Not a Knight, Not a Lady: Lancelot/Gwen (BBC's Merlin)

[erethesunrises.livejournal.com]

Title: Not a Knight, Not a Lady
Author: erethesunrises
Fandom: BBC's Merlin
Pairing: Lancelot/Gwen
Spoilers: Seasons 1 and 2
Word Count: 4000+
Author's Notes: Probably not dial-up friendly as there are images. This was a lot of fun to make and I owe a big thank you to all who helped me. I hope you enjoy it! ♥




i. introduction

Lancelot and Guinevere’s love story is one of underdogs and seeing the best in people even when no one else does. They are the representation of all that is good in the world and love despite themselves.

ii. characters

Lancelot: There have been many interpretations of the character of Lancelot. BBC’s Merlin just happens to be one of my favourite and that’s because of the underdog quality he possesses in the series. He’s not of noble, aristocratic, or wealthy personage by any means. In fact, he comes from a village that has been desecrated by raiders. Ever since this devastating blow to his life, he has been training to become a Knight of Camelot in order to defend and prevent what happened to him in his life. He wants to make sure that no one has to suffer the loss and pain that he did and that is just one of the many reasons why I adore him as much as I do. However, the fact that he isn’t of nobility proves to be his biggest setback in becoming a knight but where would a good knight, indeed a good character, be without their obstacles?

Guinevere: Guinevere’s interpretation on the shows was perhaps one of the most surprising but also one of the most pleasant. She is typically known as the wife of Arthur and the Queen of Camelot? A strong female in the legend of King Arthur and his knights, certainly not what one would think of as a maid in the castle. In fact it’s Morgana, King Uther’s ward, who seems to possess that of what it takes to be Queen. Guinevere is merely her chambermaid, as well as her confidante. She has a gentle soul and a humble disposition. Being privy to everything that goes on in the castle, proving time and time again to be a dependable friend to those around her and soon the audience realises she has what it takes to be Queen.

iii. canon evidence

Before discussing the sole two episodes that have so far been given to us to see Lancelot’s character, I’d like to discuss the titles of them. In season one, episode five, we first meet Lancelot in the episode appropriately named Lancelot. The fourth episode of season two is called Lancelot and Guinevere. In the first episode, it is aptly titled the name of the character in which it’s about. It is not about Lancelot and Guinevere’s love story, though there are certainly hints of it, but rather an introduction to perhaps the most (in)famous of Arthur’s knights. It gives the audience a sense of who he is and, for those who know the legend of Lancelot and his relationship with both Arthur and Guinevere, a more sympathetic view of him.

In season two, it evolves into Lancelot and Guinevere. It is no longer solely about him but about both of them, as individuals as well as their love story. It has now been established that where Lancelot is concerned, so is Guinevere. Their stories have been intertwined and the audience knows that their story has just begun but will ultimately have a monumental impact on themselves as well as the people around them.

”I think it’s great that Merlin’s got you this chance. We need men like you.”
“You do?”
“Well, not me, personally, but, you know, Camelot. Camelot needs knights. Not just Arthur and his kind but ordinary people like you and me.”

The first scene of Lancelot and Gwen is their meet-cute. Lancelot has come to Camelot in order to be a knight but he has one problem: he’s not of noble birth or blood. This is where Merlin comes in. Recognising a noble and brave man, he’s determined to help Lancelot become a knight of Camelot, even if it means forging papers with the help of magic. While Gwen remains completely ignorant of this, she proves to be a loyal aid to both Merlin and Lancelot. In this scene, she’s taking measurements of Lancelot for his clothes/armour as a knight and it’s clear that they’re instantly charmed by one another.

Gwen is taken with him, seeing in him a hero, just as Merlin has done. She sees someone pure of heart (as the audience did when Lancelot at first refused Merlin’s help because it went against what the knights stood for), someone completely unlike her view of Arthur. It’s really a very sweet moment between the two of them.

”Well I’m not a knight yet, my lady.”
“And I’m not a lady.”

One of my favourite aspects about their relationship in this series is that they are peasants who know humanity and the trials and hardships of life. Gwen is consistently in the shadow of Morgana, being a mere chambermaid, but she never once complains or seems put-off. The attention Lancelot gives her, the fact that he falls for her, is certainly something that she must be enamoured by. Gwen isn’t the type of person to put herself out there or be jealous of Morgana but it’s clear that when she doe get attention, even when not looking for it, she’s touched by it. It’s also probably because Lancelot has truly been charmed by her and not any sort of title she holds and she takes that to heart.

The next scene consists of Lancelot not so subtly asking Merlin if Gwen is any way spoken for because of how charmed he was by her. Oh, boys. It is an adorable exchange between the two of them and it really helps to make Lancelot an endearing character. Then of course Gwen joins Merlin and Lancelot for him to confront Arthur for the first time. I’m sure her reasoning is to make sure the armour works right but it’s clear she’s become supportive of Lancelot and his efforts to become a knight because she believes in who he is and what he can do.

Lancelot has become a knight! Huzzah! Granted, he still is not of noble birth nor blood so he’s become a Knight of Camelot by lying but he’s proof that the requirements to become a knight should be worth and nobility of spirit. So there is a grand party to celebrate the new knight to Camelot and while Lancelot and Gwen don’t directly come into contact, it’s definitely a cute and important moment for them.

”Here’s trouble. Tell me, do you think her…beautiful?”
“Yes, sire, I do.”

Who doesn’t love this scene with Arthur talking about Morgana and Lancelot talking about Gwen? It’s such an adorable miscommunication and makes your heart melt all over Lancelot again. And again it’s just so endearing because she’s not as glamorous as someone like Morgana and certainly not dressed in rich, elegant fabrics but Lancelot still finds her beautiful. Lancelot keeps the chivalry alive.

”He’s not really my type.”
“Oh, well, there’s a surprise. Sometimes, Guinevere, I wonder if you’d know what your type was if he was standing right next to you.”
“You’re probably right.”

I think the fact that Gwen has no real prior experience in the field of love or relationships makes her feelings for Lancelot that much more genuine and pure. As far as we know, she’s never really though much about it before. Her life is more preoccupied with doing her job and being there for her friends. I don’t think it ever crossed her mind that a man like Lancelot would fancy a girl like her and it’s taken her by surprise in the best possible way. Furthermore, as we remember in the first episode exchange between her and Merlin, she said she didn’t go for rough, save the world types and previously had a bit of a crush on Merlin. Suddenly Lancelot comes in and she’s completely swept off her feet.

”Come on, just for the sake of argument. If you had to, Arthur or Lancelot?”
“But I don’t have to and I never will.”
“Oh, you are no fun, Gwen.”

The irony of that exchange will get me every time.

”Arthur stands in mortal peril. I must do what I can to protect him. It’s my duty, knight or not.”
“You really believe that, don’t you?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Lancelot, I don’t believe I’ve ever met your like before.”
“Guinevere, if I should not return...”
“Don’t go, Lancelot. Please.”

And now it becomes clearly evident just why Gwen has fallen for Lancelot in the way she has in such a short amount of time. People can believe whatever they want about Lancelot and his involvement with the love triangle but this show is obviously portraying him as a good person and the first person (as far as we know) to take notice of Gwen and the person she is in a romantic sense. Lancelot stands for everything that Arthur does but presents himself in a humbler, nobler type of way. Gwen clearly appreciates that and her pleading with him to stay and not risk himself is proof enough to me how much they each already mean to one another. There’s no doubt in my mind that they easily grow to truly love one another.

”Gwen? Guinevere? Lancelot?”

I like that, even though we saw little to none of Gwen and Morgana together in this episode, Morgana still took note of the way Gwen felt about Lancelot. It was a nice touch to show their friendship. Not to mention this brief moment further gives proof of just how strongly Gwen felt about him and also gives a clearer understanding of Gwen’s character and that she’s not a romantic to completely lose herself when she loses someone she loves. They’re two characters who can exist and thrive apart but work better together.

”I believe you may even have impressed our royal guest, Lady Morgana.”
“My lady.”

In our second of only two episodes with Lancelot, both he and Gwen have been thrown into situations neither of them should be in. Despite the surprising circumstances with which they found each other again, it is clear that Lancelot's true character has not changed, regardless of his surroundings. I think Gwen is genuinely sympathetic with the state she has found Lancelot in because she knows that he’s better than what she’s found him doing. Furthermore, she made it quite clear to him that she wasn’t a lady when they first met and now she’s being addressed as the woman she’s a chambermaid to and there’s no doubt that Lancelot’s both curious and worried as to how she wound up here.

”I could not believe my eyes when I saw it was you.”
“I thought my mind was deceiving me.”

…

“What became of you after you left Camelot?”
“There are few opportunities for men like me so I’ve been earning a living the only way that I know: with a sword in my hand. It seems it is my destiny to entertain men like Hengist.”
“I don’t believe that of you. You were so full of hope.”
“I was wrong. The world is not like that.”
“I still see the hope in you. I do not accept it is gone.”

I like the reality of Lancelot’s situation because it’s true that for a man like him, not noble of birth nor blood, he wouldn’t have many opportunities in a tumultuous time such as this and I also appreciate that it has jaded him. While he still remains noble of heart, he seems to have grown and become less naively idealistic and I think that’s very good for him. I think Gwen knows that but the faith she has in him, despite seeing him in such a scenario, gets me every time. Even though she has been falling for Arthur, seeing Lancelot again clearly has had an effect on her and she once more sees the man with the noblest of hearts.

”I have though of you often. Have you thought of me at all?”
“I thought I would never see you again.”

I think it’s important to notice the way she dodges his question, most likely because she is now in conflict with her emotions over him and Arthur. Lancelot was, presumably, the first man to take notice of her in a romantic sense and she saw in him everything good of humanity. He was, probably, close to perfection. However, he left and she truly did believe she’d never see him again and Arthur was changing into the man she knew he could always be right before her so now that Lancelot’s back, she can’t help but feel conflicted. On Lancelot’s side, it’s fairly clear that he still remains smitten and dedicated to her.

”I will not allow you to die here.”
“What about you?”
“I have little to live for.”
“Do not say that.”
“It’s the truth. For all my words, for all I believed, I have come to nothing.”
“You are everything that is right with this world.”
“I did not know you felt that way.”
“I didn’t even know I could feel this way about someone.”
“Then you have given me a reason to live.”

This scene will get me every single time. Lancelot honestly believes that he has failed in his mission to become someone who people could rely on and someone that he could be to save people of the evils of the world. He has managed to succeed in fighting men for other men’s entertainment and it is not something he is at all proud of. Then, however, he finds Gwen once more and the romantic in him is revealed again. She is his hope and, as he explicitly states, his reason to live. Gwen, on the other hand, despite her conflicting feelings for Arthur, has found the man who inspired and gave her hope once upon a time and the feelings she has for him are flooding back. She believes in him and what he can do for the world. They are star-crossed lovers with a doomed ending.

And he rescues her! Tell me there’s nothing more romantic than that. He truly would risk anything for her and if that doesn’t show how much he loves her, I don’t know what would.

”I am not leaving you.”
“You must.”
“No, I will not leave you here to die.”
“I would die for you one hundred times over. Live for me or everything that I am has been for nothing.”
“As long as I live my feelings for you will never fade.”

And that is the sound of hundreds of fangirls swooning, myself included. This is, no doubt, the most romantic scene this show has ever produced. As much as he loves her and wants to be with her, her safety is his top priority and that is of the utmost romance and nobility that he can possess in terms of him being her romantic interest. It is also clear there that despite the feelings she has for Arthur, it is unequivocally Lancelot who she has fallen in love with. Her words and actions speak loud and clear of that.

”You have failed her and that must hurt you more than I would ever understand.”

…

“I am sorry. This is my fault.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. You reminded me of who I am. I will die with faith in my heart. That is worth more than anything.”

Oh dear. The two lovers have found themselves caught and are preparing to face their death, together. The look on Lancelot’s face when he sees that Gwen has been caught absolutely guts me. But I love how brave each of them are, even in such a hopeless scenario such as this, simply because they are together.

And then Arthur and Merlin come to their rescue and the stage is set for awkward love triangle moments! Even when Gwen hears that Arthur and Merlin came alone to rescue her, it is solidified in my mind that she has chosen Lancelot for now by the way she looks at him when she holds his hand though it is also clear that she still remains affectionate for Arthur and does not want to hurt him with her feelings for Lancelot.

”Is it true that Arthur came to rescue Gwen because Morgana begged him? He has feelings for her, doesn’t he?”
“What about you? Do you have feelings for Gwen?”
“My feelings do not matter. I will not come between them. Tell Gwen…Tell Gwen that she has changed me forever but some things cannot be.”

Sometimes I really wish Lancelot would be a little less selfess and go after what he wants, even if it means hurting someone else but of course if he did this he wouldn’t be the Lancelot we know and love. He once again proves just how noble of heart he is. He knows how much Gwen loves him and how much he loves her. He has no knowledge of what Gwen and Arthur’s relationship consists of and yet he’s willing to walk away from her and sacrifice his own feelings and Gwen’s because it is what he believes is right. Perhaps partly because Arthur is a prince and perhaps also because Arthur could give Gwen things that Lancelot would never be able to but, either way, Lancelot sacrifices his own happiness for those of others and it will forever break my heart and also make it flutter all at once.

”Where’s Lancelot? Where is he?”
“He’s gone.”
“No.”
“He said that some things can’t be. He wanted you to know that you’ve changed him forever.”

Guinevere had chosen Lancelot. Despite her feelings for Arthur and how she had seen him change, she had fallen in love with Lancelot and wanted to be with him. Even though her words reveal just as much, her actions truly give away how much Lancelot means to her. I think her reaction to him leaving is proof enough of that. She had truly believed that they could have a life together, that he could become the person she knew him to be and step up to the plate and perhaps even change how things worked at Camelot and become a knight. I think she knew he left for a selfless reason and that only made it hurt all the more and even though we, as the audience, know it isn’t the end, she does believe it to be so, even after all they had just gone through. However, the canon evidence is undeniable and there is no doubt how much Lancelot and Guinevere love each other.

iv. why ship them?

When it comes to this ship, I am incredibly, incredibly biased. I’ve been in love with the Arthurian legend since I was a little girl and growing up, I immediately attached myself to Lancelot and then later on his relationship with Guinevere. Lancelot has always been my favourite of Arthur’s knights and I was always fascinated with that connection, that unbreakable bond he shared with Gwen. I’ve been in love with them in every version, starting with the original legend and going to Ioan Gruffudd and Keira Knightley in King Arthur to Richard Gere and Julia Ormond in First Knight to Santiago Cabrera and Angel Coulby in Merlin.

This charmingly underdog of a show, however, gives one of my favourite representations of them. It’s hard to speak objectively when I’ve loved Lancelot and Gwen as long as I have but this show has presented something new. It was always the forbidden aspect of their relationship that intrigued me, the fact that she was married to Arthur but had this draw to Lancelot. In this series, however, it appeals to the romantic in us. Gwen is not at all tied or linked to Arthur when she first meets and falls for Lancelot. Even though she began to fall for Arthur, when she chose Lancelot and had that brief love affair with him in season two, she still was not bound to Arthur in any way. They are free to love one another as much as they please and it is only through Lancelot’s selflessness that they do not.

Despite the love I have for these two and their relationship with one another, there are two major flaws about them that one must be concerned about. The first is, of course, the fact that they’re doomed. Gwen will become Queen of Camelot by marrying Arthur and, even if the legend is followed, and she carries on an affair with Lancelot, it will not end well for them. So we must resign ourselves to the fact that we have limited time with them.

The second also has to do with limited time. I don’t know if this is part of the plan of because of scheduling conflicts but we’ve gotten Lancelot in two episodes so far, one each season, as opposed to the every episode Arthur and Gwen are in. Therefore, there’s more room for development between the future king and queen. It’s difficult to remain loyal to Lancelot and Gwen when he leaves and they hurriedly begin the courtship between Arthur and Gwen and then Lancelot is thrown into the mix suddenly, only to be taken out again just as suddenly and resume Arthur and Gwen as if Lancelot had never been back.

Still, even though this ship happens to have a death sentence as well as disjointed, limited screen time, they remain to be a beautiful, passionate ship on this show. They see in each other the beauty of humanity, even in the worst, darkest of times. Each of them stands for and represents all that is good in the world. Guinevere proves that you need not be of royalty to be noble or have a good heart. Lancelot proves that you don’t have to be of royal blood in order to be a courageous knight. They are both underdogs. They are the two people some would normally look over for being average but the two people who see in each other hope and beauty. They are, perhaps, in many ways, too good to be true. They have a pure, innocent love that is untainted for now. But that is what makes them as compelling and beautiful as they are.

Though this show takes place centuries back, the romantic in me still exists and to see the chivalry that Lancelot displays certainly gets the heart fluttering. It’s the gentlemanly attention that Lancelot gives to Guinevere when no one else does. It’s the fact that he sees her when everyone else sees Morgana. It’s the fact that she believes in him even when he is at his lowest and no longer believes in himself. It is the fact that they unequivocally and undoubtedly love each other and I cannot ask for anything more.

v. fandom guide

LIVEJOURNAL

gwen_lancelot: the first and only LJ community dedicated to the ship.
thefuturequeen: an LJ community dedicated to Gwen with plenty of Gwen/Lancelot to go around.

FANFICTION

just as you take my hand by latenightcuppa
worth fighting for by veleda_k
in waiting by dh_chan
tears in the rain by veleda_k
never let go by dh_chan
call of more than duty by dh_chan
his lady's favour by dh_chan
too well do i know, my friend by baka_writes
and be merry by dh_chan
somnium by plumora

FANMIXES

in the shadow of your heart by latenightcuppa
words i couldn't say by tray_lord
weakness in me by tray_lord

FANART/GRAPHICS

Tarot Card: Lovers by flufferpuff
She Loves Him Not by 06raindrops1993

Lancelot/Gwen Wallpaper by lancelotfan
Several wallpapers by glenien

• llorona_llorona (icons)
• rory_tutorgirl (icons)
• charmingways (icons)
• belle_reine (icons)

FANVIDS

anywhere but here by Liisakee
stupid by psawyer20
the greatest story ever told by JuneSparrow
if i fell by MissCinemaObsessive
two loves become one by peri7766hhyeg

vi. thank you

I have to give a very big thank you to two important people: latenightcuppa and burningqueen. They were the ones to initially come to me, encouraging me to take on this grand task in the first place and tell me that a Lancelot/Gwen manifesto had to be made and that I should be the one to do it.

Specific thanks to latenightcuppa for reading through everything to edit as well as remind me of scenes and information I had forgotten and shape this up to be the manifesto you see here.

Even more thanks to burningqueen for reading over it as well as encouraging me and giving me the support I needed throughout this process.

THE END. ♥

Comments

[liltipsyfyi.livejournal.com]

Great essay! TA to everything you said! Now if only the writers would read this! XD

They are the two people some would normally look over for being average but the two people who see in each other hope and beauty.

<3

[erethesunrises.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! Haha, I'd love for the writers to see this and be inspired. :D

[veleda-k.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeee! I'm so happy to see this! This is a really nice manifesto. And I'm always glad to see more stuff by Gwen/Lancelot fans.

I will never get tired of watching that GIF. The way they cling to each other.

For fic, I would also recommend The More Loving One (http://ladytelemachus.livejournal.com/24998.html), which is beautiful, bittersweet, and just right. Also Forever Kneel'd To A Lady In His Shield (http://community.livejournal.com/mrs_peel_fanfic/13143.html), for excellent sensuality.

Nice to see "The Greatest Story Ever Told" on the fanvid list. I love that vid so much.

[erethesunrises.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! Yeah, I always like to spread the good word of Lancelot and Gwen.

Thanks for the other recs! I'm not too involved in this fandom so more recs are always welcome.

[ghanistarkiller.livejournal.com]

Yay, thank you for the rec on my fic! :D

[burningqueen.livejournal.com]

OHMYGOSH. I love this. I love you, this is perfect. ♥

They are both underdogs. They are the two people some would normally look over for being average but the two people who see in each other hope and beauty. They are, perhaps, in many ways, too good to be true. They have a pure, innocent love that is untainted for now. But that is what makes them as compelling and beautiful as they are.

Thiiiiiis this, so much this. I've never really thought of it this way before but now that you've said it I'll never be able to unthink it, because it's so true.

And can I just say that I am proud to be able to say I had anything to do with this coming into being at all. <3

[erethesunrises.livejournal.com]

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! All your support and how excited you are over this makes it all worth it. ♥

That's what these two are to me, really. It's why I love them as much as I do.

[randomalia.livejournal.com]

Lovely work!! They are gorgeous together. <3

[ghanistarkiller.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love you! Well written, hits on every point beautifully! This, this is why I love this ship! :D

[erethesunrises.livejournal.com]

Haha, thanks so much! Yeah, I tried to explain as eloquently as I could why I love this ship as much as I do.

[erethesunrises.livejournal.com]

Thank you! ♥

Oh yes, they do. They're so pure right now but we all know it's going to turn into more than that and it's terribly beautiful. Yes, Lancelot noticing her when no one else does is something I'll always love.

I think they need to if they want to make the triangle work or make it plausible.

Yes, both are gorgeous so I had to! And thank you for the tumblr link! It's gorgeous.

[veleda-k.livejournal.com]

ALSO, I love the fact that Lancelot always noticed her, even before her lavender dress. ♥

Yes, I so agree with this. Back when Merlin was oblivious to her crush and Arthur barely knew she existed, Lancelot saw just how special and wonderful she was. (Of course, when I feeling snarky and facetious, I'm more likely to describe it as, "Lancelot liked her before she started showing cleavage.")

I really need to make more G/L icons

I agree with this also.

[goobalicious.livejournal.com]

OMG thank you for this! Gorgeous work. It's so difficult to find fanworks of these two, which is a shame because they're lovely together and I'd love to see what fandom could do with exploring their dynamic. Thanks so so much for compiling those recs!

[erethesunrises.livejournal.com]

Thank you, thank you! I wish fandom loved them more and I hope we got more of them in the series which we're bound to do.

[weltea.livejournal.com]

I loved your essay.
Gwen/Lancelot is such a great pairing,I always get angry at people saying that those 2 episodes were not enough to not make any kind of connection between them seem non-forced ;)
I agreed with almost eveything in this post and it was very interesting reading another opinion on some points :)


(What really interests me though:You described Guinevere as ...typically known as the wife of Arthur and the Queen of Camelot? A strong female in the legend of King Arthur and his knights, certainly not what one would think of as a maid in the castle. I always despised the character of Guinevere (Gwen in Merlin was the first one I liked) and thought her to be a very weak and pathetic (excuse for a) woman and was wondering if you could tell me what versions of the Arthurian legend you have read?:)

[weltea.livejournal.com]

*headdesk*
non-forced

[brokentriangle.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful essay :) You hit all the right notes, solidifying the reasons why I love Gwen and Lancelot together so much.

Here's hoping that season three will bring more G/L moments, and that Lancelot will be in more than just one episode!

[erethesunrises.livejournal.com]

Thank you so, so much! :D

I heard he's only going to be in one episode again but let's hope I'm mistaken. I need more of them in my life!

[merisunshine36.livejournal.com]

new to the fandom and hunting desperately for gwen stuff--thank you thaaaank you!!