Swords and Walkers [BG Spoilers]

[ClintACK]

Now that we've seen all three Walkers on screen, I'm struck by the extent to which they parallel the three virtues represented by the Swords.

Hope: B4 -- I AM FEARGIVER, HOPESLAYER!
Faith: BS -- Treachery is the very definition of broken faith.
Love: BH -- the mastercraftsman of death (hate or indifference?)

I'm not quite sure how to characterize Behind. In Blood Rites, we get: "O Lord of Slowest Terror! May your right arm come to us! Send unto us your captain of destruction! Mastercraftsman of death! ... He Who Walks Behind!"

(That's also a really fun scene to reread now, since it's the moment when Lara realized that Harry is much more than he appears. "You've made me the cat's-paw for you, Dresden... Clearly, I underestimated you." "Don't feel bad," I said. "I mean, I look so stupid." -- with hindsight, that might count as their "meet cute"... *shudder*)

In Ghost Story, when we really see Behind in action, aside from Harry's fear the two emotional descriptions we get are the way Behind casually turns Stan into three piles of meat... and the righteous fury Harry feels in response.

I'm not sure whether Behind is meant to represent utter indifference as the opposite of Love, or hate and rage as the opposite of Love.

In any case, I'm expecting a scene in Empty Night, final book of the Dresden Files (not counting the Maggie outriggers.) -- the three Knights of the Cross charging into battle against the three Walkers, although I'm not sure whether Harry will be carrying Amoracchius and getting his final showdown with Behind or whether he'll be facing off against the Lord of Slowest Terror.

[The_Sibelis]

Hate, rage, and self loathing iirc. He projected all of that when Harry confronted him.
The lord of slowest Terror I'm pretty sure is a name for chronos. I don't think we'll see that particular titan. He's simply too big... Although empty night could contain him. He won't be stepping into reality...
Although that brings up another thing I've been questioning.. whenever heavy weights come to earth or manifest their power they bend reality around them. Shagnasty does it, Eb does it in the PTs battle and his power is insignificant by comparison, even Mab and others tend to manifest some aspect of their power into reality when using it(iirc she does this in BG, though I thought that was a mark of sloppy spell work for a fae queen) or simply by being there... But not once do I recall it showing this effect around Ethniu... Like, nothing even close to that kinda thing... Why not? Something about titans make them more comfortable in reality than others?

[ClintACK]

There was a bunch of talk about reality *breaking* under the strain of repeated uses of Balor's Eye -- so technically not Ethniu herself, but her doing.

[Basil]

I always kind of tied the WCV to the Outsiders and the Swords

Three major houses -- one countered by each sword.

Wraith -- Lust/Love
Malvora -- Fear/Hope
Skavis -- Despair/Faith

[Arjan]

Those are quite basic human emotions and emotions are the expression of magic and life. I expect them to return everywhere.

[Mira]

There was a bunch of talk about reality *breaking* under the strain of repeated uses of Balor's Eye -- so technically not Ethniu herself, but her doing.

Yeah, I think that is what Ferrofax is trying to prevent, but if he screws up doing it he can also break reality.