Day 05 - The pairing with the least chemistry?

[renrenren3]

I just watched episode 3 of Secrets & Magic, and just how adorable is Bradley? I swear, he's trying to have Arthur steal Merlin's position as my favourite character. I need the DVDs. Need the video diaries and the commentaries and the stupid extras and everything. Soon, self, soon.

Day 05 - The pairing with the least chemistry?

There's a lot, but Arthur/Gwen pops into my mind. Especially given my answer to yesterday's question.

Usually I support canon ships, or at least tolerate them even though I have another favourite pairing, but in this case I can't bring myself to care.
It's just gimmicky, it feels as if the writers were following their own storyline and then someone said, "Uh-oh, guys! Looks like in the legends Arthur married Gwen so we need to get those two together ASAP!"
And they threw them together in one episode, "The Once and Future Queen", and while in S1 Arthur barely knew Gwen's name now he's suddenly in love, because it's destiny and there's cheesy music and ~*sparkles*~ and they kiss and spend the rest of the series pining for each other. Apart from when Lancelot comes along, of course.

I don't buy it. The way it's scripted, it's more like a teenage infatuation. Just look at how Arthur acts during "The Once and Future Queen". He's all nice to Gwen after she rages at him for being a jerk. The interviews would have me believe that Arthur is maturing and realizing the errors of his ways. Pity that when she's not looking Arthur's still bossing Merlin around. Come on writers, realize what's happening, he's just trying to impress the girl. He's totally not honest with her. At the end he says that they can't be together because his father wouldn't approve, and Gwen says "maybe when you're king". That should have been Arthur's line. He doesn't even reply. He doesn't care, and you can't persuade me that he does.

It doesn't help that both Arthur and Gwen have several canon and non-canon love interests that would be a better match. Yes I'm a raging Arthur/Merlin fangirl, no it's not just a case of Die For My Ship. There's Lancelot/Gwen, which is riddled with clichés as well, but it's romantic so who cares?
There's Morgana too. I loved Arthur/Morgana in S1, why didn't they get any scenes together in S2? And while Morgana/Gwen isn't my cup of tea, I'd pick it any time over Arthur/Gwen.
And let's not forget Merlin/Gwen, which was cute and adorably awkward and they'd kissed and all seemed to be going well and then everything was forgotten in 1x05. Wait what?

Comments

[hiza-chan.livejournal.com]

Man, just. Everything you said. Usually I at least try to like canon pairings too, but Arthur/Gwen makes me flinch, even without considering that annoying little quirk where all of Gwen's character development is based on her man of the week. I just, I really kind of like her so I wish they'd stop screwing her up. Plus Angel Coulby is the most adorable thing ever and they don't do her justice.

[renrenren3]

I know, right? I like Angel too, and her Gwen is adorable, and it sucks that she's nothing but a token love interest. Plus it makes her look like a slut when she's kissing Merlin in 1x04 and checking out another man in 1x05. Made me wonder if the writer had even bothered to check the script for the previous episode. I'm not saying she's got to be faithful to her true love only FOREVER AND EVER especially since she's part of this epic love triangle and stuff. Just, urgh, not this.

[mizunosakura.livejournal.com]

I like Merlin/Gwen myself and not sure how I feel with Arthur/Gwen--I'm mixed on Arthur/Morgana (and you know me, I don't slash without like...proof that it's canon or that the character is actually not straight) and don't think there's really a character that goes with Arthur yet.

I think my main issue with Gwen and Arthur is they seemed to have changed Gwen so much from the original legend (not just personality, but looks as well), that her with Arthur seems kind of...off. And we all know she's going to end up with Lancelot anyway so I'd probably go with him or Merlin, but it just doesn't work with Arthur.

[renrenren3]

I'm more or less assuming everyone is bi by default in fandoms, unless canon says something else, and even then I might ignore canon anyway >>;
From Bradley's interview *lol spoilers ahead* it seems like in S3 Uther tries to marry him off to someone, but it's most likely going to be some episodic character who doesn't suit him at all.

Yes, Gwen is... different? Mostly because she's a servant and I was used to picturing her as a lady and all, so I convinced myself that her mother (whom I think we know nothing about) was actually a noble.
Not sure she's going to end with Lancelot, I thought the writers were going to marry her off to Arthur in the end? Though it'd be interesting if she ended up ditching Arthur for Lance.

[mizunosakura.livejournal.com]

Like I care about spoilers :P But I do agree on the episodic character.

She's been in every role (Servant, Lady, Princess, etc.) depending on the story, though, the circumstances are a lot different. I don't think her mother is ever mentioned with her in stories either which may be why they only mentioned her dad. I remember when ZC and I first watched the show, we thought Morgana would be Gwen and Gwen would be Morgana because of how they looked so it completely threw me off. XD
I suppose they'd end the series if he got married so it would make sense unless they do the full thing to the point where the kingdom has it's downfall (which a lot of stories blame Gwen cheating on Arthur with Lancelot because she ends up instantly in love with the guy--though, some stories just had Gwen betrothed--usually ones where she was a Princess), but that'd be kind of sad... And I'm sure they wouldn't since it is called "Merlin" and not "King Arthur" and it's really just about the story until Arthur becomes King @-@ (Which also means the marriage to Gwen may not happen)