The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
True Love's Protection
LaraBeck:
We also got Harry saying "she was often wrong" about Murphy, when that's not what we've seen him think about her in all previous books.
We even got a "she held back from you" about Murphy from her shade and from Mab.
And sure, yes, that happened, they both held back IMO, Harry and Murphy, but to point it out solely about Murphy, indeed feels like kicking her when she's down. Harry could have done some introspection about that, it was clear he was "holding himself back" in Peace Talks.
And I mean, that woman was willing to walk through fire for Harry, she got into the battle field for him as much as for the safety of Chicago.
I could argue though, that these comments about Murphy "holding herself back" might be either 1. to seed doubt in their love, or 2. to seed the possibility that nothing will stop that woman from coming back for Harry, because they have unfinished business.
Mira:
--- Quote ---To a degree, the soft-retconning could be attributed to Harry learning more about how the world really works... but in this case I can't buy it. It's too different from what we saw Harry go through after Susan, or even the way we saw Lara get burned one book ago, and I really hate throwing doubt on Murphy's feelings after she died. We got books and books of build up between those two, it feels insincere to even imply "sour grapes" now. It's not just kicking someone when they're down, they're dead, and that just seems mean, in a way the saga typically hasn't been before.
--- End quote ---
As a widow of a marriage of over forty years, it's been my experience that you don't stop loving someone just because they have died. And my husband died ten years ago, for Harry it had not even been a month since Murphy died! Then there was the whole thing about Murphy's shade not able to move on because of how she felt for Harry.. So yeah, a kiss from Lara should have burned her face off! Maybe Mab was messed with that if she can? Because she would also know about the true love thing. The other thing that bothered me was I thought that Murphy went to Valhalla?
LaraBeck:
--- Quote from: Mira on January 22, 2026, 02:33:25 PM ---As a widow of a marriage of over forty years, it's been my experience that you don't stop loving someone just because they have died. And my husband died ten years ago, for Harry it had not even been a month since Murphy died! Then there was the whole thing about Murphy's shade not able to move on because of how she felt for Harry.. So yeah, a kiss from Lara should have burned her face off! Maybe Mab was messed with that if she can? Because she would also know about the true love thing. The other thing that bothered me was I thought that Murphy went to Valhalla?
--- End quote ---
Mira, I think this might be one of the few times I've agreed with you so much. So, so much. Love doesn't work like it's been described in this book. Lara should have burned, badly. Mab's explanation is... lacking, something doesn't fit.
About Murphy being in Valhalla, she is. Her shade is not really her, it's just an impression of her at the time of her death. So, nothing in the book contradicts that the real Murphy is in Valhalla.
I still found it so odd that Harry gets Vadderung on the phone (is that easy to communicate with him apparently) but there's no question about Karrin, no intent to find out more, at the very least, to confirm that she's okay?
There are some weird choices in this book, IMO.
Mira:
--- Quote ---About Murphy being in Valhalla, she is. Her shade is not really her, it's just an impression of her at the time of her death. So, nothing in the book contradicts that the real Murphy is in Valhalla.
I still found it so odd that Harry gets Vadderung on the phone (is that easy to communicate with him apparently) but there's no question about Karrin, no intent to find out more, at the very least, to confirm that she's okay?
There are some weird choices in this book, IMO.
--- End quote ---
Murphy is in Valhalla but her shade isn't? What is her shade then? Her soul? What? So this might be what the rule is about, by that I mean, if Murphy's shade or soul has moved on, her body might return as a soldier for Odin, but it really isn't her. So when and if Harry meets up with Murphy as one of Odin's soldiers, it's just her body and not her? That should be interesting.
A couple of more things about the true love problem, not just the Harry/Susan love and Lara's lips burning after five years of them splitting, but the elaborate moves Thomas and Justine went through to keep from buring him. To the point where she was wearing a latex suit so Thomas could touch her, then in Changes she has lesbian sex and finally they could have sex? You mean the two of them were madly in love for all that time and they didn't have sex? Or Thomas would be okay with Justine being unfaithful with another woman but not a man? I think it was a cool idea at the time that Jim wrote it, and used it from time to time, but in the long run of the series wasn't really practical.. So now after the whole Murphy/Harry thing that so many fans were heavily invested in, not like they were with Susan/Harry, we get this weak explanation as to why Lara's face isn't burning off now.
LaraBeck:
--- Quote from: Mira on January 22, 2026, 03:20:03 PM --- Murphy is in Valhalla but her shade isn't? What is her shade then? Her soul? What? So this might be what the rule is about, by that I mean, if Murphy's shade or soul has moved on, her body might return as a soldier for Odin, but it really isn't her. So when and if Harry meets up with Murphy as one of Odin's soldiers, it's just her body and not her? That should be interesting.
A couple of more things about the true love problem, not just the Harry/Susan love and Lara's lips burning after five years of them splitting, but the elaborate moves Thomas and Justine went through to keep from buring him. To the point where she was wearing a latex suit so Thomas could touch her, then in Changes she has lesbian sex and finally they could have sex? You mean the two of them were madly in love for all that time and they didn't have sex? Or Thomas would be okay with Justine being unfaithful with another woman but not a man? I think it was a cool idea at the time that Jim wrote it, and used it from time to time, but in the long run of the series wasn't really practical.. So now after the whole Murphy/Harry thing that so many fans were heavily invested in, not like they were with Susan/Harry, we get this weak explanation as to why Lara's face isn't burning off now.
--- End quote ---
No, the shade is not her soul, this was explained in Ghost Story and is again pointed out in Twelve Months. This is not what the "rule" (einherjar) thing is about. Her shade is not Murphy, it's an impression of her, a copy of her at the time of her death. It won't have nothing to do with her memory or who Murphy truly is or where her soul is. Her soul is effectively in Valhalla, for all we know.
If Murphy is to return, it will be her, maybe slightly changed due to the new mantle of power, but it will be her. Just like Harry is still Harry with the mantle. It makes no sense, otherwise, to collect a honored warrior for their qualities, just to null them by turning them into people that they weren't. There's no point in that, if that was the case, they'd collect anyone.
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