings for Gwen and Arthur? I know that she is EVIL but come on, she has always cared a lot about them, especially Arthur who she clearly adored in Season One. I can buy that she sees killing him as a necessary evil, but I can't by that she is more thirsty for his blood then Cendred. Even Darth Vader had a soft spot for his family!

Specter of War --- Chapter Three

Three

Simulation Room 3, United Republic Airforce Academy

Capital City, Novia Prime

United Republic of Planets

Cadet Connor Star looked out of his window shield and saw no sign of the enemy vessel. He peered out of again and noticed that the hypersled that was once flanking his side was nowhere in sight. He lowered his speed to try to locate the missing vessel and realized he was near Falor Nimbus. He could see the blue planet’s large silver rings and felt his heart in his throat. It was truly an awesome sight. To most people one planet was as good as another and stars were something that just blurred by as you went through the Stargate or made the jump into hyperspace in your Starship. He was snapped back to attention when he felt a large bump on the side of the ship. He peered out of his window and saw a very unwelcome sight.

“Asteroids,” he muttered.

Another asteroid hit the side of his hypersled and it rattled ferociously as he braced himself against the control panel. He let out a small sigh, reminded himself that none of this was real and leaned back. He had been in hundreds of simulators since he started his cadet training, but he could never relax in them like his friends. The shaking finally stopped as he looked outside of his port window. He was still alone.

“Where was she?”

He smiled. Knowing Kayla Dylan as well as he did, he was sure that she had taken the most reckless path in order to beat him to the finish line. This was Kayla’s favorite race simulation, that is, when she wasn’t playing him. She had outraced everybody, even her brother Van, who was known as the best young pilot in the fleet. She hated that she couldn’t beat him. She had challenged him to a race six times in the last few weeks and he finally relented. After all, he was graduating and he wanted one last victory for the road. The thought of his impending graduation turned his mood. This time next yarn he would be an officer in the Galactic Republic Airforce. While part of him was excited about his upcoming commission, another part of him really didn’t want things to change. But this was his duty. Star men had been officers in the military since before the Republic was founded. He was going to miss everybody, especially Xayda. She still had another yarn at the academy.

What would happen to them? 

He shook his head at his selfishness. If he had learned one thing from his father, it was that duty came before anything, even love. He was literally rattled out of his thoughts as his sled started shaking.

He had been bunked.

“You better keep your nose up Connor,” said the giddy female voice through his com.

Connor smiled. Kayla’s voice was one of the most familiar things to him in the galaxy. “Look who finally decided to join the party.”

“Ha. Ha. At least I wasn’t getting my butt kicked by a bunch of rocks.”

“Those asteroids came out of no where,” he laughed. “You couldn’t have done any better.”

“No? Watch me.”

Connor opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say anything, he saw her sleek, gray ship head back towards the asteroid field. There were some people in the academy, usually of the male persuasion, that found Kayla’s recklessness attractive. However, they weren’t always caught up in one of her ill thought out schemes. He wanted nothing more than to curb that streak, if for no other reason than to protect her from herself. He saw her weaving and bobbing so gracefully through the same asteroids that had nearly torn his sled apart. His mouth fell open. She had managed to get half way through the field without one hit.

When did she become such a great pilot?

 She was almost out and making her way back to him. He didn’t have to see her face to know that a big, smug smile was plastered across it.

“Looks like I’m becoming a better pilot then you,” she replied triumphantly.

“Only in your own mind, Kid,” he replied.

“Don’t blame me because you’re getting soft in your old age,” she laughed.

Kayla was at the end of the field and Connor thought she was slowing down to make her exit. Instead, she maneuvered her way between two asteroids. Connor’s heart stopped. If she stayed at that position for a minute longer, she would be crushed. The asteroids moved closer together. Kayla didn’t move. Maybe something was wrong with the ship. He moved his hand over his weapon console to fire his laser torpedoes. He was a pretty good shot. If he angled his shots just right, he could destroy one of the asteroids from here. He was about to shoot when her sled did a backwards flip at a speed that made Connor very uncomfortable. The ship just missed being squashed by the rocks as the two asteroids collided and crumbled apart. Kayla let out a big whoop. Connor has seen that move before.

“You’ve been flying with Rayne Alcazar,” he said. That idea made Connor very uncomfortable.

“Rayne has been giving me some pointers.”

“I’ll bet. You do realize that a move like that is against Academy regulations?”

“When the rule book doesn’t work, sometimes you have to throw it out and make your own.”

She was now right beside him.

“Really?” he asked, hitting her as she slid away. Kayla knew how he felt about Alcazar and all of his anti-Republic nonsense. Not to mention the fact that his selfishness and arrogance had gotten them in more deadly situations then he cared to remember. Why would he teach Kayla a trick like that? She could have been killed.

“No bunking,” she said, as she managed to steady her sled.

“Rayne Alcazar’s rules remember.”

He heard Kayla sigh. “Would you relax, Connor? It’s just a simulation.”

He was too angry to reply.

“He’s not all that bad you know.”

The warmth in her voice made him even angrier.

“Why are you always defending him?”

“Maybe it’s because I see his good side.”

“What good side?”

Kayla didn’t answer; instead she did a 180-degree turn and disappeared through the purple stargate in front of them. Connor followed. The Felar system was now a memory and they were in the Berun Cluster. Connor, however, was not done with their talk.

“Now you sound like Akeen,” he said, checking his sledomotor for possible damage.

“Well, Akeen thinks a lot of Rayne and anybody that Akeen likes can’t be that bad.”

“Is that your head or your heart talking?” Connor asked.

He heard her muffled reply and smiled. He, Kayla and Akeen had been inseparable since they were children. The children of the great heroes of the last war, they were the only ones who understood the privilege and the pressure that went along with being who they were. Growing up, they were simply known as the trio and that’s the way he liked it.  They were the only two people he ever thought he could truly trust. He always resisted letting somebody into their inner circle. When Xayda, the Dominion Princess, first came to the academy it was his father who forced her into his sphere for political reasons.  It had taken him, Kayla and Akeen awhile to trust her as one of their own; once they did they were the “trio of four.” Well, most of the time when he and Xayda weren’t sneaking off to be alone. And now it seemed that Akeen and Kayla were following their lead and getting together. He couldn’t blame Akeen. Kayla had grown into a very beautiful young woman. Her beautiful, big brown eyes, wide lips and black, long wavy hair were all the cadets in her class could talk about. In fact, he nearly knocked Tavis Coltor into the next galaxy when his conversation veered from Kayla’s smile to her slender figure and long, toned legs. He laughed uncomfortably at the thought. He didn’t think he’d ever get use to guys finding Kayla attractive. It did something to him. He just couldn’t put his finger on why.

“Drop it Star.”

“Aha,” he thought, her words bringing him back to the present. He had hit a nerve.

“You don’t see me asking you about Xayda.”

“That’s because she tells you everything.”

Kayla giggled.

“Maybe, I’m wrong about you and Akeen. Maybe you’re still hung up on Jack?”

He could feel her rolling her eyes. Jack Ordell was a lower prince from the Laurel Dominion. As the princess of Laurel, Xayda was legally obligated to marry him at 13, until a set of comical errors, and a dose of Connor and Kayla meddling, put a stop to it. There was some in the Dominion still fuming.  

“That was just an infatuation and you know it,” she said defensively.

“So, it is my little cousin.”

“Can we just not talk about me and Akeen?”

“So, there is a you and Akeen to talk about?”

“Connor…”

Connor opened his mouth to speak when he saw the finish line right in front of him. He moved his ship toward his goal and could see that Kayla was right behind him. She was soon right next to him and he bunked her sending her to the tail again. His speed increased. He was almost there…almost there… he made it through just a millisecond ahead of Kayla and turned around just in time to see her hypersled rattle and die. He could hear her yell “dungbeat” through his com. He laughed. Beating Kayla was always a thrill.

“Better luck next time, Kid,” he bellowed out triumphantly.

“I thought you said no bunking.”

“I lied.”

Kayla was right beside him now. So close he could see her smile. He loved that smile. The simulated hypersleds started making there decent and the space around them disappeared.

“I thought Stars were genetically incapable of lying,” she said as they climbed out; taking off their helmets and looking around the now bare surrounding. “Well, beating me in a stimulator is a lot easier then beating me in a real race, as you already know,” she said smugly.

“Beating you period is easy and you didn’t beat me on Cirius 6. I let you win.”

“You did not.”  

“One things for sure,” Connor said, tickling his friend and pulling her close to him. “You’ve been good training for the Airforce.”

Her laughter stop and the mood suddenly darkened. “Where do you think they’ll assign you?”

“I have no idea.”

He hoped his voice didn’t betray his anxiety. “Fledglings are usually assigned to patrol units near The Edge. You know that.”

“Yeah, but you’re not just any first yarn. Maybe you could get your dad...”

“Halt right there Kayla,” Connor said firmly, his gray eyes going a shade darker. “You know how I feel about getting special treatment because of who my dad is.”

“I know.”

They looked at each other for a while. Then Kayla hit him on the arm.

“I’m going to miss you, Connor.”

“I’m going to miss you, too.”

“I’m starved, beating you always gives me a big appetite,” Connor said, pulling her to him again as they headed out the room. 

“Let’s head off to the Mess Hall and get some of that Tiranian Stew you love so much,” she said, pulling his ear. “It’s one of your last times to have it as a cadet.”  

“Mess Hall food, now there is something I’m not going to miss.”