Arthur allows himself to be vulnerable in front of Merlin, to discuss his feelings and pain, and Merlin responds in the way Arthur wants - he listens
That was the bit that really got to me. I actually appreciated the A/G hug because I liked how it contrasted with the A/M scene that followed. In the former Arthur is clearly being strong for Gwen, comforting her, but in the latter (plus the scene in the rain) he obviously feels comfortable enough to be vulnerable and let go with Merlin. Surprisingly, I thought TPTB nailed the two dynamics perfectly in this ep and showed instead of told for once, inadvertently making a case for the primacy of A/M in the process.
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That was the bit that really got to me. I actually appreciated the A/G hug because I liked how it contrasted with the A/M scene that followed. In the former Arthur is clearly being strong for Gwen, comforting her, but in the latter (plus the scene in the rain) he obviously feels comfortable enough to be vulnerable and let go with Merlin. Surprisingly, I thought TPTB nailed the two dynamics perfectly in this ep and showed instead of told for once, inadvertently making a case for the primacy of A/M in the process.