Hey, in a world full of trippy visions and superstitious kings, it's not so far-fetched to have a narrator who can be in two places at once and use fire to tell the future. Britain in The Crystal Cave has a sliding scale of reality: some characters, like Merlin and Ambrosius, see many layers of it, while others, like Vortigern, see pretty much only what they want to see.
And what they want to see tends to come from rumor and legend. If you ask Vortigern, it's true that wizards can be demon-born and giant stones can be "magicked" into place by a man with supernatural powers. Merlin knows that this is all craziness, but he uses other's belief in an alt-reality to check off items on his agenda.
Questions About Versions of Reality
- In what way does Merlin's failing memory affect the telling of this story? How does it affect your perception of it?
- What triggers Merlin's experiences of the supernatural?
- How do Merlin's prophecies affect Ambrosius and his men? How do they influence Vortigern's behavior?
- Why does Niniane insist that Merlin's father was a demon? Why does she think she can get away with that?
Chew on This
Merlin's real superpower is his heightened perception of the world around him.
Vortigern is ultimately defeated by his superstitious nature—not by having a weaker army.