Is Eb the Bad Guy?

[Bad Alias]

I like the idea that Valkyrie are basically free to anybody who can put them into close contact with likely Einherjarin recruits.

I also like the idea that Vadderung is placing his people in the midst of Dresden's frenemies for a reason that will eventually not be to their liking.

[TrueMonk]

It is pretty clear that his two scariest frenemies are counting on Monoc personnel to be an important part of their protection against Harry. That does seem like a pretty big security risk of they knew on how good terms him and Odin are.

[Bad Alias]

Harry's relationship, to his and Marcone's knowledge, with Odin didn't exist when Marcone began his relationship with Monoc.

Lara and Marcone don't know what we know about Harry, Merlin, and Odin and how there might be more to it than Odin using Harry to achieve his own goals.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I would point out Hendricks now has a beard, which appears to be part of the uniform code for the Einenjaren. I bet Gard said to Hendrick’s “you know you would look good in a beard” when Valkyrie says that to you, you are as good as chosen.

Einenjaren live as long as Odin, he dies so do they finally, and he is slated to die at Ragnarok which will probably occur on the 31 October, allowing the Kringle Mantle to shift. Even Jim wouldn’t kill Santa........Would he?

I think Eb’s behaviour is a combination of old age and Peabody’s ink giving him a form of dementia. In that regard Eb isn’t a bad guy, he is ill, but he is still the most powerful and destructive wizard on the planet and will need to be contained. He clearly wanted Thomas out of Harry and Maggie’s life, and Harry had already anticipated Eb abducting Maggie, frustrating that course of action for now, a war between the White Court and the Svartalves would however achieve his aim of ending Vampires. Eb would have been Captain of Wardens during the publication of Dracula and the decimation of the Black Court so he would have had a hand in it. He single handedly revived the war with the Red’s with a satellite, so engineering a war between the Whites and the Greys would be within his wheelhouse.

[morriswalters]

I think this is Eb trying to end the Whites.

[Mira]

I would point out Hendricks now has a beard, which appears to be part of the uniform code for the Einenjaren

Did he get killed at some point?  Because to become a Einenjaren one has to be a warrior that dies in battle that the Valkyrie deem worthy to go to Valhalla..  So if he isn't dead, he is working closely with but isn't really a Einenjaren.

[Arjan]

Did he get killed at some point?  Because to become a Einenjaren one has to be a warrior that dies in battle that the Valkyrie deem worthy to go to Valhalla..  So if he isn't dead, he is working closely with but isn't really a Einenjaren.

He is mortal. Gard likes it that way, Freydis said mortals are better lovers. But prolonged contact with valkyries and einherjar might rub off the same way contact with the Sidhe does.

[KurtinStGeorge]

How immortal Einherjarin are is an interesting question.

The mythology is they all die for good with Odin at Ragnorak.  Of course, Jim could change or modify this, and for all I know there may be different versions of the story where only most of the Einherjarin die with Odin.

I think this is Eb trying to end the Whites.

I've been thinking exactly the same thing.  Did you also notice that the wardens who stopped Harry outside the Raith compound asked Harry what Lara's plans where?  I mean not completely trusting Harry is one thing, but they seemed awfully interested in and scornful of the White Court at the same time.  It sounds like something that Ebenezer and other Senior Council members would have been hammering into them.  Consider that they all fought the Red Court and then the Fomor.  It seems unlikely most of them would have a great deal of experience battling the White Court.  Even Carlos and Harry's duel against two White Court vampires was a one off action.

[TheCuriousFan]

The mythology is they all die for good with Odin at Ragnorak.  Of course, Jim could change or modify this, and for all I know there may be different versions of the story where only most of the Einherjarin die with Odin.

I've been thinking exactly the same thing.  Did you also notice that the wardens who stopped Harry outside the Raith compound asked Harry what Lara's plans where?  I mean not completely trusting Harry is one thing, but they seemed awfully interested in and scornful of the White Court at the same time.  It sounds like something that Ebenezer and other Senior Council members would have been hammering into them.  Consider that they all fought the Red Court and then the Fomor.  It seems unlikely most of them would have a great deal of experience battling the White Court.  Even Carlos and Harry's duel against two White Court vampires was a one off action.

They were technically at war with the White Court for years even if the White Court didn't go for as many big charges vs them.

[The_Sibelis]

I notice, even though the blackstaff keeps him from going outright insane, it does not stop him from the consequences of his own magic. The things he not only believes he can, but SHOULD do... What he did to Harry... Smdh...
I'd really love a scene where someone is caught in the crossfire of a magic spell and it does them no harm whatsoever.. like a child, simply because the caster does not believe they should ever hurt a child. I feel like Harry or Morgan would have such an ability..

[SpacedCowboy]

I notice, even though the blackstaff keeps him from going outright insane, it does not stop him from the consequences of his own magic. The things he not only believes he can, but SHOULD do... What he did to Harry... Smdh...
I'd really love a scene where someone is caught in the crossfire of a magic spell and it does them no harm whatsoever.. like a child, simply because the caster does not believe they should ever hurt a child. I feel like Harry or Morgan would have such an ability..

I’m not sure it works that way. You have to have the will and belief to cast the spell in the first place, but after that it’s “actions have consequences” time.

(click to show/hide)

Eb blowing a hole in Harry’s spine is an example

- he certainly didn’t want to, but once let loose, the spell proceeded to its conclusion.

[The_Sibelis]

I’m not sure it works that way. You have to have the will and belief to cast the spell in the first place, but after that it’s “actions have consequences” time.

(click to show/hide)

Eb blowing a hole in Harry’s spine is an example

- he certainly didn’t want to, but once let loose, the spell proceeded to its conclusion.

but that's just what it does it seems.. that's why not being burned by your own flame, like Justin, is considered high level skill for instance... Or an overpowering alteration of reality basically. Look at Harry in GP, he stands amidst the flames but isn't truly burned by them. Totally different then what Asher does with her counter spell for instance. Your belief goes into the spell, but most people are not Neo minded to break reality itself. Dogmatic ppl could do it. This is also part of why Harry is so disturbed by the human he kills while fleeing the wild hunt I think.

[KurtinStGeorge]

They were technically at war with the White Court for years even if the White Court didn't go for as many big charges vs them.

I overemphasized that the younger wardens probably didn't have as much experience dealing with the White Court.  We only know that Carlos told Harry (in White Night, I think) that the White Court wasn't much of a problem on the West Coast. 

My main point is the wardens were interested in what Harry could tell them about Lara's plans relating to Thomas and the Svartalves.  That's not a topic the wardens should really care about.  In general, it doesn't have anything to do with their usual duties, unless Captain Luccio or a Senior Council member told them to gather intel on White Court intentions; and that raises another question.  Why would the White Council; or if it's not the entire Council, than why would a specific Senior Council member, care about Lara Raith's plans?  The attempted assassination doesn't directly involve the White Council or any specific Senior Council member, unless it does. 

There's also the question that wasn't asked, "Why did Thomas Raith (or the White Court) want to kill Etri?"  You'd think one of the wardens would have asked Harry that or some variation of that question.  "Did Lara Raith let on why she wanted Etri dead?" or "Why have the White Court targeted the Swartalves?"  Any of these questions would have made more sense for them to ask.  But that's assuming the Council; or at least one specific Senior Council member, doesn't already know the answer.

This doesn't automatically mean that Ebenezer or the Council as a whole is responsible for the attack on Etri.  Though there's no evidence to support this idea, it could be that Ebenzer or the Senior Council knows what really happened and know who was really responsible, but see the current situation as an opportunity to weaken the White Court and Lara Raith specifically.   

[BrainFireBob]

The Vampire Courts exist as allies.

The Blacks were eliminated, the Reds are now gone, and the Whites are the weakest.

The Jade keep to themselves, so the Whites are currently very exposed. Lara has missed a trick not spotting it.

[TheCuriousFan]

I overemphasized that the younger wardens probably didn't have as much experience dealing with the White Court.  We only know that Carlos told Harry (in White Night, I think) that the White Court wasn't much of a problem on the West Coast. 

My main point is the wardens were interested in what Harry could tell them about Lara's plans relating to Thomas and the Svartalves.  That's not a topic the wardens should really care about.  In general, it doesn't have anything to do with their usual duties, unless Captain Luccio or a Senior Council member told them to gather intel on White Court intentions; and that raises another question.  Why would the White Council; or if it's not the entire Council, than why would a specific Senior Council member, care about Lara Raith's plans?  The attempted assassination doesn't directly involve the White Council or any specific Senior Council member, unless it does. 

There's also the question that wasn't asked, "Why did Thomas Raith (or the White Court) want to kill Etri?"  You'd think one of the wardens would have asked Harry that or some variation of that question.  "Did Lara Raith let on why she wanted Etri dead?" or "Why have the White Court targeted the Swartalves?"  Any of these questions would have made more sense for them to ask.  But that's assuming the Council; or at least one specific Senior Council member, doesn't already know the answer.

This doesn't automatically mean that Ebenezer or the Council as a whole is responsible for the attack on Etri.  Though there's no evidence to support this idea, it could be that Ebenzer or the Senior Council knows what really happened and know who was really responsible, but see the current situation as an opportunity to weaken the White Court and Lara Raith specifically.   

Okay, that's a good question.