Leveraging his modern technological expertise, Hank Morgan quickly establishes himself as one of the most influential figures in King Arthur's kingdom. He gains respect by tapping into the superstitions that the common folk deeply believe in. Hank portrays himself as a sorcerer more powerful than Merlin, whom he views as politically influential simply because Merlin knows how to make his tales sound impressive. By showcasing his astronomical knowledge to predict a solar eclipse and using pyrotechnics to demolish Merlin's castle, Hank performs grand and noticeable feats that leave the people awestruck by what they perceive as his magical abilities.

Hank earns the nickname "The Boss" through straightforward applications of scientific principles. He then secretly develops more sophisticated technological advancements to avoid inciting fear among the superstitious populace. He installs telephone and electrical lines discreetly, either close to the ground or underground. As he introduces railroad systems and street-corner newspapers, Hank ensures they are introduced gradually to prevent overwhelming the population. This cautious approach results in his dependence on a covert network of intellectuals to comprehend, develop, and maintain his innovations. When war devastates the land, the forces of ignorance rise, and all the scientific and technological advancements he brought from the future are destroyed before they can be misappropriated by the wrong people.

By placing Hank within the royal court, Twain directly examines the issues surrounding King Arthur's rights and duties. Hank Morgan is quite vocal about his views on royalty. He describes it as an illusion, a comforting myth that people accept because it has been ingrained in them and their ancestors for generations. At one point, Hank claims that the idea of the divine rights of royalty was crafted by the church to keep the populace submissive and self-sacrificing.

In the novel, King Arthur's misuse of royal authority is attributed to his isolation from the general public and his ignorance of their everyday struggles. After King Arthur experiences life among the commoners and is sold into slavery, he decides to abolish the practice of slavery. King Arthur is portrayed as a fundamentally noble individual who strives to make the best of the monarchical system. The cruel exploitation of the divine right concept is illustrated through Twain's depiction of Morgan Le Fey, who whimsically takes the lives and property of peasants. She is so indifferent to her subjects' lives that when she fails to grasp the narrator's wish to "photograph" the peasants, she is ready to draw her sword and kill them rather than admit her lack of understanding of the term.

In one of the numerous instances in the novel where the narrator condemns the Roman Catholic Church's detrimental impact on society, Twain's narrator observes, "In two or three little centuries it had converted a nation of men to a nation of worms. Before the day of the Church’s supremacy in the world, men were men, and held their heads up, and had a man’s pride and spirit and independence." Twain's criticism extends beyond the Catholic Church to encompass any established church, which he perceives as a tool for stripping individuals of their inherent rights, rendering them subservient to the desires of those claiming divine authority.

Although Hank frequently references the church throughout the novel, it does not play a central role in the storyline. This is partly intentional. Hank explains that he structures his political reforms in such a way as to avoid drawing the church's attention and provoking its opposition. Eventually, when Guenever's infidelity is revealed to King Arthur, the conflict among the Knights of the Round Table creates such a significant disruption in society that it becomes impossible for the church to ignore. Consequently, they dispatch troops to seize control of the country. All the technological and social advancements Hank introduced from the nineteenth century are obliterated, and English culture reverts to the primitive, oppressive mindset it had when he first arrived. The church is blamed for resisting progress and, as a result, for causing widespread misery.