The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers

Bloodlines

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Yuillegan:
In Jim Butcher's most recent interview with Daniel Greene, Jim mentions that in order to do magic you need both the study AND the bloodline. He also mentions that in order to be a Wizard, you need the bloodline whereas you are just a sorcerer otherwise. All about where you draw your power on I imagine.

This is interesting for several reasons.

There have been many references in the series about how powerful blood is, and particularly in magic. Blood of Christ is exceptionally strong as a curse for Michael, Harry's relation to Margaret Le Fay and eventually Eb is also played up a lot, mortal magic and blood having unique power and properties, blood sacrifices and bloodline curses and even death magic through a bloodline, not to mention that only people related to royalty can wield the Sword of the Cross.

It also (for me) highlights my theories around Harry's ancestry being important. Merlin was though to be the son of a women (sometimes a witch) and a succubus, or else the Devil himself (as sometimes Merlin was identified as the Antichrist) and his powers were the source of these interactions. I have speculated that if Harry is the Merlin, being the son of Lord Raith (a succubus) or even the Devil would add up. We also have the information that sometimes the scions of unions between mortals and the supernatural beings can look normal but have freakish power. This also could fit.

In Hellboy, it is Hellboy's mother who is really important. His father is Azazel, a Grand Duke of Hell, but his mother is the direct descendant of Mordred. This would also tie in with the King Arthur mythos (that is present subtly throughout the series). This ties Hellboy to being a direct descendant of Arthur and also Morgan Le Fay, able to be both the rightful King of England (mankind) and the witch Morgan (who was the apprentice of Merlin).

Harry at least is a descendant of Merlin through master to apprentice, as Ebenezer's journals go back all the way to Merlin. And often there is the theory that Merlin lived his life in reverse, perhaps Harry will too.

Harry has interesting links to Merlin too. Vadderung supposedly trained Merlin, and Harry has been helped by Dresden too. It wouldn't even totally surprise me if all three were one and the same. More than one person has held multiple identities.

Bad Alias:
I think the specific use of the word bloodline is more of a DnD reference. "Sorcerers carry a magical birthright conferred upon them by an exotic bloodline, some otherworldly influence, or exposure to unknown cosmic forces." http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/sorcerer.

Jim has stated that Merlin won't be in the series because he is dead, but then paused and said something about how dead is less of a permanent state in the genre kind of in a maybe he will be in the series way. It could be interpreted as if he had forgotten something about Merlin.

If Harry is descended from Merlin, then I really hope Harry doesn't time travel and become Merlin. Ick.

I really do feel like there's going to be an important Odin, Merlin, Harry thing revealed at some point in the series. My personal wag is that Odin begat Merlin who begat ... who begat Eb who begat Margaret who begat Harry. As a sub wag to that one, in Changes Arianna was ultimately targeting Eb, but the Red King was ultimately targeting Odin.

Yuillegan:
It is...but I don't think that makes it any less significant. He almost is shouting at us in that interview that Harry has an exotic bloodline.

Yeah - as has been discussed in depth, death is a very fuzzy concept in the Dresden Files. And a relative term.

Don't watch Dark (on Netflix), BA. If you think Harry being his own descendant is rough, you ain't seen nothing. Seriously loopy stuff in that show. But also awesome.

A good theory about Odin being the progenitor. I think you are really onto something with the Red King actually targeting beyond Eb. Tbh, it seemed like a lot of effort for a couple of Wizards. Considering the power behind the ritual/spell...seems a waste just for two Wizards. Either they were hoping to wipe out the White Court, or someone Eb was related to. Odin fits as good as any - and Odin v the Red King fits better too. Odin took almost personal interest in that matter, he even showed up to Chichen Itza. I think he was just as ready to wipe them out if necessary. I don't think he went to the wall at all.

Bad Alias:
It's not that I think it sickens me. It's that it would diminish my enjoyment of the story. Half the time it's not addressed so it seems like a mistake on the author's part. The other half my response is more "why would anyone write this?" I've seen something where a time traveling character was both father and mother to himself. I also think he was hunting himself and eventually kills himself (not in a traditional suicide scenario). I just don't get the point. I'm just not really into time-travel incest as a plot point. Except for Fry from Futurama. They did it brilliantly.

didymos:

--- Quote from: Bad Alias on March 25, 2020, 04:47:22 AM ---It's not that I think it sickens me. It's that it would diminish my enjoyment of the story. Half the time it's not addressed so it seems like a mistake on the author's part. The other half my response is more "why would anyone write this?" I've seen something where a time traveling character was both father and mother to himself.

--- End quote ---

Sounds like Heinlein's story All You Zombies.

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