| “ | Sometimes you've got to do what you think is right, and damn the consequences. | „ |
| ~ Morgana Pendragon |
Morgana Pendragon is the main antagonist of the BBC series, Merlin.
She is the illegitimate daughter of Uther Pendragon and the half-sister of Arthur Pendragon and Morgause. Initially being an innocent ward of Uther who had spoken out against his actions on those who practice sorcery, she eventually discovered she had magic and slowly began her descent into the dark side. She is Merlin's former friend and ally turned arch-nemesis.
She was portrayed by Katie McGrath, who also played Lena Luthor in Supergirl, The Adjudicator in The Continental and Lucy Westenra in Dracula (2013).
History[]
Season 1[]
Morgana started off being a very kind woman who was Uther's ward. However, unknown to her at the time she was actually his daughter and half-sister of Arthur. Morgana had a close friendship with her maidservant Gwen, Arthur and Merlin at this point in time.
Morgana eventually discovered that she had the gift of prophecy which was something that frightened her immensely. When she slept, she would have nightmares foreseeing the future of those in Camelot and the people she cared about. She sought the help of Gaius but this did nothing to stop her prophetic dreams because he only helped by giving her a sleeping draught. Morgana would also join in Merlin's adventures such as rescuing Camelot from a plague and meeting a young Druid boy named Mordred who she bonded instantly with.
Morgana showed resistance to Uther's rule and disliked his hatred of magic and how he executed those who wielded the power. Uther eventually imprisoned her and executed Gwen's father driving her to plan his assassination. In this occasion she also accused Uther of having abandoned her (supposed) father Gorlois in the battlefield years before, causing his death. She stopped when Uther showed he cared for her when they visited her supposed birth father's grave together.
Season 2[]
Morgana started to panic after several events revealed that she does have magial powers that recently awakened. When she woke from a frightening dream, she created a fire that burned her curtain drapes. She confided this in Merlin which led the two of them to become closer as he thought that this made them alike and he understood her fears. Merlin suggested that she visit the Druids but this plan didn't work when Arthur and his soldiers invaded the camp, believing that the Druids had kidnapped her instead of her willingly searching for them. She eventually accepted that magic could be used for good.
Morgana eventually met her half-sister Morgause after the latter defeated Arthur in a duel. Morgana tells her that she wants Uther dead and Morgause makes her the source of a sleeping plague without telling her. When Merlin learned about this, he tried to kill her reluctantly using poison; however, much to their surprise, Morgause showed up to save Morgana and took care of her for a year. Morgause then used this time to corrupt Morgana, turning her evil further.
It should be noted that even before Morgause corrupted her into the evil sorceress she would later become, Morgana herself had become resentful on Uther since his crusade against magical beings or those whom possess powers or knowledge of sorcery. And with her now revealed to have magic, Morgana's resent on Uther became hate, which contributed to her turn to the dark side and Morgause merely did the rest. She also helped train Morgana hone her powers and help control them.
However it should also be noted that Morgana simply hated Uther, not the whole of Camelot and she never intended to take the throne until Morgause planted the idea in her mind.
Season 3[]
Morgana returned to Camelot pretending that she still cared about her former friends. She pretended that she had forgiven Merlin for poisoning her as she understood his reasonings. Her true feelings are eventually revealed and Morgana as scheming to overthrow Uther so she could have the throne, especially since she learned that Uther was her illegimate father when still in a coma due to Merlin accidently causing her fall from the stairs. Merlin tried to help her see sense but she continued working with Morgause. However only Merlin knew of her double-agent status as he could not reveal her actual agenda without proof or he would have been executed for suggesting that Uther's ward had magic and wanted to kill him.
Morgana and Morgause eventually were able to take over Camelot using the army of King Cenred, who had offered his allegiance to their plight. Morgause killed Cenred after they acquired the Cup of Life, which made the army they had acquired immortal. Morgana killed a large number of townspeople to force the knights to be loyal to her. Morgana was defeated by Merlin, Arthur and Gwen, causing her and a wounded Morgause to flee for the time being.
Season 4[]
A year later, Morgana desired revenge on Arthur and all of Camelot. She sacrificed her sister to the Underworld in order to release spirits on Camelot. Morgana then formed an alliance with Agravaine in hopes of destroying Camelot. Morgana killed Uther but would not be satisfied until Arthur was dead so she could claim her rightful place as Camelot's queen. Some of her schemes with Agravaine included attempting to kill Arthur in a duel, brainwashing Merlin and using him to kill Arthur and having Gwen exiled by forcing her to have an affair with the revived Lancelot. Lancelot had been reawaken using necromancy but he was only an empty vessel with Lancelot's face and none of his characteristics or memories. Morgana wanted Gwen exiled because she claimed that Camelot's only Queen was herself and that nobody would be able to occupy that place.
Morgana took over Camelot again with the help of a warlord named Helios and became queen. Her reign was very short because Merlin and Arthur overthrew her army. Morgana was wounded in battle after attempting to escape. She met a dragon named Aithusa who healed her injuries.
Season 5[]
Morgana after she became evil.
Morgana then used magic on Gwen, turning her evil temporarily. She brainwashed her by trapping her in a tower with mandrakes which made her hallucinate that all those she loved were against her. She then ordered to Gwen to kill Arthur by putting poison in his food. Morgana did this so she could get throne and then planned on killing Gwen if the plan worked.
During the final battle against Morgana, Arthur was on the verge of death after being stabbed by her ally Mordred with a sword forged in dragon's breath (the dragon being Aithusa). Percival and Gwaine attempted to kill Morgana by stabbing her but she captured them. Morgana killed Gwaine and found where Arthur was heading because she tortured him to death. Morgana encountered Arthur and Merlin and attacked them. She taunted Arthur by saying that she would watch as death claimed him but Merlin stopped her. Morgana replied by saying that she couldn't be harmed by ordinary weapons because she was a high priestess. Merlin then stabbed Morgana with Excalibur, which was forged with dragon's breath, causing her death.
Abilities[]
Magical Mastery[]
- Morgana Pendragon was one of the most feared High Priestesses of the Old Religion, eventually becoming one of its most powerful adherents. Initially untrained, her abilities developed from raw, unstable magic into refined, destructive power. Under Morgause's tutelage, Morgana achieved significant mastery over complex spells, curses, elemental manipulation, and ritual casting. Though her magic was often emotionally driven, she grew to cast spells with precision and control, achieving feats many witches could only aspire to. While not Merlin’s equal, Morgana's rise in magical strength became a genuine threat to Emrys himself.
Dark Magic[]
- Necromancy: Morgana resurrected a shade of Sir Lancelot through dark rituals and mind control, using his form to psychologically destabilize Gwen and exile her from Camelot. (Episode: Lancelot du Lac)
- Enchantment and Hexes: She repeatedly used cursed items—necklaces, weapons, and magical bracelets—to sabotage her enemies. Her enchantment of Arthur’s sword during combat (Episode: His Father’s Son) and the cursed necklace used to reverse Merlin’s healing spell (Episode: The Wicked Day) are among her most cunning uses of magical sabotage.
- Glamour and Disguise: Morgana sustained a long-term ageing glamour under the alias "Hilda," deceiving Arthur and Gwen with her false identity. She retained the spell without the aid of potions or charms, surprising even Merlin and Gaius. (Episode: Another’s Sorrow)
- Magical Torture and Brainwashing: Morgana used magical creatures like mandrake roots and the Fomorroh to inflict hallucinations, torment, and mental domination on her victims, including Gwen. (Episodes: The Nightmare Begins, A Herald of the New Age)
Elemental and Ritual Magic[]
- Pyrokinesis and Lightning Summoning: Morgana conjured fire and lightning bolts nonverbally, annihilating enemy ranks. (Episode: The Diamond of the Day)
- Ritual Magic: Performed complex rites to tear the Veil between worlds and release deadly spirits into Camelot. She also assisted Morgause in large-scale Old Religion ceremonies. (Episode: The Darkest Hour)
- Object-Based Channeling: Many of Morgana’s spells—particularly early in her magical career—relied on using a magical focus, such as a phoenix eye or enchanted artifact.
Mental Magic and Sensory Abilities[]
- Seer Abilities: Morgana was a natural-born seer, plagued by prophetic dreams and nightmares—most notably foreseeing Arthur’s death. (Episodes: The Nightmare Begins, The Crystal Cave)
- Telepathy: One of the few individuals able to communicate with Mordred through thought, a sign of her deep connection to the Old Religion. (Episode: The Beginning of the End)
- Mind Control: Demonstrated through her manipulation of Gwen’s perceptions and Lancelot’s memories. She could implant thoughts, project illusions, and alter the way others perceived reality.
- Divination and Clairvoyance: Though less ritualized than Morgause, Morgana exhibited momentary flashes of vision and insight, particularly when emotionally heightened.
Nonverbal and Wandless Magic[]
- Morgana eventually performed high-level magic through sheer willpower and gestures alone. She manipulated weapons, created magical explosions, and launched curses without words or tools. Her telekinetic and illusion-casting abilities showed strong control over both verbal and silent spellcasting.
Duelling and Combat Magic[]
- Telekinesis and Combat Casting: Morgana routinely used telekinetic spells in battle, disarming and incapacitating multiple knights or enemies. She once directed a dagger mid-air to hunt Merlin, and her magical duels involved prolonged clashes of power. (Episodes: The Secret Sharer, A Servant of Two Masters)
- Magical Resilience: She survived numerous magical attacks and injuries, including a fall that cracked her skull, a stab wound, and multiple stunning spells from Merlin—recovering each time with little delay.
- Power Fluctuation: While powerful, Morgana's magic was emotionally volatile. In states of rage or grief, such as when Morgause was wounded, her spells reached overwhelming destructive capacity—but often lacked precision. (Episode: The Coming of Arthur: Part Two)
Swordsmanship and Physical Combat[]
- Expert Swordswoman: Morgana was trained in sword combat and fought with a level of skill comparable to Camelot’s finest warriors. She bested Merlin in a duel, defeated Guinevere while injured, and once overpowered a group of knights without the use of magic. (Episodes: The Moment of Truth, The Sword in the Stone)
- Close-Combat Efficiency: Even when weakened or stabbed, Morgana could defeat armed opponents through sheer resilience and skill.
Strategic Intelligence and Deception[]
- Master Manipulator: Morgana maintained a public persona of loyalty and innocence for years, deceiving Uther, Arthur, and nearly everyone in Camelot. She used charm, deception, and political cunning to orchestrate internal collapses and turn allies against each other.
- Psychological Warfare: She expertly exploited the weaknesses of her enemies—targeting Arthur’s honour, Gwen’s loyalty, and Merlin’s secrecy. Her long-term manipulations were as dangerous as her direct attacks.
Resilience and Near-Immortality[]
- Enhanced Endurance: Morgana survived numerous fatal encounters and kept fighting after being stabbed, thrown, or magically assaulted. Only the enchanted sword Excalibur—capable of killing magical beings—was able to end her life.
- Magical Longevity: As a being born with magic, Morgana’s life was bound to powerful Old Religion forces. As Balinor stated, such creatures could not die by natural means and could only be killed by a blade forged in dragon's breath.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Morgana is based on the witch of the same name in Arthurian legend.
- In the TV series, Morgana is never known by her full name in the legend, "Morgana Le Fay".
- In the legend, she was also known as "Morgan" or "Morgaine".
- In the show she and Arthur Pendragon share the same father, Uther, while in many legends they have the same mother.
- Morgana's actress, Katie McGrath almost didn't get the role of Morgana. Because she and co-star Colin Morgan (Merlin) are both Irish, the casting directors didn't want two actors with the same accent and they were ready to decline Katie if she couldn't do an English accent only Colin beat her to it and they both got their roles.
- It is unknown if Morgana like Nimueh another High Priestess of the Old Religion was a magical creature. As Nimeuh called herself a priestess of the old religion and referred calling Merlin a creature of the old as well. Morgana also said to Merlin that no mortal blade can kill her. This implies High Priestesses are part magical creatures or at least can become something akin to one if their powers grow enough.