Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the movie Merlin says, "Show the sword" and we see Excalibur for the first time in a human hand. Uther at first holds the sword with his thumb wrapped around the handle, then in the close-up his thumb is pointing upward then in the next shot his thumb is wrapped around the handle again. (00:03:55)
Continuity mistake: Uther wants Merlin to get Igrayne for him to sleep with and they both climb to the top of a hill so that Merlin can cast a spell on her. Merlin says, "Annal Nathrach" with his scepter held high in the air but in the next shot the scepter is at eye level. (00:10:00)
Continuity mistake: Cornwall rides out in pursuit of Uther and is impaled as his horse throws him off. The next time we see him a few shots later as Uther makes love to Igrayne the spears protruding from his chest are not in the same spots. (00:13:25 - 00:15:00)
Continuity mistake: Igrayne Says, "My lord" as Uther takes her into his arms. At first she holds him with her right hand around his waist but in the next shot her right hand is on his arm. (00:14:25)
Continuity mistake: Uther walks into Igrayne's chamber and says of Morgana, "She watches me with her father's eyes". At first the baby is holding onto Igrayne with his right hand then in the next shot his right hand is in the air. (00:16:40)
Continuity mistake: Uther thrusts Excalibur into the side of the stone. In the next shot many years later, Excalibur is stuck into the top part of the stone. (00:23:15)
Continuity mistake: Several knights joust and the winner has the right to try to pull Excalibur out of the stone. The winner tries but cannot do it and sets the sword rocking back and forth in the stone. The shot lasts until Excalibur stops moving, then in the next shot it's wobbling back and fourth again. (00:26:00)
Continuity mistake: At the siege of Leondegrance's castle, Arthur gives Uryens Excalibur and asks him to knight him with it. Arthur has been out of the water for a few minutes but as he is being knighted his hair is dripping wet again and a large area of blood appears on his neck. (00:41:10)
Continuity mistake: At the party after she dances, Guinevere hands Arthur a cookie that, she says, "will heal you". He holds it in his hand and you can see by the top of the cookie that it rotates in his hand between shots. (00:45:00)
Continuity mistake: When we first see Lancelot in a close-up sitting on his horse next to his tent there are no jousting sticks anywhere to be seen. Later when King Arthur comes across the bridge we see the tent again and there are many jousting sticks around it and near the flag. (00:46:35 - 00:48:00)
Continuity mistake: Merlin tries to catch a fish in the stream while King Arthur asks, "Who is this knight?". If you look up at Lancelot's tent his blue and white flag flies to the right then to the left and back again between shots. (00:46:35)
Continuity mistake: King Arthur's second horseman carries three extra jousting sticks as they ride to the far end of the field preparing for the joust. After the first charge Lancelot says, "You joust well, Sir, I offer you another lance" and King Arthur rides back to his second horseman who now only has one jousting stick. (00:48:15)
Continuity mistake: Lancelot says to King Arthur, "I sought only not to harm you" before he dismounts and they fight with swords under a tree. If you look closely at the tree there are no marks on it before they start fighting, King Arthur strikes one blow and as Lancelot pushes him away there are several marks on the bark of the tree. (00:49:30)
Continuity mistake: As they fight at the bridge King Arthur uses a spear at one moment than he's wielding Excalibur in the next shot. (00:50:30)
Continuity mistake: King Arthur's armor around his left shoulder is repaired between shots as he grabs Excalibur from The Lady of the Lake after besting Lancelot at the bridge. (00:53:00)
Continuity mistake: King Arthur extends Excalibur out to Lancelot who grabs it with both hands. At first Lancelot's right hand is at the tip of Excalibur but in the next shot his hand touches the sword about four inches away from the tip. (00:54:35)
Continuity mistake: To his victorious knight's King Arthur proclaims, "The wars are over, one land, one King" and Merlin stands with his staff in a vertical position. In the next shot as fire shoots out of the tip the staff is extended. (00:55:25)
Continuity mistake: After Merlin's speech King Arthur proclaims, "Knights of the Round Table" and raises Excalibur into the air as they all cheer. The flags waving above his head blow in different directions between shots. (00:57:20)
Continuity mistake: At King Arthur and Guinevere's wedding the flowers are several feet to their right. In the close-up of the priest approaching them the flowers are moved in right next to Arthur's arm. (01:00:10)
Continuity mistake: As Guinevere drinks from the chalice the priest gives them, she lifts her veil with the fingers of her left hand in a horizontal position. In the next shot her fingers are pointing upward. (01:00:25)
Answer: They were the Goddesses of Avalon. A group of women who each have a specific magical power. They were the makers of Excalibur, healed King Arthur's wounds from his first battle and took him to his final resting place, readying him for the day he would be needed again.
Most Arthurian myths attribute elves as making "Excalibur", and also "Clarent," King Arthur's other magical sword.
raywest ★