I've gotten pretty annoyed with the constant use of Merlin as a all-powerful wizard in fanfiction, so here I am to present an arguement against worship of this thoroughly underserving wizard.

There are 3 main reasons that I can see that give people the idea that Merlin is this uber-wizard: canon references, outside canon references, muggle myths.

Firstly, canon references. This referes to the fact that in canon people have occasionally use "Merlin's beard" as an expletive, and therefore this means that he must have bean a powerful wizard. However, I would argue that this means nothing. You, in your everyday life, probably use many expletives. When you say s**t, do you say that becasue you revere it? No, of course you don't (unless you're really weird).

I would also say that other expletives such as "Galloping Gargoyes" are used in canon, and unless there's something we're missing, gargoyles aren't seen as immensly powerful.

The second reason Merlin may be revered in fanfiction is outside canon references, for example on Harry Potter merchandise. The official Harry Potter chocolate frog card for Merlin mentions that he was a famous enchanter and wizard. However, notice the use of the word famous, not powerful or skilled. Gilderoy Lockheart was a famous wizard who was well known for his mastery of magic...and look how he turned out, a complete fraud. Fame is not a measure of skill or power, just of people's perceptions, so this also doesn't mean that Merlin is an overtly powerful wizard.

The third reason that fuels fanfiction's obsession with Merlin is the famous muggle myth of King Arthur and his wizard companion, Merlin. What can I say? It's a muggle myth. They don't know the subtleties if magic, or anything about it even, so who are they to judge who is a good wizard or not? The fact is, Merlin was the only wizard stupid enough to allow himself to be exposed to the Muggles, showing that he is either incompetent or has extreem attention seeking tendancies, both of which are undesireable characteristics.

So, I hope that little rant has challenged your perceptions of certain fanon facts that are often taken for granted that I believe should be challenged.

I also apologise in advance to anyone who I might have offended who has used Merlin in their stories.

Feel free to poke any holes (or even add to my points) in my arguement that you can find. As long as you can support your reasoning, I'm happy to listen.

 

People may use Galloping Gargolyes as an expletive, but there are no Gargolyes on famous wizard cards. Lockhart may have his card, but he is nowhere near muggle myths. Merlin, however, appears in all three of these cases, indicating that he's slightly more important than gargolyes or Lockheart.

In other words, each of these don't mean much on its own, but combined together they indicate one of the most important wizards in HP canon. Hell, his name is replacement for "Jesus" in curses.

As for Merlin not respecting statue of secrecy, let me remind you that he had supposedly lived during the early middle age, which is up to 500 years before the founding of Hogwarts. There's no indication that back then the Ministry and the statue of secrecy even existed.

 

Even without the actual law there, the reason for the law still exists: it's a bad idea to let muggles see wizards.

As for the other points, I guess it's a matter of opinion.

 

the muggle prime minister knows that the magic world exists. based on that king arthur is a king so he would most likely be let in on the secret. for all we know they may have thought merlin was the only wizard to exist

 

From the lexicon, which I believe just pulled the data off his Chocolate frog card.

And seriously. One of the highest honors in the Wizarding World is an award named after him.

That's a pretty big indication right there.

 

To me, it would seem simply enough, if I was a moderately powered magician, to curry favour with a King. Use a few flashy spells, kill a few enemy armies in large numbers, and make him a sword that will cut through his enemies armour, and he's gonna love ya, isn't he. All it would require is some trickery, then when you have his ear, whenever a magician who tries to denounce you or take your place or get you to give up what your doing etc comes along, all you have to do is tell the King he is a traitor or something like that.

 

Well if fic authors want to glorify a famous wizard from the past why not Merlin? I mean he is a myth in reality so its something people identify with. It really doesn't bother me much.

That said I found the following extemely hilarious:

Thats from Make a Wish by Rorschach's Blot.

 

If you looked carefully, you'd realise that JK uses many "muggle" myths within her books. It's not possible for her to make everything up. For example, she got Nicholas Flamel from French myth (I think). Just like she got a great many of her magical animals from myth and legend. It's obvious from canon that Merlin was a great wizard. While fanfiction (of course) makjes you sick to death of him, you can't take that magical brilliance away from him.

 

Flamel was a real person in the 1400's. Alchemist. Supposedly created the Philosopher's Stone, and cheated death a few times. Died from illness, I believe. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I'm not so concerned with how powerful Merlin is as with how often he's epitomized as the ultimate "Light" wizard.

There's a lot of different narratives for the Arthurian legends. Merlin would be considered good/just because he was the lead wizard of the winning side. For all we know, he could have committed brutal atrocities and been what would be a modern day dark lord when he unified the entire British isles of petty groups into something that later became the Ministry of Magic.

I see no reason to question Merlin's power or magical potential. But I do wonder how in that day and age, how you can actually accomplish anything by being really 'light and just'.

 

i know this sounds pretty juvenile, but any of you seen the fairly odd parents where he has an encounter with merlin and the guys is a total fraud. whoever did the voiceover played a pretty funny merlin. also the funniest portrayal of king arthur ever.

 

Merlin was not just show-boating around with Arthur. The other wizards would not have allowed some 'average' powered magician to run practically all of Great Britain's muggles. I also doubt that he was doing it just for the attention. The only two possiblilities I think to actually be possibilities are that he was determined to pull the area out of the Dark Ages, or that he was actually a Dark Lord aiming at control over the people.