The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Let's take another look at Elaine ...
g33k:
Re-reading White Night, where Elaine turns up "copying Harry" -- doing the P.I. do-gooder gig in LA, yellow-pages listing under "Wizard," etc.
As some here may recall, I like her (a lot) as the Nemesis-vector into Summer (Nemfecting Aurora; having been Nemfected herself under the tutelage (and mind-control magic) of Outsider-summoning Justin DuMorne).
This isn't, I hope, I thread where we re-argue that old case, except if it becomes relevant to other issues.
I'd like to look at other Elaine-y things...
To begin with, I had forgotten how long she was on her own, after Justin died (or faked his death in the firestorm Harry conveniently provided; or whatever). A year, more or less.
Which gives me a significant WTF moment, really.
Harry never succumbed to DuMorne's mental domination. After the fight, Harry moved more-or-less directly into McCoy's grounded, ethical, teaching -- the why of magic, rather than merely how.
Elaine got fully dominated, her will enslaved. Enough-so to actively help Justin capture Harry (although he broke free). But when Harry came back, he burned down her home and killed her father-figure (who had just betrayed her, which she knew at some level); and it likely seemed to her like Harry tried to kill her, too.
We know how much mental-domination screws-up the minds of the victims, even without all the added trauma of that incident! Then she was on her own -- recovering from all that shit -- for a year.
Elaine Mallory should be way, way, way more screwed-up than she is! So... why isn't she?
Offhand: one answer might be the deal she made with Summer, who's really good at the whole living/healing/growing side of things, probably even in matters of the psyche. She might have bargained for her sanity, her mental composure; or Summer may have healed her for reasons of their own.
Any other/alternative theories? Refinements of mine?
Honestly, "she just got better on her own" doesn't really satisfy; not unless she's genuinely Starborn, and has some inherent uber-recovery (more than normal wizards) against that stuff. Which, I guess, is possible; but has very little corroborating evidence (compared e.g. to a Summerfae involvement).
Next up: the ever-popular "Elaine=Kumori" theory. It's a pretty minor bit of evidence, but in DB Kumori is wielding a magic-item consisting of a "mesh," and in WN Elaine is wielding a "fishing net;" coincidence, or a wizard working bigger and more-elaborate iterations on a theme?
Third, the topic of "where (from whom) did Elaine get further training; and what training did she get?"
Once again, "from the Summerfae" is an easy answer to part (a) -- we know Eldest Gruff is a pretty badass wizard. As to part (b) ... healing/growth/etc magic would be very-Summery, and Elaine is notable there (as is Kumori, of course!). In a faerie court, she'd have learned all manner of deception, both magical and psychological. What else?
But... what about the year beforehand (presuming we can trust her claim there)? Did she have any tutor/mentor? Did she study or improve, magically? Or was it a "time passed; she endured" sort of year?
Then there's the 3ish Dresden'verse years between SK and DB, plus 2ish more to WN. Did Lily "inherit" Elaine's debt with the Mantle? Or -- given the possible anti-Mantle "Destroy creation" agenda of Aurora's Nemfected plan -- did Mother Summer nullify all Aurora's "heritable assets," set Elaine free? What did Elaine do, in this time? Just become "LA Harry" -- Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, only with grace & style, and really sexy?
Let's compare Harry, what he had, how he got there.
He had Ebenezers' lessons, practical grounding, etc. Likely some texts/references from him, too. And Harry had Bob. That's a freaking LOT of resources a budding wizard wants/needs; Bob is actually way MORE than most ever get!
Did Elaine get corresponding stuff -- tutelage, tomes, etc -- from Summer??!?
How the heck is she such a near-peer of Harry's????
Mira:
--- Quote ---Did Elaine get corresponding stuff -- tutelage, tomes, etc -- from Summer??!?
How the heck is she such a near-peer of Harry's????
--- End quote ---
Good question, was it because she too a star born? They seem to be popping up under a lot of rocks these days. Here is something that confuses me from Summer Knight, and it could be because Jim has reworked the scene of Harry's escape from Justin or Harry's memory of it a couple of times. But remember when Aurora orders Elaine to tie Harry up in Summer Knight and Harry manages to escape.. Because Elaine used the same knots she used when Justin ordered her to tie him up and he escaped? Weird, because the memory that Lea brings back to him in Ghost Story is totally different. But what I am trying to say is if that bit about the knots in Summer Knight is true, Elaine was never under Justin's control either, because she helped Harry escape from him.
We also learned in Ghost Story that it isn't impossible for talented wizards to get powerful doing their own study, and successfully hiding the fact from the Wardens. Here is my theory, I agree with the idea that Elaine brought the Nemfection to Aurora, who says she still isn't infected?
I mean Justine managed to hide the fact that she was possessed by He Who Walks Beside, not just from Thomas, but Harry as well at first. What if this is also the case with Elaine? Or because she is star born like Harry, she managed to use Nemesis to get powerful and then throw it off.
Conspiracy Theorist:
First If Elaine is Starborn she shouldn’t be capable of nemfection. Jim has vacillated on this point as regards Starborn status, so either theory as regards Elaine Starborn status/Nemfection Vector is valid until further information is received. This does not mean however that something she bore with her infected Aurora, like Lea and the Athame. If she were pregnant and her non-Starborn child were nem-fected, then if she offered her firstborn to Aurora in return for sanctuary and healing then that would make sense, her obligation would be discharged when the child reached its majority. Justin knew of the relationship and Harry says he knew nothing of Faerie so therefore neither did Elaine. Was this the plan all along to use a pregnant Elaine as a nem vector? A Trojan horse? The infection of Lea was much later.
We should suspect anything Elaine has told Harry about her past.
Second Nemesis has always sought out those one remove from power, Lea, Maeve, Justine. Elaine does not currently fit that pattern so she is likely Nem free at the moment and if Starborn May always have been.
Mira:
--- Quote ---First If Elaine is Starborn she shouldn’t be capable of nemfection.
--- End quote ---
Why not? It maybe that his ability to resit Outsiders is a skill particular to Harry and not other star born. Harry is unlike the couple of other star born we've met. As I said, I think Malcolm is the key here, his qualities that Harry inherited as Margaret hoped he would makes all the difference.
g33k:
--- Quote from: Mira on August 21, 2023, 09:40:50 AM --- ... But remember when Aurora orders Elaine to tie Harry up in Summer Knight and Harry manages to escape.. Because Elaine used the same knots she used when Justin ordered her to tie him up and he escaped? ...
--- End quote ---
I recall that differently (but do not have my copy of the book to hand, so I cannot check): The "immobilization" spell was a homework-assignment from Justin, that they worked out together. It had a serious weakness/flaw because (a) it was designed by apprentices; & (b) their real motivation was to get done with homework ASAP so they could go be horny teens together.
I don't recall that specific spell being explicitly part of (or not part of) Elaine sandbagging Harry for Justin... Though if she *did* use a spell with a known weakness, she may have done so accidentally, being fuzzy-brained from the mind-control spells. Or maybe (being horny teens, and only apprentices) they hadn't realized the weakness when they crafted it.
--- Quote from: Mira on August 21, 2023, 09:40:50 AM --- ... We also learned in Ghost Story that it isn't impossible for talented wizards to get powerful doing their own study, and successfully hiding the fact from the Wardens ...
--- End quote ---
You mean "Aristedes"? He wasn't all that powerful, really. A bit of mind-magic, IIRC, but it didn't seem like a serious strength (I don't think he was as strong as Korean Kid). Mostly, I thought, Aristedes was a typical "one trick pony" sorceror, with his kinetomancy / speed schtick.
Pretty potent if it's a surprise, but most full-blown WC wizards will likely know multiple ways to hobble his pony!
But, yeah. A wizard doesn't need books & references for everything. They can learn stuff by trial and error (hence, mind-magic going so easily toward Black Magic!). But physical stuff like Aristedes' kinetomancy looks like prime material for self-tutelage!
Lightning-magic (e.g. Elaine's "Fulminaris" spell (or whatever almost-Latin she used)) not so much; one mistake can be fatal. And Elaine was not a one-trick pony, she had a robust suite of magical abilities, like Harry did... Harry, who used a LOT of books for reference, AND had Bob on-hand. How did Elaine keep up? How was she still in Harry's weight-class?
--- Quote from: Mira on August 21, 2023, 09:40:50 AM --- ... Here is my theory, I agree with the idea that Elaine brought the Nemfection to Aurora, who says she still isn't infected?
I mean Justine managed to hide the fact that she was possessed by He Who Walks Beside, not just from Thomas, but Harry as well at first. What if this is also the case with Elaine? ...
--- End quote ---
I too think it highly-likely.
A nemfected agent atop the Paranet? It'd give Harry the screaming heebie-jeebies!
How could Jim possibly resist?
--- Quote from: Mira on August 21, 2023, 09:40:50 AM --- ... Or because she is star born like Harry, she managed to use Nemesis to get powerful and then throw it off.
--- End quote ---
There's an interesting thought!
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