Chekhov's Arthurian Athame

[g33k]

So:  Morgana's Athame.

Morgana being one of the very-powerful sorceresses, possibly Faerie or Changeling, associated with Merlin... and with Arthur.

In some versions, Arthur's half-sister.

Interestingly-enough, one of Morgana's sisters was named "Elaine," with all sorts of interesting implications if Elaine Mallory was named "in honor of" that ancient Elaine by her birth-parents (about whom, please note, we have very-little information!).

Indeed:  despite the vast powers shown by OG Merlin; and the likely "Amoracchius = Excalibur" theory (do we have WoJ confirming it?); and having her Athame show up so we have traces of Morgana; and the possible "British Prisoner = Arthur" theory ... 

... despite all of that, I say:  we have remarkably little sense of how the larger Arthuriana corpus (and which version(s) of it) map into (and/or otherwise influence/inform) the Dresdenverse.

Or have I overlooked a bunch of stuff?
 

[Mira]

Indeed:  despite the vast powers shown by OG Merlin; and the likely "Amoracchius = Excalibur" theory (do we have WoJ confirming it?); and having her Athame show up so we have traces of Morgana; and the possible "British Prisoner = Arthur" theory ...

Or if you read the Arthurian legend in Bullfinch's Mythology, the British Prisoner actually fits Merlin better than Arthur. 

The Lady of the Lake entangled him in a thorn bush by means of spells, and there he still sleeps, though his voice may sometimes be heard.

Further after he was entangled;

And he awoke, and looked around him, it seemed to him he was enclosed in the strongest tower in the world, and laid upon a fair bed. The said he to the dame: "My lady, you have deceived me, for no one hath power to unmake this tower but you alone."

Maybe a stretch, but it does sound like our sleepy British Prisoner don't you think?

[g33k]

Or if you read the Arthurian legend in Bullfinch's Mythology, the British Prisoner actually fits Merlin better than Arthur. 
Further after he was entangled;
Maybe a stretch, but it does sound like our sleepy British Prisoner don't you think?

Oh, yeah; I could see Merlin as the BP, sure!
Dunno that I think it's a better fit, but it's certainly another good fit.

Arthur at the end was seeing his Camelot-centered kingdom, so promising at first, descend into war; and largely because (from his POV) he had an out-of-wedlock child by his own half-sister (so it was his own profound moral failing (this from a man who decreed a Grail-quest!), according to the mores of the time).

The guilt & self-hatred would have been immense; and we know the BP says he "deserves to be there."  Then Arthur (mortally wounded) was borne off across the water, to an enchanted sleep until Britain needs him again.

Sometimes this is explicitly to an island, but also sometimes to vague "Western Lands" (to which I say, "Why not both?"    ).

So I think we can make either case (Merlin or Arthur) reasonably strongly.

[Mira]

The guilt & self-hatred would have been immense; and we know the BP says he "deserves to be there."  Then Arthur (mortally wounded) was borne off across the water, to an enchanted sleep until Britain needs him again.

Not so much deserves but unless his mistress, Viviane releases him he will not return or cannot. 
Knights go out in search of Merlin on Arthur's orders, they call from him and cannot find him, but then a voice in smoke tells them;

Merlin then addressed them from out of the smoke, and told him by what misadventure he was imprisoned there.  "Ah sir!" he added, "you will never see me more, and that grieves me, but I cannot remedy it; I shall never speak to you, nor any other person,save only my mistress.

[g33k]

... Knights go out in search of Merlin on Arthur's orders, they call from him and cannot find him, but then a voice in smoke tells them;

Merlin then addressed them from out of the smoke, and told him by what misadventure he was imprisoned there.  "Ah sir!" he added, "you will never see me more, and that grieves me, but I cannot remedy it; I shall never speak to you, nor any other person,save only my mistress.

This version of Merlin cannot be the British Prisoner:  if he were imprisoned in the Well, he couldn't appear in smoke and speak to questing Knights.

But there are a LOT of versions of Merlin (and of course Jim is free to tweak to fit his own plotline & characters); so this particular detail doesn't really demonstrate anything either direction.

[Mira]

This version of Merlin cannot be the British Prisoner:  if he were imprisoned in the Well, he couldn't appear in smoke and speak to questing Knights.

But there are a LOT of versions of Merlin (and of course Jim is free to tweak to fit his own plotline & characters); so this particular detail doesn't really demonstrate anything either direction.

He didn't appear, his voice was heard and he said, "Ah sir!" he added, "you will never see me more, and that grieves me, but I cannot remedy it; I shall never speak to you, nor any other person,save only my mistress."

  The British Prisoner hasn't spoken outside of the confides of the prison, except to his Warden and fellow prisoner Thomas. Though at this point it is unknown whether or not he has spoken to other Wardens or fellow prisoners.  Merlin said he cannot speak outside of his prison until he is released by his mistress, who at that time you might say was also his jailer or Warden.

[g33k]

He didn't appear, his voice was heard and he said, "Ah sir!" he added, "you will never see me more, and that grieves me, but I cannot remedy it; I shall never speak to you, nor any other person,save only my mistress."

Sorry, my bad for phrasing it wrong with "appear."

My point is:  the prisoners of the Well cannot (as best we know) reach outside it at all.

By speaking to the questing Knight(s), this version of Merlin demonstrates that he isn't imprisoned in the Well, and cannot be the BP.

(
But also:  WTF?
"his voice was heard and he said"
+
"I shall never speak to you, nor any other person,save only my mistress."
looks like he's explicitly contradicting himself)

[Mira]

My point is:  the prisoners of the Well cannot (as best we know) reach outside it at all.

True, but Merlin built the place didn't he? Also if the story is to be believed it was a one time deal.. The prisoners can communicate with in the prison though.. Or at least to the Warden, as Harry found out to his great distress.

"I shall never speak to you, nor any other person,save only my mistress."
looks like he's explicitly contradicting himself)

Shug of shoulders... I can't help that, I only wrote down the quote.. 

[The_Sibelis]

So:  Morgana's Athame.

Morgana being one of the very-powerful sorceresses, possibly Faerie or Changeling, associated with Merlin... and with Arthur.

In some versions, Arthur's half-sister.

Interestingly-enough, one of Morgana's sisters was named "Elaine," with all sorts of interesting implications if Elaine Mallory was named "in honor of" that ancient Elaine by her birth-parents (about whom, please note, we have very-little information!).

Indeed:  despite the vast powers shown by OG Merlin; and the likely "Amoracchius = Excalibur" theory (do we have WoJ confirming it?); and having her Athame show up so we have traces of Morgana; and the possible "British Prisoner = Arthur" theory ... 

... despite all of that, I say:  we have remarkably little sense of how the larger Arthuriana corpus (and which version(s) of it) map into (and/or otherwise influence/inform) the Dresdenverse.

Or have I overlooked a bunch of stuff?

some stuff perhaps. Didn't you ask about the Hendricks/Lancelot theory..?
Best guess based on the theories behind it, is the prisoner is Merlin from a different cycle, but not the original OG cycle to be sure. Comparative to our Harry being Merlinian like.. that cycles probably realized his corruption and set himself in stasis.
The original cycle(or will it be the Last cycle.. 🤔) he probably did as Majorly theorized and threw himself into making DR.
*Pay no heed to ironic posters telling you to restrict what you look at. Some of the greatest theories, like G's theory on Merlins presumed grace, Ms Duck pancake reality or seracks grand unification theory all draw heavily on outside pools of knowledge. The irony is being told you shouldn't do something by someone who will do said thing when it suits them.  That's just some particularly special thinking. Not to be confused with the special Ed thinking us autistic people do cause we're dumb and deserved to be put down for it apparently. Just the regularly unexcused arrogant-ignorant combo.
Jim's well known for being a "zeitgeist" writer at this point after all.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Arthurian legend is pretty much pick and mix for Jim, we should be restricting ourselves to in universe information.

Merlin existed creating the White Council in its current form and built Demonreach.

Mab was romantically involved with Merlin, she was the Winter Lady in 1066 and Merlin was most active in 400 AD (but a time traveller). Mab was a mortal most likely a practitioner who became the Winter Lady.

Titania is the twin of Mab and therefore also likely a practitioner. Between then they likely accounted for the different legends of Morgana, Nimue, Vivianne and the Lady of the lake. As twins they may both at different times have been in one or more of these role (Morgana’s dual nature accommodated by being at different times the Winter and Summer Lady). The Athame might therefore have been a device of both Winter and summer, which is why Mab referred to it as Morgana’s Athame and not hers, it was a prop for a character her and her sister played.when Harry finds out he will call it cosplaying.

Excalibur was Amorrachius during the Arthurian period. The Holy Grail exists and has been in Hades Vault most likely since its recovery in Arthurian times.

Nameless (who I posit to be Cowl) would have been around during the Arthurian period, as would Nicodemus and probably Polonius Lartessa and Quinn’s Cassius. All four would have motives to intervene in the recovery of the grail. Indeed this could be where Nameless/Cowl first started working with Tess. All or none of them may feature under different names in the legends.

[Yuillegan]

My current theory is the Mab is Morganna, and that part of the reason Lea took Morganna's Athame was not just the power that it held, but the insult to Mab personally it represented by her holding it.

Also, Merlin isn't BP. Jim confirmed Merlin wouldn't be speaking modern day English. Further more, Corb and Mab seem to confirm that Merlin is dead in Battle Ground (when Corb specifically says "If he were among the living"...seems to imply that Merlin is no longer alive.

Of course, we know there are many levels to existence...and even the space between "alive" and "dead" is considered grey and a spectrum by Mab, not a black line.

[The_Sibelis]

From the way Corb talked I'd more suspect her to be Nimue? Morganna wasn't a mewling child in Arthur's day, Nimue tho.. an I don't think even Merlin would have authority to cast out the kings sister. I took it more under the context of dismissing your apprentice, and as the court mage casting her out of the court.

[Mira]

Also, Merlin isn't BP. Jim confirmed Merlin wouldn't be speaking modern day English. Further more, Corb and Mab seem to confirm that Merlin is dead in Battle Ground (when Corb specifically says "If he were among the living"...seems to imply that Merlin is no longer alive.

Just for argument sake, a couple of points;

1] The prisoner has been in that cave for a very long time.. It is very possible that he learned modern English form the various Wardens. Though admittedly why he'd have a British accent is a mystery.
2] Corb might not know that Merlin is in the cave on the island, unless told, he wouldn't know. 

[Yuillegan]

From the way Corb talked I'd more suspect her to be Nimue? Morganna wasn't a mewling child in Arthur's day, Nimue tho.. an I don't think even Merlin would have authority to cast out the kings sister. I took it more under the context of dismissing your apprentice, and as the court mage casting her out of the court.

I know traditionally Merlin had the romance with Nimue...but as a Fae, Nimue was old when Merlin (OG) was young. Unless Jim is rewriting Nimue to have been human originally at the time...

Now, a mortal witch who was a "mewling brat" around the time of William the Conqueror? That could well have been Morganna, depending on how Jim is incorporating Arthurian myth into history. There are indeed many stories of Morganna and Merlin being connected, both as master and apprentice, but in some cases lovers too.

As for Merlin casting out Morganna - he was Merlin. He built Demonreach, created the White Council, reformed the Vatican, rescued important knowledge from the Library of Alexandria when it fell, and jumped over tall buildings in a single bound. The guy did what he liked. Who could really stop him? If you read the stories, he essentially comes and goes as he pleases and tells Arthur (even as King) what to do all the time. He is an adviser, but he doesn't really see himself as a subject. And Arthur highly respected Merlin (as did all the Knights). If Merlin said Morganna was to be exiled, I think they would hurling her out the door before he finished his sentence. Not to mention, consider why Morganna was exiled? Likely dark magic - which is even hinted at much in the old tales, and I can't see Arthur giving his half-sister a pass for that. Arthur wasn't Michael Carpenter in nature - just read about how he takes Guinevere cheating on him. Guy could be pretty wrathful.

Just for argument sake, a couple of points;

1] The prisoner has been in that cave for a very long time.. It is very possible that he learned modern English form the various Wardens. Though admittedly why he'd have a British accent is a mystery.
2] Corb might not know that Merlin is in the cave on the island, unless told, he wouldn't know. 

I get what you mean, but Jim was asked about the BP being Merlin - and the answer he gave was that it wasn't very likely given Merlin would still be speaking old Aenglish/Welsh. Whoever that being is on the island, I wouldn't necessarily consider him a good guy particularly given he was much further in than Naagloshii.

I mean, he might not. But given Mab's reaction to Corb's words...I'd say she thinks he is dead too. And I'd say it's less likely she wouldn't know that Merlin is on the Island, if that's were he was. Beyond that though, most of the supernatural community believe Merlin (OG) is dead. Hence the entire need for a replacement one on the White Council. Which isn't to say that he is dead (or completely gone beyond the veil), necessarily speaking.

[The_Sibelis]

[I know traditionally Merlin had the romance with Nimue...but as a Fae, Nimue was old when Merlin (OG) was young. Unless Jim is rewriting Nimue to have been human originally at the time

well, I see more pop culture aspects than traditional Arthurian in what Jim does. Young Merlin, the classical Merlin movie with Sam Neil, ect all have a young human sorceress as Nimue, so much so I don't think of her as the lady of the lake, that's a separate entity in my mind specifically because of the Arthurian stuff i grew up on.
Morganna's atheme was dangerous because of WHO'S it was, morganna. Who as you say probably did what in the DF is considered black magic. Doesn't seem likely to me that Merlin in a y capacity would simply expell her for breaking his laws. Now, comparison to Molly flexing the laws and Lea showing her the fae way to do so and it starts to add up a bit more. From someone who's set the laws and punishment I find expulsion to be an unlikely outcome for someone who violates his own personal decrees. Now a smart azz apprentice who figured out how to walk in the grey areas? Thats more likely.
My point about the atheme tho, is it was dangerous/a vector for Nemesis because of whose it was. Morganna did black magic with it, that made it dangerous. Mab doesn't do black magic and isn't inherently at a loss towards Nemesis by way of being Morganna if she were so. that would make the knifes vulnerability as a vector for Nemesis a potential plot hole many books old.