Merlin: 10 Best Characters Introduced After Season 1

Merlin went on for five seasons and mostly kept the same core cast of characters. Still, the show did introduce plenty of new characters along the way. The lives of Merlin and Arthur were full of excitement and danger, and that included meeting tons of new people, both friends, and foes. And throughout the series, some changed allegiances, others unfortunately died, and some managed to stay the same.

Not all of these characters were necessarily “good,” and some even gave Merlin a fair amount of trouble. However, they all contributed something to the show, eventually becoming fan favorites.

10 Annis

Despite only appearing in two episodes, Queen Annis left her mark on the show. Played by veteran actress Lindsay Duncan, Annis is the Queen of Carleon, first introduced during series four. After Arthur, under the toxic advice of Agravaine, kills her husband, Annis assumes control of her Kingdom and launches a war against Camelot.

Annis is Arthur’s first real enemy as King. She later proves a wise and sensible ruler, recognizing she was blind with grief, which made her vulnerable to Morgana’s manipulations. Annis represents a latent danger for Arthur before becoming a valuable ally. Annis also does a lot to cement Arthur’s reputation as Alvion’s greatest King and provides Duncan with a sufficiently meaty role to sink her teeth into, which she does.

9 Tristan & Isolde

Merlin often took classic Arthurian characters and reinterpreted them in new ways. Legendary lovers Tristan and Isolde also got this treatment during the last two episodes of series 4. Played by Ben Daniels–who’d go on to give life to Anthony Armstrong-Jones, husband to Princess Margaret in TheCrown season 3–and Miranda Raison, Tristan and Isolde are smugglers who cross Arthur and Merlin’s path after Morgana takes over Camelot.

The couple offers a refreshing take on a classic story, and Daniels and Raison share enough chemistry to make audiences care about their love. Isolde is a welcome addition to the all-male knights and gives Gwen a worthy female companion. Furthermore, it’s pleasant to see another couple in love for a change, other than Arthur and Gwen.

8 Balinor

Balinor is Merlin’s father, a warlock and dragon-lord who lived as a hermit deep in the forest. Merlin and Arthur request his help when Kilgharrah goes berserk on Camelot, but Balinor dies at the hands of bandits while trying to defend his son.

Merlin’s life is full of tragedy and sacrifices. He loses many of the people he loves most, including Balinor. It’s a shame because there’s so much the young warlock could’ve learned from his father. Balinor’s suave demeanor and distant stoicism also contrasted nicely with Gaius’s more protective approach to treating Merlin, and it would’ve been incredible to see the interaction between all three.

7 Freya

And speaking of people Merlin loved, Freya is the only romantic interest the young warlock gets. She was a Druid girl, cursed to become a dreadful creature known as a Bastet. Gaius describes the monster as inhabiting “the twilight world between the living and the dead.”

Freya only appears in one episode, but that’s enough to cement her as one of the show’s most crucial characters. She dies on the shores of the Lake of Avalon, but her spirit remains, becoming Merlin‘s version of the Lady of the Lake. Despite her limited screentime, Freya truly sells her doomed romance with Merlin, thanks to Laura Donnelly’s chemistry with Colin Morgan. And although her death greatly saddens Merlin, her presence in his life and the show makes all the difference.

6 Percival

Before he was enchanting audiences as Luther Hargreeves in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, Tom Hopper played legendary knight Percival in series 3, 4, and 5 of Merlin. Percival is best known as the original knight in search of the Holy Grail in early middle ages romances.

Within the show, Percival is a towering and hulking knight, loyal to King Arthur and Camelot. He’s kind-hearted and trustworthy, forming a deep bond with his fellow knights and his King. Percival remains a supporting character throughout his time in the show and never gets a storyline of his own. However, he enhances other characters’ plots and proves a valuable addition in battle, cementing his legacy on the show.

5 Elyan

Elyan is Guinevere’s estranged brother who first appears in series 3. He left Camelot one year before Merlin’s arrival without telling Gwen or his father and didn’t stay in touch. He reunited with Gwen after Cenred captures them on Morgause’s orders.

He later becomes a Knight of the Round Table and one of Arthur’s most trusted companions. Unfortunately, he falls victim to one of Morgana’s enchantments and dies in his sister’s arms in series 5. Elyan is crucial to strengthen Gwuinevere’s plot by giving her an extra bond outside of Arthur. He also represents a more caring kind of hero, adding a compassionate voice to the traditionally stoic and uber-masculine knights.

4 Leon

Out of all the knights, Leon is the first to appear. He’s also the only one among Arthur’s most trusted companions to be of noble blood. He acts as the knights’ leader, although he never mistreats or bosses them around. Although the most serious of the group, Leon still displays a considerable sense of humor when playing pranks on poor Merlin.

When it comes to the knights, Leon is often the straight man of the group. As their leader, he walks a fine line between camaraderie and authority, and he never forgets his place. Leon is necessary because every team needs a guiding hand, but he also adds a tame yet welcome shade of color to the sprawling rainbow that is the cast of Merlin.

3 Morgause

Morgause first appears in series two as a skilled and steadfast knight who invades Camelot’s castle and challenges Arthur to a duel. She then becomes a constant and formidable threat to the Pendragons, coming up with various plans to kill Uther and Arthur and place Morgana on the throne.

A powerful priestess of the old religion, Morgause also plays a crucial role in Morgana’s transition from hero to villain. After her sister, Morgause is undoubtedly the series’ most menacing antagonist. She becomes so vital to the story that, when she dies at the beginning of series 4, the show can’t help but feel a tad lonelier. Morgause was evil to the end, but her wicked intelligence and undying loyalty for Morgana made her surprisingly compelling.

2 Gwaine

Without a doubt, Gwaine was the friendliest, funniest, and warmest of all the knights. A carefree and charming man, Gwaine lived as a vagabond during most of his early life. He twice rescues Arthur and Merlin before joining Camelot’s knights, becoming a part of Arthur’s inner circle.

Gwaine is Merlin’s best friend outside of Arthur. He constantly cares for and protects the young warlock, like when he accompanies Merlin to the Perilous Lands to aid Arthur or when he volunteers to search for the missing Merlin. His dislike for royalty contrasts with his loyalty for Arthur, creating a curious and intriguing dichotomy that the show could’ve explored more. Gwaine is not only one of Merlin’s constant allies, but he’s also a character whose sense of humor and charm elevates every one of his scenes.

1 Dragoon The Great

Starting with series 3, Merlin adopts a recurring costume. Casting a spell that makes him look about eighty years older, he calls himself Dragoon the Great and finally gets to use his vast powers without fear of being discovered. As Dragoon, Merlin becomes Morgana’s worst fear, as she believes him to be Emrys, the man who will eventually kill her. He also turns into a recurring foe for Arthur after his magic is unable to save Uther.

Although Dragoon is nothing but one of Merlin’s disguises, his personality is so different from the young man’s usual demeanor that the character practically stands on his own. Dragoon also allows Merlin to speak freely, unafraid of angering his King or the knights. Dragoon is sassy, witty, and even shameless, starring in some of the show’s funniest and memorable moments. Colin Morgan’s physicality also does a lot to sell the performance, turning Dragoon into one of the show’s most beloved and hilarious characters.

About The Author

David Caballero
(803 Articles Published)

David is a twenty-eight-year-old Mexican writer and reader. Having studied Marketing in school, he spent three years working a nine-to-five desk job before deciding to pursue a writing career. He now works as a Senior Writer in ScreenRant and does some more freelancing job, talking about the entertainment business he so loves. Currently, he’s also writing his second novel while actively working to get his first one published.

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