| “ | Me, when I have nothing to do here anymore, I retire... Not one drop of water, not one ray of sunshine. I dry up from head to toe into a small corpse under a heap of leaves... Seasons come and go and ignore me... And then, one day, the raven says it's heard in the distance someone who begins to cry again. "Guenièvre! Guenièvre!" So I open one eye, I crawl, eating snow, licking stagnant water... And my enemies shudder, for when they see me drink, they know I have come back. | „ |
| ~ Méléagan most famous speech. |
Méléagan is a mysterious antagonist from 2005 French comedy medieval fantasy television series Kaamelott. He is portrayed by Carlo Brandt. Mélagan appears in the third season as the answer to Arthur's sins and precipitates the fall of his kingdom.
History[]
Méléagan is a dark entity who wakes up when the Gods need to punish someone, then disapears immediatly, waiting his next mission.
He accompagnied Caesar during his suicide. He asked him to tell him his happiest memory and stayed with him until his death, acting as a friend.
Arthur learns about the existence of Méléagan following his wedding with Lady Mevanwi, when Morgane advises him to read the Book of Prophecies, arguing that his recents sins will have consequences, and that the book countains something about him. The book in question warns him about the upcoming of a mysterious figure, "The Answer".
Latter, Lancelot starts to talk about a mysterious man dressed in black who watches him everytime, but no one else see him and his men think he is becoming mad. It's only when Lancelot lose everything with Guenièvre going back to Kaamelott and his allies abandonning him that Méléagan finaly shows up to him. He asks him to stand up and to isolate himself. After a few months, Méléagan comes back to Lancelot and his impressed by his choice to hide in the montain, whereas most would have choose a less inhospitalier palce. He then affirms that when himself choose to retire, he even stops to eat or drink and becomes just a dead corpse, until he wakes up agains. Lancelot asks him who is he, but he refuses to answer. Few days latter, the man in black agrees to reveal his name : Méléagan.
When Arthur decides to replant Excalibur in the rock, Méléagan dissuades Lancelot to take his chance, arguing that he will only be ridiculized. He affirms that the sword his just a trick from the gods an that Lancelot is not the choosen one for theese Gods but for the Gods who reward the price of blood.
Latter, Mélégan brings a very special woman to Lancelot's lair : the Lady of the Lake, who had became mortal. He presents himself to her as The Answer, witch terifies her and calls her by her name, Viviane. He then reminds to Lancelot that he was once the choosen one by the Gods, under the tutelage of the Lady of the Lake, before being replaced by Arthur. He then lets the fairy leave. The Lady of the Lake tries to warn Arthur, telling him Lancelot his accompanied by a terribly malevolent entity, but the king refuses to listen.
Méléagan continues to aliment Lancelot's hatred toward Arthur and to test him. He orders him to murder the next traveller Lancelot will encounter. However, the man is Lionel of Gaunes, Lancelot's cousin, and so Lancelot fails. Meleagan affirms he is not ready yet. He later brings him an enchanted puppet and pretends every damage suffered by the puppet will be passed on Arthur. Lancelot refuses to destroy the puppet but during an argument with Méléaan, he tosses it accidentally in the fire. Méléagan reveals then that the puppet was not enchanted, but decides his protégé ready.
Méléagan then appears to Arthur. The former king as left the castle to search each one of his ancients mistress to discover if he had any children. When he decides to go back, having found nothing, Méléagan presents himself as a guide to bring him back to the castle.
However, Arthur soon notices that his guide makes a lot deviations during their trip, but Méléagan presents them as shortcut. He brings Arthur to a farm, where they demands hospitality. The farmer is in fact Anton, Arthur's former foster father. When Arthur was just a kid, his mother sent him to Anton to save him from his father. Arthur stayed two years with the man and his son before being sent to Rome. Anton thells tem the story of this kid, and Arthur reveals his identity. Both understand then that the other never healed from this traumatism, even if Arthur choosed to forget theese memories. The next morning, Arthur and Méléagan take back the road.
Méléagan then brings Arthur to a group of gypsies. There, Arthur retrieves Prisca, an old friend who pretends now being a psychic. While they are talking, Méléagan uses his dark powers to possess the young woman and affirms Arthur is sterile, putting an end to his dream to become a father.
Back to the castle, Arthur tries to kill himself but is saved by Lancelot. Months later, Arhur gives the power to Lancelot. Méléagan congratulates him for his success and orders him to set back everything, the Round Table, the Knights, etc, bringing chaos in the kingdom.
Personality[]
Méléagan is an enigmatic entity, and his goals and true nature are mysterious. He once said his life wasn't the most interesting part of his existence, wich impliy he was mortal long ago. He seems to be a servant of the gods, even if he claims the opposite, send on Earth to punish Arthur's sins, as mentioned in the Book of Prophesies. He said he has no interest in the death of people, only in their scuttling.
He has a very sinister personality, and even divine beings like the Lady of Lake fears him. He is also extremly manipulative, and adapts his methods to his targets: with Caesar, he acted like and old friend, with Lancelot he acted as a mentor, using Lancelot desire of recognition, while with Arthur, he managed to dominate him, as Arthur his used to dominate everyone. It is notably shown during their journey : Arthur asks Méléagan to walk slower, being unable to catch him, while he was upset few days ago by Guenievre, who walked too slow for him.
Quotes[]
| “ | All of this is nothing. Absolutely nothing! Not long ago something went "boom". There, we're on a tiny crumb expelled by this boom, drifting and turning on itself, waiting for its end; near! On this crumb little organisms gesticulate; they're born, they live, they die. None of this has any consequence. | „ |
| ~ Méléagan |
Trivia[]
- In the Arthurian myth, Maleagant is the responsible of Guenievre's abduction.
- With Méléagan's apparition, the show became less comical and more serious, and Méléagan he is the only character who never has any comical line.
- Méléagan relationship with Lancelot is close to the relationship between Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. As Alexandre Astier, the creator of Kaamelott, in an huge fan of Star Wars, it was probably inspired by it. Also, both studied the theory of Joseph Campbell and aplied it into their work.