The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
RNT Episode 4: Is Monica Sells Morally Culpable for what happens in Storm Front?
Mira:
--- Quote ---During the show we made clear the distinction. She is NOT morally culpable for being abused, or for any of the actions of Victor against her or her Children. However, she did make morally questionable choices with regards to Dresden. She put him in danger without giving him the full picture of what was happening. He could have easily died because she refused to give him that information.
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Abuse is complicated and spouses often react in questionable ways, or what defies logic to someone not living under that kind of condition. Remember this woman still loved or thought she still loved her husband in spite of what he was doing to her and her family. That sounds twisted, but often the case, often the law is no help either, this is why so many abused spouses end up dead. After the soul gaze getting the full picture, or a fuller picture of what was going on, and remember at this point Monica was still making a plea for her husband that he was once a good man.. While Harry did bring it to her attention that she should have told him everything when she first saw him, he understood and didn't hold it against her.
Bridger:
--- Quote from: Mira on April 16, 2025, 12:44:16 PM ---Abuse is complicated and spouses often react in questionable ways, or what defies logic to someone not living under that kind of condition. Remember this woman still loved or thought she still loved her husband in spite of what he was doing to her and her family. That sounds twisted, but often the case, often the law is no help either, this is why so many abused spouses end up dead. After the soul gaze getting the full picture, or a fuller picture of what was going on, and remember at this point Monica was still making a plea for her husband that he was once a good man.. While Harry did bring it to her attention that she should have told him everything when she first saw him, he understood and didn't hold it against her.
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To be clear: Her actions are completely understandable, and I think they are justifiable from her perspective. I still think that if Harry had died as a result of her withholding information, I would still hold her somewhat accountable.
Mira:
--- Quote from: Bridger on April 16, 2025, 12:54:28 PM ---To be clear: Her actions are completely understandable, and I think they are justifiable from her perspective. I still think that if Harry had died as a result of her withholding information, I would still hold her somewhat accountable.
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I think she'd feel guilty, but I don't think she is accountable. Why? Because when she first went to Harry she was dealing with her own set of emotional problems. At that point she was still trying to rationalize what her husband was doing, trying to save a marriage that shouldn't be saved. The woman didn't know squat about magic, I doubt that she understood that not telling Harry everything would or could get him killed. All she wanted was for things to be normal again, she didn't want police involvement, because she feared that if they got involved she'd lose her husband and maybe her children as well.
g33k:
--- Quote from: Mira on April 16, 2025, 02:56:40 PM --- I think she'd feel guilty, but I don't think she is accountable. Why? Because when she first went to Harry she was dealing with her own set of emotional problems. At that point she was still trying to rationalize what her husband was doing, trying to save a marriage that shouldn't be saved. The woman didn't know squat about magic, I doubt that she understood that not telling Harry everything would or could get him killed. All she wanted was for things to be normal again, she didn't want police involvement, because she feared that if they got involved she'd lose her husband and maybe her children as well.
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She can't be held accountable for what she didn't know.
I don't think we can be completely clear on what she did/didn't know about magic, though. How long was Victor a practitioner? How much did she see?
I think the OP is overreaching in thinking that we have enough info to come to a sure conclusion; yes, Monica Sells will bear moral culpability if she knowingly & willfully endangered someone, but I'm unclear how much she actually knew.
As @Mira points out, there's mitigating factors (suffering from abuse, mother protecting her child); but the "mitigating factors" only reduce the issues; they don't provide a blanket excuse.
Bridger:
--- Quote from: g33k on April 16, 2025, 04:52:36 PM ---She can't be held accountable for what she didn't know.
I don't think we can be completely clear on what she did/didn't know about magic, though. How long was Victor a practitioner? How much did she see?[/q]
That's a fair point. It's possible I'm speculating that she knew more.
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