Merlin

*This article is on the sorcerer from Arthurian myth. For the Thomas Kirk character of a similar name, see Merlin Jones.*

**Merlin** is a figure of Arthurian mythology who was notably featured in the Disney film *The Sword in the Stone* (1963).

## History

### Disney

#### Background

Merlin is a time-travelling sorcerer who lives in the woods with a pet owl named Archimedes. He took in Arthur Pendragon as his apprentice before Arthur removed the sword from the stone and became the king of England.

#### The Magic Kingdom

Merlin is a sorcerer affiliated with the magical realm of Fantasyland. Following the absence of King Arthur, he became caretaker of the sword in the stone which would determine Fantasyland's future ruler. Merlin also made his home in Marceline, Missouri within a fire-station where he kept the *Crystal of the Magic Kingdom* that protected a variety of locations in the, "Magic Kingdom". Merlin also had various contacts in the realms including Flora, Fauna & Merriweather & Sebastian the crab in *Fantasyland*, Pocahontas & Mama Odie in Frontierland & Liberty Square, along with Emperor Kuzco, Rafiki & the Genie of the Lamp in *Adventureland*.

At some point, Merlin found a dragon-egg which produced a dragon that he raised under a Fantasyland castle courtyard. When the greek god Hades shattered the Crystal of the Magic Kingdom, Merlin recruited several apprentices to aid him return the shards and fight Hades. This ended with Merlin trapping Hades within the restored crystal and stashing it within the fire-station.

## Jungle Cruise appearances

### Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

In this attraction, Merlin recruited apprentices to aid him in his fight against Hades. Hades wished to take over the Magic Kingdom by assembling villains to steal the shards of the Crystal of the Magic Kingdom, with three being located in the Wilds of Adventureland. Apprentices found Merlin dressed as a skipper riding a Jungle Cruise boat with Rafiki, attending the Enchanted Tiki Room with Emperor Kuzco, and riding a boat in Isla Tesoro.

### Other connections

#### Aladdin

One mission in Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom had him team up with the Genie to fight Jafar and Iago.

#### Indiana Jones

Merlin is a figure in the universe of Indiana Jones which is already affiliated with Arthurian myth due to the Holy Grail. He used a meteor artifact known as the Omphalos to create Stone Henge for the Greek gods and could time-travel. He was connected to a text known as *The Book of the Spells of Merlin* which Dr. Henry Jones, Sr. studied in his search for the Holy Grail, and met Indiana Jones in 1925.

#### The Lion King

In Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, Merlin's Jungle Cruise missions were themed to the Lion King and had him team up with Rafiki to fight Scar.

#### Pirates of the Caribbean

One of Merlin's sorcerer badges appears in a cabinet in Isla Tesoro's pirate bazaar. As previously stated, Merlin rode a boat through Isla Tesoro in the *Aladdin* themed mission of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.

#### Skipper Canteen

The Magic Kingdom and Cinderella Castle are referenced in the library of the skipper canteen with the books *A History of Magical Kingdoms* by Magnum and *The Mystery Castle* by Cindy Ella. A map in the canteen made by Jason Chandler and Captain Brieux also shows Maleficent's dragon form in the region of the Mekong river.

#### Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

In the Emperor's New Groove missions of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, Merlin appeared in the Enchanted Tiki Room dressed as a member of the tiki's room's cast while surrounded by singing tikis and the bird Michael. At the end, he and Emperor Kuzco attended a show at the Enchanted Tiki Room.

## Other appearances

### **King Arthur Carrousel**

#### The Sword in the Stone

Merlin is affiliated with the Sword in the Stone ceremony where he is caretaker of the sword in the stone that determines the true monarch of Fantasyland.

### Merlin l'Enchanteur

This is a shop in the courtyard of Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland Paris, themed to being run by Merlin.

### Sir Mickey's

A window in this Fantasyland shop has alchemy equipment from Merlin along with his spell, "*Higitus figitus Migitus Mum = Presti-digi-tonium*".

### La Tanière du Dragon

This area of Disneyland Paris is themed to being a cavern under Sleeping Beauty Castle where Merlin keeps a dragon which he raised.

## Trivia

* The Main Street fire-house is traditionally affiliated with how it held the apartment of Walt Disney.
* One theory asserts that the dragon which Merlin raised is the offspring or perhaps reincarnation of Maleficent due to how frequently Maleficent is referenced in *La Tanière du Dragon*.
* Merlin logistically would have had contacts in the realm of Tomorrowland, though Tomorrowland was not included in Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom's plot.

## References

1. ↑ http://www.fromscreentotheme.com/FunFindFridayAdventurelandPerryPlatypus.aspx
2. ↑ http://www.fromscreentotheme.com/FunFindFriday.aspx