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Word of God Thread.

Discussion in 'Fanfic Discussion' started by Ryuugi Shi, Mar 28, 2010.

  1. Ched

    Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

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    I was just re-reading Turn Coat (Changes is next, in preparation for the upcoming release) and I was going through this part...
    The thought occurred to me that, since the Dresden Files are written in first person, if maybe the "Dresden Files" are actually Harry's journals that he's written to add to the collection that Ebenezer is talking about. Has there been any Word from Jim Butcher on that?
     
  2. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    No official word, but it's a popular theory on the forums that the Dresden Files are part of Harry Dresden's Blackstaff journals.
     
  3. Jon

    Jon The Demon Mayor Admin DLP Supporter

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    I thought it was obvious?
     
  4. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    Same. Still, everything is up for argument on that forum, including whether Words of Jim mean exactly what they say.
     
  5. Ched

    Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

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    Why "Blackstaff Journals" and not just regular old journals? I know McCoy is the Blackstaff, and I assume that Harry will be also one day, but he isn't at present and there's no evidence that that particular mantle passes from Master to Apprentice.

    Cool either way.
     
  6. Portus

    Portus Heir

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    Yeah, I assumed they are/were his journals as soon as I read that, but I did *not* assume he's going to become the Blackstaff.

    I know he changed his attitude a bit during Changes, but unless Dresden has a huge impetus to kill, I can't seem him doing it without a lot more change happening to his essential character.

    Yes, Harry has killed, but it's always been in defense of himself and, usually, others.
    - He killed Justin to save himself and Elaine.
    - The bad guy in Storm Front died but not as a direct result of Harry's will, otherwise Morgan would have likely killed him on principle.
    - He shot Corpestaker dead, point-blank, but it was (1) as a Warden and (2) to save hundreds of thousands. (Plus, he didn't break one of the Seven Laws, but that's beside the point.)
    - Did he kill the Black Council spy/wizard in Turncoat?
    - There may well be others I've missed.

    The break happened in Changes, where he made the decision to kill Slate (?). He didn't have to do that, as he could've just remained paralyzed and let his daughter be killed. Of course no one would make that choice, but still, his killing of Slate was cold-blooded murder, and that's a bridge Dresden never wanted to cross.

    My point is that the Blackstaff is pretty much a government-sanctioned assassin, and that's something completely against Dresden's sensibilities thus far. He's appalled when he learns McCoy is the Blackstaff, and has to reconcile that with this beloved and respected teacher image of him.

    Anyway, I never expected Dresden to become a Warden either, so maybe I'm wrong about this as well.
     
  7. IdSayWhyNot

    IdSayWhyNot Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

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    I always thought Dresden would end up serving as the new Gatekeeper. But it's been a while since I read the books and this could be just fanon talking in my head.
     
  8. Ched

    Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

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    No, Morgan did. The spy was Peabody who ran after he was outed. Harry caught up to him and they struggled with a knife, but apparently Peabody had more experience in melee combat and got the upper hand. It's implied that he would have killed Dresden had Morgan not shown up and shot him dead -- it was the exertion of this chase plus his injuries that finally did for Morgan -- and as it is Harry got a rather sizable scar from the encounter.

    A Warden did die on Demonreach though when Harry had everyone meet up there to deal with the Skinwalker and try to draw out the traitor. I've always been a bit surprised that no one seemed to make anything of that. Seems like the Merlin or Ancient Mai or someone would have something to say about a Warden dying because Harry had wanted to try out a crazy scheme, brought them there, and then invited a bunch of other dangerous things to show up as well.

    As for serving as Blackstaff or Gatekeeper, well, I wouldn't be too surprised if those positions ceased to exist along with the White Council by the end of the series. I mean we know that there is going to be some kind of apocalyptic trilogy capping off the series -- that's pretty damn ominous. And people are already trying to fracture the Council, so yeah. Doesn't mean that Harry's actions won't intersect with the Blackstaff (i.e. the literal staff itself) or the Gates though.

    Edit: And besides, if we have some sort of apocalypse... cue Ivy! That's sort of her purpose, or part of it. If we manage to completely destroy society she'll be there to make sure all the knowledge isn't lost.
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2011
  9. Hello

    Hello Professor

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    I always imagined someone making Ivy for the lulz.
     
  10. I Burn Water

    I Burn Water Seventh Year

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    I'm kind of worried that Ivy is going to go the same way as Molly and end up crushing on Dresden.
     
  11. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    See, that's the exact reason why he's suitable for the position. Ebenezar is the one who taught Harry to be who he is, and did that through example. He is a genuinely good person who knows that bad things need to happen some times, and that it's better for someone who doesn't want the job to do it than someone doing it for power.

    Hell, Harry himself has proven time and again that he can overcome the temptation that the dark side offers, so he's pretty much the perfect candidate for becoming the Blackstaff after Ebenezar dies/retires.
     
  12. Celestin

    Celestin Dimensional Trunk

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    Considering that almost all major female characters want to sleep with Harry (examples - Molly, Murphy, Lara) or already managed to do this (examples - Susan, Luccio, Elaine or Mab after ten books of trying ;) ), it's pretty much inevitable that once she's old enough she will have a big crush on him (or already has). Alternatively she may choose him as a father of her child, because I suspect it's one of things that her caretakers are expecting from her as quickly as possible for a safety of the Archive.
     
  13. I Burn Water

    I Burn Water Seventh Year

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    ^ hence my fear
     
  14. Feanor

    Feanor Third Year

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    What's to fear, that would be hilarious :D. Don't really see it happening though.
     
  15. Euroclydon

    Euroclydon High Inquisitor

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    Doesn't the Archive mother die as soon as the Archive daughter is born? Kind of makes the whole them possibly hooking up thing a bit more depressing.
     
  16. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    Nope, Ivy's grandmother died in a car accident when Ivy's mum was a newlywed (or just in love, can't recall which), who then tried to commit suicide because she had expected to have more years of being normal before inheriting the Archive. Ivy had just been born when that happened, so she got the Archive as a baby.
     
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2011
  17. Portus

    Portus Heir

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    Yeah, it would be kinda stupid for the mother to die right away, since having a child is part of having redundancy, etc.

    Still, do we know more about what protections are in place for the Archive, if anything besides her own power and having (the admittedly very badass) Kincaid employed as her bodyguard? In spite of those two things, Ivy was still taken hostage by The Fallen and almost lost to them completely.

    Sorta seems irresponsible to have, y'know, the "sum total of all the accumulated knowledge of the entire human race" so vulnerable. Well, not "so" vulnerable, but you get my meaning. There's an Archive for a reason, and even with a mother and daughter alive to be a backup, what if some huge natural or man-made disaster occurred where they both were?
     
  18. Celestin

    Celestin Dimensional Trunk

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    There is a possibility that in the worst cases (no progeny from current Archive before her death) there is no need for a child (what was a reason it has to be a woman?) from a main branch of the family. Or was it said that Archive can have only one daughter?
     
  19. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    My thought is that immediate family are capable of inheriting the Archive if she has no children, if they're female that is. Possibly the Archive itself alters things so that only females are born, possibly it can jump to an alternate branch of the family, since it's tied to bloodline.
     
  20. Ched

    Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

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    We know that, because we've been in Harry's head for years, but the vast majority of the White Council doesn't know that. And even Ebenezer is slightly wary, saying that he trusts Harry's judgement but admits he's been wrong before. There's no evidence that the Blackstaff passes down only by the will of the current holder either -- the Senior Council might need to agree on it, same with the Gatekeeper. Or whatever. If it's picked by some means that the SC doesn't have a say in, then sure, but things need to change a lot if they are going to give either to Harry.
     
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