The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Re-interpreting the events of Small Favor
Avernite:
I think any explanation that involves not aiming for the Archive doesn't explain the Denarians well. Remember, they broke the Rules to such an extent that Uriel got to empower an extra mortal champion (i.e. Harry) with Soulfire - where the Archangels usually have only 3 empowered champions they now have 4.
All that for one extra Denarian human? A capable human, maybe, but at significant risk of damage due to the very process used to get him to take up a coin (i.e. attack him while he's together with his top lieutenants, then torture him).
But getting their hands on all the knowledge of the Archive... to know every word their foes ever write down or wrote down? To know which old forgotten Gods might be brought out to their side (and which absolutely never to release)? That could be worth it.
So I think Nic was in there for the Archive, as his trump card for the coming Apocalypse. He failed, and shifted to the weapons of the Crucifixion (but if he'd gotten the Archive he probably would have aimed for those too). But definitely the Archive was what lured him in.
morriswalters:
@kbrizzle
--- Quote ---My theory is that Nic suspects that Mab is not currently strong enough to enforce the Accords. At the point of SmF, she is operating without a Knight or a Lady (Nfected Maeve); She doesn’t retaliate against the Reds for encroaching on her territory; she doesn’t do anything to Lara Raith for insulting her by imprisoning little folk. So Nic wants to see how far he can stretch it by taking Marcone - my theory is that while the Nickelheads had a suspicion that Harry would call for the Archive, they were prepared to several different outcomes.
--- End quote ---
There is always tomorrow. Mess with Mab today and look over your shoulder forever, or until she's dead. Would seem to be a trifle short sighted of Nic given the events of Skin Game. It most certainly didn't work out well for the Reds either, in the long term.
In any case rereading just a bit, Mab pretty much lays it out. But the kicker is why Eldest Gruff getting the doughnut ends the game. With Marcone free the Accords have been satisfied and Summer no longer has a get out of jail free card for attacking Harry. And it keeps Mab from raining pain down on Nic. I think this hearkens back to Dead Beat. Remember this quote? Upon saving Harry in the alley Gard says,
--- Quote ---"He didn't," said Gard. "I did." She looked over her shoulder at Marcone and frowned. "This is a mistake. It was his fate to die in that alley."
"What is the point of having free will if one cannot occasionally spit in the eye of destiny?" Marcone asked.
"There will be consequences," she insisted.
--- End quote ---
What do you think? Coincidence?
However my research did catch something I missed previously. Mab admitted setting the Hobs on the Archive. But she gives her reason, better the Archive dead than the Archive turned. A preemptive strike.
Bad Alias:
--- Quote from: morriswalters on November 25, 2018, 03:54:00 AM ---@kbrizzle
[Crossing Mab] most certainly didn't work out well for [Nic and the Reds], in the long term.
--- End quote ---
Considering Mab has been in her position since 1066, she is probably the youngest head of the three organizations (Reds, Denarians, and Winter). Therefore, I'd say it didn't work out in the short term from their point of view.
dspringer1:
--- Quote ---My theory is that Nic suspects that Mab is not currently strong enough to enforce the Accords.
--- End quote ---
Mab is a serious player in the supernatural community, but there are many serious players. And there are many individuals (Hades, Mothers, other old hoary gods, archangels) that are significantly more powerful. Nobody plays power games at the level Nic players without taking risks and making enemies. Successful players are good at this type of gambling.
Whatever action Mab does to punish a breaker of the accords must be somewhat comparable to the deed that was done. So at best Nic risks a specific (and painful) disruption of his plans once or twice. Breaking the accords does not make Mab a lifetime enemy after all. They may even ally again in the future as they did in the past.
toodeep:
Keep in mind that Nic didn't break the accords until he kidnapped the neutral arbiter (i.e. the Archive). He had a two step plan.
1. Take marcone. valuable in his own right and doesn't negatively impact Nic
2. If, and only if, the archive is invoked, then break the accords to get the Archive. This would have been worth it, in his opinion. Keep in mind, he thought he had Lasciel as a hole card corrupting Harry. We now also know that taking the Archive wouldn't just have gotten him all the knowledge of the archive, but also the true ventori who fight the oblivion war at the Archives direction. He would have been able to give them orders they would have believed would be necessary for the oblivion war, but that really could have just served his own ends.
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