Q&A Fantasyfestival 2023 in Esbjerg/Denmark

[Conspiracy Theorist]

The FBI in Chicago decide to hire their own supernatural consultant from Monoc, they can’t run to a Valkyrie but can a single Einenjharen Murphy. Murphy now has to work with Rick her ex-husband who married her younger sister. As an Einenjharen Murphy will have ceased aging. I always thought that was a loose end which needed tying up.

[magnuskn]

Yes, as Murphy aged she became more unrealistic, so she either had to retire or die.. So Jim killed her off, my question is, if he brings her back as a resurrected supernatural something or other, what is he going to do with her?  For me at any rate and I don't think I am alone in this, the character suffered once she was fired from the police force.  Oh the shippers loved all the shipping between her and Harry, but she never quite fit in any of the roles he tried to put her in, including him making her into a combination of Wonder Woman and Athena Goddess of Wisdom..  I don't think it will work now, Murphy was best when she was a smart, professional no nonsense cop.  She hasn't been for a long time, let Harry mourn for her and let her rest in peace like Susan,Shiro, Morgan, and others, it is part of life.

Again, I politely disagree. I thought she was a very good character the last books. And that she isn't going to "rest in peace" was pretty much already established by getting raised as an Einherjar. My personal prediction is still that she is coming back as a Valkyrie, which would subvert the whole "until she has passed out of living memory" rule sufficiently, since that rule if for Einherjar. That already gives her a job, some conflict with Harry, since she is under command of Odin and angst as well for ages.... literally, since now she's immortal and he isn't. Not to mention the whole "she's a catholic Valkyrie" thing. Although Dani Moonstar did pretty well with not being true Asgardian over in the Marvel universe. 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

They don’t make winged horses that small, unless Odin is a Brony. Would its cutie mark be an automatic pistol? The presumption is that she was taken to be an Einenjharen.

Murphy was a knight of the sword, (her post changes outings are not therefore out of character, she merely reached her full potential was she always on this career track given the association of Uriel and Vadderung? The Valkyries are often described as the daughters of royalty - Murphy is the descendant of a king something Harry has researched )(about the only thing), so she may qualify

[Mira]

Again, I politely disagree. I thought she was a very good character the last books. And that she isn't going to "rest in peace" was pretty much already established by getting raised as an Einherjar. My personal prediction is still that she is coming back as a Valkyrie, which would subvert the whole "until she has passed out of living memory" rule sufficiently, since that rule if for Einherjar. That already gives her a job, some conflict with Harry, since she is under command of Odin and angst as well for ages.... literally, since now she's immortal and he isn't. Not to mention the whole "she's a catholic Valkyrie" thing. Although Dani Moonstar did pretty well with not being true Asgardian over in the Marvel universe. 

I guess we have to agree to disagree on this.  I remember the days when her fans argued that what made Murphy a great character was she was a ordinary vanilla human and was good balance to Harry's magical talent and growing power.  In my opinion the books were better when she was no longer in them, but that's me.

Murphy was a knight of the sword, (her post changes outings are not therefore out of character, she merely reached her full potential was she always on this career track given the association of Uriel and Vadderung? The Valkyries are often described as the daughters of royalty - Murphy is the descendant of a king something Harry has researched )(about the only thing), so she may qualify

Just when and where did Harry research that?  Murphy was only a Holy Knight for one night, Susan was also even though she was half vamp at the time.  I guess you could say since all the Red Court vamps descended from the Red King, that she was a royal descendant.

[g33k]

... Murphy is the descendant of a king something Harry has researched )(about the only thing) ...

Harry has a working theory that all KotC's are descended from royalty.

He has about 3 data points (Michael, Shiro, Sanya... any others??!?) and his own "wizards intuition" in support of this theory.

But I'm profoundly dubious that the Divine is following the same "rules" that Harry's intuition understands.

In the final analysis, though:  I don't think it matters.
Odds are, most people (and likely, everybody) is descended from royalty.

[tacorrific]

Maybe Murphy could find some mantle to don that would allow her step back into the real world?

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Maybe Murphy could find some mantle to don that would allow her step back into the real world?

Santa’s Elf?

[g33k]

Santa’s Elf?

Ho.
Ho.
Ho.

[g33k]

Maybe Murphy could find some mantle to don that would allow her step back into the real world?

Odin assigns her to become an Einherjar; we suspect the All-Father's own soulfire is involved.
She isn't "supposed" to return to the mortal world 'til she's "forgotten."

Uriel's "spook" division (where her dad works!) subcontracts her.
But we know they have their own channels to return spirits to the mortal realm.

Murphy leverages both Odin & Uriel, threading the needle to get a mortal existence again.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Ho.
Ho.
Ho.

Kringle “I am sorry Murphy, but you are a little too tall to be an Elf”

Murphy “But you told me I was too short to be a Valkyrie!”

Uriel cannot intervene in the normal course of mortal affairs unless there was infernal intervention. This isn’t impossible if Lasciel intervened with Rudy to make him see a giant as a human, resulting in Murphy’s death to punish Harry. However Uriels intervention has to be proportionate, making humanity forget Murphy isn’t. Unless of course the restriction was imposed by Uriel to prevent resurrection being an everyday occurrence, interfering with free will. He could waive that for Murphy.

[g33k]

... Unless of course the restriction was imposed by Uriel to prevent resurrection being an everyday occurrence, interfering with free will. He could waive that for Murphy.

I'm pretty sure Uriel isn't allowed to arbitrarily "impose" any restrictions, nor arbitrarily "waive" them.

I'm hypothesizing some sort of "dual loophole" thing, where spirit-Karrin is eligible to interact with the mortal world (by Uriel's rules) but she's also eligible to get a corporeal body (by Odin's rules); those specific conditions weren't ever "intended" to interface together (but also never had a specific exclusion) and Karrin finds a way to make it work.

[cander891]

The last book before the BAT will be the time travel book, to "plug any continuity holes".

Is there a list of continuity errors posted anywhere?

[Mira]

I'm pretty sure Uriel isn't allowed to arbitrarily "impose" any restrictions, nor arbitrarily "waive" them.

I'm hypothesizing some sort of "dual loophole" thing, where spirit-Karrin is eligible to interact with the remortalal world (by Uriel's rules) but she's also eligible to get a corporeal body (by Odin's rules); those specific conditions weren't ever "intended" to interface together (but also never had a specific exclusion) and Karrin finds a way to make it work.

  Garble gook!  That's the problem with trying to bring Murphy back, there are enough loose ends that need to be tied up before the BAT!  It is the same problem that Jim has had with her character since he fired her off the police force! All this takes up pages and pages not really moving the story along.. Oh Murphy is back as a supernatural something or other, when befoew she was a mortal before doing superhuman things.   Let Harry move on and the story move on, his heart can always ache for her, but move on with maybe her showing up on the final page of the last book of the BAT!

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Odin traded in his immortality to stay in the mortal world that means he dealt with the White God with Uriel as his handler. In return he got Soulfire, the gift of the White God and the necessary element for a genuine resurrection. Uriel would know this and make it part of the agreement not to have People coming back like Lazarus (or Jesus himself) as it would detract from the New Testament, and the spread of Christianity. The compromise was living memory, at the time there were no photographs, even a famous Einenjharen could pop back up in 50 years without being recognised.

If that is the case Murphy is listed as “missing” in a mass casualty event, with people medivacced all over the US. All you need to do is find a coma victim of the right height and sex, and swap them out with Murphy. There was a case of the wrong family claiming a young woman in similar circumstances a couple of years ago. Voila Murphy “wakes” up identifies herself and resumes her own identity. No Lazarus like resurrection, merely an everyday bottom of the running order good news story.

[Mira]

If that is the case Murphy is listed as “missing” in a mass casualty event, with people medivacced all over the US. All you need to do is find a coma victim of the right height and sex, and swap them out with Murphy. There was a case of the wrong family claiming a young woman in similar circumstances a couple of years ago. Voila Murphy “wakes” up identifies herself and resumes her own identity. No Lazarus like resurrection, merely an everyday bottom of the running order good news story.

Problem, she bled out in Harry's arms and Rudolph knew he shot her and watched her die.. No, not as simple as you might think. Which I think brings us to the problem of trying to bring Murphy back, if you have to twist the story line into a pretzel to do it, it won't be good.  If she shows up as an  Einherjar, fine, but only if she is no longer the Murphy that Harry knew and loved. She might not be gone from his memory, but he is gone from hers.