The romance between Arthur and Guinevere had to be one of the most beautiful and tragic stories on Merlin. Beginning in season 1, Gwen and Arthur started as mere acquaintances, with the prince of Camelot oblivious to the maid's existence. Guinevere, too, wasn't very fond of the arrogant Pendragon because of his brutish and bullying ways.
However, they soon found themselves running in the same circles the closer they got to Merlin. Eventually, Arthur and Gwen fell in love as the prince began to trust and rely on her counsel. But like every other couple, they had their ups-and-downs. Want to see their most defining moments? Keep reading to see the 10 best scenes in Arthur and Gwen's relationship.
Gwen Calls Arthur Out (S1 Ep10)
Gwen and Arthur's romance first began back in "The Moment of Truth." In this episode, Arthur and Gwen decided to join Merlin in his quest to protect Ealdor from Kanen and his bandits. Here, fans got to see the first signs of the trust brewing between the couple, particularly how Gwen became an important confidant to Arthur.
For instance, as Arthur trains the villagers to face off against Kanen, Gwen convinces the prince to let the women fight alongside the men. Later in the episode, Gwen calls out the prince when he complains about the lack of edible food. Although Gwen later apologizes for her behavior, Arthur tells her not to as he appreciates her advice.
Their First Kiss (S2 Ep2)
Arthur and Gwen's relationship grew even further in season 2 when it became apparent that the pair were falling in love. In "The Once and Future Queen," Gwen was recruited by Arthur and Merlin to help the prince disguise his identity in a jousting tournament. Since Arthur was getting preferential treatment, the prince decides he would like to win on merit alone.
This then leads to Arthur temporarily residing in Gwen's home, where the maiden helps the prince learn about some humility. After several days, the pair grew closer, to the point that Arthur confessed he cared about her. On the day of the tournament, Gwen decides to give him a token of good luck, which leads to the couple sharing their first kiss.
Arthur Admits His Feelings For Gwen (S2 Ep4)
Arthur and Gwen's romance ran into a few obstacles in "Lancelot and Guinevere" when the maiden was kidnapped by the bandit, Hengist. As Merlin and Arthur were arranging a rescue mission, Gwen was reunited with Lancelot while she was in captivity. Here, it appeared that the two were going to restart their romance.
Although Arthur seemed disgruntled with their reunion, he didn't speak up against it. Why? Before rescuing Gwen, Arthur admits that, regardless of what he feels for the maiden, they could never be together. He also says he wouldn't ask Gwen to wait for him to become king. Still, Arthur looked remorseful when Lancelot broke Gwen's heart by leaving again.
Gwen Breaks Arthur's Enchantment (S2 Ep10)
By "Sweet Dreams," Gwen and Arthur's relationship gets back on track when the maiden manages to break an enchantment held over him. In this episode, Arthur is placed under a love-spell as part of a scheme to ruin the peace talks between the warring kingdoms.
Here, he ends up hurting Gwen when he "confesses" his love for the Lady Vivian and stands her up. Consequently, it also leads to Vivian's father challenging Arthur to a fight to the death. The only way to break the enchantment is if Arthur retrieves a kiss from the one he loves. It turned out that this was Gwen, who kissed him in the nick of time.
Arthur Cancels His Wedding To Elena (S3 Ep6)
Arthur and Gwen's relationship ran into another problem when his royal duties got in the way. In "The Changeling," Arthur and Elena are pressured into an arranged marriage by Uther. Arthur is reluctant to do so but agrees to the union after Gwen reminds him they could never properly be together because of their social positions.
However, on the day of the wedding, Arthur still expresses his doubts and asks Merlin whether he should go ahead with the marriage. After much deliberation, Arthur decides to call off the wedding because he can't marry someone he doesn't love. Although he risked Uther's wrath, Arthur and Gwen were delighted they could still be together (albeit in secret).
Arthur Relinquishes The Throne (S3 Ep10)
Fans of the show know that nothing remains a secret forever and it was proven true in "Queen of Hearts." In this episode, Arthur and Gwen's relationship proved stronger than ever as the couple was seen having a picnic together. However, they ran into a problem when their romance was discovered by Uther.
At first, Uther laughs off the relationship. Yet, his mood takes a complete turn when Arthur refuses to stop seeing Gwen and confessed his love for her. When Uther banishes Gwen, Arthur states that he would relinquish his entitlement to the throne to be with her. At this point, it proved how much their relationship meant to him.
The Proposal (S4 Ep9)
Arthur and Gwen's relationship took the next step in "Lancelot du Lac" when the prince-turned-king decided he wanted to marry her. At the beginning of the episode, Arthur calls on Agravaine to meet him in his chambers and tells him of his plan to propose.
Fans then see Arthur blindfold Gwen and take her to her home. As he takes the blindfold off, Gwen then sees how he has scattered candles around the room. After she accepts, Arthur holds a tournament in Gwen's name to celebrate their impending nuptials. It would have made the perfect day if it wasn't for Morgana's involvement...
Proposal 2.0 (S4 Ep13)
Although Arthur and Gwen called off their engagement after she was caught kissing Lancelot, the pair managed to come out stronger by the end of season 4. After weeks of separation, Gwen was reunited with Arthur when the King was forced to flee from Camelot after Morgana's attack.
As Arthur was rallying soldiers to help win Camelot back, Gwen and his relationship seemed unredeemable. However, the King soon changed his mind when he witnessed the death of Isolde, telling the maiden he didn't think he could live without her. Once more, he asks Gwen to be his wife to which she happily accepts.
Arthur Breaks Gwen's Enchantment (S5 Ep9)
Once more, Morgana tried to come between Arthur and Gwen when she placed an enchantment on the Queen of Camelot that would make her hate him. However, Arthur soon uncovers the truth in "With All My Heart" when he and Merlin follow her to the forest and see her meeting with Morgana.
A heartbroken Arthur tells Merlin they had to find a solution because he couldn't contemplate losing her. Together, he, Merlin, and Gaius concoct a plan to free Gwen from Morgana's control by taking her to the Cauldron of Arianrhod. Although Gwen says she never loved him, Arthur manages to convince her to go into the lake when he reminds her of the proposal.
Gwen Follows Arthur To The Battlefield (S5 Ep12)
One of the final and most touching moments of Gwen and Arthur's relationship had to be when Gwen agreed to follow Arthur into battle. In "The Diamond of The Day," Arthur and Morgana prepared to go head-to-head in one final showdown. Just as he was about to leave, Gwen comes rushing down the stairs and says she was coming with him.
When Arthur protests about the dangers, Gwen states she doesn't want to be on the frontlines. However, she insists that if these were to be the last few days she sees him, then she would rather they be together than apart. On the night before the battle, Gwen and Arthur have one more touching moment before he meets his maker by Mordred's hand.