In defense of the WC

[Ed0517]

I'm pretty sure he was from Korea, and the Merlin had him brought to Chicago specifically as a message to Harry.

In the opening scene of PG, the boy "screamed and ranted in Korean" (presumably, his native tongue).

In the middle of chapter 2, Harry asks Eb, "Is that why it happened here?  Why come to Chicago for an execution?"
If the kid had simply been a local, that wouldn't have been relevant; a Chicago-origin warlock in Chicago wouldn't have been worth asking about.

In Chapter 5 -- talking to Murphy -- Harry explicitly calls him "the Korean kid."

Every city has immigrants who speak mostly their mother tongue. Walk one block along Northern Blvd. any afternoon in Flushing, NYC - you will hear Korean. Guaranteed. Signs up in Korean.  Walk along Mott St. in Manhattan.  Plenty of Chinese being spoken. Don't call it Lower East Side, you call it Chinatown.

Even if he is from Chicago, if the kid is raving in Korean, and looks Korean - is it odd Harry would refer to him as such, likely thinking him an immigrant? 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Harry was the only Warden who refused to execute kids, of course it was a message to Harry.

[g33k]

Every city has immigrants who speak mostly their mother tongue. Walk one block along Northern Blvd. any afternoon in Flushing, NYC - you will hear Korean. Guaranteed. Signs up in Korean.  Walk along Mott St. in Manhattan.  Plenty of Chinese being spoken. Don't call it Lower East Side, you call it Chinatown.

Even if he is from Chicago, if the kid is raving in Korean, and looks Korean - is it odd Harry would refer to him as such, likely thinking him an immigrant?

The language is FAR from decisive, it's true.
But Harry *IS* Chicago's resident Warden.  I'm pretty sure he'd know if the kid was a local.  And the exchange in Chapter two strongly implies that Harry thinks (and Eb confirms) that the shitshow was brought to Chicago for Harry's sake.

I mean... sure, he could have been an immigrant kid.  London resident, or Capetown, or Sydney, or anywhere at all.

But if he's NOT from Chicago, Jim wrote that to intentionally mislead.

[Tinfoil hat]

Yeah. I thought the Merlin scheduled the execution as a reminder to harry that this could have been him and can still be him

[Mira]

Yeah. I thought the Merlin scheduled the execution as a reminder to harry that this could have been him and can still be him

Agreed

[Ed0517]

The language is FAR from decisive, it's true.
But Harry *IS* Chicago's resident Warden.  I'm pretty sure he'd know if the kid was a local.  And the exchange in Chapter two strongly implies that Harry thinks (and Eb confirms) that the shitshow was brought to Chicago for Harry's sake.

There are millions in the Chicago area. He's not going to know everyone.

It would be just the Merlin's style to make a spectacle over the event since the kid was from Chicago and make Harry go. Harry's seen the reports and other stuff, i have to imagine if the kid was not FROM Chicago that he would say something, asking why he is executed here, instead of where the crimes were, or maybe Edinburgh. Then again, headless bodies likely create less fuss in Chicago than most places. Most warlocks are likely investigated and convicted in chambers without them even knowing they were tried, and the Warden sent out to give them a short haircut. Likely explain it as gang warfare. Ms-13?

[g33k]

There are millions in the Chicago area. He's not going to know everyone. 

But he's going to know about Warden business in Chicago.

Even if it comes in secretly, because "squeamish Warden Dresden only kills older warlocks," they (the Merlin) will want to rub his nose in the fact that Harry's making other people do the dirty-work Harry cannot stomach (even though he admits the necessity of it).  By the time of the trial & execution, Harry will have learned the kid was from Chicago (if he was).

... i have to imagine if the kid was not FROM Chicago that he would say something, asking why he is executed here ...

Harry pretty much does say that he had wondered (and then figured out for himself), in his conversation with Eb (who pretty much confirms Harry's suspicions).

... asking why he is executed here, instead of where the crimes were, or maybe Edinburgh ...

I think the Warden in charge of the capture has a lot of leeway in this.

Morgan was largely a lapdog of Langtry at this point (increasingly clinging to the hardline approach), so if the Merlin wanted it done in Chicago, Morgan would have done it that way.  I'm sure an ample number of Wardens would have been similarly "respectful" of the Merlin's wishes...   

[morriswalters]

No matter where the kid was from the trial itself is meant to cause the reaction it did, it primed Harry to react emotionally when Molly is eventually found out.  With this plotting. Peabody picked the site to get Harry in the mood. The kid could be from anywhere. Korea is exotic.  What he supplied was a gory death. This was the picture that Harry is meant to have in his minds eye when Molly is discovered, her with no head.

[Mira]

No matter where the kid was from the trial itself is meant to cause the reaction it did, it primed Harry to react emotionally when Molly is eventually found out.  With this plotting. Peabody picked the site to get Harry in the mood. The kid could be from anywhere. Korea is exotic.  What he supplied was a gory death. This was the picture that Harry is meant to have in his minds eye when Molly is discovered, her with no head.

 I think Harry would have been primed in any case to react emotionally to Molly's plight.  After all he does remember when his own head was on the line.  It did however prime the reader.

[Snark Knight]

But he's going to know about Warden business in Chicago.

Yeah, cutting the regional commander out of the loop on an investigate and apprehend on his turf ... that's not going to be standard procedure, and the Council loves standard procedures.

Heavy odds on they just dragged the kid there from somewhere else. Location to assemble for a trial is NBD when anywhere is half an hour away by Ways.

[g33k]

... Peabody picked the site to get Harry in the mood ...

Eb says the Merlin picked it (for reasons that seemed clear); but yeah, Peabody could have given that a nudge in the right direction.  Probably would have been easy, all things considered!

[morriswalters]

Eb says the Merlin picked it (for reasons that seemed clear); but yeah, Peabody could have given that a nudge in the right direction.  Probably would have been easy, all things considered!

The only reason I like it is that is helps explain Madrigal, other than that it doesn't really matter.

[g33k]

... Location to assemble for a trial is NBD when anywhere is half an hour away by Ways.

As noted in the scene, Chicago's "major travel nexus" status means it's an easy place for scattered Council-members (plus the Warden-team with the captive) to all convene.  More so than most other places.  That was the nominal "excuse" to bring the execution to Harry's baliwick.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Chicago also has major bases for the White Court, both Faerie Courts, the Swartalves etc, so The Merlin is making a wider point “we deal with our own, ruthlessly”

[Tinfoil hat]

Saw an interesting post on one of the fb groups that part of the reason why the WC members hate harry is the favouritism shown to him.
Can't remember the og post and poster. So i will
Just list some of the thinks i think may cause people to hate him.

1) instead of killing him, eb served him becoz he mentored his mother. 2) he advertises himself in the media 3) he started a war with the red council (sure it wasn't his fault but theh don't know that) 4 he's anti social. Harry doesn't attend council meetings unless forced. 5) he doesn't get that hes guven special treatment. How many young wizards are in contact with SC members to the extent harry is