The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Bob's Parents
fillmoreb:
Sorry if this has been brought up before, but I've been trying to figure out who Bob's parents must be. In an AMA Jim says "Both of Bob's parents have appeared in the Dresden Files. :)". I'm trying hard to figure out who they must be. In Skin Game, Harry has this conversation with himself:
--- Quote ---"She's a spiritual entity," I breathed. "Oh, my God. She's a spirit of intellect."
"What happens when mortals get it on with spirits," my double confirmed, though now without heat.
--- End quote ---
Assuming that's the only way for a spirit of intellect to be formed, that means that Bob's parents are a mortal and a spirit. Bob's been around at least since the Middle Ages, since it was a Middle Age French wizard who bound him to the skull. That should narrow down the suspect pool for the "mortal" parent.
I'm drawing a blank going further than this. I would have gone with Lea as his mother, since he totally geeks out like a kid trying to get his parent's attention when he sees her. Proximity to her would also give him a reason to have discovered the big bad secret of Halloween night, earning him a banishment with prejudice by Mab. Lea is neither a spirit, nor mortal, though.
It's tough. Perhaps it's Merlin and Demonreach. Deliberately creating Bob, with the explicit purpose of being an instrument of translation for the Island in the future... dunno. Would explain how demonreach instantly knew how to interface with Bob. *shrug*
Maybe there's no big reason or cool parentage at all. Perhaps it was just Etienne the Enchanter and Ulsharavas. No reason why he couldn't have had contact with the Oracle Spirit.
What are all your theories?
Yuillegan:
Welcome to the forums, Fillmoreb. :)
It's perfectly fine to bring up previously discussed topics, lawd knows we all do. Everything here has been discussed and dissected to death, then resurrected and the process starts all over again!
I have thought about this a lot, but sadly I think this is one of those you can't see the nose on your face issues. Jim said it to mess with the fans, and I suspect it will come true in ways unlooked for.
I like your ideas. I don't think I am convinced about Demonreach - Bob and he don't seem to acknowledge each other any more than both being spirits. Lea is a possible suspect, but there are reasons she also doesn't work. We will get to that. Leah is technically a creature of both the spirit and mortal world...but it's tricky too. Anyway, I will give you my thoughts.
I am almost dead certain Bob's mother is Mab. Considering his entire deal around her...it would make sense. Also given some of the information he knows, Spirits of Intellect gain their knowledge from their parents, at least initially. Not to mention, he is a spirit of air. What is Mab the Queen of? Air and Darkness. And Bob has a very dark side. A blue side, I might add. Also, Mab is known for logic and reasoning...and Bob is a Spirit of Intellect which counts for the same.
Now, considering Mab's great love was Merlin (this is clear from Peace Talks) we could be forgiven for assuming they are both the parents.
But wait! Are we not supposed to have met both parents, and we haven't met the original Merlin Emrys (whom Corb says is not "among the living")?
But as many characters (including Mab and Lasciel) have pointed out, death isn't so black and white. Perhaps we did meet Merlin, but under another name and guise...
But there are other possibilities. Jim has also said SoI's are made of the combination of an immortal and a mortal parent. But as Harry has shown, that can be two beings in the same body.
So it could have been Mab while mortal, with an immortal in her head. Or Merlin for that matter. But what immortal would that be?
Not to mention, there are many, many side stories. Not even all of them from when Dresden was alive. So it could well be something not in the main series at all.
I did wonder about Kemmler for a while, but he only got Bob well after his creation. Vadderung seems a good choice, he had many sons. But why wouldn't he give Bob a body (gods can do that, that's how Athena came to be from Zeus)? Could Merlin have just been a guise of Vadderung?
Rashid isn't a bad choice, Mab seems to have a special interest (that we are meant to assume is due to his role) but still. And he is old enough, technically. He also seems to have taken his role as Gatekeeper right around the time Mab ascended to Winter Queen.
Another option is the Archive and someone/thing. Because Bob is basically just a little Archive, without the body. But then, we still don't have the other parent.
It's also worth considering Bob's nature. He is perpetually horny, a wiseass, a bit of a coward at times, and a very, very powerful psychic demon. Considering the sex-focussed spirits, I can only really think of the White Court being involved. That being said, a lot of those personality traits are to do with being picked up by Dresden at age sixteen.
So, what's the answer? Who knows. But in order for me:
1. Mab (Winter Queen) + Rashid
2. Mab (Winter Queen) on her own
3. Mab and the OG Merlin (although he then has to have a different alias we have met somewhere in one of the books, even a short story or comic).
4. The Archive + someone
5. Vadderung + someone
Con:
My Bets on Mab as well.
Still confused about who his father is. I tend to agree with the candidates proposed as possible.
Conspiracy Theorist:
The Leansidhe is a muse, she provides creative inspiration to mortals resulting in their early death. Sounds like what was on the cards with Harry and Lash. I have long posited she is Bob’s Mother based on exactly the same passage as she is the only major Winter Fae he isn’t terrified of.
Father would have to be a mortal wizard, so Rashid is the only named character old enough to do this. Other wizards such as Cowl or Namshiel’s previous host might be candidates, in the latter case picking up a coin might be a way to survive the birth of Bob like Molly was able to do so with Harry. Fallen Angel in, Bob out.
The other alternative is the unnamed British Prisoner in Demonreach so that might be a historical or mythological wizard other than Merlin.
I like this chap
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Scot
Wizards can live four centuries so figure in a couple of centuries either way of birth and death so he could easily have been an contemporary of Rashid, and he is the right geographical area for Lea.
The iron cap he wore may have been a contraceptive device to ensure Bob was an only child. Lea is a bit stalkery.
Mira:
Or he didn't have any parents, he might be the origin of how the tale of "babies found under cabbage leaves.."began. Welcome to the forum!
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