Another Cowl Theory

[peregrine]

There's a variety of threads talking about how Cowl is Justin, or Simon, or other characters.  And while I can't explicitly rule them out because so much of the speculation involved is just speculation with little proof, I just don't like the idea.

So, here's my idea with very little about it, and then the question.  My idea is that Cowl is some relatively minor character in the White Council Harry has never met before.  He's been avoiding Harry since they first ran into each other, just to be safe.  From a plot point, I expect that Harry will unmask Cowl before he knows his identity, and then later will see him at the Council to then put a name to the face.

My question for you then is, assuming that it plays out like I think it will, which I admit is pure speculation, how will Harry react?  An immediate attack?  Denunciation in front of everyone?  Silence and then a personal interrogation session once they're alone?  Some other response?

[Cozarkian]

I believe there is a WOJ implying Cowl is not simply a minor character unknown to Dresden. Something along the lines of "there is a reason they were hiding their identity."

[peregrine]

I believe there is a WOJ implying Cowl is not simply a minor character unknown to Dresden. Something along the lines of "there is a reason they were hiding their identity."

Yeah, but they're hiding it from EVERYONE.  Up to and possibly including the Kemmlerites.

[nadia.skylark]

My idea is that Cowl is some relatively minor character in the White Council Harry has never met before.  He's been avoiding Harry since they first ran into each other, just to be safe.  From a plot point, I expect that Harry will unmask Cowl before he knows his identity, and then later will see him at the Council to then put a name to the face.

I like this! I've seen a bunch of arguments saying that Cowl has to be someone we've met because otherwise his unmasking will have no impact, but it never occurred to me that it could be the other way around, where Harry recognizes him when he's not in disguise.

[DonBugen]

Hmm...  I dunno, I'm skeptical.  Jim likes his foreshadowing and his various pieces of Chekov's artillery.  I mean, we got at least two different mentions of Wizard Peabody before he was ever relevant to the story.  So I really, really think that we must've seen Cowl's alter-ego throughout the books, in one form or another.

The only wizard of the White Council who I can think who's appeared several times but doesn't have a name is Lucky, the poor sod who Mab almost killed when asking for passage through Winter in Summer Knight.  And I really, really don't think that Cowl is Lucky the Wizard.  I think there's a higher chance of him being the annoying mailman from chapter 1 of Storm Front.  That, at least, follows Scooby-Doo tradition.

[Yuillegan]

An interesting theory, but I think Cozarkian is correct about that WOJ. I think DonBugen also touches on the fact that JB is an award-winning, best selling novelist who is quite well educated on writing. Chances are (and if you think back to every book/poem/script etc analysis you may ever have done) that he will follow certain conventions of story writing for maximum effect. He may subvert them as well for gain, but the reason they are conventions is because they work.

So unless there is a really powerful reason for him to not use certain story-telling conventions, he probably will. In fact, he often does. There are some really great Dresden Files analysis' out there, and there is a mountain of info about story crafting that Jim himself has written. So I tend to use that as a base when constructing my own theories. And give JB some credit, his reveals are normally pretty good. I am sure when the time comes it will be a really good one regardless of who Cowl actually is.

And to answer your theory of what might happen, peregrine, if Dresden did recognise this background wizard at a Council summit as being Cowl (like the Wizard with the Curly mustache) - I think Harry being his normal level-headed self, would attempt to murder Cowl on the spot. And then settle for binding him when everyone had tried to restrain him. However, I would assume that the Cowl in your theory would have been preparing for such a thing (a la Emperor Palpatine), and turn it on Dresden somehow - perhaps even violently. But that's just my thinking.

[peregrine]

For clarity's sake, what I think the WoJ about cowl we're talking about is.

1) About Cowl. Does he wear that hood because he KNOWS he'd be recognized without it, or does he just think they're terribly comfortable, and in the future everyone would be wearing them? Were we to see him without it, would the readers recognize him? Would Harry? Or is he just the guy who runs the omelet station at Edinburgh, and nobody pays him any attention?

Seriously? You just want me to answer that? Dude, have you seen the way I torture readers with that stuff? I will say, however, that the longer you've been around the wizardy world, the more paranoid you are about giving away information. /Any/ information. Your identity is a /huge/ and valuable piece of information to any wizardly foes, and if you're smart and you anticipate going up against them, you make damned sure you don't just give it away.

[groinkick]

One thing that supports your argument is the duel between Cowl, and Dresden.  According to Jim those on the Senior Council would stomp Harry pretty easily.  So it wouldn't be someone as strong as say Eb.  I don't even think Cowl is as strong as Morgan, based on the duel.  Cowl does appear to surpass Harry's magical experience in other instances though....

I think this also shows that Cowl probably wouldn't be Simon, who as a member of the Senior Council wouldn't have difficulty with Harry in a duel.  Morgan seemed to think it impossible for Harry to beat Justin in a duel meaning he probably had a deal of respect for Justin.  That says Justin was probably a heavy hitter himself.  That could be a strike against Justin being Cowl even though Harry did apparently beat him in the past.  Justin if he survived would have another 10 - 15 years to get stronger, and more experienced as well making him tougher to deal with.

There is another possibility.  Cowl was sick, dying, or weakened (recovering from injuries) during the duel with Harry.  Either that or he telegraphed his shots at Harry to scare Harry with dangerous spells while at the same time winding up so Harry could avoid being killed by them.  Cowl "swaying" after using a spell does make me wonder about his power level though

[DonBugen]

Groin - that theory, though, kind of dismisses Simon.  Then again, Simon's magic doesn't seem to really match up with Cowl's magic; Jim has gone on the record with saying that Simon's forte was Earth magic, and Cowl (if I remember correctly) fought with blasts of force.

Though I think Cowl would have stomped Harry pretty easily.  I think Harry got away because there were just too many unknowns in the situation - a combination between Harry's Hellfire and the Alphas would have made the encounter potentially too risky, when there really wasn't much to be gained by defeating Dresden in the first place.

Or it could have been just an alternate form of Harry not wanting to suddenly kill more of his friends in addition to his doppelganger Yes, definitely too risky.

[Con]

I think the biggest argument against Cowl being Justin other than Justin being dead according to WOJ is that Cowl was curious and eager to engage Harry in a duel to test his metal. Justin as Harry's mentor would already know what Harry is capable of , Cowl would also be more familiar in his interaction with Harry or demonstrate some knowledge of Harry's past or character.

‘Just as well,’ Cowl murmured. ‘I have wanted to see for myself what has the Wardens so nervous about you.’

Butcher, Jim. Dead Beat: 7 (The Dresden Files series) (p. 80). Little, Brown Book Group. Kindle Edition.

Also on a sidenote that I mentioned in the Fool Moon thread, given that Cowl and Kumori gave the Athame to Leanansidhe which in turn infected her with Nemesis.

‘You were the ones who gave the Leanansidhe that athame.’

Butcher, Jim. Dead Beat: 7 (The Dresden Files series) (p. 78). Little, Brown Book Group. Kindle Edition.

This is where we also get the ominous

Cowl. ‘A great many things of significance happened that night. Most of which you are not yet aware.’

Butcher, Jim. Dead Beat: 7 (The Dresden Files series) (p. 78). Little, Brown Book Group. Kindle Edition.

 What are the thoughts that Cowl was the one who gave the FBI the Hexenwulf pelts? It seems in character of gifting beings items that are Nemfected.

[peregrine]

It seems plausible for Cowl to have given the belts, since we've also already seen him mentoring Vittorio, so pulling strings is well within his MO.

Also, just for further use, it's testing his mettle.

[Yuillegan]

I believe it is the running theory that Cowl was responsible for the Hexenwulf belts.

Con, isn't it possible that after a 14 years he might be interested to see how powerful and dangerous his former student has become? Remember, Dresden casts a sizeable shadow at this point. While he is testing Dresden out, the interaction was not unlike that between an old teacher and former pupil.

[Con]

Yuillegan possibly, I mean the scene could be read that way, Cowl certainly treats Kumori as his student. Admonishing her for wasting time. I mean I'd like for Cowl to be Justin almost as much as I'd like him to be Simon Pietrovich. But I just don't see Cowl as Justin not using the psychological advantage of dead mentor back from the grave. Justin was a master manipulator and abuser, that would be a huge psychological advantage particularly in the opening moves of a duel.

[Yuillegan]

My take is that it wasn't really a duel. I think Cowl was never particularly worried that Harry was going to beat him. Considering how the duel went, I think he could have killed him a lot faster. So I think there was no real need to reveal his identity to someone who he thought never would have beaten him, and he might decide to kill.

[Kindler]

It seems plausible for Cowl to have given the belts, since we've also already seen him mentoring Vittorio, so pulling strings is well within his MO.

Here's a Word of Jim that may have answered that question back in 2011:

Q: Have we met the people who created the Hexenwolf belts yet?

A: That’s another “I’m not gonna tell you” question. I will say, “kind of,” “not really,” and “yes.” But we’ll get into more of that during Cold Days as well.

Link in spoiler:

(click to show/hide)

http://wordof.jim-butcher.com/index.php/2011-transcripts-from-audiovideo-woj-sources/

Basically, I think that's Jim saying it was Kringle. We've "kind of" "not really" but have met him at that point, in his Mask as Vadderung, but not the one that actually handed the belts to the FBI dudes. It's not until Cold Days that we met Kringle, who seems to be significantly more violent than you'd think. Not only that, it makes a twisted sort of sense; the FBI agents wanted the power to kill particularly untouchable criminals, namely Marcone. So Kringle whistles up the belts, hands them off, and watches. When he sees that Marcone successfully survived an assault by multiple hexenwulfen and a Loup-Garou, well... that's one way to earn Odin's respect. I don't think it's a coincidence that the next time we see Marcone (Death Masks, three books later), he's already hired Monoc Securities—which, as I understand it, is not something just anyone can do.