Harry really is an idiot [BG Spoilers]

[vincentric]

Harry could have potentially ended the threat of Nemesis even in his exhausted state. All he had to do is wait below deck until they were close enough to dock and have Alfred take custody of her. He might not have been able to fight but Justine would have been stuck until he had time to recover and complete the binding.

[Professor Q]

I thought of the island, disturbed at the great powers expended that night.
The last thing I needed was something slipping out of the prison during all the hubbub.

It seems that Harry was concerned that Alfred was already weakened by its previous exertions. Trying to capture a powerful, and unbound, Outsider from a distance might have been too much of a strain. Bad things might have been set free.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Not a spoiler, even Harry openly admits he is an idiot.

[Mira]

Not a spoiler, even Harry openly admits he is an idiot.

As are we all at times.  Without consulting Alfred, I got the impression that Harry wasn't sure whether or not the island was equipped to handle an Outsider/Nemeses or not.  Remember he ask him if he could handle a Titan before he went to attempt getting her.  Also he doesn't know what it would do to Justine or the baby, he did promise Thomas to keep them safe.

[ClintACK]

What I don't get is why Justine didn't kill Harry while he was dozing downstairs on the boat. Surprise is a wonderful advantage in combat, and he was basically running on empty.

Does Nemesis not want him dead anymore? Cait Sith certainly tried to kill him while Nemfected.

[TrueMonk]

Because he wanted Harry to let him inside to see Thomas.

[Mira]

What I don't get is why Justine didn't kill Harry while he was dozing downstairs on the boat. Surprise is a wonderful advantage in combat, and he was basically running on empty.

Does Nemesis not want him dead anymore? Cait Sith certainly tried to kill him while Nemfected.

I think Justine/Nemeses wanted in the island to get a crack at the prisoners, she needed Harry for that.  As Harry said, if something happened to him, Alfred is very unlikely to let Justine/Nemeses in on her own.

[Bad Alias]

Without consulting Alfred, I got the impression that Harry wasn't sure whether or not the island was equipped to handle an Outsider/Nemeses or not.

There's also the question of if Harry could handle the binding in his exhausted state.

[Mira]

There's also the question of if Harry could handle the binding in his exhausted state.

Also he had used the crystal he had on the Titan, and he also needed blood of the creature he was going to bind.  But you're right, he had just enough strength left or felt he had, to will the Outsider out in the open to reveal itself, but he was too exhausted to do much else with it.

[Pirate101]

He also doesn't know much about his Starborn powers. Maybe he could have exorcised the Walker

[huangjimmy108]

Harry could have potentially ended the threat of Nemesis even in his exhausted state. All he had to do is wait below deck until they were close enough to dock and have Alfred take custody of her. He might not have been able to fight but Justine would have been stuck until he had time to recover and complete the binding.

Harry can't hold on much longer. He is almost out. If Harry still has some energy lef doing as you suggest may be a good idea, but with his condition at the time it will be too risky.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Nemesis would have revealed themselves in the hope Harry would try a binding he was too exhausted to succeed at. If he lost, Nemesis  would have control of Harry and Demonreach. Harry’s normal resistance to Outsiders would otherwise normally prevent this.

[vincentric]

There's also the question of if Harry could handle the binding in his exhausted state.

He could have taken one or two steps onto the island with her and buried her neck deep in the ground just by thinking about it. The binding could have waited while he took a nap and Alfred watched over her.

[StrayDog]

Not a spoiler, even Harry openly admits he is an idiot.

JB in general has been doing a great job of building a Hero's Journey with Harry but we've had 17 books now of "Whoa is me" and "I can't do it" and "How do I weasel out of ..." etc. So much so that I found myself rolling my eyes and forwarding past the exact same words printed several times the exact same way in each book. This took me out of Dresdenverse repeatedly and, as the reader, even thanking Mab for saying what I had been saying all book. It would be great if JB stopped using these tired tropes. BG is, IMO, the worse book of the series as well as, since I have the audiobooks, James Marsters' worse performance of the whole series.

[Mira]

He could have taken one or two steps onto the island with her and buried her neck deep in the ground just by thinking about it. The binding could have waited while he took a nap and Alfred watched over her.

Which demonstrates just how exhausted Harry was, his brain didn't go there.  I also think he was very unsure about whether or not Alfred could handle an Outsider.  Most likely he can, but it is too late to ask if the locks work once the horse has already left the barn.