BBC Merlin season 6 was built by a team of writers, depicting King Arthur's return 1500 years after the events of the end of season 5, "The Diamond of the Day part 2". The project is not affiliated with the BBC or Shine in any way, but it was written in perfect cohesion for the first five seasons. Since it was first published in February 2016, it has accumulated thousands of followers and generated tons of fan interest. This version of a sixth season is undoubtedly the best one ever.
The trailer the Team dropped has over 700k views: Merlin Series 6: Kingdom Come Official Trailer
The scripts are all available on the Team's tumblr account: merlin6kingdomcome.tumblr.com
Synopsis[]
Fifteen hundred years after his death, the Once and Future King finally returns. But he finds himself confronted with a new world that is entirely unfamiliar. What’s more, centuries of waiting for Arthur’s return have rendered Merlin traumatized and struggling with inner demons. Aided – and opposed – by familiar faces from their past, the King and his trusted warlock must face a cabal of adversaries led by an ancient Judge who intends to undermine any attempts to fulfill Arthur’s final destiny. But how will they secure a promising future when history is fighting to repeat itself?
Background[]
In February 2015, a team sent a query to Alex Mahon, who forwarded it to Daniel Isaacs, CEO of Kudos. In response to the team, they were kind, but Isaacs found that the creators of Merlin started to move on and did not work with the Shine Group anymore. Isaacs said that while discussing the program's continuation, his broadcasters had decided against it. The team didn't know exactly what to do with the project for a while, until it was released on Tumblr, under the name merlin6kingdomcome, for amusement by fans. The script took the fandom by storm and won fans across the map, from Singapore to France, the United States and more..
Since then, the Team attempted to send the script to the actors with no response, yet still fans pledge their help to take the project to the silver screen in any way they can.
13 Episodes[]
The script is composed of 13 full-length episodes, in accordance with the format of the original show. Each episode is accompanied by a YouTube playlist with soundtracks arranged to accompany each scene, indicated by red numbers throughout the scripts.
Episode 1 - Rise and Shine: Fifteen hundred years since the fall of Camelot, Merlin returns to the castle ruins to carry out his usual chores. Little does he know, it is the last time he will have to brave the desolate halls alone. Flashbacks show those of Camelot coping in the wake of Arthur’s death, and Merlin’s friends worry as they watch his desperate attempts to fulfill what he thinks are Arthur’s wishes.
Episode 2 - A King Without a Kingdom: When the Once and Future King is confronted by the unfamiliarity of the modern world, Arthur is overwhelmed with the realization that everything he ever knew and loved is gone. Meanwhile, Mordred and a slippery new ally hurry to locate the returned King. Flashbacks to Camelot show Gwen and Gaius try to reach out to Merlin as he struggles to balance duty to Arthur with the need to carry on with his life.
Episode 3 - The Madness of Merlin: When an incident in the city pulls back the veil to just how traumatized Merlin really is after the years of waiting, Arthur resolves to help him at all costs. Meanwhile, a mysterious society of sorcerers is watching their every move. Flashbacks to Camelot show Merlin start to unravel in the aftermath of Arthur’s death.
Episode 4 - Their Sound Shall Reach the Stars: After stumbling upon a familiar face, Merlin strikes a bargain that must be fulfilled by the end of the day – or they will lose their friend forever. Flashbacks to Camelot show Merlin as he grapples with a new and terrifying power.
Episode 5 - The Witching Hour Part 1: Things are shaken up at Merlin’s flat when his old arch nemesis takes up residence just down the hall. Meanwhile, Mordred, Accolon, and Morgause take matters into their own hands to attain their goals. Flashbacks to Camelot show Merlin training a brilliant but untrustworthy new apprentice.
Episode 6 - The Witching Hour Part 2: When Merlin and Arthur wind up separated after a run-in with another face from their past, Merlin is forced to keep an eye on his old foe, Morgana. Flashbacks show Gwen, Leon, and Percival as they struggle to hold their ground against the Blind Judge, a servant of the Disir who has been tasked to enact the judgement of the Triple Goddess upon Camelot.
Episode 7 - The Servant King: Aided by his newfound ally, Arthur hastens to secure reinforcements for their long-dreaded confrontation with Mordred. Meanwhile, Merlin is forced to guard Morgana from the “black and deep desires” of a twisted foe.
Episode 8 - The Good Knight: When Merlin’s prophecy unfolds into devastating reality, Arthur and his allies must grapple with the chaos. But their enemies seize upon the moment of confusion to make their move, resulting in the unthinkable for both sides.
Episode 9 - The Sole Equality: Stirred up by Morgana’s presence, tensions and mistrust are rife in the Sanctuary as Arthur and his allies make ready for war. Meanwhile Elaine’s forces are set for battle. All she must do is choose the opportune moment.
Episode 10 - Witch Hunt: After a near-fatal incident in the Sanctuary, Arthur resolves to end Merlin’s nightmares once and for all. Meanwhile, Gwen and the Knights are hell-bent on protecting their people – even if it means disobeying King Arthur’s orders.
Episode 11 - Slings and Arrows: Arthur attempts to interrogate an assassin, but his manipulative prowess proves more treacherous than they bargained for. Meanwhile, lives hang in the balance when Mordred challenges Merlin with a seemingly impossible decision.
Episode 12 - Judgment Day Part 1: When Elaine gets her hands on a way to torment Merlin from afar, Arthur and his knights race to derail her before it’s too late. Meanwhile, those left behind must defend the Sanctuary from an onslaught of vicious curses.
Episode 13 - Judgment Day Part 2: The time of the Apocalypse has come. The Once and Future King must lead his forces against the Blind Judge in a battle unlike any the world has ever known. Meanwhile, tensions arise among their enemies as Morgana seeks the truth about the Circle of Fate.
New and Old[]
The series incorporates old faces and new faces -- new in the forms of Elaine the Blind Judge and Lord Accolon, most notably, who serve as prominent antagonists throughout. These villains quickly became fan favorites of readers.
The Team[]
Speculation had been made about the identities of the writers and operators of the official tumblr, who called themselves “the Team.” Many asked that they reveal who they were, but for a long time they maintained an aura of mystery. Only a little was known about them:
- There were three writers, plus some additional individuals who helped with the editing.
- The soundtracks were selected, edited, and timed by the writers themselves.
- They have been writing for many years and known each other a very long time.
- In recent years they have shifted focus to an original writing project, said to be in the Dark Fantasy genre, which they plan to share with fans of Merlin 6: Kingdom Come as soon as it is ready.
Eventually it was revealed that the Team was comprised of three sisters -- Christa, Hannah, and Caeli Rose McCutchen -- from the USA, an artistic trio who have authored numerous creative projects together including a two-volume pop music album, Bread and Circuses: Volumes 1 and 2.
Allis and the Merlin Sims[]
One very talented and devoted fan of the project has been bringing the episodes to life using Sims 3, with both English and French translations. Her work has been called "amazing" by followers, and her eye toward detail has been applauded by the Team itself, with whom she has been in contact to ensure each episode accurately represents their vision. Her work can be found here.