Reading Yuillegan's excellent post, I ask the question for all the talk of parallels between Harry and Kemmler, what about Kemmler and Cowl? Until Cowl came along Harry was pretty ignorant on the subject of Kemmler other than he knew that Justin and other Wardens took him down, and that Justin managed to steal Bob out from under the noses of the other Wardens. We know that Justin had to have put some controls on that original Bob, or Evil Bob, but was using him towards an unknown goal, which also included Elaine and Harry as enforcers and possible star born candidates. We know that Dead Beat was all about "the book," necromancy and the Dark Hallow, Kemmler had it, but did he write it? I don't think that question is known.. Mavra knew of the book, and Cowl knew of the book, Lasciel/Sheila knew of it and helped maneuver Harry into getting it and translating it for him.. I'd wager that there are other forces at work as well, why else would Gard be so easily talked out of taking Harry when the Corpsetaker had him down?
Cowl may have thought Kemmler was mad, but who tried to actually perform Dark Hallow? It wasn't Kemmler.. So who was/is more dangerous? Kemmler or Cowl? Is Cowl yet another star born? They seem to be popping up all over the place these days, why else did he think he could pull it off? Is that what Mavra is after? Does she want godhood or was she getting it for Drakul? Raising the dead on mass is a good trick, but the Black Court doesn't need the book for that.
Was Kemmler originally a failed experiment on the part of the Senior Council? In other words was he selectively bred by the Council as a star born to be their ultimate enforcer? Unlike Harry, from birth he was aware of why he was bred, but in the end that knowledge either drove him mad, or into thinking since he had godlike powers he really didn't need to play the enforcer for the Council. They had to play by his rules, so they took him down.. That is why they kept all knowledge of their second breeding experiment from Harry, better control... However it was doomed to fail as well because Margaret threw a monkey wrench into it when she fell in love with Malcolm.. Also other events orchestrated by others, motives unknown, that are still playing out on the great chess board.
Cowl knew of the Council's eugenics experiments, but not the details of Harry's birth.. He knows what Harry is supposed to be, that is why he said what he did in their first meeting. HWWB knows about the eugenics experiments as did Justin, but not the impact of "the Malcolm factor." Margaret knew from the onset that Council was corrupt and rebelled against it in every way she could. It wasn't until she met and fell in love with Malcolm did she think of a better way to fight the system.. Use this good soul in a little eugenic experiment of her own, the result was Harry.
What doesn't make sense, is it is clear from Morgan's journal, Peace Talks, and Battle Ground, that the Senior Council is well aware that Harry is a star born. So was he the product of their second experiment? The facts about it are all hush,hush, and they have or had their own plans on how to use Harry or to make sure they would be able to use him, when the time comes.. Okay, but how is it they used a woman, accused warlock, who supposedly was under a kill on sight order to be the mother? Was a deal struck with Eb? But if it was, why do so many seem to be ignorant that Eb is Margaret's father and Harry's grandfather? How was Margaret able to come forward for this plea deal? Agreeing to give birth to a star born for the Council? And if she did,how is it that they allowed her to pick the father? Or was she able to pull a fast one on them with the aid of the likes of Rashid, and the Winter Court? In the process also pulled a fast one on the Winter Court? She got her baby protected, Mab got ultimately the Winter Knight she wants, but not quite, "the Malcolm Factor" is still at play... Is Harry merely a pawn? Star born, but still a pawn in somebody's game, or will he up end the whole thing in the end? If he does, was that all part of the original plan?