BBC One’s Merlin began in 2008 as a family show but as the seasons progressed, it became darker as the viewers got older.

This certainly became evident as the fantasy drama entered its fourth season.

> Buy the complete Merlin Season 1-5 boxset on Amazon.

We often look back on Merlin as either a light-hearted, humorous show or, on the other side of the same coin, an angsty, heart-breaking show. However, you can’t deny that Merlin had its scary moments…

 

We begin this Top 5 with the rather spooky episode, ‘The Witchfinder’, and take a look at the Witchfinder himself. In every scene in which he is present, you will find yourself shuddering at his lack of humanity – particularly when he tortures Gaius, leaving the much beloved father figure a frail remnant of himself.

The thing that we find scariest about the Witchfinder, however, is that unlike all the creatures and sorcerers we encounter within the show he is actually human and what drives him is pure hatred.

 

Coming in fourth place is a moment from the episode ‘Excalibur’ featuring the Black Knight. When this mysterious knight comes crashing in, literally, he leaves us all shocked when he confronts the court of Camelot.

Seeing him go undefeated makes us tense, but when his true nature is revealed, after he is unmasked in a duel, we are then left seriously spooked. It brings to mind the question of: ‘how do you defeat the dead?’ (Cue dramatic music.)

 

Our third scariest moment comes from the episode ‘Herald of a New Age’. Whilst this episode has appeared in both our ‘most heart-breaking’ and ‘funniest moments’ lists previously, there is definitely a scary element to this tale.

We are talking about, of course, the ghost of the Druid boy. Ghosts are scary, but ghost children are even scarier. Elyan sees the Druid boy ghost over the shoulder of the unknowing Gwaine, dripping wet, as he was drowned to death. Upon first sight and without knowledge of his tragic story, the little guy is really quite creepy.

 

Continued on next page…