The Librarians: The Next Chapter (2025) s02e12 Episode Script

1
♪
- [bell dings]
- [crowd booing]
[laughter]
[crowd booing]
Those men are enormous,
yet they fail to dislodge the sword.
Look at me, Merlin, how
can I possibly do
what those giants cannot?
You possess what these
people can only dream of.
Destiny.
You are the true son of
King Uther Pendragon.
[sword clangs]
[crowd booing]
I don't understand, Merlin.
But why are you so confident in me?
Because, my child,
you are the purest of heart.
Humble, noble, and courageous.
Hmm?
You are the chosen one.
I'm the chosen one.
Uh-hmm.
- I'm the chosen one.
- [crowd booing]
♪
[suspenseful music]
[explosion]
[crowd gasps]
On second thought,
I think I am the chosen one.
Rhyddha'r cleddyf.
♪
[crowd gasps]
[cheers and applause]
[Merlin] The Sword Caliburn is mine!
I, Merlin of Camelot,
am now and forever,
your king!
[crowd cheering and applauding]
[Merlin] Yes!
Long live the king!
Long live the king!
[all] Long live the king!
Long live the king!
[crowd cheering and applauding]
Merlin is rewriting history,
making himself King over Arthur.
With his knowledge of the
past and the future,
he will try to change
the course of events.
[crowd cheering and applauding]
♪
Maybe he can save Camelot?
Maybe he can make things better.
[Connor] Not according to the Library.
I've been all through the archives.
Apparently, there's only one timeline
where ultimate good
defeats ultimate evil,
and we lived in it.
If Merlin succeeds,
our timeline will dissolve.
And all of us along with it.
So, how did we travel back
in time? How did he?
We were all in the Annex one second,
and then, the next, we were here.
The Reverie's Torc was used
to bring Merlin back.
Wait. So, we were caught up in the spell
that brought us back to Camelot?
[Vikram] Be glad we did.
For now, we have the opportunity
to thwart his plans.
He referred to the sword as Caliburn.
Uh, wasn't it Excalibur
that Arthur pulled from the stone?
Unfortunately for us,
it is not Excalibur,
or we could have had an ally
in this endeavor.
A common misunderstanding.
Often retold incorrectly.
Much like the erasure
of my knighthood.
Caliburn was the sword in the stone.
Excalibur was a gift from
the Lady in the Lake.
Also, how is Merlin worthy
of pulling the sword
- from the stone?
- [Mrs. Astolat] He wasn't.
- He used a summoning spell.
- [Lysa] Oh.
His addiction to magic has
already begun to corrupt him.
Like most addicts, he
thinks he'll never suffer
the consequences of his actions.
So we're out of time.
And Merlin has magic again.
But he is limited in his power.
We must stop him now
before he grows stronger.
Do not forget,
I am of this time.
I remember those who opposed Merlin.
There may be enough to raise an army.
Okay. So, we capture Merlin,
take him back to the Library,
and drain him of his magic.
Easy.
You and Charlie see how
many men you can gather.
Connor, Lysa, and I should
reconnaissance here
and find weaknesses.
We can meet back at Broceliande Forest
before nightfall.
[metal clanking]
♪
[metal clanking]
I can hear the gears clicking
in your head, Lysa.
- What are you thinking?
- I'm thinking that
the steam engine gave birth to
the Industrial Revolution.
And even though we're a thousand
years before it was invented,
watching that armorer makes me realize,
we have all the knowledge
we need to create one.
Or something more powerful perhaps?
We could build something that
Merlin's troops don't have.
What do you need to
create such a device?
Uh, materials.
Uh, I don't know what's possible
- in this time period.
- [Connor] At Stuttgart,
I wrote a paper on post-Roman Britannia.
I know what gets shipped in and out.
I know the supply routes.
- Perfect.
- [Vikram] Go.
See what you can find.
I shall try to retrieve
the Reverie's Torc.
♪
[grunting]
What is it?
My God.
They're children.
- [Charlie] Who are they?
- [Mrs. Astolat] In a short time,
they'll be known as the
Knights of the Round Table.
♪
[grunting]
[chuckles]
Well, you best keep
practicing those skills,
should you want to be
Knights of the realm.
It can't be.
♪
Excuse me.
[panting]
Might I have a word with you?
If you wish to tell me
I shan't battle boys
with sword and shield, you're too late,
as I've already bested them all.
Your name is Elaine, is it not?
Do I know you?
You do not.
But I know you.
As well as I know myself.
I don't have time for riddles.
If you'll excuse me,
I have chores.
The kitchen chores your father Bernard,
Lord of Astolat, requires of
you that you always avoid?
Or the chores you set yourself
to perfect the ways of
battle, to combat?
You know my father?
You do not know who I am.
And I cannot tell you.
But if you look into my
eyes, your heart will know
that I offer you truth
and knowledge you should hold dear.
And what truth is that?
As intoxicating as it seems,
magic is not to be trusted.
- No matter who advises you to--
- You're talking about Merlin.
He is a manipulative trickster
who will say anything
to consolidate power.
He is not to be trusted.
Merlin is the only one
who believes in me.
Stay away from him.
His council is not in
your best interest--
Good day.
[groans]
Lovely day for a coronation, was it not?
Hi.
He's pinned the Torc with the sword.
Hmm.
[metal clanking]
[grunts]
Stone, release this sword.
Hmm?
[grunting]
As a Librarian, I command
you, release the sword.
Hmm?
[grunting]
Please!
[Merlin] It appears you
are simply unworthy.
You Librarians are so predictable.
I knew you'd come for the Torc.
- ♪
- [chain clinking]
You are a fool, Merlin.
You cannot change the course of time.
I already have, Librarian.
By making sure this dim-witted imbecile
doesn't become King!
Um, Your Grace, shall I have
your meal prepared now?
Leave us.
You will fail, Merlin.
The corruptive powers of magic
are too great, even for you.
Had you listened to me,
you would be King.
Your weakness awakened my strength.
It has already begun to
affect you, can you not see?
I see a world where magic
can be used properly.
Camelot could fulfill its promise.
It was magic that destroyed Camelot!
Not this time.
This time, I alone
hold the power of magic,
and will rule over a new world.
We will stop you.
The Library will stop you.
It will be fun watching you try.
I've seen every move you've made.
I see all.
[suspenseful music]
[Merlin] I will create the Camelot
that could have been.
And these loyal souls
will be my knights.
Not fools like Galahad or
weaklings like Lancelot.
My liege, we stand ready to
follow and protect you.
Yes. Yes, yes.
You are switching timelines.
Do you not know what that means?
It means no Spanish Inquisition,
no Black Death,
no world wars to torment our future!
♪
[grunting]
[Arthur] Uh, I'm sorry,
Your-- sorry, Your Grace.
Uh, Your--Merlin-- uh, Your Majesty?
King. Majesty--
What now?
I thought I'd sent you away.
- Your guest has arrived.
- My guest?
Elaine of Astolat.
[Merlin] Oh, yes.
Of course.
Send her in.
♪
[young Elaine] You sent for me,
Your Highness?
Oh. Rise, my child.
- How may I serve you?
- I have beckoned you here
for a great purpose.
As your new King,
I will need a trusted coterie
of loyal knights dedicated to
the high ideals of Camelot.
A literal inner circle
that will sit with me
at the Round Table to
chart a brighter future.
It sounds wonderful.
But I do not understand
how that involves me.
I have chosen you to be First Knight.
Me? Your Grace, being a
knight has been my dream!
Yes, yes. I know.
But I didn't think it was possible.
In my realm, my dear, truly
- nothing is impossible.
- Don't listen to him, Elaine.
Silence him, Arthur!
Quickly, boy!
[Arthur] This is not gonna hurt.
Merlin [grunts]
[laughs]
Yes, my dear.
You will lead my royal guard.
Now, we shall need a name.
How about the Knights
of the Round Table?
Oh, shut up, you idiot!
No.
This will be the birth of a new order.
One that will live on for centuries.
This fellowship hereafter
shall be known
as "The Serpent Brotherhood."
♪
- [Lysa] Stop!
- Whoa, whoa, there.
Stop!
I beseech thee!
I, uh--uh, please, uh, I need thy help.
- What troubles ye?
- Hildebald.
- Hildebald?
- Yes. Hildebald!
Is that--is that your kin?
No, no. It is my pet.
- Your pet?
- Yes. My pet
weasel.
Uh, he was in my basket,
and then, he escaped,
and absconded to the shrubs--
uh, that way, sorry.
- A weasel?
- Yes.
It must be well gone by now, lass.
Do not say that, man.
He is the most dearest creature
I know.
I don't know what I
would do without him.
I love him more than anything else.
Now, now. Don't despair.
I will help you find him.
Oh, wonderful. This way.
Do we--he's, uh-- oh, no, that's a rock.
- [oxcart driver] Oh.
- [Lysa] Wait, if you--
can you see-- can you see movement?
[oxcart driver] Not really, no.
[Lysa] Maybe if you go further.
- [oxcart driver] Further?
- [Lysa] Yeah.
[oxcart driver] Oh, Hildebald!
[Lysa] All the way.
♪
[Connor] Is this enough coal?
Uh, yeah, it should be.
Okay. So, my thinking is this coal dust,
along with the magnesium
chloride that we've extracted
from the briny lake, should interact
with a few more natural compounds and
Boom.
- Boom.
- Boom.
- [horses neigh]
- ♪
You men can set up your camp over there.
[horse neighs]
That's it?
That's the army?
More may come later. I hope.
- What did you say to them?
- Merlin has many enemies.
Didn't take much to persuade
them to join our cause.
- Who did you say that we were?
- The Librarians, of course.
[chuckles] Even works in medieval times?
If you do it right.
Still no word from Vikram?
[crow cawing]
I'm not waiting any longer.
I'm going after him.
Vikram can take care of himself.
He's a grown man.
Have you met Vikram?
Well, grown-ish man.
You were right.
Your friend is being held
in a chamber deep inside of the castle.
[Mrs. Astolat] My spy has returned.
- That's it. I'm going.
- Ugh.
Milady, it's impossible.
The castle is being heavily defended.
Hey, look, if I've learned
anything from you, Charlie,
is that we have to work
as a team, all right?
If we're gonna save
Vikram, we need a plan.
Did you learn what Merlin was planning?
[spy] No. But when I left,
several of Merlin's men rode off.
I heard one of them shout
that they were on some
kind of divine quest.
Did you see where they were headed?
Yes. They went up north
on the Asgorath road.
- [horse neighs]
- ♪
[horse neighs from a distance]
Unhand me.
I told you to stay away from Merlin.
Merlin made my dream come true.
He Knighted me.
Why should I trust you?
[sighs] Because I am you.
What is this divine quest
Merlin sent you on?
Our quest?
To retrieve the Holy Grail.
- [horse neighs]
- [Mrs. Astolat] Listen.
We cannot let Merlin find the Grail.
If he drains that vessel of its magic,
he'll become too powerful for us
to take back to the Library.
But in Arthurian legend, Arthur
never gets the Holy Grail.
Galahad found it.
And he brought it back to the Library.
Yes, but Merlin is rewriting history.
He knows where the Holy Grail was found
and he's sending his knights
there as we speak.
Except he's getting it wrong.
You said you intercepted Merlin's men
on the Asgorath path?
That leads to the town of Corbenic.
But the Grail was found
in Corbenic, was it not?
No, no.
When we went on our expedition
into the depths of the Library,
I went through the archives
of hundreds of artifacts.
I remember reading that
the Grail was not found
in the Town of Corbenic
as commonly believed,
but was, in fact, found
in the Corbenic Caves.
But that's in the complete
opposite direction.
From our position here, we can
get to the cave and back
before they realize their mistake.
Then, let's go.
[Lysa] Connor, this is amazing.
- Thanks Lysa, but, uh--
- No, hey.
Connor, you literally told
us that your greatest fear
is to fall down a rabbit
hole of the Library,
and lose it, but--
I mean, look at you.
You're amazing at this, like
you were born to be a Librarian.
♪
[muffled speaking]
- [grunts]
- Yes?
It is not too late to undo the
damage that you are causing!
Stop this derangement while
there is still time!
Deranged?
No. What is deranged
is you not accepting the
power I offered you.
Changing the past will
not relieve the guilt
you feel over the fall of Camelot.
It's not my misuse of magic
that caused its demise.
Had it all been in my hands,
none of this would've happened.
- You shall see!
- Oh, you are deluding yourself!
Ugh! You are so negative.
- [muffled speaking]
- [Merlin] Arthur!
Yes, my liege.
Yes. Send word to my Knights.
The real location of the Holy Grail
is in the Corbenic Caves.
Corbenic Caves,
Holy Grail, Corbenic Cave.
[Merlin] Quickly, lad!
[Connor] Ah, the texts
in the Library said
that it was found hidden
in a stalagmite.
Described it as "a chaste vessel."
There must be hundreds of.
About a needle in a haystack.
[Lysa] Hey, guys.
Come check this out.
This stalagmite looks weird.
Natural ones are formed
by calcium carbonate,
slowly deposited by dripping water.
Uh, it creates this, uh, layers
and, and tiny impurities that
are trapped inside. See?
But this one's surface is
smooth. It has no banding.
Without impurities that could
be considered "Chaste."
- What is that?
- Vinegar.
You just happened to
have a vial of vinegar?
Vinegar is very useful.
It's always good to have some handy.
Ah. See? No fizz.
Real calcite would react with
acid, to create CO2 bubbles.
This one is made of
some resin or plaster,
maybe a synthetic material.
This is the one.
Now we just have to figure out
how to get inside. Uh
- [Charlie] Okay.
- Wait. Ooh.
- [stalagmite shatters]
- [Connor] Ooh.
Well, that is one way to do it.
- [panting]
- ♪
I can't believe
I'm holding the Holy Grail.
[Merlin] It won't be for long.
Hand it over.
- You know I can't do that.
- Take it from him.
[swords unsheathing]
[swords clanking]
[grunting]
[rumbling]
[grunting]
♪
[rumbling]
[Connor] Lysa!
♪
[Lysa groans] Thanks, Connor.
Connor! [gasps] Oh, my God!
- Oh, my God!
- [Charlie] Come on, help me.
[grunts] Come on!
Come on! Come on!
[grunts] Come on!
[panting]
[Lysa] Help. Oh, my God.
No. No, we can save him.
We can use the Holy Grail to save him.
Where is it? Where is it?
And we could use it.
- We can save him, right?
- [Mrs. Astolat] Charlie.
Lysa.
We need to get out of here right now.
No. No.
Charlie, get her out of here now!
- [Lysa] No.
- Leave them.
We have what we need.
[horse neighing]
♪
It should've been me.
He died saving me.
No, this is isn't your fault.
I was his Guardian.
I should've done more.
I just can't believe he's gone.
[Mrs. Astolat] Enough of this.
We have no time for tears.
Mrs. Astolat,
- Connor is--
- Dead.
And if you want to honor him,
then let's finish the job.
How can you be so heartless?
Merlin has the Grail.
If he completes the ritual
to drain it of its magic,
his power will increase tenfold.
We can all tally our losses
when and if we prevail.
If we do not, then none
of this will matter.
We must smash through the gates
if we're to have any chance
of capturing Merlin.
Have our troop numbers grown?
Another 10 arrived, but
that is all we have.
[clicks tongue] It will
have to be enough.
We will need a full assault on
the gates. We must get inside.
And once we're inside the
courtyard and on position,
I will snap off the valve, the
liquid will drain and combine,
and will create an explosion
that will take out the guards.
Once we get inside the Castle,
we just have to stop Merlin
draining the Grail of its magic.
And save Vikram.
If we're not too late.
The sun will soon set
and I can start the ritual of
taking the magic from the Grail.
I mourn the loss of Connor.
His death weighs on me.
But you should have
listened to me, Vikram.
His blood is on your hands.
Hmm.
♪
Boy, alert the troops.
Inform our guards to attack the
intruders out on the bridge.
[Mrs. Astolat] Why are
they opening the gates?
You think it's a trap?
[Vikram] You underestimated
the Library, Merlin.
Your arrogance will be your downfall.
[Charlie] We're out of time.
Trap or no trap, we have to go.
- Attack!
- [troops hollering]
[grunting]
Arrogance is a human trait.
You forget, I'm only part human.
O drakon, e male so ftengometta
Merlin, Merlin no.
[grunts]
[Vikram] Merlin, you cannot summon that!
I already have.
- [dragon roaring]
- ♪
The dragon will kill indiscriminately.
[screaming]
Your own men will be lost as well!
[fire sizzling]
Lysa!
[grunts]
- You ready? Okay.
- Yeah.
[grunts]
[Mrs. Astolat] Come on. Let's go, Lysa!
[Charlie grunts]
[dragon roaring]
[Lysa gasps]
[Mrs. Astolat] Hurry!
- I'm sorry. I can't do this.
- Huh?
Hold it together, Librarian.
I can't. Charlie
It's up to us now.
You have to set off the device,
so that we can get inside the Castle,
or she will have sacrificed
herself for nothing.
- Yeah. Okay.
- Uh-hmm.
You stay here.
The blast is gonna be intense.
- What about you?
- I'll be fine.
Once I break the seal,
I'll have seven seconds.
- Right.
- Okay.
Yeah.
[panting]
[gasps]
♪
Merlin, I beg you! End this!
♪
[Mrs. Astolat] No.
No. No!
[device explodes]
[knights screaming]
Lysa!
[Mrs. Astolat screams]
♪
[knights grunting]
[swords clanking]
[knights grunting]
♪
[thuds]
[Merlin] Well done.
I'm impressed.
[panting]
You're coming back to the
Library with us, now.
The only person going anywhere is you
to your final resting place.
You forget, you cannot harm her.
Elaine of Astolat is immortal.
She wasn't always immortal.
[whistles]
Elaine, no.
My dear, as First Knight,
will you do anything for your king?
Of course, Your Majesty.
Then die for him.
[grunts]
♪
No.
[Merlin] You cannot be immortal
unless you live long enough
to become immortal.
♪
You are a monster, Merlin.
Look at what you have become.
I offered you the world,
all the magic and power.
You would've had it all,
but your mind is too small.
You lack the vision
to understand the good
you could've done.
Good?
Good?
Like the good you're doing now?
How many people have you killed, Merlin?
And for what?
You cannot change time.
[exhales sharply]
As someone who tried,
you cannot go back and fix the past.
♪
Arthur!
Your Highness?
Take this vile rogue to the tower!
I can't stand to hear any
more of his wretched voice.
[chains rattling]
♪
[chains rattling]
I'm sorry about your friends.
It must be a terrible loss.
Perhaps.
Perhaps?
It doesn't have to be this way.
I can bring them all back.
What? But how?
The Merlin who rules as King,
is he the same man you have
known your whole life?
No. Just before he grabbed
the sword from the stone,
he's become a different man.
A horrible man, is he not?
We can stop him.
We can end all of this madness.
And I can bring my friends back to life.
How?
The Reverie's Torc.
That is what changed the
Merlin you once knew.
Release me.
I can get the Torc and reset everything.
I can use its magic to
restart this timeline,
save my friends, and free
you from Merlin's tyranny.
Surely, this is not the
Camelot you imagined
in your heart of hearts.
♪
My God.
We must hurry while
Merlin is preoccupied.
♪
[footsteps running]
♪
[metal pot clangs]
♪
[explosions]
We just need to free the Reverie's Torc.
Then I can undo all of this insanity.
But how will you get the sword
from the stone to free it?
Not me, Arthur.
You.
What? I can't.
Yes, you can.
The sword was always meant for you.
You are pure of heart.
You are the one who's worthy.
Trust me.
♪
I did it.
I released the sword.
And I have the Torc.
Now, all I have to do is--
[grunts]
Die.
Just like your friends.
[thuds]
[swords clatters]
[panting]
♪
[panting]
You fool.
What have I done?
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
I didn't mean to kill them.
It was supposed to be
different this time.
I was supposed to bring
glory to Camelot.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
You were good.
I saw that.
[sobs] I thought, with you,
I could rewrite history.
But you warned me.
You told me my obsession
with magic had blinded me.
You were right.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
And now, just like before,
I've destroyed everything.
[cries]
[Vikram] Finally.
Oh.
It's about time you came to your senses.
How?
Oh, that? Yes.
[grunts]
[sighs]
I have a history with daggers.
♪
Wait, what happened?
- A little nightmare magic.
- Sound familiar?
The same legerdemain you
employed against us.
Turnabout is fair play, is it not?
When I knew you tried to steal the Torc,
I realized what I had to do.
Just as you had manipulated us
by entering our dreams and nightmares,
we would do the same to you.
You believed you had taken the Torc
and absconded with it back to Camelot,
but I had actually activated it
and sent you into a deep sleep.
No. I am still the master
of Reverie's Torc.
So everything that happened
after that point
Was a dream.
Or rather, your nightmare.
[sighs] Thank goodness.
[Connor] And if you weren't
in a dream state,
you would've known that
the Reverie's Torc
has no magic that would
allow time travel.
The Torc is an artifact
that allows its users
to enter the dream state
of another person.
We had to enter yours
to bring you around.
- Bring me around?
- Uh-hmm. Yeah.
We realized that this isn't your fault.
Your need for magic is--
it's an addiction.
[Connor] And an addict
can only truly see
their own compulsive behavior
when they hit rock bottom.
So we made sure you could
see what would happen
if you had all the magic you craved.
Of course, even as a dream,
had I not retrieved the Torc,
we all would've had to
suffer the consequences
of that reality.
Well, I am sorry.
You risked it all for me.
To save me.
We didn't actually save you.
You're too powerful a wizard.
Anyone who can conquer Merlin is Merlin.
"Sometimes dreams reveal the
truth reality obscures."
A very, very wise man must've said that.
I don't know what to say.
Say yes.
[Merlin] Now what's this?
An invitation from the Library.
Turns out, the Library is
in need of an Archivist.
[Vikram] Hmm. You'll need to
work deep in the Library
using your invaluable knowledge of magic
to categorize and preserve
the greatest magical artifacts
the world has ever known.
See it as a chance to start over.
Redemption.
We're big on second chances
here at the Library.
♪
Remarkable.
[Vikram] Mrs. Astolat will escort you
to where you will be working.
I'm afraid it's rather a long walk.
Your kindness and
generosity overwhelm me.
Well, empathy is a
Librarian's greatest tool.
Hmm.
You could not change the past, Merlin.
But this is your chance
to shape your future.
You have opened my eyes, all of you.
And though I have a long
way to go on my journey,
I realize now that, despite
my best intentions,
magic belongs only in one place,
here, in the Library.
My gratitude to all of you
will be my guiding star.
Okay, now you're just monologuing.
One last thing.
Do you all really trust me
with the most powerful magical
artifacts in the world?
The Library has a way
of keeping everyone--
- And everything.
- in line.
[Excalibur whining]
- Yeah, we're not stupid.
- [Excalibur whining]
- Excalibur. Yes, my old friend.
- [Excalibur whining]
- I hope to make you proud, too.
- [Excalibur whining]
Well, if you are ever in need
of a knowledgeable, educated,
and, hopefully, contrite magician,
you all know where to find me.
Shall we?
♪
[Excalibur whining]
- Good job, Librarian.
- Yes, Librarians.
Good job, indeed.
Agreed. Well done, Librarians.
Really?
No appreciation for the Guardian?
Seriously?
[all] Thank you, Guardian.
- [Vikram] Come on.
- [Charlie] Okay.
So, who is up for a new adventure?
♪