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- “I happen to be a wizard—a soothsayer! A prognosticator! I have the power to see into the future! Centuries into the future!”
- ―Merlin introducing himself
Merlin is the deuteragonist of Disney's 1963 animated feature film, The Sword in the Stone. He is a powerful wizard that tasks himself in educating a young boy named Arthur. Though wise in his own right, Merlin's absentmindedness tends to complicate his teachings - especially in the eyes of his crotchety familiar, Archimedes.
Background[]
Merlin is a wizard of unspecified origin, who is first seen living in a forest cottage. It is unknown how he acquired his pet owl, Archimedes, but he certainly gave him an education, which he would later attempt to pass down to Arthur Pendragon, a feat Merlin seems to be proud of. He also met Madam Mim and became a bitter enemy to her.
Personality[]
Merlin is a wizard of unspecified origin, who is first seen living in a forest cottage. He is a very wise character who believes in the philosophy of "Brain over Brawn." To this end, Merlin values education as opposed to the war-training philosophies shared by much of the rest of society. He also warns Arthur not to believe that magic will solve every problem. Despite his wisdom, he can be absentminded and forgetful, as well as clumsy.
Powers and Abilities[]
As a wizard, Merlin shows a wide variety of powers and is generally hailed as being the greatest and most powerful wizard in the world.
- Foresight: He shows an ability to see into the future, though not completely. He often references his knowledge of the future when speaking to others, leaving them understandably confused.
- Shapeshifting: Merlin possesses a well-developed ability to shape-shift as he was able to shape-shift into a turtle, a hare, a caterpillar, a walrus, a mouse, a crab, and a goat (all of which were blue).
Appearances[]
The Sword in the Stone[]
Merlin in The Sword and the Stone.
Merlin is first seen getting water from his well and preparing afternoon tea in his cottage, having predicted that a young boy will soon join him. He admits that the specific identity is unknown to him at the time. He later meets a pre-teen orphan named Arthur, commonly known as Wart, after the boy literally drops through Merlin's roof. Merlin speaks to Wart about the value of an education and decides to appoint himself as Wart's tutor. After Wart explains that he must return to his castle, Merlin decides to accompany him and displays his magical abilities by shrinking all his possessions so that they fit into a small carpetbag.
They arrive at the castle of Wart's foster father, Sir Ector. Though Sir Ector initially disapproves, Merlin is able to persuade him through a display of magic, which frightens the man into accepting Merlin's offer. Merlin, who is mistakenly called "Marvin" by Ector, is provided the "guest room," which is revealed to be a crumbling, teetering tower.
The next day, Merlin begins Wart's education, teaching him the principle of the brain over brawn by transforming Wart into a fish. During the adventure, Merlin, also in fish form, is trapped in an old helmet while Wart is chased by a giant pike. Merlin forgets the magic words to change them both back, but Archimedes manages to save the boy from the vicious fish. Merlin then comes out of the water with the helmet now on his head (having apparently remembered the appropriate spell), wondering aloud what a monster like that is doing in the moat and vowing to "turn him into a minnow!" but is distracted by the need to turn Arthur back to human form.
Later, Merlin goes to retrieve Wart for another lesson, but he is being forced to clean the entire kitchen as punishment for being late as a result of the previous lesson. Merlin uses his magic to enchant the various kitchen objects to make them clean themselves, and sneaks Wart out. Merlin transforms himself and Wart into squirrels. Merlin and Wart are both pursued as mates by two female squirrels. Merlin grows increasingly annoyed and finally transforms back into a human out of anger. He then transforms Wart, much to the sorrow of the young female squirrel who had been chasing the boy. Merlin then sympathetically explains love to his student.
Back at the castle, Merlin is insulted by Sir Ector, who believes that Merlin's magical enchantment of the kitchen objects was the result of black magic, then magically disappears after being threatened by the Scullery Maid. Sir Ector thinks that Merlin will cast an evil spell on him and Kay, and calls him an old devil. When Wart protests and tries to defend Merlin and his magic, Sir Ector angrily piles more demerits on the boy, and as punishment, he forbids Wart from making a future trip to a London tournament as Kay's squire. This leads to Wart being replaced by an unseen boy groom named Hobbs. After seeing Wart's sadness, Merlin apologizes, as he knew how much the potential trip to London meant to the boy. He then suggests that Wart uses the opportunity to further his studies and that he can still make something for himself by getting an education.
Merlin begins by talking about various happenings of the future, but the poor boy is so confused that Archimedes decides to take over Wart's education. Despite Merlin's annoyance, he is later pleased to see the boy learning to write with Archimedes' help. Merlin takes the opportunity to show Wart a model airplane. The plane fails to fly, though, because the propeller becomes caught in Merlin's long beard. Wart appreciates the demonstration anyway and confides that he dreams of flying. Seeing an opportunity, Merlin turns Wart into a small bird. Wart then goes flying with Archimedes.
Merlin is challenged by Madam Mim to a Wizard's Duel.
After being told by Archimedes of Wart's capture by Madam Mim, Merlin appears to save his apprentice, and confront Mim. Mim angrily challenges Merlin to a Wizard's Duel, where he turns into a turtle, a rabbit, a caterpillar, a walrus, a mouse, a crab, and a goat. Though initially at an advantage until Mim transforms into a dragon, Merlin wins the duel by cleverly transforming into a germ, disarming Mim's dragon transformation.
Later, Wart happily informs Merlin that he has been reinstated as the squire to Kay. However, Merlin is angry and disappointed about Wart’s decision to become a squire, as he thought that Wart had finally put aside war games in favor of learning. When Wart tries to explain that a position as a squire is his best hope, Merlin loses his temper and angrily exclaims "Blow me to Bermuda!" Unfortunately, his magic takes him literally and he takes off like a rocket to Bermuda. Later, he returns to England and is pleased to find out that Wart is now King Arthur, due to pulling the sword from the stone and anvil, and he is happy to tell him how famous he will become in the future.
House of Mouse[]
Merlin makes cameo appearances in a few episodes of the television series House of Mouse. In "Rent Day", Merlin promises to give Mickey the 50 dollars that he needs to pay the House of Mouse's rent if he can find Arthur a sword. In "Jiminy Cricket", he was seen sitting with Rafiki, King Triton, and Grandmother Willow as part of the "elders" that Jiminy Cricket refers to.
Sofia the First[]
Merlin in Sofia the First.
Merlin makes a guest appearance in the Sofia the First episode "Gone with the Wand". He was very understanding and forgiving to Calista despite her taking his Dragonclaw Wand and it ending up in Morgana's hands. With the help of Cedric and Calista he was able to defeat his arch-enemy. To express his thanks, he gave a red hat to Calista as a gift and promised to always remember his good friend Cedric the Sensational. He also made a return in "Day of the Sorcerers", "Too Cute to Spook", and "The Great Pretender".
Other appearances[]
In the series finale of At Home With Olaf, a short clip of The Sword of the Stone featuring Merlin and Arthur appears during a montage of heartwarming moments from Disney films playing in Olaf's song "I Am with You".
Merlin's fish form appears in The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse in the episode "School of Fish" as a teacher.
Live-action Appearances[]
Once Upon a Time[]
Elliot Knight as Merlin
Merlin is first referenced in season 3 as a citizen of a realm called Camelot, where he enchanted the sword Excalibur and hid it in Camelot. When Snow White tried to find it in the hope that she would be able to overcome the Evil Queen, Prince Charming made a trade with Rumplestiltskin in order to get to Excalibur. He is later revealed to Snow White by Rumplestiltskin that the sword is false, but that the real sword is hidden in Camelot.
After a series of references to a powerful, possibly immortal mage known as the Sorcerer, it was revealed that he and Merlin are one and the same. In the fifth season, Merlin appears in the form of a young man in his early twenties, contrary to his usual depiction as an old wizard. Centuries ago, it is revealed, Merlin fought a demon known as the Dark One, who imprisoned him in a tree until he is released by the current Dark One, Emma Swan, in the fifth season episode "Dreamcatcher." For eons, it was the responsibility of Merlin and his apprentice to chose a person to become The Author and record the stories within a book.
Merlin has his Apprentice guard his magical hat which holds strong magic.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice later retires in an old cottage where he continues to guard his master's hat. Rumplestiltskin sends a girl named Anna to retrieve the hat from him, however, she quickly outwits Rumplestiltskin and takes the hat with her which is then obtained by her aunt, Ingrid the Snow Queen. Ingrid asks the Apprentice, on the behalf of Merlin, to help her find someone. He accepts her deal and opens a door to A Land Without Magic to help Ingrid find the one she is looking for in exchange for his hat.
After having chosen a man named Isaac to be the Author, they discover he has been manipulating events to create more interesting stories and when he forces them to fill Maleficent's child with darkness, they punish him by entrapping him within an illustration in the book.
The Apprentice later tells his master about what has been done with Maleficent's child. He asks whether there is a way to undo this but the Sorcerer says no. Merlin then goes on to tell his apprentice the girls will now and forever remain entwined together.
At some point in 1989 Merlin appears to Emma, disguised as an usher in a cinema showing The Sword in the Stone. He gives the young girl a cryptic warning, that she would not understand until 30 years later: "Do not take the sword."
After the Second Curse[]
After the second curse is cast, Belle discovers a mansion in Storybrooke where she spends her honeymoon in with Mr. Gold. He later discovers the Sorcerer Hat inside the mansion.
After Mr. Gold discovers the hat, he tries to use its power to free himself of the dagger that controls him and traps within it, the fairies and the Sorcerer's Apprentice.
After Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff discover the portal to Arendelle and return to their homes, Henry Mills discovers a hidden room full of blank storybooks. He shows Emma Swan and Regina Mills the secret room, leading them to believe that Merlin and The Author are the same people. This, however, is clarified by Mother Superior, who tells them that they are two different beings.
The Apprentice reveals Merlin to be The Sorcerer.
After Isaac's plan to allow villains to win fails miserably, it is revealed that Rumplestiltskin is dying, which would end his curse but allow the Darkness to be released from him. To counter this, the Apprentice tries to imprison the Darkness in Merlin's hat, thereby saving Rumplestiltskin's life. However, the plan backfires, and the Darkness almost consumes the Apprentice until he is saved by Emma Swan. It is then advised by the Apprentice that the only man who can stop the Darkness is his master: Merlin himself. Shortly upon realizing this, Emma sacrifices herself, becoming the next Dark One in order to save Regina from the Darkness.
Before the Third Curse[]
Following Emma becoming the Dark One, her friends and family track her down in Camelot, where they search for Merlin in the hopes that he can remove the Darkness from her. Unfortunately, they have to work against the wishes of the realm's king, Arthur, who has grown obsessed with finding the Dark One, so that he may reunite her dagger with the Excalibur, a weapon which would allow one to either snuff out the Darkness forever or snuff out the light. However, Arthur has another nefarious plot: he wants to kill Merlin, who is still trapped inside a tree after his long-ago conflict with the Darkness.
Emma frees Merlin from the tree.
Working against the wishes of King Arthur, Emma and Regina work together, finding the secret ingredient that will release Merlin: a tear of lost love, which they retrieve from their son Henry. While Regina holds off Arthur's men with her dark magic, Emma performs the spell - a combination of light and dark magic - which releases the Sorcerer. Once Merlin has been freed, he denounces Arthur, expressing his disappointment in the once and future king. Then he releases Snow and Charming from Arthur's enchantment and agrees to help free Emma from the Darkness if she is ready to be free.
Eventually, Arthur aligns himself with Zelena, and they cast a spell on Excalibur causing Merlin to be controlled by the sword just like Emma is controlled by the dagger. They kidnap Emma's family and friends in hopes that Emma will hand over the dagger. Under the sword's control, Merlin is forced to fight Emma, who convinces him to fight the power of the sword. Merlin breaks the connection from the sword, allowing him to turn against Arthur and Zelena and fight them off.
Later Merlin joins up with the rest of the group at Granny's Diner. He tells Emma what to do to fuse the dagger and the sword back together. As the sword is forged, Killian grabs his neck, as a previously closed wound reopens. In a panic, Emma decides to tether his life to Excalibur. Merlin advises against this, as it would make Hook a Dark One. Emma refuses to listen and teleports herself and Killian to a field. Emma transfers the Darkness from Merlin into Killian. Merlin's name disappears from Excalibur and is replaced with Hook's name. Hook disappears from the field and is seen rising from the Dark One's Vault.
Hook holds Merlin's heart.
After Hook becomes a Dark One, he starts plotting revenge. Merlin, realizing how dangerous Emma and Hook have become, leaves a message for the group, instructing them to find Nimue, as she is the one who can save Emma and Hook. His message is cut short when Hook arrives in the diner, pulls out Merlin's heart and states that he wants to create a Dark Curse to take everyone back to Storybrooke. Merlin explains that Hook will be unable to cast the curse without crushing the heart of the thing he loves most. Rumplestiltskin's memory form appears and states that he won't be crushing the heart, but someone who still has feelings for Merlin will, and changes into Nimue. She explains that she lives in all Dark Ones allowing her to act through Hook to crush Merlin's heart. Emma arrives to stop Hook but fails. Hook drops the remnants of Merlin's heart into the pot, causing the third Dark Curse to start. Emma knocks Hook out and gets rid of Merlin's body. She then brings everyone into the diner in a comatose state and erases all of their memories as the Curse takes effect.
Video games[]
Kingdom Hearts series[]
Merlin appears in the Kingdom Hearts series as a recurring character that aids Sora in the arts of magic. He is typically found in the hub world of each game.
In Kingdom Hearts, Merlin lived in an underground house in Traverse Town, with the Fairy Godmother. Sora met him when delivering the Hundred Acre Wood book to him, from Cid. Merlin then teaches him, Donald, and Goofy magic and gives them permission to view the book.
In Kingdom Hearts II, Merlin moved to the reforming Hollow Bastion and lived in the headquarters of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee. He retrieved the Hundred Acre Wood book from Traverse Town and as usual, allowed Sora to view it. He also gave Sora Chicken Little's summon charm. Later, he travels to Disney Castle with Sora, Donald, and Goofy to open up a magical door to the past. Merlin seems to have developed a rivalry with Cid, who prefers technology to magic, while Merlin prefers magic to technology. Their rivalry nearly gets out of hand when Cid calls Merlin an "old loon," and Merlin zaps Hollow Bastion's power computer, but thanks to Sora, Donald, and Goofy, the town's systems are saved. Merlin and Cid later recall that Hollow Bastion was formerly called Radiant Garden and decide to rename it to its former name.
In Birth by Sleep set a decade before in the first game, he was found in Radiant Garden just before the world is engulfed in darkness. He accidentally dropped the book of Hundred Acre Wood, but Terra returned it to him. He gave Terra, and later Ventus and Aqua, permission to view the book at any time, granting the three access to the Hundred Acre Wood Command Board.
In Dream Drop Distance, Yen Sid mentioned to Mickey that Merlin, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather were training Lea's magical ability and Keyblade handling. At the end of 0.2 ~A Fragmentary Passage~, Yen Sid decides to send Kairi there as well so she can train alongside Lea.
In Kingdom Hearts III, Kairi explains in a letter that Merlin had sent her and Lea to a realm where time is stilled, allowing them to train at their own pace. Meanwhile, Merlin contacts Chip and Dale to deliver a message to Sora. Sora, Donald, and Goofy track Merlin to the restaurant Le Grand Bistro in Twilight Town, where the wizard reveals to have Pooh's storybook with him.
Disney Parks[]
Merlin posing for a photo at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Merlin was a common character hosting the Sword in the Stone ceremony at both the Walt Disney World and Disneyland. In this show, he would allow children to make an attempt to pull the Sword from the Stone and crown the one who succeeds the temporary ruler of Fantasyland. Merlin's show still exists at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Disneyland[]
In California, Merlin was featured in Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams, usually as a replacement for one of the fairies.
Walt Disney World[]
Merlin is the host of the interactive attraction Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, where he guides guests around the Magic Kingdom park to help him stop Hades and his legion of Disney Villains from stealing the legendary Crystal of the Magic Kingdom and taking over the park. During the journey, Merlin teams up with other Disney protagonists including Pongo, Genie, Rafiki, Kuzco, Pocahontas, Mama Odie, Sebastian, and the Good Fairies. He also has his own spell card known as "Merlin's Fireball".
Disneyland Paris[]
Merlin hosted the shows Magical Celebration and Merlin and the Witch Academy.
In 2012, Merlin took part in Disneyland Paris' 20th Anniversary celebration. In Disney Magic On Parade, Merlin was seen on the back of a float starring "Disney Magicians".
Disney Cruise Line[]
Onboard the Disney Dream cruise ship, Merlin is one of the "magic makers" of Disney to help a practical father's imagination grow. Merlin can be seen with his magic bag to aid the father. In the end, after the image is restored, Merlin joins the father, his daughter and a cast of Disney characters to celebrate.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Merlin is the only character from The Sword and the Stone to become a recurring character in Disney productions after the film's original release. The only other character from the film who could be considered such as Madam Mim, due to her inclusion in the Donald Duck comics and the Disney Villains franchise, though still to a lesser degree than Merlin.
- The exclamation Merlin cries during a crisis "Jehoshaphat" is the name of the fourth king of the Kingdom of Judah.
- Animator Bill Peet based parts of Merlin's appearance and personality off of Walt Disney. Merlin's nose was modeled directly off of Disney's.
References[]
External links[]
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