Both may have their reasons for not telling Harry. There is a lot that apparently several characters know about Harry, but are not telling him, like what is expected of him as a star child. Why his mother decided to conceive a star child, and that he was meant to be a weapon..
I don't disagree with what you are saying, but neither Mab or Vadderung supposedly not recognizing him or saying anything to him about it doesn't mean that it cannot be true based on the important information that they are keeping from him about himself, now. [1]
Not if he is reincarnated, or Merlin born again, he might not look like Merlin in body, but the spirit and personality are there.[2]
I agree and said that in my original post, however what is noteworthy is only Harry, Thomas, their mother, Margaret, and Eb are described as wearing one. In Harry's case it is given further importance by the gps crystal from his mother to the Ways of the Nevernever. It was her necklace to begin with, interesting that she didn't leave it for Thomas, he was given a different one. The gps crystal was withheld from Harry until he actually became Winter Knight in Changes if I remember the sequence correctly. This is also an interesting little tidbit, why was it withheld in the first place? And could it have been a family heirloom from the original Merlin? Just what was the bargain Margaret made with Mab and or Lea for her son's protection? So while a common symbol, we read about the robes the wizards wear, the colors and badges on the stoles they wear with those robes, but a pentacle necklace isn't among them except for the above mentioned.[3]
True, but doesn't mean that Harry cannot be Merlin, reincarnated.. He is Harry, but he is also Merlin in all but body. [4]
True, yet he has managed with his uncommon will to pull off things that members of the Senior Council haven't been able. Also one might ask, is it from lack of talent, or lack of training and knowledge that holds Harry back in some areas? The line in Battleground for example where Harry mentions that there were areas in the library at headquarters forbidden to him..[5]
Yes, and I mentioned that Luccio had told him this, but at the same time this is the only place where this foresight has come into play. Harry doesn't know who or what he is, not really, as in starchild. At that point in time he didn't know he was a starchild, still doesn't know what it means. Just odd I think that the one place Harry would have this experience is the one place that has become so significant in his life. [6]
[1] It is definitely true that much of Harry's secret nature is being kept from him, and the reasons for that are still mostly a mystery. That said, look at the reactions of characters about Merlin. Mab is so furious about Corb saying Merlin's name, about Corb reminding her that Merlin might not be proud of her now and had cast her out, that her emotions come to the fore - which so far hasn't really happened with Mab. A quiet tear here and a moment of anger there are not the same as the pure rage she displayed in Peace Talks. I don't remember Harry ever eliciting such a reaction from Mab. Nor has she ever rushed to defend Harry's name in such a way. I don't think there is even a scene where Mab shows the kind of interest one might show to the younger version of their former lover.
For this theory about Merlin being Harry to really work, Ms Duck's theory about Mab=Molly would also have to be somewhat true. Which makes the moment Harry is made Winter Knight a much darker moment, to me.
[2] I could see that working, in fact that is one of the few ways it could work. However, Jim's views on reincarnation in the Dresden Files don't really align too strongly with Hindu karmic theory, at least from what I understand. Which is fair enough, Jim's views are based on his own understandings and placed in his book series that he created so of course things won't match up. What I am getting at is that I don't think Merlin's soul could be Harry now, as part of it how it apparently works in the Dresden Files is what happens to you changes and shapes your soul-stuff into who you are. There is an intangible, intrinsic part that is you despite whatever the world pushes on you, and then the rest is shaped - this is based on what I understood from Jim's answers on reincarnation in the series AND answers on soul gazes between babies and wizards. It would be possible though for Harry to have more than one soul in his body...but he would notice that supposedly. Unless of course, Harry isn't human and he is actually some sort of timeless being like a god of which Merlin was just one aspect, and Harry doesn't remember his previous avatar's lives. But that seems a little far fetched right?
[3] I would also point out Elaine wears the star pentacle necklace too. So would you say she is related to Harry? It's a possibility (although a grim one) but I Harry has made a big point about how the symbol is a common philosophy. If the crystal is a family heirloom, wouldn't Ebenezar have had it? Margaret was know as Le Fay for a reason...I wouldn't be so sure it wasn't something she did herself. By all accounts she was a force to be reckoned with.
[4] True, but it doesn't explain why Corb refers to Merlin as being not amongst the living. Merlin reincarnated would be amongst the living surely? I suppose, Corb might not know that Harry is Merlin reborn but that seems like another mystery about Harry on top of the star born and the Destroyer thing.
[5] I am not sure what you mean. What has Harry pulled off that the Senior Council couldn't, magically speaking? Harry openly admits and is self-aware enough that he is massively outclassed by even one of them, let alone the lot. Harry is forbidden from certain areas because the Council either think he is the next Kemmler or something equally dangerous to them.
[6] I think he has had that feeling elsewhere but I would have to check. More to the point though, why not at other places Merlin is associated with like Edinburgh HQ?
