Our beloved 2x02 "Once and Future Queen" is our consideration for today. How many times have u watched its scenes? Don't answer, lol. I'm going to leave this up a few days because I really want to hear from folks!

Wonderful Nanna! I'm so happy to see yet another set of your vragen that get me thinking. Really thinking.

Q1: Interesting question. I've heard people say this many times including several Arwen fans who really only began to like the pair at the end of season 2. My take on this- no way. Okay, there was that one little, tiny line where Gwen says something about Arthur having nothing to prove least of all to her that seemed a slight bit out of place. I mean one kiss and then their feelings are bursting. Small glitch there, but nonetheless I can see why the writers put it in. Gwen was desperately trying to force Arthur to withdraw from a competition that could cost him his life after that injury. Anyways, I shipped Arthur and Gwen since season 1 episode 3 when he comes to have her arrested. So, a kiss an entire season later definitely does not seem out of the blue. Arthur stood up for her- made me feel really elated about those two. Point is, Gwen disliked Arthur. Sorely disliked him...said she'd never want to marry him to Merlin. But u watch their relationship progress. u begin to realize how much potential they have. They had build-up- Gwen standing up to Arthur in "The Moment of Truth" and telling him of her faith in him in that episode. Arthur thanking her. The handshake which symbolizes how they've reached an understanding. Then "Le Morte d'Arthur" where Gwen is holding Arthur's hand and telling him of her faith as he will become the Once and Future King. AS I've zei before, I think there was an underlying message in that- feelings for him that she are presently hidden to her. Afterwards with our return in "The Curse of Cornelius Sigan." Two words: eye language. And Gwen falling on top, boven of Arthur- uh...BIG hint hint of what is very close to happening. And then boom! "The Once and Future Queen" with Arthur staying at Gwen's house, dining with her, realizing just how much he feels for her. No, this romance was not "out of the blue" and certainly not rushed. They had build-up- a real build-up from understanding to feelings to finally a kiss. It was very well thought out as far as I can see.

Q2: The avondeten, diner scene. I mean I'm all for angst, so it would make sense that I'd pick their conversation in the tent- but I explained above my little problem with that. And even so, it's not really a problem- it's just a preference of how they wrote it. Her line makes perfect sense and I understand why she zei it; it's just not what I would have put in. BUT, I loved the tent scene nevertheless- it's just the avondeten, diner scene stal my heart. It really did. I mean AG had been my favoriete ship in Merlin since the beginning but I honestly did not start loving them lots until that scene. So much amazing eye language, they screamed chemistry, but most of all, they honestly were having a good time. It was precious- the seamstress and Prince have finally realized that they enjoy each other's company immensely.

Q1: No, it's definitely not rushed in my opinion. ok, for some it came a little bit to suddenly. But the sympathy the two have for each other began to grow in the end of the first season and we don't know how many time has passed since than.
However, they had probably never spend so much time together and alone, so they got to know each other beter and had a change of mind about the other. u can see a developement.
I mean it took a whole season til the first expression of their love.
Also it's the legend ;)

Q2: well, difficult question...can I say all?
ok, the tongue lashing of course, and Arthur saying he'll cook for her. It was just too cute, and showed the other side of him.
The kiss, and it hints the wedding haha
and last but not least the scene where Gwen says "When u are king things will be different", yes he'll be King and she'll be his Queen.

Q3: ok, well the first kiss....amazing...yeah it was impulsive. Like I wrote in my fanfic, I think it was like an instinct, that he wasn't aware of his feeling before, of not very at least. And after staying with her, the tension in that scene, how she looked at him, what else could he do? and from his expression in his face after the kiss, I can tell he WAS surprised too.
For Arthur it meant a lot of course, it was a different way to toon her that he cares for her because he don't know how to say it.
About Gwen I'm a bit uncertain. Maybe it was something like a proove for Arturs change and growing and maybe to realize how much she is actually caring for him??

aww~ I could write novels about this episode XD favoriete 4 ever and always...
Thanks for posting this Nanna!! <3

Q1: I strongly disagree that it was rushed. I started seeing something in 1x10 when Gwen so politely rebuked him. He listened to her even if she was just a servant. He took it to hart-, hart what she said.
He also seemed amazed door her strength and courage to fight for Ealdor. Gwen started to see the good person inside of Arthur when he helped Merlin. She saw hints of the great leader. Earlier she didn’t seem to like him. In 1x10 she was pleasantly surprised. When she rebuked him we could see hints of the future. She was the voice of reason but she was also encouraging
him. So Arthur noticed her. Then she spoke to him when he almost died. Again he seemed surprised door her words. And we saw a bit of flirting.
In the start of season 2 she again surprised him. She saved his life not considering her own and he was amazed. u could see it on his face. So clearly Arthur had noticed Gwen.
Then comes 2x04 and he spent 4 days with her. She again noticed his bad habits. But she also learned that he is capable of learning and developing. When she yelled at him (which I door the way I loved) he took it to hart-, hart and in his fumble attempt tried to do something good for her. It mattered to him what she thought of him. They seemed to enjoy being in each others company. Gwen saw that his stay with her changed him.
The kiss came so spontaneous that it bewildered them. The looks on both their faces was priceless. It was so natural. Then Arthur backed out because he knew it was impossible. Which led them in to a new faze. The faze of forbidden love, longing looks and angst. Arthur started to think about her all the time. His feelings grew. Their feelings kept growing until they both knew it had to be them. Rushed. I beg to differ.

Q2: To me it was when she rebuked him again actually. We saw him as the prat once again. I always laugh when she so ironically says: “I hope you’ll be comfortable” and clueless Arthur says “I am sure I will be.” When she rebukes him we see Gwen’s great personality shining through. She is serious when it comes to respect, gratitude,equality and politeness. Arthur takes it all to hart-, hart and learns from it. He set out to gain glory. Instead he learned humility. Here we see the great impact that she will have on him then but also in the future. She plays a part in his greatness. She completes him. She is his once and future queen. But also the avondeten, diner scene because of all the reasons Issie gave.

Q3: I agree with Rose and Issie. The first kiss was so spontaneous. It came with instinct. Arthur was clearly smitten with Gwen, it completely overtook him and he acted on it. They looked so bewildered and surprised after it. They discovered that there was something happening between them. That kiss was so beautiful and pure. It made them aware of their mutual attraction.

Q3 - Part 1
The hart-, hart wants what the hart-, hart wants. Impulsive it might have been, but the impulse comes from somewhere. It was the culmination of their time together and other moments. It was the tipping point, where emotion supersedes the mind, linear thought.
In that moment, where they stand a hair’s breadth away from one another with the exchange of token, all the politesse in the world, could not bridge what he felt in his heart. These two actors do what I like to call linger well. It is the silent spaces that the characters share that is most telling. Example, not the word but the actions in this scene tell u more.

How she steps into his aura. She begins to do that meer and more, as time progresses and then nonchalantly offers him the thin strip of white muslin.

Note the give and take of the exchange. She gives it, but holds it. He takes it and kind of snags it from her, to break the tie in effect. Look carefully at the thrust and parry motion of both hands as Arthur, tries to take control of the situation, and that is where the actual fail, so to speak, occurs because they touch, however briefly.

That is the actual tipping point, the watershed moment. These two have been circling each other for days. Like Merlin, she provides a level of honesty, warmth, ridiculous amounts of candor and yes, acceptance of who he is. Particularly telling was one moment when he zei he wanted to be treated like everyone else, she begins to really look at him then. That is her watershed moment. She actually sees him, despite his feigned arrogance. That is when she actually shifts and moves from admiration to actually seeing him as a male.

Not the prince, but as a viable male. That is a huge shift. Compound that with respect, the inherent attraction they feel towards one another and u have the moment.