01E04 - The Poisoned Chalice

While Camelot prepares to celebrate peace with Mercia's visiting Lord Bayard, Nimueh situates a poisoned chalice at the royal table, where Arthur is to have it filled by Merlin. She then warns the unwary wizard of it, blaming Bayard. As expected, Merlin acts promptly to save his prince. Displeased and unsure, King Uther makes Merlin - a "disposable" servant - test the drink from the goblet, which Merlin does and collapses. Gaius diagnoses a fatal poison whose only cure comes from a flower that grows only in certain caves. The perilous journey to it may take too long. Although Uther forbids him to 'risk a king' for a pawn, Arthur bravely rides. Nimueh plays the local damsel-in-distress-turned-guide to make sure Arthur is fully exposed to horrible monsters. Even from his deathbed, Merlin conjures magical aid. When Arthur brings back the flower, Uther jails his disobedient heir and refuses to have it brought to Gaius, which calls for courtier ingenuity to come through for the endangered wizard.