Elaine / Kumori thought

[Snark Knight]

So I know Elaine is one of the most prominent suspects for Kumori's identity. There's a fair bit of circumstantial evidence, but does anyone have a good accounting of why she was putting on an apparently full and sincere effort to stop Cowl's plot with Vitto to hunt the minor practitioners to extinction?

It seems like a stretch to attribute it to seeing through Cowl's deceptions after DB and running, but being too afraid to fully come clean to Harry. When Harry suggested leaving him and going to the Council for witness protection in DB, Kumori was confident that wasn't an option because he'd track her down and kill her easily even with protection. How does she survive going it alone with her name in LA's yellow pages?

[jonas]

Well, long term in the Cowl is Justin become Simon(Which having Simon's body is more than enough reason to hide your face) theorem. I think Eliane doesn't actually know she's Kumori at times, She's so finely enthralled still her mind hiccups over the irregularities without pause. Course that's just a guess.

[wardenferry419]

I would say that Elaine helped the witches for the same reason that Kumori helped revive the mobster. I don't believe that Cowl was that strongly for or against killing witches. It was more likely part recruitment of Vitto and part destabilizing the White Court structure. And, maybe, Elaine has subconscious Elaine that is a little more dominant than Harry's subconscious.

[Rasins]

So I know Elaine is one of the most prominent suspects for Kumori's identity. There's a fair bit of circumstantial evidence, but does anyone have a good accounting of why she was putting on an apparently full and sincere effort to stop Cowl's plot with Vitto to hunt the minor practitioners to extinction?

It seems like a stretch to attribute it to seeing through Cowl's deceptions after DB and running, but being too afraid to fully come clean to Harry. When Harry suggested leaving him and going to the Council for witness protection in DB, Kumori was confident that wasn't an option because he'd track her down and kill her easily even with protection. How does she survive going it alone with her name in LA's yellow pages?

Don't forget that Elaine was also able to lie effectively to Harry through-out Summer Knight.  She was Summer's emissary, but had been with Aurora all along.

[Kindler]

So I know Elaine is one of the most prominent suspects for Kumori's identity. There's a fair bit of circumstantial evidence, but does anyone have a good accounting of why she was putting on an apparently full and sincere effort to stop Cowl's plot with Vitto to hunt the minor practitioners to extinction?

It seems like a stretch to attribute it to seeing through Cowl's deceptions after DB and running, but being too afraid to fully come clean to Harry. When Harry suggested leaving him and going to the Council for witness protection in DB, Kumori was confident that wasn't an option because he'd track her down and kill her easily even with protection. How does she survive going it alone with her name in LA's yellow pages?

One of the reasons I don't favor the idea. That and it's not enough of a gut punch. I mean, Harry's already been betrayed by Elaine a bunch (or has, at least, felt that way). It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense for her to not tell Harry, especially given the events of Summer Knight (and White Night; Fight Night will certainly feature Elaine if the "Knight/Night" thing is kept up and that's the actual name). Harry and Elaine are on pretty good terms at the end of Summer Knight. And, if Elaine had seen Harry and the Wardens take down Cowl and stop the Darkhallow (with an awesome T-Rex), I can't believe that she would, for even a second, believe that Harry had started killing women for funsies (though I've never really been clear on why she didn't trust him to begin with).

Besides, we all know it's Maggie grown up and time-traveled to create a stable time-loop in which she creates herself in the future. Obvs.

[wardenferry419]

I would say that the list of possible Kumori suspects is less than 10. And, Elaine is the most prominent member of that list. Some criteria are as follows: someone female, someone significantly younger than Cowl, someone between 5"4" to under 6 feet, someone caucasian, someone familiar or educated about Harry's foci, someone mortal, and someone that Harry's has invested trust with.

[forumghost]

I would say that the list of possible Kumori suspects is less than 10. And, Elaine is the most prominent member of that list. Some criteria are as follows: someone female, someone significantly younger than Cowl, someone between 5"4" to under 6 feet, someone caucasian, someone familiar or educated about Harry's foci, someone mortal, and someone that Harry's has invested trust with.

You never know, it could be Andi, who got with Butters for access to Bob/An experienced drummer. Plus, as a medical examiner he's perfectly placed to provide her with Corpses.

[wardenferry419]

I would more likely believe it of Marci than Andi. Marci seems shifty to me.

[Rasins]

I would say that the list of possible Kumori suspects is less than 10. And, Elaine is the most prominent member of that list. Some criteria are as follows: someone female, someone significantly younger than Cowl, someone between 5"4" to under 6 feet, someone caucasian, someone familiar or educated about Harry's foci, someone mortal, and someone that Harry's has invested trust with.

I would suggest American too.  I don't recall Harry mentioning an accent.  Unless magical shielding was going on, I'd doubt it was Luccio.

[Kindler]

The frustrating thing for me is that Harry doesn't even mention being curious about who Kumori and Cowl are. He's just like, "Man, not another bad guy. My life SUCKS."

I can't argue with the sentiment, because Harry's life does indeed suck camel wang (in his parlance), but c'mon man. Investigate!

[Rasins]

The frustrating thing for me is that Harry doesn't even mention being curious about who Kumori and Cowl are. He's just like, "Man, not another bad guy. My life SUCKS."

I can't argue with the sentiment, because Harry's life does indeed suck camel wang (in his parlance), but c'mon man. Investigate!

There are a LOT of things that Harry is not curious about that he really should be.  No clue why.

[Snark Knight]

I would suggest American too.  I don't recall Harry mentioning an accent.  Unless magical shielding was going on, I'd doubt it was Luccio.

They were muffling their voices. But Luccio is one of the few female wizard we're sure cannot possibly be Kumori, on account of how she was busy being saved from almost bleeding to death by Butters while Harry and Carlos confronted Cowl and Kumori.

Harry might not be curious about Kumori because he assumed the apprentice's shield wouldn't have been strong enough to survive the blast. But it does stretch suspension of disbelief that after confronting Cowl again at the Raith Deeps in WN, the realization that he'd lived seems to just have been filed and forgotten. Another villain left out there who probably still has the Darkhallow committed to memory is a rather serious Chekov's Gun to just ignore.

It's possible Harry has put an unsuccessful effort into investigating some of these things - Jim puts it that the case files are basically his worst weekend out of the year - but failing to run that warning up the chain to Morgan and Luccio at the end of the book seems odd.

[wardenferry419]

Yeah, Harry doesn't go looking into trouble; he waits for it to find him.

[Rasins]

Yeah, Harry doesn't go looking into trouble; he waits for it to find him.

That was said with tongue-in-cheek, right?

[wardenferry419]

Sarcasm from moi'? Perish the thought.