Seeing is Believing

*“This is my first time on the Island of Sonar, my friend Thomas works here."*
"Do you mean Sodor?”

―Merlin and Cranky
***Seeing is Believing*** is the thirteenth episode of the twenty-second series.

## Plot

Merlin is visiting Sodor from the mainland to deliver steel. He is excited about visiting Sodor as he will be seeing Thomas and tries to make himself invisible, to which Thomas jokes about not being able to see him. Salty later jokes about this to Rebecca, though she finds out that he isn't actually invisible.

Merlin later comes up alongside Thomas and surprises him. While doing so, Merlin hears a whistle in the distance and is surprised by Trevor, having never seen a traction engine before. Thomas then introduces Trevor to Merlin, who also tries to convince Trevor about his invisibility.

All of the engines at Tidmouth Sheds begin talking about Merlin, though Percy is upset about not being able to see him. He dreams about trying to see Merlin, but can't because he's invisible. Percy tries looking for him the next day, and soon hears a whistle that he believes is Merlin's. Although Merlin comes up beside Percy, Percy doesn't know that he is the engine and rushes off to tell Thomas about how he's heard his whistle. This makes Percy very happy by how he thinks he has seen the invisible engine.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Gordon
* James
* Percy
* Emily
* Merlin
* Nia
* Rebecca
* Salty
* Trevor
* Cranky
* Carly
* Annie and Clarabel (*fantasy*)
* Porter (*cameo*)
* Diesel (*cameo*)
* Paxton (*cameo*)
* Owen (*cameo*)
* Reg (*cameo*)
* Big Mickey (*cameo*)
* Jem Cole (*cameo*)
* Cyril the Fogman (*cameo; fantasy*)
* Farmer McColl (*cameo; fantasy*)
* Theo (*indirectly mentioned*)
* Lexi (*indirectly mentioned*)
* Henry (*stock footage cameo; Latin America/Spanish version*)

## Locations

* Vicarstown Bridge
* Brendam Docks
* Sodor Shipping Company
* The Sheep Field
* Tidmouth Sheds
* Wellsworth
* Wellsworth Scrap Yard
* Blue Mountain Quarry
* McColl Farm (*fantasy*)

## Voice cast

### UK

* John Hasler as Thomas
* Keith Wickham as Gordon and Salty
* Rob Rackstraw as James
* Nigel Pilkington as Percy, Trevor and Merlin in Percy's fantasy
* Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Annie and Clarabel
* Hugh Bonneville as Merlin
* Yvonne Grundy as Nia
* Rachael Miller as Rebecca
* Matt Wilkinson as Cranky
* Lucy Montgomery as Carly

### US

* Joseph May as Thomas
* Kerry Shale as Gordon
* Rob Rackstraw as James
* Christopher Ragland as Percy and Trevor
* Jules de Jongh as Emily
* Hugh Bonneville as Merlin
* Yvonne Grundy as Nia
* Rachael Miller as Rebecca
* Keith Wickham as Salty
* Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
* Glenn Wrage as Cranky
* Lucy Montgomery as Carly
* Nigel Pilkington as Merlin in Percy's fantasy (*uncredited*)

## Trivia

* This is the last episode written by Andrew Brenner. David Stoten would take over as head writer beginning with the twenty-third series episode, Steam Team to the Rescue!.
* This episode marks Merlin’s first appearance since Journey Beyond Sodor and his first full appearance in an episode.
* Trevor uses Vinnie's whistle sound in this episode. This also marks his only speaking role in the twenty-second series.
* At the beginning of the Latin American Spanish version, stock footage from Forever and Ever is used.

## Goofs

* When Thomas is talking to Rebecca at the docks, some wooden planks are clipping trough Carly's rails.
* Nigel Pilkington was not credited for voicing Merlin in Percy's fantasy scene in the US dub.