The Enchantress Nimue (Viviane)
- Role: The Lady of the Lake and Merlin’s Protégé
- Nimue is an enigmatic figure often associated with the Lady of the Lake. She is Merlin's apprentice, lover, or both, and in many versions, she ultimately traps Merlin in a cave or tree.
- Symbolism: Nimue embodies the dual nature of magic—creation and destruction, nurturing and controlling. She serves as a counterbalance to Merlin’s wisdom.
- Purpose: She protects Arthur by giving him Excalibur and, in some tales, acts as a mentor to other knights.