Is Murphy truly dead

[Arjan]

But it does get old after a while...  Also what does that do to her faith and the promise of Heaven?

That is the problem with most descriptions of the afterlife. People get endless creative describing the tortures of hell but their descriptions of heaven get boring rather fast. You sit on a cloud playing harp singing hallelujah. Wow.

This is what Murphy wanted. She wanted to be part of it and now she gets a role in the next apocalypse and she can act. I believe Gard when she tells Harry that Vadderung will treat her well.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

That is the problem with most descriptions of the afterlife. People get endless creative describing the tortures of hell but their descriptions of heaven get boring rather fast. You sit on a cloud playing harp singing hallelujah. Wow.

This is what Murphy wanted. She wanted to be part of it and now she gets a role in the next apocalypse and she can act. I believe Gard when she tells Harry that Vadderung will treat her well.

I hope she holds out for a winged Shetland pony. With wing mounted GE mini guns.

[morriswalters]

That is the problem with most descriptions of the afterlife. People get endless creative describing the tortures of hell but their descriptions of heaven get boring rather fast. You sit on a cloud playing harp singing hallelujah. Wow.

This is what Murphy wanted. She wanted to be part of it and now she gets a role in the next apocalypse and she can act. I believe Gard when she tells Harry that Vadderung will treat her well.

As part of the story I suppose it's okay, but as a reality, if I were Murphy, I would just as soon skip it. Life as a eternal mercenary would fit as my version of what hell might be, assuming there was life after death. Dying and fighting and suffering for eternity.

[Mira]

As part of the story I suppose it's okay, but as a reality, if I were Murphy, I would just as soon skip it. Life as a eternal mercenary would fit as my version of what hell might be, assuming there was life after death. Dying and fighting and suffering for eternity.

I totally agree with you and doesn't fit with the Murphy we've gotten to know over the years.  Yeah she got on well with the einherjar, but that doesn't mean she'd like to be one if she had a choice.  I think if she couldn't go straight to Heaven she'd prefer hanging out with her father working for Uriel.

[Arjan]

As part of the story I suppose it's okay, but as a reality, if I were Murphy, I would just as soon skip it. Life as a eternal mercenary would fit as my version of what hell might be, assuming there was life after death. Dying and fighting and suffering for eternity.

Or she will fit in perfectly, she is not you or me. I do not think Vadderung would have taken her if it did not fit her. She would get bored quickly sitting on a cloud playing harp.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I think Murphy has more use than as a common grunt to Odin. I think she will be used initially as a consultant using her knowledge of policing and detective work, principally every law enforcement organisation will be breaking down the door to Monoc Security after Chicago and Murphy is the ideal person for that job. Field work may be a bit of a problem, though, unless there is some work around “not in mortal memory”.

[morriswalters]

Her boss sells his service to a crime lord who murders, sells drugs and carries a Denarian Coin.  Consider that.  But I wasn't commenting on the story, I was commenting on the idea, for me personally.  It sounds sexy when it's written but imagine going to war over and over again. And doing nothing else. I'd as soon have a harp.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Odin sells his services to a lot of people, Marcone but a single customer. Lara Raith is also a customer of Monoc. That’s at least two Aacords Members, governments of the supernatural world. Off course governments of the mortal world are going to use Monoc.

[Arjan]

Her boss sells his service to a crime lord who murders, sells drugs and carries a Denarian Coin.  Consider that.  But I wasn't commenting on the story, I was commenting on the idea, for me personally.  It sounds sexy when it's written but imagine going to war over and over again. And doing nothing else. I'd as soon have a harp.

We are too far from the world where these stories originated and after the First World War most people got a better understanding about what war really is. But for the einherjar war’s terrible aspects are mostly removed. They won’t die or get crippled for life and it is not about getting wet cold and ill in some far away trench. For them it is more like extreme martial arts followed by partying every day. It is a simple and boring concept of heaven but I have never read a description of heaven that was good enough for me to spend eternity there without the treat of hell as the alternative.

But she gets to see how everything ends in the next apocalypse and she can even play her part in it. That will be soon and that is what she always wanted. She made the wrong choices for playing harp.

[morriswalters]

Odin sells his services to a lot of people, Marcone but a single customer. Lara Raith is also a customer of Monoc. That’s at least two Aacords Members, governments of the supernatural world. Off course governments of the mortal world are going to use Monoc.

Reconcile Murphy as a police officer and then as a bodyguard to someone like Marcone.  How does that work as part of the her story? I'm sure that moral dilemma will never make it into the books, if we see her again at all. But it's implicit in the idea. You look at this in a way that is different then the way I do.  For me sending her to wherever stole the emotional kick from her death. She didn't die in any true sense.  All Jim did was take Harry's bone away and threw it into the yard next store. A plain headstone next to Harry's grave would have had more of an emotional punch for me. But Jim is the author so I bow to his sense of his story.

[Mira]

Reconcile Murphy as a police officer and then as a bodyguard to someone like Marcone.  How does that work as part of the her story? I'm sure that moral dilemma will never make it into the books, if we see her again at all. But it's implicit in the idea. You look at this in a way that is different then the way I do.  For me sending her to wherever stole the emotional kick from her death. She didn't die in any true sense.  All Jim did was take Harry's bone away and threw it into the yard next store. A plain headstone next to Harry's grave would have had more of an emotional punch for me. But Jim is the author so I bow to his sense of his story.

Bringing Murphy back, but changing her into some kind of mercenary police officer, wouldn't be the Murphy we know.  Perhaps that is what is meant by no return until all mortal memory of her is lost or gone.

We are too far from the world where these stories originated and after the First World War most people got a better understanding about what war really is. But for the einherjar war’s terrible aspects are mostly removed. They won’t die or get crippled for life and it is not about getting wet cold and ill in some far away trench. For them it is more like extreme martial arts followed by partying every day. It is a simple and boring concept of heaven but I have never read a description of heaven that was good enough for me to spend eternity there without the treat of hell as the alternative.

Really? War sanitized, who could ask for anything more?  The einherjar around Marcone weren't suffering, but they didn't seem overly happy either.  Hey it that was such a great thing, Gard wouldn't be mourning like she is, in theory, you'd think she'd be able to visit Hendrix any time she wanted and have a good old time.  He's in Valhalla, she goes to those parties, but the catch is he is no longer the Hendrix she knew and loved.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Why as a mercenary police officer? She is better suited than anyone to train other police officers in dealing with supernatural threats. All that needs to occur is that trainees from various forces aretaken to a “secure facility” i.e Valhalla where they undergo a couple of weeks residential training run by Murphy.

Of course she would be introduced as a “former” police officer. It might dishearten those looking forward to retirement that even death is not a bar to service, if they are told her full backstory.

As set out above her service to Odin is still service to the White God, and at their she is the policeman’s policewoman.

[Arjan]

Bringing Murphy back, but changing her into some kind of mercenary police officer, wouldn't be the Murphy we know.  Perhaps that is what is meant by no return until all mortal memory of her is lost or gone.Really? War sanitized, who could ask for anything more? 

A lot more but that is me, the people who made up that story thought it was pretty cool. They liked hitting people apparently but saw some problems with it so their heaven had free hitting people for a good cause without repercussions.

Jim uses old stories that when you really look critically at them have loads of problems attached but I think that if you let people choose between an eternity of booze and fighting versus clouds and making music the first option will still get enough volunteers. Just not me. Though I might ask for a violin and spend a century or so learning to play it properly.

The einherjar around Marcone weren't suffering, but they didn't seem overly happy either. 

They were ecstatic when they fought the jotun in battle ground.

Hey it that was such a great thing, Gard wouldn't be mourning like she is, in theory, you'd think she'd be able to visit Hendrix any time she wanted and have a good old time. 

Probably not. Jim somewhere described Valkyries as mortals with benefits.

He's in Valhalla, she goes to those parties, but the catch is he is no longer the Hendrix she knew and loved.

As long as it is his soul it is basically him.

[Mira]

Why as a mercenary police officer? She is better suited than anyone to train other police officers in dealing with supernatural threats. All that needs to occur is that trainees from various forces aretaken to a “secure facility” i.e Valhalla where they undergo a couple of weeks residential training run by Murphy.

She will be farmed out, and do you think she will be allowed her own beliefs in these matters?  I doubt it.

A lot more but that is me, the people who made up that story thought it was pretty cool. They liked hitting people apparently but saw some problems with it so their heaven had free hitting people for a good cause without repercussions.

Yeah, well, you have to believe that the einherjar who worked for Marcone, worked for a good cause.  At the end of the day, Marcone is still a murderous gangster, and the einherjar are part of that.

They were ecstatic when they fought the jotun in battle ground.

Happy or hyped up with berserker type emotion?  Yeah, that is a lovely picture for Murphy.

Probably not. Jim somewhere described Valkyries as mortals with benefits.

I don't think Gard is a mortal.

As long as it is his soul it is basically him.

Is it? 

[Arjan]

She will be farmed out, and do you think she will be allowed her own beliefs in these matters?  I doubt it. Yeah, well, you have to believe that the einherjar who worked for Marcone, worked for a good cause. 
[/spoiler]
Just as when she worked with Marcone in the past. The good cause is stopping the outsiders and that will be the focus of the last books.

She wanted to be involved with that.

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At the end of the day, Marcone is still a murderous gangster, and the einherjar are part of that.
Happy or hyped up with berserker type emotion?

They are children of their time but in all their interactions they come across as human enough. Besides they were eager, not rabid. No biting in their shields and foam on their mouths. They just had fun.

Yeah, that is a lovely picture for Murphy.I don't think Gard is a mortal.Is it?

It was explicitly stated in woj, mortal with benefits. The line between mortal and immortal is blurry though. I do not think these two get to see each other.

Soul is the essence of who someone is. As long as you have your soul you are yourself. Walhalla is a genuine afterlife so the people in there are the same people. Makes no sense otherwise, it would not be an afterlife.

And souls would have no use.