The first one deffinitely! I mean, all the candles, and how he looked at her. And she hugged him without the answer, and those cute smiles after she said yes ( 3 times yes).
Don't get me wrong, I loved the second one too. But it was kinda awkward. Not from his side: he was conflicted for the last few episodes. And after seeing Isolde dying he realised he cannot bear to lose her. And Gwen, she said she cannot forgive herself, which is understandable and completely normal! And he proposed and she said yes. Now, after a long conversation in which both of them say what really lies on their hearts, it would be great. But like this, without the real confrontation, hmm, well, what I'm trying to say, they may have forgiven each other, but many questions have left unasnwered and many things have left unsaid. And that is not a good foundation for a strong relationship.

I don't know which one to pick. I like them both for different reasons. And Joppa, you're right about a lot of questions being left unanswered. I have a feeling we're not quite done with the enchantment business and all the problems that it caused. Which is fine because it'll add to the A/G storyline in S5 and the writers will hopefully devote an episode to it so that we get a proper resolution.

Joppa, you said everything I was going to say. =D So I totally agree with you! I love the first one so much!! Not just the candles and the romantic atmosphere but the love and the happiness. They were so happy. Everything was just perfect. But the best part was the hug. I started to cry. She had waited for that question for 5 years. Words weren't needed.

The second proposal. It was ok, but it was awkward. Gwen wasn't ready to forgive herself, but Arthur's "I don't care" was all needed to change her mind in a second. I need to watch that scene again to understand why.

Although the first one was nice with all the candles, it was intertwined with Morgana and Lancelot and the betrayal therefore the first one was ruined because of that. I am still unable to rewatch that episode, too painful. I choose the second, the whole thing appears more mature, the characters have matured due to what they went through, the first one seem more fairytale.As to the unanswered questions I believe THEIR LOVE HAS CONQUERED ALL

@Mirandel: in that scene Arthur didn't say that "I don't care" to her not being ready to forgive herself. What he actually said was that he didn't care about what happened (meaning her kissing Lancelot). But they were talking over each other so that's why it came off as if he said he didn't care about her not being ready to forgive herself.

I think for both of them, Isolde's death is what made them decide to change their minds and get married. They saw how short life could be so they decided to just seize the moment and let bygones be bygones. While I understand that, I still think that they have things to work through which will likely arise to cause problems in the marriage in S5 but they'll get through it and hopefully, we'll get an enchantment reveal.

Brilliantly said, Joppa. Lazy writing! Incredibly lazy writing!

unabale to decide. love them both so much!

Like most, I love them both. I love the romantic atmosphere of the first and how he led her blindfolded to her cottage. There was a special sweetness about that and about their faces when they sat gazing at each other with her hands in his. The hug, with her forgetting to say yes, and then, the way she said yes, and his look when she did. All sweetness and the candles flickering just added to the moment.

But that second one is the one that really stirred my heart the most. Here they were in this messed up room, both looking a tad bit disheveled in my estimation. I keep saying they had been through the fire, but they had "been through the mill" so to speak. They had been through the mill in their relationship, and had been through it with the kingdom they so dearly loved. The battle to gain it back, both having come face to face with Morgana and what those encounters meant to each of them, and then the death of Isolde. They had fought once again side by side facing dangerous opponents and very possible death. (The whole aspect of them fighting together has somewhat gotten loss in the shuffle.) And of course, the whole debacle of the loss of their beautiful relationship only to find they could not live another day without each other. All that was there.

This time, when he took her hands in his and looked in her face, all that was a part of their recent experience, and they had come through the whole mess intact. They had won, and Morgana had lost. Maybe they had battle scars and were talking all over each other, but they were conquerors. Like I said, they had won. So THIS proposal had a meaning that words could never measure.

Then, I liked the wording of it this time, and the tone. The first time he used formal and well prepared words. "Guinevere, Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Lovely, and very flattering to a young lady who is a servant being asked this by a king. Do HIM the honor. But this time, it was a simple "Will you marry me?" But wow. When he said it, I wanted to swoon. The hushed way it came out because it came from so deep within and was like his world would fall apart if she didn't say yes this time. And her heartfelt and teary yes. My goodness, girl, I don't blame you after what you've been through with this man.

I always had this thing about the way Mr. Knightly asked Emma to marry him in the 1996 version of Jane Austen's "Emma." His simple "marry me" would make this Ole crazy romantic lady here get all tingly about the way he said it. For some reason Arthur makes me think of it when he asked Guinevere this second time around. LOVED. It.

By the way, Mr. Knightly's proposal is at about 2:17 here for anyone who's curious:

link

Oh, thanks for the link HQ. I agree with you about prefering the second one if we had to choose. I did like both but the second one gave me goosebumps and butterflies as he asked her, "will you marry me?" It was definately his soft tone. It was not the king asking the question, it was the man and his desire for her alone who wanted to know if she would marry him. Beautiful. Just a boy, asking a girl to love him forever.

My favorite because he went against what his uncle wanted. I loved Merlin's reaction after Arthur told his uncle his plan of marriage. It was spontaneous and from the heart. It was romantic, sweet and lovely.

I cannot choose. There are so many elements about each that I love as well as elements about each that I do not love. I love the thought and preparation and romance he put into the first, but I also love the raw emotion of the second. And I agree with Joppa: they need to do some hashing out, and that f*cking bracelet needs to be f*cking found (I do not use those words lightly, as I rarely ever use them). It needs to be found for her sake, not for his.

And you are correct, Bonne: the "I don't care" wasn't in response to her, it was definitely him continuing his original statement. That wasn't very clearly done, and I'm sure many people misinterpreted it.

I know! I agree, Kim and Bonne, about the "I don't care." They were both sort of talking at once.

Now that he's asked her and married her irregardless of the pain "she" caused him, I do want the bracelet found for her sake. I won't be heartbroken if it isn't as long as she's doesn't have to go through who knows what because of what happens and is loved by all, but it would be in the back of the minds of people probably. I was thinking about that and wonder how much ordinary people knew about this and whether it was a "court secret" or whatever. But stuff leaks and even if the truth were to out, there still would be much that was unclear to everybody. Mainly for her I want it.

I sure wish she and Arthur would still come to a point that they questioned this on their own, because they knew it wasn't in her to do it. But that's not a topic for here.

Easy.
See, the thing is, the rest of "Lancelot du Lac" may have put the whole proposal on the downside. I, for one, was incredibly wrapped up in the whole Gwen enchantment/betrayal to even give that first proposal a second thought when I first watched the episode. But what it comes down to is that THAT proposal pretty much spoke of their history and their future and their love for each other. He proposed to her in HER HOME- the house where they first acknowledged their feelings for each other. It would then seem fitting for him to propose there. And from the moment when he placed his hands over her eyes to the last second where Merlin looks through the window- everything was beautifully done. Him blind-folding her and taking her to the home where candles are lit all over. The first proposal was the proposal that I dreamt they would have. It was perfect.

The second one seemed a little rushed, though by the time they were kissing and the sunlight shone in, I really didn't care on whether or not it was rushed. They were getting married. That's all that mattered. But I liked how it was in his room. Seemed fitting considering all their previous kisses that season were in his chambers.

What Issie said.

Good thoughts, Issie. Beautifully expressed as you always do. It really is hard to pick one because both had so many things we cherish about their past, present, and future.

The first one for sure. And the girls who picked the first one expressed beautifuly why. So I will leave it that way. :D

Thank you Nanna. And I loved what you had to say about the second proposal- espcially the touch about the connection with Knightley's proposal to Emma in the 1996 version. Very insightful connection. And yes, I agree. It was easy for me to pick because the first proposal was my dream proposal for them, but both proposals had these aspects that really sang to their past and their future.

the last one

The first proposal was like a fairytale setting,he was a real prince charming but unfortunately we did not get the happy ever after ending. Instead they gave us a betrayal that had most viewers in tears and pain, therefore the second one even though not as romantic in setting and mode gave us our happy ending a wedding/coronation. The second one will always be my favorite.

BOTH-but this cos it was like-well it's gonna happen this time!

like I said somewhere else I chose the second because although the first had the romantic mood, with candles and all there was no happy ever after ending. Instead the whole episode was overshadowed by the betrayal which left the viewers sad, heartbroken and some very angry. The second one gave us our happy ending with a coronation/wedding, therefore number two will always be my favorite.

I was just thinking. Most fans only get one proposal for their OTP, but it's kind of nice that we got two!!!! And even though the first was overshadowed by the bad stuff, at the time it occurred, it was real. I like also that it was all planned out, with the right mood and prepared words and the blushing way their faces were, but the second one they seemed even more mature and determined because of what they'd been through. So he kind of just quietly blurted out the words in the simplest form possible with a "will you marry me?" (with all his heart) in that messed up room.

Through the years, on TV/movie love stories I've seen both kinds of proposals, and always preferred the latter, so I guess that's why I like the second one in this case. Just for fun, I've been on YouTube looking at some of my favorite proposals and another one I love is the Roger/Molly one in the BBC "Wives and Daughters." Those that come spur of the moment borne out of the circumstances get me every time! LOL! So you see why I chose the second.
Enjoy: link

So basically, I'm saying we Arwenites are so fortunate! We got TWO proposals to file away in our repertoire of beautiful moments for our beloveds. One for each kind of preference among their fans. Now how special is that? Not many couples give you that!

Now if we can only get to see a wedding some how..... I still was pacified with that gorgeous, beautifully filmed coronation and that kiss. And the lovely music. Ahhhhh. I'm too much a romantic. Never too old for that.

I loved how touched Merlin was ^^