Do the Wardens have any 'heavy hitters' left? [Some PT Spoilers]

[Mira]

Yes. If we learned anything from Cold Case it's that Molly's own wants come second to Winter Law. (See: inability to tell Carlos what she was up to) I flinched when I saw Harry make an open-ended "I'll owe you one" deal with the Winter Lady. That was a spectacularly stupid unforced error, which will almost certainly come back to bite him in the rear.

Perhaps, but then again he knew he'd have to fight Eb to get Thomas away.  He also knew that Eb could wipe the floor with him.  Now Harry might be able to make a double of himself with time and materials but he had neither, so Molly was the best of several bad choices.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Both Harry and Thomas survived, success, and Harry won the game in Eb’s head, Eb will never be able to take him on like that ever again. double success.

[Arjan]

Yes. If we learned anything from Cold Case it's that Molly's own wants come second to Winter Law. (See: inability to tell Carlos what she was up to) I flinched when I saw Harry make an open-ended "I'll owe you one" deal with the Winter Lady. That was a spectacularly stupid unforced error, which will almost certainly come back to bite him in the rear.

Maybe but we also have seen that the Sidhe have some flexibility in how to balance the scales. Molly is still on Harry's side and that does make a difference. They do not always want to trick you. Molly did not have to warn Harry about it.

[Snark Knight]

It could even serve as a source of tension, when she finds out Molly Carpenter is no more, and Molly the Winter Lady now deals in mostly bad faith like all the Fae (except to their vassals, like Harry).

She was showing some reasons for concern in the summoning scene, but I don't think she's that far gone. In Christmas Eve after BG, she still seemed mostly human rather than mostly not, and Harry didn't seem to be carrying the kind of grudge against her that screwing over Karrin would have most definitely caused.

The "great health package" at Monoc has been foreshadowed enough that turning to Vadderung once she sees the trouble they're in seems like the most likely explanation for going from premature removal of a cast to fighting shape in a day.

[Mira]

Maybe but we also have seen that the Sidhe have some flexibility in how to balance the scales. Molly is still on Harry's side and that does make a difference. They do not always want to trick you. Molly did not have to warn Harry about it.

Agreed, Molly also understood Harry's motives and agreed with them, but she is the Winter Lady now, she cannot do favors for free anymore, and she was upfront about that and Harry totally understood.

Both Harry and Thomas survived, success, and Harry won the game in Eb’s head, Eb will never be able to take him on like that ever again. double success.

True, because Harry chose to use his brains instead of pure brawn, but he will still owe a favor down the road to Molly.  Whether or not he comes to regret that remains to be seen.

She was showing some reasons for concern in the summoning scene, but I don't think she's that far gone. In Christmas Eve after BG, she still seemed mostly human rather than mostly not, and Harry didn't seem to be carrying the kind of grudge against her that screwing over Karrin would have most definitely caused.

It is hard to say what is going on with Molly in Christmas Eve verses when Harry summoned her in Peace Talks.  In Peace Talks it was against her will, or perhaps for the first time she realized she no longer had free will.  However she'd have witnessed a lot like Harry in Battleground, that may account for her more human attitude, that and knowing what Harry had been through. Also she showed up on her own terms, that might also make a difference.

The "great health package" at Monoc has been foreshadowed enough that turning to Vadderung once she sees the trouble they're in seems like the most likely explanation for going from premature removal of a cast to fighting shape in a day.

Maybe but she wasn't exactly in fighting shape in the first chapter of Battleground.  Again I find it odd that Harry gave Lara no credit for her assistance in fighting the kracken.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Lara a was fighting the Kraken not to protect Harry, but Thomas and made that expressly clear. Repeatedly.

I am surprised the Wardens didn’t recruit some of the older guys, like Klaus the Toymaker who apparently was active during WW2, a mere 80 years before his appearance in Summer Knight. He should be young enough to take the field, and what he could do with a hula hoop would make Ethnui regret invading Chicago.

Indeed if one is familiar with UK Sitcom “Dads Army” set in WW2 about the British Homeguard, I can easily see this transposed to the Dresdenverse with elderly Wizards like Klaus, as a group of elderly, bumbling but deadly old men called back into service. They drafted the younger Wardens for service in the field,  why not some of the older guys to replace them protecting Edinburgh?. Arthur Langtry would make an excellent Captain  Mainwearing. Indeed it would be prudent for The Merlin to bolster the ranks of the Wardens with more Wizards closer his age, and he may have, the young Wardens were sequestered by a group of non Warden allies of The Merlin at one point when Edinburgh went lockdown.

[Mira]

Lara a was fighting the Kraken not to protect Harry, but Thomas and made that expressly clear. Repeatedly.

Does it really matter what her motives were?  Her and Harry are on the same side in this, and if she
had elected to stay out of the fight it might not have turned out as well, even with Molly showing up.

I am surprised the Wardens didn’t recruit some of the older guys, like Klaus the Toymaker who apparently was active during WW2, a mere 80 years before his appearance in Summer Knight. He should be young enough to take the field, and what he could do with a hula hoop would make Ethnui regret invading Chicago.

Harder to indoctrinate the older, the older members are set in their ways.

Indeed if one is familiar with UK Sitcom “Dads Army” set in WW2 about the British Homeguard, I can easily see this transposed to the Dresdenverse with elderly Wizards like Klaus, as a group of elderly, bumbling but deadly old men called back into service. They drafted the younger Wardens for service in the field,  why not some of the older guys to replace them protecting Edinburgh?. Arthur Langtry would make an excellent Captain  Mainwearing. Indeed it would be prudent for The Merlin to bolster the ranks of the Wardens with more Wizards closer his age, and he may have, the young Wardens were sequestered by a group of non Warden allies of The Merlin at one point when Edinburgh went lockdown.

They may already have, there is a reason why the Merlin, himself didn't make an appearance at something as important as the peace talks.

[Avernite]

Yes. If we learned anything from Cold Case it's that Molly's own wants come second to Winter Law. (See: inability to tell Carlos what she was up to) I flinched when I saw Harry make an open-ended "I'll owe you one" deal with the Winter Lady. That was a spectacularly stupid unforced error, which will almost certainly come back to bite him in the rear.

Unforced error?

Harry owes Molly his loyalty/fealty. That's like owing her 1000.

And he now also owes her one.

Not really a relevant addition, all things considered.

[KurtinStGeorge]

What Harry does not understand and what Molly certainly does, is the nature of the Winter Lady's job.  It may be a necessary role for Molly to play, but it has a real ugly side to it, as we saw in the short story Cold Case.  Harry knows that Winter maintains a huge army at the Outer Gates to fight off Outsider incursions, but he has no idea how Winter recruits its soldiers.

While it's possible that the payoff Molly asks Harry to perform will have little or nothing to do with her Winter Lady duties, there's a fairly high probability that it will.  Harry will not understand why Molly asks him for this particular action; and depending on Winter Law, she might not be able to give Harry an explanation that would satisfy him, but it will probably be something that is odious in Harry's eyes; like helping to steal children from parents who don't want to live up to their obligations to Winter.  Perhaps the only thing that Molly could tell Harry was that it was necessary. 

There's a line from an episode of Babylon 5 where a perplexed character says of a reply they received from a questioned they asked, "That was a stirring reply, Citizen G'Kar. Unfortunately, while all answers are replies, not all replies are answers."  Molly telling Harry that doing something that he sees as a terrible thing to do, is necessary, isn't going to make him feel any better about himself, Molly or Winter in general.  Whatever Molly asks in return for the favor that she granted Harry is going to carry a high price tag in return.  After all, her favor saved Harry's life, the payment will have to be commensurate with that.

[Mira]

There's a line from an episode of Babylon 5 where a perplexed character says of a reply they received from a questioned they asked, "That was a stirring reply, Citizen G'Kar. Unfortunately, while all answers are replies, not all replies are answers."  Molly telling Harry that doing something that he sees as a terrible thing to do, is necessary, isn't going to make him feel any better about himself, Molly or Winter in general.  Whatever Molly asks in return for the favor that she granted Harry is going to carry a high price tag in return.  After all, her favor saved Harry's life, the payment will have to be commensurate with that.

Maybe, or she could ask Harry to tell the truth about her to her father and mother. 

What Harry does not understand and what Molly certainly does, is the nature of the Winter Lady's job.  It may be a necessary role for Molly to play, but it has a real ugly side to it, as we saw in the short story Cold Case.  Harry knows that Winter maintains a huge army at the Outer Gates to fight off Outsider incursions, but he has no idea how Winter recruits its soldiers.

I think Harry understands more than you think, he has been to the Gates.  He trusts Molly a lot more than he trusts Mab or even Lea.  However Harry may be fooling himself, not fully understanding what the mantle is doing to Molly.  Then again he knows what his mantle has done to him.  Molly was straight with him though, that is what is important, Mab has been too damaged, she has forgotten how to play it straight, even with those who normally would be on her side.

[Arjan]

Maybe, or she could ask Harry to tell the truth about her to her father and mother. 

Uh... Isn't there a dragon to slay somewhere else?

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Harry worst nightmare caught between Charity and Mab.

[Mira]

Harry worst nightmare caught between Charity and Mab.

He might consider accepting a coin to get out of that one..

[Conspiracy Theorist]

He might consider accepting a coin to get out of that one..

Really? Caught between Charity, Mab AND Lasciel ? How is that making things better?

[Mira]

Really? Caught between Charity, Mab AND Lasciel ? How is that making things better?

I didn't specify Lasciel, did I?  There are other coins out there.