The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers

Cowl and Kumori are...

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Yuillegan:
An interesting argument. Certainly possible at any rate. I don't remember that particular WOJ about her identity being someone that will hurt Harry but I am not doubting it either. Makes much more sense though if Kumori is Elaine, particularly in the context on Cowl being Justin.

It seems to me though that most of the reasons you justify Faith being Kumori work just as well for Elaine. The age of Kumori, the fact it will hit in right in the heart, even the femme fatale turning coat on her organisation.

I suspect thought the reason Harry doesn't recognise Kumori is that she is deliberately concealing herself. Her voice, her physical features, it isn't a stretch to say she could hide her magical signature. Elaine by all accounts is better at magic, especially the subtler parts, than Dresden. Kumori and Cowl have definitely shown knowledge and power outweighing Dresden. He mostly gets lucky when he has beaten them.

Elaine being Kumori does not necessarily demand that she is Evil. After all, Kumori is not necessarily evil. Few villains, especially humans, consider themselves the bad guy. Cowl and Kumori have both stated they believe they are working for the greater good, and that what they do is a necessary evil. Elaine has also shown a similar mindset in Summer Knight, believing herself trapped but fighting from within. Which makes all the more sense when you consider if Kumori is Elaine, she is enthralled by a bunch of mind magic spells making her loyal to Justin. She only can do what she can with in her limits to help Harry. But perhaps like any person in a cult, she has begun to drink the Kool-Aid.

And I also wonder if Elaine will become the Summer Knight. It has a certain symmetry, all the more if she is the other Starborn and Dresden's opposite. It has a duality. It also makes sense in terms of her being Kumori, WOJ is the Titania will only start showing up a lot more towards the BAT, the Circle having their own faerie knight balances the tables.

Snark Knight:

--- Quote from: Yuillegan on October 21, 2018, 06:46:58 AM ---An interesting argument. Certainly possible at any rate. I don't remember that particular WOJ about her identity being someone that will hurt Harry but I am not doubting it either. Makes much more sense though if Kumori is Elaine, particularly in the context on Cowl being Justin.

--- End quote ---

I recall that one too. Someone asked in a Q&A if Kumori was D.E.D. from the blast when the Darkhallow backfired like Harry and Bob originally assumed, and Jim's answer was something along the lines of 'Why kill off a character when I can reuse her and have her identity cause Harry pain?'.

It's probably actually the biggest single piece of evidence for narrowing down Kumori's identity. There are less than a dozen magically talented female characters who it would personally hurt Harry to find out were working for the Circle.

Elaine
Faith Astor*
Jenny Sells*
Kim Delaney brought back by Cowl's necromancy (which would actually rather neatly explain her motivation to end death, her reluctance to strike at Harry, and her certainty she couldn't escape Cowl if she flipped on him ... I regard it as unlikely, but I can't see a reason it's impossible)
Maggie Sr**
Maggie Jr**
Molly**
Luccio**

* If they even developed wizard-level talents later in life
** In case of time travel / alt universe shenanigans that would cheapen the identity reveal anyway


As for Cowl, most of your points favouring him as Justin could also apply to the case for him being Simon. If the fake death curse was explosive enough, it might have been natural to assume his body was totally obliterated.

groinkick:

--- Quote from: Yuillegan on October 21, 2018, 04:49:54 AM ---Why not? It is messed up, so was that plot point in Star Wars. They never had any kid either - so despite that it is incest it causes no physical trouble.

--- End quote ---

In Star Wars they shared a kiss.  They didn't have sex.  Kind of a big deal.  From a story stand point I have no disagreement.  From what I've seen from Jim, I just don't see him writing it.

Con:
eeeyah I don't think Elaine and Harry are twins. Other than that major plot hole. The only thing I can think of that suggests Cowl isn't Justin, is that Cowl was eager to test his skills in Wizard Combat against Harry due to Harry's reputation on the White Council. Justin would have more than enough experience fighting Harry having taught him most of what he knows, as well as the fateful duel where he died.

Personally I think Cowl is Simon Pietrovich, who took up where Justin left off. In the RPG Paranet Papers it is clear that Simon has a history of going against the White Councils wishes, to the point where Ebenezar had to reprimand him officially as the Blackstaff.

Maz:
I know I've voiced this 20x when this topic keeps resurfacing. 

Harry is shockingly observant.  He recognizes Cowl and Kumori later on just from their appearance at Bianca's party.  He recognizes people by scents and nuance and the feel of their magic.  It, as several character have remarked, takes him some time but he always unravels the train of clues.  He knows Elaine so intimately he can psychically communicate with her.  Harry was sitting in a stairwell and had clear view of Kumori, albeit not her face and not her voice.  I would find it improbable, based upon that, that Elaine = Kumori.  Faith Astor? Jenny Sells?  Sure.  Though Faith makes much more sense.  Jenny I think would be abhorrent to the use of black magic based upon the fact that she seemed consigned and supportive of Harry ending her Father. 

I've generally thought Simon Petrovich seems the logical Cowl ... but... its theoretically possible, and adherent to Jim's Word, that Justin is dead and the Justin we know is actually a Corpsetaker-esque reversal by Kemmler.  And then to fulfill the Warden's expectations, he swapped bodies again after "throwing" the duel to Harry for reasons unknown.

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