"Once Upon a Time" season 5 will enter the Kingdom of Camelot, and with that comes several new characters. ABC has already cast Liam Garrigan as King Arthur and, according to a report from Deadline, the studio has also found their Merlin and Guinevere.
According to the report, "Sinbad" and "How to Get Away with Murder" actor Elliot Knight has been named as the magician Merlin, while Portuguese star Joana Metrass has been cast as Queen Guinevere. In addition to these two major characters, "Wayward Pines" actor Andrew Jenkins has been added as Percival, one of the Knights of the Round Table.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, it was confirmed that Merlin won't make his debut appearance in the season 5 premiere but this doesn't mean Arthur, Guinevere, and Percival won't make an appearance right from the start. The interview also confirmed that Morgan le Fay, the evil witch in Arthurian legend, will not be in the fifth season.
Season 5 will see Emma Swann (Jennifer Morrison) turn into the Dark One after she sacrificed herself in the season 4 finale. However, there is still hope for her so long as the crew can get to Camelot and seek the aid of the mysterious Merlin.
It won't be the first time that they've encountered someone from King Arthur's realm as Sir Lancelot, portrayed by Sinqua Walls, appeared in "OUAT" season 2. He only appeared once and was seemingly killed before the season was over, but a recent report from Entertainment Weekly confirmed he is coming back.
The implications of his relationship with Guinevere might play a factor in complicating the situation in Camelot and the hunt for Merlin. In Arthurian legend, Lancelot had an affair with Guinevere which nearly led to the destruction of the kingdom. In the end, however, Arthur was killed by his own son, forcing Lancelot to live as a hermit and Guinevere to become a nun.
"Once Upon a Time" season 5 premieres this Sept. 27.
