The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Merlin, Building the Island, and the Family Dresden
Mira:
Here is the passages from Cold Days describing the build; pages 169-169
First thing, if he did indeed travel in time to build the Island, Merlin arrived via the Nevernever
--- Quote ---Then a ribbon of light maybe eight feet long split the air vertically. The light broadened until it was maybe three feet wide, and then a figure appeared through it. I recognized the signs---someone had opened a Way, a passage from the Nevernever to the island.
--- End quote ---
This was Merlin, I bolded the last because this is important information Harry is going to need now to travel to the island and back. It could be the one Rashid uses or another.
--- Quote ---The grey-clad figure became a blur. It walked about waving its arms, and directed oceans of energy here and there, settling them all in and around the substance of the island itself.
--- End quote ---
This continues for some time apparently because on the next page;
--- Quote ---A LOT OF TIME PASSES.
--- End quote ---
Here is the important bit about it's building
--- Quote ---"Merlin didn't build the prison five times," Bob said. "He built it once. In five different
times. All at the same time."
--- End quote ---
This blew Harry's mind. Bob explained further;
--- Quote ---"Look, a mortal jail is built in three dimensions,right? Merlin built this one in four, and probably in several more, though you can't really tell whether or not he built it in a given dimension until you go there and measure it, and the act of measuring it will change it.
--- End quote ---
Here is another interesting bit, the enchantments, I will only copy the first line or two, but you get the picture it goes on to page 170 talking about enchantments on top of enchantments..
--- Quote ---The shot zoomed out rising up to give a top-down view of the island,which became a blurry shape. A familiar five-pointed star blazed itself across the surface of the lake, its lines so long that the pentagon shape at its center enfolded the island entirely
--- End quote ---
It goes on and repeats thousands of times over in different directions over different dimensions.
Okay, I bolded this bit because what does Harry wear around his neck? What does Thomas and Eb wear? A pentagon. Now a pentagon maybe a standard thing in this kind of enchantment, and the fact that the Dresden family also wear one is a coincidence.. Or maybe not so much, if you couple that with the journals in Eb's possession that have been handed down for centuries and hinted to go back as far as Merlin... One more connection, Merlin emerged from the Nevernever, he had opened a Way, Margaret spent a lot of time in the Nevernever, and oh just happens to have a jewel that is the gps to all the Ways, which Harry also inherits from her.. Oh and one final intriguing bit, in Small Favor, though he'd had never stepped foot on the island before, he felt like he had walked on it's steps before..
So here goes, as many of us suspect the Dresden family are direct decedents of Merlin. Merlin's decedents have always acted as Wardens of the island. This is why Alfred accepted Harry in the first place. It could be that the Council is ignorant of the Dresden ancestry, so instead of appointing Eb it's Warden, they appoint Kemmler, that is where things went wrong. Or could Kemmler be related somehow to the Dresdens, thus descended from Merlin as well? Or was that a lie to get the job?
But I digress, Eb also says in his journal that he trusted Harry with the job of Warden, but then he trusted Maggie as well. Curious remark, if he hadn't made such a mess of her apprenticeship leading her to rebel, would Margaret have gotten the job? Could that have added more fuel to the fire of the Council's fears of a dark lord being Warden of the island? So they thought it better that it remain vulnerable than another Warden?
Finally, Harry's feeling that he'd been there before, yeah, I know how Luccio explained it, but put on your tin hats guys.. Harry felt like he'd been there before, because he had, he is Merlin. That will become more apparent by the end of the series, another little bit that may point to this is the image Harry has of himself as he battles Sharkface in his head..
page 417 Cold Days
--- Quote ---I lifted my right arm to the frozen sky and shouted, wordless and furious, and a bolt of scarlet lightning flashed from the seething skies. It smashed into my hand and then down into the earth. Frozen dirt sprayed everywhere, and when it cleared, I stood holding an oaken quarterstaff carved with runes and sigils, as tall as my temple and as big around as my joined thumb and forefinger.
--- End quote ---
Harry, starchild, Merlin reincarnated..
Yuillegan:
I certainly see how you got there.
The idea of Harry = Merlin is always a good one. Of course, Jim is denying that theory and it would be fair to believe him (that said, he is a fan of it as it apparently is one of his favourites).
But if we put aside that Jim has denied it where does that leave us?
With a very compelling idea that has more than a few holes.
It's generally best to look at the flaws when testing a theory so I will do that first.
1) Mab doesn't seem to recognise Harry as Merlin.
Whatever the relationship between Harry and Merlin, Mab knew Merlin personally (and seems to have been in love with him). Surely she would recognise a younger version of her old flame? If she does in fact know Harry is Merlin, then why all the pretence? What reasons are there to keep his identity from him?
2) Vadderung taught original Merlin.
Harry hasn't had any real lessons from Vadderung. It could be in Harry's future but one gets the opinion Harry won't have much time for being a student...and he already has class booked with River Shoulders.
3) Merlin seems to be Harry's ancestor.
This would surely be a paradox?
4) The Wizard's star is quite common.
It represents the five elements (Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Spirit) bound by a circle of will. It's a common belief about magic that many other wizards share.
5) Merlin is considered not to be among the living.
Yes, we know there are degrees of life and death. I am a big advocate for that. That being said, Corb explicitly says "If he [Merlin] were among the living" which implies Merlin is not...and Harry is about 10ft from him. Obviously this could all be a bit of "Darth Vader killed your father" type trickery but it's worth considering.
6) Merlin was considered to have tried to unbind Renfields, and he failed.
Harry hasn't even shown a need to do this yet.
7) Merlin had magic, knowledge and power far beyond any mortal (and many supernaturals) we have seen.
Harry is still very much a medium fish in a lake, he isn't even in the ocean yet.
8 ) Harry feeling familiarity with being on Demonreach is explained as foresight (i.e. essentially a human mind processing non-linear time).
If Harry is eventually Merlin, how can he remember going to Demonreach when it was his first time? If anything, Merlin would be the one remembering Harry's life.
These are some of the main arguments against the idea of Merlin=Harry that I can think of.
That being said. There are plenty of interesting connections between the two, and I also do like the idea of Harry becoming Merlin. But in order for it to work, the above points must be explained.
morriswalters:
Merlin was a shapeshifter in some iterations. Harry has taken the first step in that direction. Merlin was bound to a crystal tower in some iterations or was sealed in a tree.
Mira:
--- Quote ---1) Mab doesn't seem to recognise Harry as Merlin.
Whatever the relationship between Harry and Merlin, Mab knew Merlin personally (and seems to have been in love with him). Surely she would recognise a younger version of her old flame? If she does in fact know Harry is Merlin, then why all the pretence? What reasons are there to keep his identity from him?
2) Vadderung taught original Merlin.
Harry hasn't had any real lessons from Vadderung. It could be in Harry's future but one gets the opinion Harry won't have much time for being a student...and he already has class booked with River Shoulders.
--- End quote ---
Both may have their reasons for not telling Harry. There is a lot that apparently several characters know about Harry, but are not telling him, like what is expected of him as a star child. Why his mother decided to conceive a star child, and that he was meant to be a weapon.. I don't disagree with what you are saying, but neither Mab or Vadderung supposedly not recognizing him or saying anything to him about it doesn't mean that it cannot be true based on the important information that they are keeping from him about himself, now.
--- Quote ---3) Merlin seems to be Harry's ancestor.
This would surely be a paradox?
--- End quote ---
Not if he is reincarnated, or Merlin born again, he might not look like Merlin in body, but the spirit and personality are there.
--- Quote ---4) The Wizard's star is quite common.
It represents the five elements (Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Spirit) bound by a circle of will. It's a common belief about magic that many other wizards share.
--- End quote ---
I agree and said that in my original post, however what is noteworthy is only Harry, Thomas, their mother, Margaret, and Eb are described as wearing one. In Harry's case it is given further importance by the gps crystal from his mother to the Ways of the Nevernever. It was her necklace to begin with, interesting that she didn't leave it for Thomas, he was given a different one. The gps crystal was withheld from Harry until he actually became Winter Knight in Changes if I remember the sequence correctly. This is also an interesting little tidbit, why was it withheld in the first place? And could it have been a family heirloom from the original Merlin? Just what was the bargain Margaret made with Mab and or Lea for her son's protection? So while a common symbol, we read about the robes the wizards wear, the colors and badges on the stoles they wear with those robes, but a pentacle necklace isn't among them except for the above mentioned.
--- Quote ---5) Merlin is considered not to be among the living.
Yes, we know there are degrees of life and death. I am a big advocate for that. That being said, Corb explicitly says "If he [Merlin] were among the living" which implies Merlin is not...and Harry is about 10ft from him. Obviously this could all be a bit of "Darth Vader killed your father" type trickery but it's worth considering.
--- End quote ---
True, but doesn't mean that Harry cannot be Merlin, reincarnated.. He is Harry, but he is also Merlin in all but body.
--- Quote ---7) Merlin had magic, knowledge and power far beyond any mortal (and many supernaturals) we have seen.
Harry is still very much a medium fish in a lake, he isn't even in the ocean yet.
--- End quote ---
True, yet he has managed with his uncommon will to pull off things that members of the Senior Council haven't been able. Also one might ask, is it from lack of talent, or lack of training and knowledge that holds Harry back in some areas? The line in Battleground for example where Harry mentions that there were areas in the library at headquarters forbidden to him..
--- Quote ---8) Harry feeling familiarity with being on Demonreach is explained as foresight (i.e. essentially a human mind processing non-linear time).
If Harry is eventually Merlin, how can he remember going to Demonreach when it was his first time? If anything, Merlin would be the one remembering Harry's life.
--- End quote ---
Yes, and I mentioned that Luccio had told him this, but at the same time this is the only place where this foresight has come into play. Harry doesn't know who or what he is, not really, as in starchild. At that point in time he didn't know he was a starchild, still doesn't know what it means. Just odd I think that the one place Harry would have this experience is the one place that has become so significant in his life.
Conspiracy Theorist:
Arguably Harry’s foresight was responsible for identifying Lasciel in Skin Game and Nemesis in Battle Ground, it did this through the medium of his subconscious which is considerably smarter than his conscious.
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