Harry's Soul

[Con]

So what do you think Harry's soul looks like in a Soul Gaze or with the Sight/Third Eye?

Honestly despite Jim's assertions to the contrary I picture him as he is on the covers Hat and everything, surrounded by a swirling storm of some sort.

[Yuillegan]

I think we got a glimpse in Peace Talks when he saw how he appeared to the Cornerhounds while banishing them. That's not the whole thing of course. But that's probably a good start.

[Mira]

Well, for one thing it scared the heck out of a couple of people before Peace Talks, Susan fainted, and the F.B.I guy begged for him not to hurt him.  It didn't phase Marcone though, which is interesting.  Wish he had done a soul gaze with Murphy, she would have given him an honest appraisal I believe.. Oh yeah, Molly felt sorry for him and fell deeper in love or adolescent love with him.. Couple of others were reassured by the soul gaze, Eb saw someone full of anger and power.. I think what people see in it depends on their own point of view to some extent.

[BrainFireBob]

Id Harry in the fullness of his power?

People have two responses to Harry. Fear (for the guilty) and sadness for his loneliness (for the innocent).

So something like Harry standing in a lake of fire but not burned, beckoning you to come or not.

The keeper of the hounds of hell- power and threat and ruthlessness. And in the face, something of a sad loneliness about it. So do you deserve his wrath and feel threatened, or do you feel for him with his terrible duty?

I truly think Butcher was thinking Solomon Kane when thinking of Harry's soul. He's damned, and he's coming for the damned.

[Mira]

Id Harry in the fullness of his power?

People have two responses to Harry. Fear (for the guilty) and sadness for his loneliness (for the innocent).

So something like Harry standing in a lake of fire but not burned, beckoning you to come or not.

The keeper of the hounds of hell- power and threat and ruthlessness. And in the face, something of a sad loneliness about it. So do you deserve his wrath and feel threatened, or do you feel for him with his terrible duty?

I truly think Butcher was thinking Solomon Kane when thinking of Harry's soul. He's damned, and he's coming for the damned.

I doubt that he is damned, if he were, Uriel along with the Holy Knights wouldn't help him like they do.  No, I think that that is why Margaret selected Malcolm or wouldn't conceive a star born until she met Malcolm.  It is the influence of Malcolm that prevents Harry from being damned.

[groinkick]

Here is how I could imagine the soul gaze.

You're walking on a road, on one side you see all the people Harry has ever loved.  On the other you see his enemies.  You reach a fork in the road.  At the center of the fork you see Harry Dresden, up to his waste in ice, trying to keep it from going further, struggling as a beautiful seductress, covered in ice is trying to tempt him.  Down one fork in the road you see Harry Dresden fighting to protect people, and down the other you see him destroying the world.

[The_Sibelis]

I think.., he's the Boogeyman of Boogeymen. He who casts the shadows between light and darkness. I also think he resembles HWWB alot. When he's going after Rudolph for instance. Think he was only stopped cause he was in the wrong. But hatred has always been his motivation to fight the monsters. From the very first time he's forced into it watching the clerk die, to when he outright says he hates them later when they take Susan.(iirc when that scene is) he has his balances to that, sure. Those things that temper his hatred. But it's his drive. When things are wrong and he had the power to set it right. He does.

[Con]

Very vivid details.

One thing to consider is that Harry was walking around in his soul during Ghost Story, I forget what it was but there was one thing signature to his usual outfit that didn't appear with him in the afterlife.

I think it was his mums gem inside the star symbol of magic?

But everything else was with him suggesting they're crucial to at least how he see's himself.

As for the others the most detailed Soul Gazes were:
Molly and the Cathedral Panels I like this artists rendition: https://www.deviantart.com/guad/art/Dresden-Files-Molly-s-Choices-115420007

Marcone the Tigers soul who views killing like a signature.

Thomas and his demon.

Then Michael, Ebenezar and Morgan which are mentioned in passing.

Susan fainted as well but also fell in love with him.

As for Third Sight. There's the Three Eye Junkie and The FBI Werewolf.

[BrainFireBob]

I doubt that he is damned, if he were, Uriel along with the Holy Knights wouldn't help him like they do.  No, I think that that is why Margaret selected Malcolm or wouldn't conceive a star born until she met Malcolm.  It is the influence of Malcolm that prevents Harry from being damned.

Mira, there's damned in your own eyes and damned objectively. There's something more terrifying in "I'll take you to hell personally, I'm going there anyway- nothing to lose I haven't lost already" than "Prepare to die."

[Mira]

Mira, there's damned in your own eyes and damned objectively. There's something more terrifying in "I'll take you to hell personally, I'm going there anyway- nothing to lose I haven't lost already" than "Prepare to die."

Perhaps it is a poor choice of words on your part?  Especially considering many of the characters in the series and lessons from it, "damned" has literal meaning.  Harry may well be "damned" as you put it to walk a lonely difficult path, but that doesn't damn him..  Perhaps destined would be a better word?  Personally I think what people see is Harry as a tool, while the Knights wield Holy Swords, Harry isa Sword..  I think both sides want to wield him to their own advantage. That is where that Harry as destroyer metaphor comes in..

[Yuillegan]

What do people think the Cornerhounds were viewing if not Harry's soul when Harry banished them to the Outside?

It's a giant being of glowing centres of energy with lightning around it's head and upraised fist. And it scared the Cornerhounds. Harry even says that he was seeing "himself" through the Cornerhounds mind. I'd say that was a good as description of Harry's soul from an external perspective. It's probably not all there is of course as souls are obviously incredibly (perhaps unknowably) complex.

Which isn't to say that's what people who have Soul Gazed Harry would see. Remember, each individual Soul Gazes things differently. For some it's smell, some it's sound, some it's sight. What Denton saw is likely a different (if related) experience to what Marcone saw. Same themes, different picture if you like.

[Mira]

It's a giant being of glowing centres of energy with lightning around it's head and upraised fist. And it scared the Cornerhounds. Harry even says that he was seeing "himself" through the Cornerhounds mind. I'd say that was a good as description of Harry's soul from an external perspective. It's probably not all there is of course as souls are obviously incredibly (perhaps unknowably) complex.

An avenging angel perhaps? 

[Arjan]

I doubt that he is damned, if he were, Uriel along with the Holy Knights wouldn't help him like they do.  No, I think that that is why Margaret selected Malcolm or wouldn't conceive a star born until she met Malcolm.  It is the influence of Malcolm that prevents Harry from being damned.

He was/is potentially damned. Otherwise Uriel and the denarians would not have given him that much attention.

[Mira]

He was/is potentially damned. Otherwise Uriel and the denarians would not have given him that much attention.

Well, that is true for everyone, isn't it?  Harry, being a star born would be a huge feather in the cap of either side..

[KurtinStGeorge]

I wonder why Thomas has never said anything about his soulgaze with Harry?  Thomas; assuming he someday gets released from Demonreach, and Molly, are the only two living characters I could have a conversation about what they each saw when they shared a soulgaze with Harry.  At one time I would have said there was a fair possibility this could happen, but even when Thomas gets back in the world, with Molly often gone and maybe becoming  a bit less human; and possible obligations she might have to the Winter Knight, it might be something she wouldn't feel or be able to openly talk about any longer.

If Thomas became a KoTC, maybe he and Michael could share what they each saw when they gazed at Harry's soul, though I have a feeling Michael might feel it would be rude to openly discuss such a topic without Harry's explicit permission.

Here's an interesting related question.  Damn, it needs it's own thread.  Look for my next new thread.