VID: Cold War (BBC!Merlin, Gwen/(&)Morgana)

[rhivolution]

Title: Cold War
Vidder: Rhi (rhivolution/rhipowered)
Fandom: Merlin (BBC) (series 1 & 2)
Music: Janelle Monáe, "Cold War"
Warnings: non-graphic violence, brief scene of domestic violence
Length: 3:35
Summary: Struggling against Uther's anti-magic bigotry is as hard on Gwen and Morgana as it is on Merlin; in fact, perhaps even harder.
Notes: Made in Final Cut Essentials with the help of VisualHub, for the wiscon_vidparty at WisCon 35. Beta by futuransky, with special thanks to astro_noms.

Source Material: Merlin (BBC, 2008 - present), various episodes, produced by Shine and BBC Cymru. "Cold War" (2009), written by Nathaniel Irvin III, Charles Joseph II, and Janelle Monáe Robinson, performed by Janelle Monáe.
Disclaimer: This is a transformative work intended as commentary on the source materials and is not for profit.

Download: Mediafire (AVI, 33.23 mb) English subtitles (SRT, 3.48 kb)

HQ Streaming Without Subtitles:

Cold War from Rhi on Vimeo.

Password: rhicake

Streaming With English Subtitles: at dotSUB

Lyrics:
So you think I'm alone
But being alone's the only way to be
When you step outside
You spend life fighting for your sanity

This is a cold war
You'd better know what you're fighting for
This is a cold war
Do you know what you're fighting for?

If you wanna be free
Below the ground's the only place to be
'Cause in this life
You spend time running from depravity

This is a cold war
You better know what you're fighting for
This is a cold war
You better know what you're fighting for
This is a cold war
You better know what you're fighting for
This is a cold war
Do you know what you're fighting for?

Bring wings to the weak and bring grace to the strong
Make all evil stumble as it flies in the world
All the tribes come and the mighty will crumble
We must brave this night and have faith in love

I'm trying to find my peace
I was made to believe there's something wrong with me
And it hurts my heart
Lord have mercy, ain't it plain to see

That this is a cold war
Do you know what you're fighting for?
This is a cold war
You better know what you're fighting for

Kellindo!

(na na na, na na na, na na na
there's nothing wrong with me)

Ahhh
Do you know it's a cold, cold war
Do you, do you
Do you

Ahhh
Oh, it's a cold war
You better know what you're fighting for

(Bye bye bye bye
Don't you cry when I say goodbye)

Bye bye bye bye
Don't you cry when I say goodbye

Bye bye bye bye
Don't you cry when I say goodbye

Comments

[such_heights]

This is great! A really nice take on Gwen and Morgana as a united front against Uther, and the toll that it takes on them.

[rhivolution]

Thank you! It really stemmed from me needing to reconstruct and fix things, because that relationship was one of the major reasons I watched the show. I just couldn't bring myself to change the ending, though...or to go into where things fell apart even further, as you did.

[lilmoka]

I love this ♥♥♥

[rhivolution]

Aw, thank you!

[futuransky]

Still love it! Janelle Monae is a pretty unexpected choice for this fandom, but I thought you made the song's connotations work for you to highlight Gwen and Morgana's combined struggles against patriarchy and their different positions re: class and magicness.

[rhivolution]

Whee, I'm really really glad you do love it. The class thing is something I wish I could have highlighted more, but the source material doesn't entirely lend itself to nuance.

(all of my vids have been odd songs, to date...)

[giandujakiss]

This works very well as a Morgana character study. Great song choice.

[rhivolution]

Thank you very much!

[were_duck]

I love your vid!!! Especially the last shots of Gwen crying, wow what a punch. I love the way you work with both the relationship and the politics, it works with the song really well that way.

[rhivolution]

Aww, thank you so much, I really appreciate it. And thank you and Skud for accommodating me!

[copracat]

I enjoyed your vid very much.

[rhivolution]

Brilliant, thank you!

[januar]

This is great!

[rhivolution]

Thank you!

[ghanimasun]

This is gorgeous. You make the show look even better than it is usually!

[rhivolution]

[grins] That was part of my intent. Thanks so much!