The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
In defense of the WC
g33k:
--- Quote from: Tinfoil hat on August 07, 2022, 10:31:53 AM ---...
In the past the wc has been criticized for its head off first ask qns never policy in regard to the warlocks. But think about this, most members of the wc are a couple hundred years old or older. Most of them either saw kemmler rise or have masters, mentors or friends who were there. I think its possible that kemmler had a trial and was placed under the doom. Instead of turning a new leaf, he became well him. The council members who voted for leniency probably carry a lot of quilt over what he eventually became.
Then comes harry Dresden. I mean come on. All the older wizards seem to be able to tell how strong someone is, and how strong they will come. Justin was trained by the council's vampire expert, justin was probably not a push over and harry beat him at 16. Given that morgan thought Dresden was a destroyer, I think the older generations have an idea or suspect what harry was meant to be. Everyone looks at harry and rightly sees a stronger, better version of kemmler who in a couple of centuries will be as strong as Ebenezer.
--- End quote ---
The WC has to kill the warlocks after a certain point. They become irredeemable. Even Dresden himself -- one of the sharpest critics of the policy -- admits this.
The question for the WC is -- has Harry Dresden passed that point? Does Dresden himself "need killing" ???
Because of their fear -- their "Kemmler PTSD," if you will -- many of the WC are either unable to decide rationally -- seeing Harry through Kemmler-tinted glasses; or have (rationally, if rather cold-bloodedly) decided "better safe than sorry" -- that the downside risks of a Warlock Dresden simply outweigh the risk that they might needlessly kill someone theoretically-redeemable... or even someone more-or-less innocent!
Someone here on the Paranet, some years (and several DF novels) ago, wrote up a Warden-POV "threat assessment" file on Harry Dresden; it was reasonably amusing. It was also reasonably... well... reasonable, as an in-world rationale for why Dresden is "highly suspicious" at very best.
As has been said: what the WC really needs (in terms of "the warlock problem") is a huge initiative aimed at finding young talents early, before they have a chance to "go bad," and training them up properly (i.e. with an understanding of what the problems ARE, and how to AVOID them). I've been advocating for the idea that the Paranet to step up, in this role. I think we're seeing some foreshadowing that the WC is doomed to fall, and I think the Paranet may be poised to step into the role of the premier wizarding organization; a concerted effort to find/educate young talents could be a great demonstration of how they'r better-suited than the WC is. I like @vincentric's notion that Harry could leverage his faerie connections here, also.
Mira:
--- Quote ---As has been said: what the WC really needs (in terms of "the warlock problem") is a huge initiative aimed at finding young talents early, before they have a chance to "go bad," and training them up properly (i.e. with an understanding of what the problems ARE, and how to AVOID them). I've been advocating for the idea that the Paranet to step up, in this role. I think we're seeing some foreshadowing that the WC is doomed to fall, and I think the Paranet may be poised to step into the role of the premier wizarding organization; a concerted effort to find/educate young talents could be a great demonstration of how they'r better-suited than the WC is. I like @vincentric's notion that Harry could leverage his faerie connections here, also.
--- End quote ---
I believe the Merlin's excuse for that not being done to Harry back in Proven Guilty after the Korean Kid got the chop was 1] there wasn't enough qualified wizards to take on apprentices, 2] that there were even fewer willing to take the risk of taking on a perhaps redeemable kid only to fail and die with him/her under the edit of the Doom. So he and the Council felt that a zero tolerance policy was safest for all.
Conspiracy Theorist:
The White Council take death as the first and only option for Warlocks, they seem incapable of putting in the resources to locate young wizards early and their policy of masquerade means that there is no public recognition of the problem.
The WC sets itself up as the authority in this area, yet clearly is incapable of exercising that authority in a prompt and effective manner.
It would be interesting to see whether Harry’s own policy of openness would allow for early identification of Warlocks before the death penalty is used. The Paranet means that talented families can at least recognise a Wizard level talent early on.
g33k:
--- Quote from: Mira on August 08, 2022, 12:10:24 AM --- I believe the Merlin's excuse for that not being done to Harry back in Proven Guilty after the Korean Kid got the chop was 1] there wasn't enough qualified wizards to take on apprentices, 2] that there were even fewer willing to take the risk of taking on a perhaps redeemable kid only to fail and die with him/her under the edit of the Doom. So he and the Council felt that a zero tolerance policy was safest for all.
--- End quote ---
To be very blunt -- the Merlin is being startlingly stupid, here.
The WC's official position is, they don't seek out young proto-Talents before they get into trouble... Let's look at the downstream consequences, hmm? What's the throughline, here?
With the impulses of young hormones, with the impulse-control of youth, with the judgment of youth, with the maturity of youth how many of these burgeoning talents -- really -- aren't going to "get into trouble?"
Particularly in the "developed" countries, where most people will deny the magic, and generally assign "crazy" and similar labels.
So then the newly-emerged talents go Warlock.
And get killed.
I mean ... just look at Molly.
She had a wonderful, loving family-upbringing.
She had about the best moral guidance that mortal parents can provide.
And, she went Warlock.
If a kid like Molly (of all people!) can't avoid it... who's likely to? Anyone? Calling it like I see it here, and it looks to me like a big NOPE. (Or rather: only with a huge, HUGE dose of dumb luck!)
===
The net result therefore looks an awful lot like the Whamp plot to "cull" Talent out of humanity. The Merlin/WC plan is actually better than the Whamp plan: the wizards are filtering for the strongest, most effective talents! (weak/ineffectual magic being unlikely to rise to the level of Warden action)
Tinfoil hat:
I think the issue is that the WC model is no longer ideal for the modern world. But on the other hand taking every little talent to be part of the council may be a bad idea.
Harry was the youngest member of the council and the council went to war for him against the reds (not really).
The wardens like Carlos complain about having little say in the council despite doing most of the fighting.
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