Murphy (BG spoilers) (also some thoughts on the book overall)

[Doughnut Despot]

Problem with that is she's not a Valkyrie, she's Einherjar. There is a difference

Tiniest Einherjar then. She'd be great in her own POV series continuing her quest against the bad guys.

[Arjan]

She never could be because the Valkyrie are Odin's daughters, and she isn't.  I think Jim decided to make her a Einherjar as opposed to going to what comes next, does give some of her fans the outside hope that she will return, though I doubt that as long as Harry lives she will leave his memory.  Then again if she went the other route, she could appear as a ghost from time to time.

I do not think they are Odin’s daughters. Jim described them as mortals with benefits. They are just recruited.

[Mr. Death]

Heck, Sigrun herself laughs at the very suggestion in Heorot.

“I thought Valkyries mostly did pickups and deliveries,” I said.
“Choosing the best warriors from among the slain. Taking them off
to Valhalla. Oh, and serving drinks there. Odin’s virgin daughters,
pouring mead for the warriors, partying until Ragnarok.”

Gard threw back her head and laughed. “Virgin daughters.” She
rose, shaking her head, and glanced at her broken arm again.
Then she leaned down and kissed me on the mouth. Her lips were
a sweet, hungry little fire of sensation, and I felt the kiss all the way
to my toes—some places more than others, ahem.

She drew away slowly, her pale blue eyes shining. Then she
winked at me and said, “Don’t believe everything you read,
Dresden.” She turned to go, then paused to glance over her
shoulder. “Though, to be honest, sometimes he does like us to call
him Daddy. I’m Sigrun.”

[Mira]

Heck, Sigrun herself laughs at the very suggestion in Heorot.

She laughs at the idea that they are virgins, but she isn't saying that they aren't his daughters.

[Mr. Death]

She laughs at the idea that they are virgins, but she isn't saying that they aren't his daughters.

No, she laughs at the whole statement. She does not specify "virgin," she tells Harry that the thing she repeated and highlighted -- "virgin daughters" -- is not true.

There's also the statement that she's a scion of Beowulf himself, not Odin, in the same story -- Harry calls her a "Scion of the Geat" and she all but confirms it.

That's what leads into the bit I quoted. Harry saying, "So you're a daughter of Beowulf? But I thought valkyries were Odin's virgin daughters." and Sigrun laughing at "virgin daughters" and telling Harry the idea that she's Odin's "virgin daughter" is not true.

Or how about in Aftermath, where Gard tries to recruit Murphy as a "security consultant" -- which is to say the exact same position Gard herself has?

[Arjan]

She laughs at the idea that they are virgins, but she isn't saying that they aren't his daughters.

A normal interpretation from that last sentence is that he is not their daddy but he likes being called daddy sometimes.

At the end of bg when Gard warns Harry not to insult Vadderung she describes him as an elemental being. The whole description is not a description of daddy.

[magnuskn]

Yeah, I think the "Odin's daughters" is more brought up because some people want to rule out as many possibilities for a return for Murphy as possible. It's pretty clearly a misinformation Harry was operating under.

Also, who says she can't "upgrade" from Einherjar to Valkyrie?

[Phygers]

Murphy I think will be back as a Einherjar/Angel thing given all the shit that Jim should have taken into account (Harry when using "sight" looking at her, her being Catholic, the swords reaction to her , the call sign she was given) when giving her the boost and she will be back sooner than BAT more like 2-3 books. Given it would
1. Give Jim a chance to torture his readers and Karrin and Harry at the same time

2. Gard said she can't return until all "memory of her has FADED from those that knew her". using the Websters definition it just means "weakened or diminished " with her being dead it shouldn't be that long for memory of her to blur with the people she knew. Think if Butcher wanted her gone for good he would have used forgotten not faded

3. I see no way with her waking up in Valhalla and being told no you can't leave and just accepting that given she knows what type shit Harry can get himself into with her staging a jailbreak on her own.

4. Murphy is a large support and foundational pillar with a lot of fans that I don't think the series can work long term without I hope Butcher know this or it may cost him some fans.

[Mira]

I think if she were a Valkyrie in training, Gard would have said it.. 

[Arjan]

I think if she were a Valkyrie in training, Gard would have said it..

Oh she definitely is not a valkyrie now but maybe if she had accepted Gards offer in aftermath.

[Bad Alias]

There's also the statement that she's a scion of Beowulf himself, not Odin, in the same story -- Harry calls her a "Scion of the Geat" and she all but confirms it.

At some point in PT/BG, doesn't River Shoulders say that Vadderung is Beowulf, or did I just read that wrong?

[Mr. Death]

At some point in PT/BG, doesn't River Shoulders say that Vadderung is Beowulf, or did I just read that wrong?

You're right, he says something like that.

[magnuskn]

I think if she were a Valkyrie in training, Gard would have said it..

Or maybe Gard has some orders from higher up to be circumspect about it.

[Mira]

At some point in PT/BG, doesn't River Shoulders say that Vadderung is Beowulf, or did I just read that wrong?

It may have been one of his guises like Kringle. Gard said Odin takes them up because mortals couldn't handle the reality of him.

Oh she definitely is not a valkyrie now but maybe if she had accepted Gards offer in aftermath.

Gard never mentioned valkyrie in the job offer, only that Murphy had the right color hair to work in Vadderung's office. 

She also calls Odin "Allfather"  So he is, that might be why she jokingly said he likes them to call him "daddy" sometime.  A lot less formal, I agree she isn't a virgin, but I think it could go either way as to whether or not Odin is her father.

[Arjan]

It may have been one of his guises like Kringle. Gard said Odin takes them up because mortals couldn't handle the reality of him.
Gard never mentioned valkyrie in the job offer, only that Murphy had the right color hair to work in Vadderung's office. 

She also calls Odin "Allfather"  So he is, that might be why she jokingly said he likes them to call him "daddy" sometime.  A lot less formal, I agree she isn't a virgin, but I think it could go either way as to whether or not Odin is her father.

I do not think Gard offered a desk job.