All language subtitles for The Pendragon Cycle- Rise of the Merlin (2026) Season 1 Episode 3- A Fatherless Child - PrimeWire

They say that Merlin is mad.

They say he was a king in Dovid, that
his rule was just and his hand was

They say he was a bard.

The son of a princess of lost Atlantis.

And a Cymru prophet of great renown.

They say the future and the past are
known to him.

That the fire and the wind tell him
their secrets.

That the magic of the hill folk and
druids and daughters of Bel...

Come forth at his easy command.

They say he slew hundreds.

Hundreds, do you hear?

That the world burned and the ground
trembled at his wrath. Lord Death

him for his terrible harvest.

Death, you have taken all of the others.

Why have you not taken me?

Do not raise your hand against me again,
Danad, if you would keep it.

How do you know my name?

I know a great many things.

Talon! It's a trick.

A trick, Ithac.

Is that what you believe?

To watch.

To watch.

What is it?

He knows us.

He knows nothing. You haven't already
told him.

And you do not test me.

I am a powerful druid. I would speak
lightly of power, friend.

For I know whence your power comes.

Whoever they were, they've moved on.

You know well who they were, son of
Vortigern.

The very Saxon raiders.

You and your father.

Gave a foothold in our land.

You told them who we are.

No, my prince.

I swear it.

I do not care for their manner, my lord.

Perhaps we should not go with them.

We have nothing to fear from these men,
Peleus.

And I am eager to meet the man who has
made himself king over all others.

It's the quickest way I know to announce
to the world that Merlin Emrys has

returned to the land of the living.

My father would like you.

Provisions are being gathered, but we
need time to build a wall.

We haven't got time.

You said it would be done.

And it will be, Drinking.

Riders, approach!

and my king.

I bring you a great gift and the answer
to your troubles.

No.

There must be some mistake.

The man I seek was already old when I
was a child.

This cannot be the Merlin.

They say Merlin is of the fearful, my
king.

They call him Emrys.

Immortal.

Is that so?

I'm known by many names, Vortigern.

You will call him High King.

Passion.

And do you know why I have sought you?

Work on your stronghold is going badly.

You're druids.

Blame an evil spirit for the failure of
your Masons to build a decent wall.

Go on.

They tell you the blood of a virgin
-born man is required to secure your

foundations.

Is that not the way of it, your... Is
there any doubt this is the man we

require?

He is full of tricks, sire.

Do not let him confuse you.

My enemies.

ride against me. I would fortify this
position, but each

night my walls crumble and fall.

Are you indeed a fatherless child,
Mervyn Emrys, or perhaps just another

bastard without a father? My father was
Taliesin at Eltham at Gwythno.

Names that were once lauded in this
land.

Names of great renown.

Montgomery. Long, long ago.

But, sire, Taliesin was no mortal. He
was an otherworldly being.

That had been news to my mother.

There are no evil spirits at work here,
Vortigern.

No man virgin born save one only.

Your problem is taking counsel from
liars,

And fools.

What proof do you offer that the wall is
not cursed?

On the ground.

On the ground.

You sure?

I grow impatient, Merlin.

Spill your blood to build his wall.

Oh, aye.

Vortigern is a pitiless man.

And desperate.

But nothing will happen to me that is
not appointed to happen, Pellis.

You did not bring me back to the world
of men to watch me die in this pit.

Enough! These men mock you, and they
waste what little time we have left.

POTENT!

Evil spirit.

No underground dragon.

The spring washes the earth away beneath
the weight of your stone wall.

These men, whom I entrusted with my
life, have shown

themselves false before me.

These men were so eager for your blood.

Surely they will not mind my asking for
this.

Old man.

And a fool.

You have my apology and you will have my
reward.

I'll accept nothing from your hand,
Vortigern.

Am I so distasteful to your eyes?

Whatever you would give to me, you have
taken from another.

You have done much evil.

And much evil will be done to you.

Have I not held the land in peace these
last years?

Given the Saxon safe harbour to plunder
our land is not holding the peace.

I saw no other way.

You traded strength for peace.

But there'll be no peace without
strength.

Father, you would free these men after
they humiliated you in your own court.

I humiliated myself, as did you.

You just killed your own counselors on
the brink of war. False counselors.

An unwinnable war.

I had a vision.

A waking dream.

I saw the pit the Merlin dug.

I heard his pick.

As it struck the stone, only instead of
water, a great

cavern lay beneath.

In the cavern were two great stones, a
gate.

Inside the gate, two dragons came forth
to battle one another.

They fought each other, the dragons, and
their battles.

It was terrible to be out.

So early they wounded one another, and
when they could fight no more, they

dragged themselves back into their eggs
and fled, but only to fight again

once they were rested.

What of this dream, Merlin?

Merlin.

Arthur.

A dream, Merlin.

What of this dream?

Do you really want to know?

Flee, Vortigern.

If you would live, you must flee.

The dragons you have seen are your
enemies.

White for the Saxon horde.

Red for the true sons of Britain whose
father you murdered for your crown.

But they war with each other, not with
us.

The Saxon may still join us after all
we've given them.

Is there no hope for me?

Here is your hope.

And the hope of our people.

From the event of which you have set in
motion, a king will arise to hold all

Britain in his hands.

A high king who will be the wonder of
the world.

A chief dragon to utterly devour the
white dragon of the pit.

I do not know.

He speaks of destruction.

I will ride this very night to the Saxon
shore to rally our friends to our

cause. Ride. Ride then, boy.

Ride. And do not tarry. Our doom is upon
us.

Ride. Ride!

This is to be Vortigern's last stand.

Let my son be well away from this place.

Put those arrows on high. They'll be of
no use to you down here.

You'd be very helpful if you stayed.

My road lies another way.

Boy!

What is this?

If there is to be a battle, I'll fight
for my king.

Nay.

Nay.

Not for another summer yet.

I'll do my part, my lord, like every
other man here.

Aid the archers to the top of the tower.

The very top, you guard their backs.

Guard their backs.

Now, let me help you with this. Stop
your trembling.

Take heart, you people of the island of
the mighty, for the soul of Britain is

stirring again.

David?

David.

David. I know that you're alive.

To see you after all these years. Yes.

But you have not altered all yet.

David, what is this?

Why is this holy man in chains?

A treason.

We hope to appeal to the High King, in
Jesus' name, to show charity for the

women and children displaced by the
raiding Saxons. I will not be lectured

worshippers of some fan -starved
lunatic.

He was not persuaded.

For your many sins, Vortigern, keeping
this man from his work, It's chief among

them. That's very doubtful.

Free these men, if you would save your
soul.

Save my soul?

I will not.

Then I will claim the reward that you
have offered me.

Free these men, and our debt is paid.

You are a taxing man, Merlin Emerson.

And yet, there are few enough who will
speak plainly to me.

Farewell, Vortigern.

We will not meet again.

Who's there?

Show yourself!

I wouldn't expect a warrior to turn his
back on an enemy.

And now?

And now, we know you're no warrior.

Do I look too old to mount a horse?

I know.

I know.

But look at you, Merthyn Back.

You are the flower of your race.

Praise God for your long life.

That is enough combat for today, Hawke.

Why must you torment me with Latin?

Because the word of the true God is
sharper even than the two -edged sword.

Tell that to the Picti.

Tell that to the Irish raider.

I will learn Latin when I am old, like
Hathgan. How old do you think me,

Nerfinbach?

You're as old as the oak on Shrine Hill.

Not quite as old as that.

But what is age to you, hmm?

You will grow to be as old as any oak in
the island of the mighty.

Does that mean I'll be king forever?

Oh.

It is a great thing to be a king, hawk.

A very great thing indeed.

But there is authority of a kind even
kings must bend to.

Discover this, and whether you wear a
talk of gold or a beggar's rags, you

earn the name Ambrosius.

What does that mean?

Study your Latin.

Stay.

We

must ride.

Vortigern's end is upon him.

How would you have us care, my lord?

There's Pandaren still reigning
Maradunum.

King Pandaren joined his fathers many
years ago, Hawke.

Your grandparents, too, my lord.

King Elfin.

Lady Bronwyn.

Koal.

And Hafgen.

Four.

Perking up there in your hovel, haunting
the rock waste like a wreck.

Did you not know that men mark their
years differently?

Tosca Stennings to rule Kelithon.

His Atlantean blood is strong.

But we would... We would not be welcome
here.

No, my lord.

Go back the way you came.

I'm not sure what that means.

He is revived.

The birds are so ready.

Let them fly.

The battle is before us.

And if one of them is the usurper
himself?

It must be me who takes the tower.

Come for blood?

Give them blood!

Don't break it, don't break it.

ends the reign of Vortigern, High King
of Britain.

really.

An ugly gash.

From Britain.

I've never seen my brother bested in
battle before.

He fought well.

And my men?

Alive, sire.

But somewhat worse for wear.

Sire.

Fashionable honorific for a high king,
is it not?

You think me high king?

Do not all the kings of Britain sing in
praise this day?

I can think of a few singing their own
praises.

Some men who marched up with me only
hours ago.

What does it matter what a few self
-important grumblers think?

Because I need every single one of them
to defeat Hades.

Ah, the Saxon king.

Those grumblers are all that stand
between my rump on the throne and his.

Yours is the preferred rump, my king.

My lord brother, you've only just met
this man.

Only just met?

Oh, I think not, Uther.

I've known Merlin a very long time.

Merlin?

That's impossible.

Merlin was a myth before a father was
even born.

And yet?

Well done, Aurelius.

Perhaps you have the makings of a king
after all.

Three of the southern kings never
returned to camp this morning.

Yet they're happy enough to see you
challenged, Vortigern.

Aye.

Doesn't mean they're happy to see me
high king.

Hmm. It's worse than I thought.

700 men is not a man too many to face
Hengist.

Traitor!

How quickly you trade one master for
another.

Medlar.

You know this man?

Aurelius, your prisoner is Prince Pashat
Abvortigan.

Son of your fallen foe.

We thought him a mere scout.

You killed my father, bastard.

Your father killed our father.

But death is not paid.

And mine?

Who will pay the blood price to
passions?

They will pay you.

Who's her brother?

We came here for justice.

Really?

Because I thought we came here for
Britain.

And every day this has come to our
spread. It's a threat to your reign.

Your brother is right, sire.

Watergate's son is not a forgiving man.

And yet I will not stop my reign of
murder.

As Waskin did.

I gift you your life, Passions.

Do not give me a cause to take it back.

You've made a grave mistake, brother.

And if so,

it is mine to make.

How came you buy this blade?

Grandfather!

Grandfather, he's coming!

Is he a king?

He's more than a king.

Boy had the eyes of a praying bird.

Stand up straight, lad.

You are being addressed by the Doc's
Personarium, commander of all the Roman

forces in Britain.

I knew your father.

Tell me, boy, what does the son of
Taliesin see with those golden eyes?

I see a sword.

The hilt is silver and bears a purple
gem carved like an eagle.

It is an emperor's sword.

Emperor's sword.

That's enough, Lance.

What else do you see?

I see a ring of kings standing like
stones in a circle.

A woman kneels in their midst.

She holds the sword in her hand.

She is speaking, but no one hears her,
no one listens.

I see the blade, rusting and forgotten.

Shall we have a song, Afghan?

Indeed we shall.

I never saw a Maximus or a sword again.

A remarkable story.

Why? I feel we're true.

This all belonged to my father.

How he came by it, I... I cannot say.

I do know this.

The paths that brought us together began
long before this day.

I will trust you, Merlin Ambrosius.

I would have you my counsellor.

By the gods. I need an advisor, Uther.

We're not exactly neck -deep in
volunteers.

Very well, Aurelius.

Let it be as you say, and heed the word
of your counsellors.

The southern kings will continue to
desert you.

Dismiss them.

To hell we will.

Go on.

Let them return to their own land and
see for themselves what the Saxon

have wrought.

Their own people will demand to unite
under your banner.

I have friends in the west and north.

I believe we can count them among your
supporters.

Master Marlin, I...

I will ride to them and rally them to
your cause.

And what are we supposed to do while you
play king -making, Merlin?

I know a place you'll be safe while we
build our forces.

This is where it begins.

First, there is a sword.

The sword of Britain.

And the sword is Britain.

It is the answer to many prayers,
Merthyr.

Seeing you again.

There's usually you who sets camp, while
I stare into the fire.

I dare this plan, my lord.

The Cymru king will be threatened by
your return, and the north will not help

you. Aurelius has the sword of Magnus
Maximus Aurelius.

The emperor's sword.

If you return north, Kastanen will not
help you.

This is how the summer kingdom begins.

My lord, Kastanen will kill you.

I've seen how you struggle.

I've never known your Arwen to burden
you so much.

Not the man I once was, Peleus.

Afghans have.

Your own one was.

I know.

I don't remember how.

Almost 50 years I've carried it.

Still haven't learned a note.

Pellius, I... I am not worthy of your
sacrifice.

God alone is worthy of such devotion.

As one cares for another, doth he not
also care for God?

Listen to me carefully now.

You found me and brought me back to the
world of men, and I thank you for that.

Let others make their choice.

I have made mine.

Good night, my lord.

Good night.

My true friend.

wa manubal hadrita.

Fawzi.

Hold your true enemy, okay?

Saxon Angus.

I've never seen so many.

Nesper's raiding party fresh from his
plunder.

You will not be able to repeal the
barbarian on your own.

Wouldn't you agree, Uther?

I'd say we've proven ourselves more than
capable on our own, Uther.

You slew the usurper, Vortigern.

Not him.

I burned him alive in a tower at Uther.

I never even met his blade with my own.
Right. Well, battle isn't about honor.

It's about victory.

There won't be no victory without the
kings of Britain by our side.

Without Merlin by our side.

Perfect.

May the good god be praised.

What god could build such a place?

Not a god.

A king.

Behold, in Isabella, all of the fairy
king.

Ave Maria.

David, come home.

Aurelius' life is in danger.

Until the kings of Britain recognize his
claim.

Aurelius has defeated the usurp of
Vortigern. He could find sanctuary here

I ride to rally what friends we have
left.

While we ride to rally your friends.
Who's that? To ensure Merlin is not

in pushing your claim another course.

It's your king's sword.

The sword of a high king.

I do not offer it to Aurelius.

No, then. He will take the talk from my
father and declare himself High King

before he is through.

Unless we stop him here and now.