Christmas Eve and Peace Talks theory (spoilers)

[Arjan]

Perhaps, and I am aware of that,  I read the story, just going by the classic definition of what one is.  However consider since Kringle paid a visit, you think he'd have allowed Murphy to be with Harry on Christmas Eve considering how down he seems to be.  No, more likely Gard was recruiting her to be a Einherjar, which is a dead warrior who works for/with Odin.  They dwell in Valhalla, eat and drink, and are healed of their wounds.  When the final battle for the Cosmos comes, they join him in the fight.. So if Murphy is killed and becomes one, we most likely will see her in the BAT.

Jim's Einherjar are probably slightly different. You can hire them and they operate in the normal world and seem very much alive.

I read Jim describing Gard as mortal with benefits and I think the Einherjar are similar. Gard probably has a better package.

But only Jim knows for sure.

[knightedbishop]

A few people wrote how if Murphy was a Valkyrie or Einherjar that Kringle would have brought her along. I’d caution against that belief. As Kringle said, Odin and Kringle are two legal entities with one body. We’ve never seen Gard, the ravens, or any of Odin’s trappings when he’s in his role as Kringle. If Murphy was in Odin’s employ that doesn’t mean he’d bring her along when traveling as Kringle.

I’m in the Murphy for Einherjar camp. It’d be my preferred ending for her. She was a great foil and police liaison for Harry when his work was primarily local. He’s grown beyond the regular interactions with mortal authorities in the main series. Not only has she lost her way as a character after leaving the force, sh’s also lost her original purpose to the plot. She can’t swim in the same water as Harry now. So either she becomes a damsel in distress (which I’d hate and she’d hate), she gets written out somehow (death, moving away to start up/manage a new Fellowship of St Giles deal as an offshoot of the Paranet maybe), or she gets beefed up. Of the beef up options I like Einherjar the best. She can die and that death would be incredibly meaningful to us and to Harry if done right. Then she can come back to rescue him at a key moment in the BAT.

[Mira]

Jim's Einherjar are probably slightly different. You can hire them and they operate in the normal world and seem very much alive.

I read Jim describing Gard as mortal with benefits and I think the Einherjar are similar. Gard probably has a better package.

But only Jim knows for sure.

Even so, however I doubt that Odin/Kringle or Gard would have prevented her from being with Harry on Christmas Eve.   So a huge break up between them?  Possible, but...  Murphy so injured she is still in the hospital?  Very possible..  Or she is dead, which accounts for Harry's mood and new determination to focus on his daughter.  Also accounts for the acts of kindness he gets..  Yeah, because he saved the world once again maybe, but it cost him big time.   It sounds like Mab went out of her way to figure something out, no doubt she asked Molly, but consulted Sarissa as well.. Since when does Mab do that for anyone?  I doubt she'd do it because he lost Eb, no it's got to be Murphy.   

A few people wrote how if Murphy was a Valkyrie or Einherjar that Kringle would have brought her along. I’d caution against that belief. As Kringle said, Odin and Kringle are two legal entities with one body. We’ve never seen Gard, the ravens, or any of Odin’s trappings when he’s in his role as Kringle. If Murphy was in Odin’s employ that doesn’t mean he’d bring her along when traveling as Kringle.

He wouldn't have had to have brought her along, just let her be there, he could have done his Kringle thing after they all went to bed which is traditional..   Also to kill Murphy off to make her an Einjerher and supposedly have her relationship with Harry more or less continue as it was is just plain bad writing. 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

As Vadderung says he adapted, so hiring out the Einherjar is part of the deal, it keeps their battle skills updated. Turning up to a firefight with just an axe would be embarrassing.

The Einherjar are all men and waited upon by the Valkyries, which would be interesting if Murphy joined them. It would certainly put the “her” in Einherjar. However Valkyries are depicted in Norse mythology as riding giant wolves and having black wings like an angel. Murphy under the Sight is depicted as a battle worn angel, as Valkyries wait upon the Einherjar, her joining them would be interesting. As regards the giant wolf (TM George RR Martin) Maybe she will ride one of the Alphas into battle, she has worked with them extensively. She does ride a Harley and joined the wild hunt riding a beast. Foreshadowing?

For all we know the Valkyrie and Einherjar double up as Santa’s little helpers, you really, really don’t want to get on the naughty list if that is the case.

[Mira]

As Vadderung says he adapted, so hiring out the Einherjar is part of the deal, it keeps their battle skills updated. Turning up to a firefight with just an axe would be embarrassing.

The Einherjar are all men and waited upon by the Valkyries, which would be interesting if Murphy joined them. It would certainly put the “her” in Einherjar. However Valkyries are depicted in Norse mythology as riding giant wolves and having black wings like an angel. Murphy under the Sight is depicted as a battle worn angel, as Valkyries wait upon the Einherjar, her joining them would be interesting. As regards the giant wolf (TM George RR Martin) Maybe she will ride one of the Alphas into battle, she has worked with them extensively. She does ride a Harley and joined the wild hunt riding a beast. Foreshadowing?

For all we know the Valkyrie and Einherjar double up as Santa’s little helpers, you really, really don’t want to get on the naughty list if that is the case.

 I can't see Murphy playing servant to anyone....  I think if she does die, she will join her dad working for Uriel.  Harry may get  a in person report from her from time to time as Uriel's agent.

[Arjan]

One reason we did not see Karen in Christmas Eve is that she is not going to be a stepmother for Maggie. We have not seen her when Maggie was around since Changes.

[Mira]

One reason we did not see Karen in Christmas Eve is that she is not going to be a stepmother for Maggie. We have not seen her when Maggie was around since Changes.

That is possible, but as one of his best friends given what he has gone through and his loss, you'd think she'd be there.  Just because she is there, it doesn't mean she is going to be the future stepmother to little Maggie.

[vultur]

  Not going by that, it is the grief, the PTSD imagery,  the flashback Harry has of "blood on the asphalt."  Now yes, he could be simply seeing the aftermath of the whole battlefield, however I don't think so.

From what Harry and Molly said, I read it as the battle itself + Harry's guilt at letting Chicago get so badly wrecked with so many deaths.

It's likely that someone we know & Harry cares about will be killed in BG, I just kind of lean against it being Murphy because of the "obviousness" thing. Eb is likely... but maybe also too obvious because of the mentor's death trope.

All of that adds up to a death or deaths of significance to Harry.  I can think of three people not present in the story that could bring him that kind of sorrow, Eb, Thomas, and Murphy.

Eh, I think there are other possibilities. Given Harry's tendency to guilt, the death of someone who looks up to him could also tear him apart due to blaming himself ... Possibly Will or Carlos. (Or Butters, but are we really going to go through Knights that fast?)

She still would be dead,  that may be an issue for both of them.

I don't think Valkyries are dead; I think they're more like Odin's "Knights", mortals given power and potentially a mantle.

If Murphy goes Valkyrie her life will be as much as her own as Harry’s is as the Winter knight i.e. not at all.

Largely, sure, but if Harry being Winter Knight doesn't rule out a relationship, I don't know why Murphy being a Valkyrie would, since Mab and Odin seem to work together rather well.

And it might not be *as* limiting - Winter only has one Knight, Odin has multiple Valkyries. I think it would probably be less power but also less restrictions.

[Mira]

From what Harry and Molly said, I read it as the battle itself + Harry's guilt at letting Chicago get so badly wrecked with so many deaths.

It's likely that someone we know & Harry cares about will be killed in BG, I just kind of lean against it being Murphy because of the "obviousness" thing. Eb is likely... but maybe also too obvious because of the mentor's death trope.

  Murphy is no more obvious than Thomas or Eb.   However I repeat, where was Murphy?  Can see Thomas not being there, he would be with Justine and the new baby or baby to be if he survived.  Eb wouldn't be there either for a number of reasons.  But as the woman who loves Harry?  Knowing how bad he is hurting?  Murphy would be there if it was possible and there is no reason why she wouldn't be welcome in the Carpenter home, so where is she?  As they say something is rotten in the state of Denmark..

I don't think Valkyries are dead; I think they're more like Odin's "Knights", mortals given power and potentially a mantle.

You are right, I got them mixed up with the Einherjer .. However the Valkyrie do not start out as mortals given power or a mantle.  At least in the classic sense, possibly making Murphy a Einherjer could happen of she is killed in battle, but I doubt a Valkyrie.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Murphy isn’t a typical mortal, she is a former Knight of the Cross, and the White God also looks out for their own, so Valkyrie is a distinct possibility, especially given the four  hyper powerful White God artifacts in Harry’s Possession including the true Shroud (which Harry has not even raised with Murphy when discussing magical cures) associated with the Swords. Harry resurrecting Murphy and it turning out different to how he thought it would is just typical of Harry, Murphy alive but them being unable to be together in the biblical sense.

[Mira]

Murphy isn’t a typical mortal, she is a former Knight of the Cross, and the White God also looks out for their own, so Valkyrie is a distinct possibility, especially given the four  hyper powerful White God artifacts in Harry’s Possession including the true Shroud (which Harry has not even raised with Murphy when discussing magical cures) associated with the Swords. Harry resurrecting Murphy and it turning out different to how he thought it would is just typical of Harry, Murphy alive but them being unable to be together in the biblical sense.

Key phrase back in Death Masks, at least as far as the Shroud goes,  "It was not meant to be used in that way."   I also don't recall any magical "cures" related to the Swords.  So I very much doubt that Harry would use any of those artifacts in that way.  As for resurrecting Murphy, that gets into Kemmler territory and is strictly forbidden by the White Council, and is it's own slippery slope, so I doubt Harry would do that.   So if Murphy is killed, yes, she may get to go to Valhalla and become a Einherjar, but then she'd no longer be the Murphy we all know and love... So if she is killed, I still think the best outcome would be for her to work with her father for Uriel.  As far as the Almighty is concerned that last outcome might be the best for her in His eyes.

[Arjan]

Uriel and company are not that interested in keeping you alive, they are mostly interested in your soul.

I do not think Jim will heal her. There are ways to do it if he really wants to but I think this is his way to pension her off. She will give council, talk to Harry and be his lover but that is it.

Of course Jim can do it. a deal with some powerful Sidhe would do it, no need to deal with coins. Or Harry can throw it in as a price for doing something. Maybe killing a titan under the right circumstances can be utilized to do something, there is a lot of power involved in that.

Or being so close to Harry with all his magic simply accellerates your healing. Listen to wind can help, maybe not with complete healing but with help to reduce the damage.

Listen to wind is a shapeshifter. What he probably can do is magically support her body. Not a long term solution but great for the short time, say until dawn. good for a big suprise. The alpha's can do some healing with their abilities. Listen to wind is better.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

In Death Masks, the shroud was a fake, Harry has the real one. I think the set was used 1.the Crown of Thorns to neutralise power like thorn manacles on a much larger scale, 2. The placard to protect the process from Nemesis, 3. Longinus blade to kill part of the white god and let out The Nemesis infection, 4. The grail to neutralise the infection, 5. The Shroud to resurrect the son, recreating the White god in full.

The more powerful the Nemfected entity, the greater the measures required, Lea could be saved, Maeve could not without exposing Mab

[vultur]

The more powerful the Nemfected entity, the greater the measures required, Lea could be saved, Maeve could not without exposing Mab

But Lea is more powerful than Maeve was...

Lea was fighting the infection at some level. Maeve bought into it.

[Mira]

In Death Masks, the shroud was a fake, Harry has the real one. I think the set was used 1.the Crown of Thorns to neutralise power like thorn manacles on a much larger scale, 2. The placard to protect the process from Nemesis, 3. Longinus blade to kill part of the white god and let out The Nemesis infection, 4. The grail to neutralise the infection, 5. The Shroud to resurrect the son, recreating the White god in full.

That isn't the point, it didn't matter if it was fake or not, the message was those relics were not meant to be used for healing.

Uriel and company are not that interested in keeping you alive, they are mostly interested in your soul.

Exactly,  if Murphy dies, he has a job for her soul along side her father.

I do not think Jim will heal her. There are ways to do it if he really wants to but I think this is his way to pension her off. She will give council, talk to Harry and be his lover but that is it.

Problem with that Murphy isn't Michael.  Where as Michael is happy with God's retirement plan.  I don't think Murphy will ever accept it.   Her cutting off that cast in the trailer is an example of it.  I am not sure that making Murphy a wisdom guru is the best idea for her either.

Of course Jim can do it. a deal with some powerful Sidhe would do it, no need to deal with coins. Or Harry can throw it in as a price for doing something. Maybe killing a titan under the right circumstances can be utilized to do something, there is a lot of power involved in that.

And always a price, which may be why Murphy isn't helping Harry put that bike together on Christmas Eve.

Listen to wind is a shapeshifter. What he probably can do is magically support her body. Not a long term solution but great for the short time, say until dawn. good for a big suprise. The alpha's can do some healing with their abilities. Listen to wind is better.

I think that is a reach..  Listen to Wind is a medicine man/shaman and a real medical doctor, most of the treatments we've seen him perform have been standard medical care.  The closest to magical "cures" though it was mostly to stop pain was the thing that Eb put on Harry's wrist when it was so badly burned by Mavra back in Blood Rites.. However if it did any healing, it was very little.  The Alphas are shape shifters as is Listen to Wind, but it is their own bodies they manipulate not that of others.

But Lea is more powerful than Maeve was...

Lea was fighting the infection at some level. Maeve bought into it.

Mab also became aware of the infection in Lea soon enough to treat it, what is more for Lea to
still be aware enough to let her treated.  In Maeve's case it had just gone too far and had taken
over and the only solution for her was death.