The Law, Arctis Tor, Mr Inverno, "Curiouser and Curiouser"

[Mira]

Mab uses The Law as a weapon, to bind, to limit those who might oppose her.

In that she isn't unique, that is what most powerful mortals do.

[morriswalters]

Fair enough, but Harry performatively complains above everyone in authority.  I stand by my assertion that Mab is objectively a good boss.

That kind of depends on how you define a good boss. She causes Harry to stab himself in the hand.(Summer Knight) Alters his mind.(Small Favor) She slams his head into an elevator car.(Skin Game) Generally speaking I prefer my good bosses to keep their hands to themselves.  Also I play for Pay.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

In that she isn't unique, that is what most powerful mortals do.

Yes, but not through indirect means of enforcement, through direct application to the subject. Mab doesnt have to send someone for you, you deliver yourself to her. For someone like Nameless that must be galling.

Harry himself was interested that going past a threshold without invitation not only removed the greater part of his power but also the grip of Winter Law. And yet, he wasn’t paralysed and he still had the physical conditioning the Mantle had left him with, a 6 foot 9 inch man as strong as humanly possible.

Harry could theoretically ask the Carpenters to revoke their invitation (Charity could do it genuinely) and once inside past the strongest of all thresholds make all sorts of plans Mab won’t know about in complete violation of Winter Law, which hinge on him being continuing to appear to be bound by Winter Law. That I think is coming, a time Harry needs to disobey Mab because he is right and she is wrong.

[seanham]

That kind of depends on how you define a good boss. She causes Harry to stab himself in the hand.(Summer Knight) Alters his mind.(Small Favor) She slams his head into an elevator car.(Skin Game)

Mab has to use force in these circumstances because that's what Harry responds to. Harry was rather naive in SK, and Mad exerting her power over him (after he insulted her) showed him who had the power in the relationship. In Small Favor, Mab took his memories away to protect him from the Summer Court. Then in SG, Harry offered an insult to Mab in public, so he had to be taught a lesson; a strongly worded conversation would not have done the trick. Mab may not be a good boss, but she is the boss she needs to be to control/guide Harry and the mortal realm. Now that Harry is starting to be less aggressive and think ahead more, I would think Mab would stop beating him as an underling and talking to him as more of a peer because Harry is ready for that kind of relationship.

[Mira]

Mab has to use force in these circumstances because that's what Harry responds to. Harry was rather naive in SK, and Mad exerting her power over him (after he insulted her) showed him who had the power in the relationship. In Small Favor, Mab took his memories away to protect him from the Summer Court. Then in SG, Harry offered an insult to Mab in public, so he had to be taught a lesson; a strongly worded conversation would not have done the trick. Mab may not be a good boss, but she is the boss she needs to be to control/guide Harry and the mortal realm. Now that Harry is starting to be less aggressive and think ahead more, I would think Mab would stop beating him as an underling and talking to him as more of a peer because Harry is ready for that kind of relationship.

We saw that in Battle Ground, actually I think it more that Harry is maturing and understands Mab more, the stakes and realizing that as a star born, he has a serious role to play.

[vincentric]

Mab has to use force in these circumstances because that's what Harry responds to. Harry was rather naive in SK, and Mad exerting her power over him (after he insulted her) showed him who had the power in the relationship. In Small Favor, Mab took his memories away to protect him from the Summer Court. Then in SG, Harry offered an insult to Mab in public, so he had to be taught a lesson; a strongly worded conversation would not have done the trick. Mab may not be a good boss, but she is the boss she needs to be to control/guide Harry and the mortal realm. Now that Harry is starting to be less aggressive and think ahead more, I would think Mab would stop beating him as an underling and talking to him as more of a peer because Harry is ready for that kind of relationship.

Harry is growing up. While he may think a snide comment in response to meeting another supernatural, he is no longer saying them at every chance. That is giving him the chance to resolve some situations without escalation.

The supernatural community requires  manners because many of it's denizens are inclined to go straight to (extreme)violence rather than trading insults. Letting a public insult pass is seen as a weakness in most of their circles.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

But when he goes for the side comment these days is it backsliding, or is a calculated insult to get a particular reaction? His battle with Eb springs to mind.