The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers

Some interesting things from Death Masks

(1/5) > >>

Yuillegan:
1) Ortega calls Harry a self-righteous madman who will "destroy us all". What is he talking about? Harry might be self-righteous and has a few times been accused of being crazy, but how would Harry's actions destroy everyone? My guess is that the Reds don't want the end of the world, they simply want to be on top when it comes. Harry's early start to the war interferes with that plan and perhaps Ortega believes only the Red Court would have the power to control the outcome of the end times - an event or series of event that lots of players seem aware of that is imminent.

2) Martin believed Ortega was trying to delay the full war for another 20 years. It has almost been 20 years by our time, but lets say that Dresden is a few years behind us right now for various reasons. What happens in the next few years from Peace Talks? Book 20 for one and the end of the case files (maybe) and the beginning of the BAT. So at least according to Jim Butcher's original timeline for the series, why would the Reds want to wait until the BAT to start their war?

3) Nicodemus refers to his "schedule". This links with the whole BAT thing. I suspect he knew that the Shroud wasn't the "real" Shroud but he knew it had enough juice to do what he wanted.

4) Mordite is first introduced. This is not an accident.

5) Lord Raith is scared of Ortega. At full power I cannot imagine that Ortega would have been able to take a fully powered up Lord Raith. But I can understand why Lord Raith was afraid of Ortega in his weakened state. But I also wonder if this was more to do with who Ortega represented, Ariana for one, but perhaps the Circle? It seems likely that she was a part of it.

6) The connection between Maggie, Justin, Lord Raith, Ariana, Ortega and Nicodemus is hinted at over the books. And oddly enough but more subtly, Ebenezar.

7) Denarians are definitely stronger in this book. Specifically they all use more anti-magic via their Fallen.

8 ) Some odd continuity errors. Harry doesn't have his bracelet during the Duel with Ortega and he doesn't have it during the fight immediately afterwards. He even specifically notes that it is harder to create a shield without one, and then in the following paragraph when the shield fails he says his bracelet began to burn his wrist. Obviously the Churchmice-Marcone buyer plot point is retconned in Skin Games. And Sanya claims that Michael's armor will not stop bullets - yet we know that Charity put ceramic and kevlar in. And of course the eye color change. Initially the Fallen's eyes are orange, and the host has green. But then it reverses mid book, in the same scene! Forever after the Fallen have green eyes. And by Small Favor the glyph/symbol of the Fallen no longer appears on the forehead of the vessel.

9) Denarians release a contagion - a cocktail of every virus known to man and probably a few more that are unknown. However when reading this again I immediately thought of another thing: the contagion of the spirit spreading around the world. Nemesis.

10) In this book we learn that the forces of Hell get a power boost from destruction and mayhem. The plague will create an environment that makes them more powerful. We also learn later on that the Black Court of Vampires also gain power this way - see the WOJ on how the Black Court level up. Finally, a recent WOJ in response to a fan question about the Spanish Flu also implied that it was not merely a bad contagion, but was essentially a bio-weapon attack. My theory is that perhaps there is a link between the forces of Hell and the Black Court, perhaps they even work together. But more on that in another thread.

Bad Alias:
I think the events of the BAT are arriving ahead of schedule. That's why Nicodemus is in a hurry to break into Hades vault.

nadia.skylark:

--- Quote --- And Sanya claims that Michael's armor will not stop bullets - yet we know that Charity put ceramic and kevlar in.
--- End quote ---

I might be misremembering, but I thought this one was explained as Sanya not knowing about the kevlar and stuff.

Snark Knight:

--- Quote from: Yuillegan on December 22, 2019, 11:43:15 PM ---5) Lord Raith is scared of Ortega. At full power I cannot imagine that Ortega would have been able to take a fully powered up Lord Raith. But I can understand why Lord Raith was afraid of Ortega in his weakened state. But I also wonder if this was more to do with who Ortega represented, Ariana for one, but perhaps the Circle? It seems likely that she was a part of it.

--- End quote ---

Paolo and Ariana didn't exactly have a conventionally close relationship, though. She seems to have been on the Circle, but his vehement opposition to drawing out a balanced war like the Circle wanted strongly suggests he wasn't.

When he said Harry's stubbornness would 'destroy us all' I think he was accusing Harry of playing into the Circle's hands. I don't think he necessarily had enough of the pieces to know what was coming in the BAT scenario or have a strong plan to play it to the Reds' advantage, but he recognized some part of the Circle was moving to destabilize the supernatural nations.

Yuillegan:

--- Quote from: Bad Alias on December 23, 2019, 12:18:33 AM ---I think the events of the BAT are arriving ahead of schedule. That's why Nicodemus is in a hurry to break into Hades vault.

--- End quote ---

That seems likely. But I also think there is a definite link between when the war was "meant" to happen and the events that will happen in the BAT.


--- Quote from: nadia.skylark on December 23, 2019, 02:09:41 AM ---I might be misremembering, but I thought this one was explained as Sanya not knowing about the kevlar and stuff.

--- End quote ---

Except why would Michael say that his Faith protects him against bullets in that scene to Sanya? It seems pretty clear in this scene that Sanya is more modern and Michael is more old world.


--- Quote from: Snark Knight on December 23, 2019, 02:53:58 AM ---Paolo and Ariana didn't exactly have a conventionally close relationship, though. She seems to have been on the Circle, but his vehement opposition to drawing out a balanced war like the Circle wanted strongly suggests he wasn't.

When he said Harry's stubbornness would 'destroy us all' I think he was accusing Harry of playing into the Circle's hands. I don't think he necessarily had enough of the pieces to know what was coming in the BAT scenario or have a strong plan to play it to the Reds' advantage, but he recognized some part of the Circle was moving to destabilize the supernatural nations.

--- End quote ---

Specifically what the relationship was described as was volatile. She would call for him then send him away to keep her hatred hot. What's your reasoning to say that the Circle wanted a protracted, balanced conflict? If anything they wanted the opposite.

Ariana wanted to end the war. Her first appearance in Changes is for exactly that, she sues for peace. They also try to end the war in Summer Knight. Shiro explains to Harry in Death Masks that the Red Court wanted a war, they wanted a fight and he was set up. But it was sooner than some would have liked, which is why they wanted to end it early and gather their strength for a final decisive blow.

Paolo may not have known all the pieces to the puzzle, he may not even be on the Circle. But he did plan and execute the attack on Archangel. He was prepared to attempt to kill the dangerous Wizard Dresden himself. He even had a pretty good plan that was mostly thwarted by Martin, and stopped altogether by Ebenezar. And he was associated with a few characters who seem to be linked to the Circle, if not outright members of it.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page