The return of Agent “Slim” Tilly

[SerScot]

I really like him.  So, when will he show up again?  Hopefully soon.

[g33k]

I really like him.  So, when will he show up again?  Hopefully soon.

Me, too!

He came to terms with the reality of the supernatural -- or at least faced up to the reality of its existence -- in Changes.  I expect that he'll be coming back to Chicago in the wake of the Battle of Chicago:  the Federal gov't has to pay attention to a disaster of that scale (whatever the cause), so Tilly is a "natural" for Jim to bring back in this regard.

My hope is that he transfers out of the FBI into the Library of Congress' Special Collections Division.      In my headcanon, these are the Federal agency that acted like Murphy's SI (and the Black Cats before them); but on a Federal scale.

The supernatural came too far out of hiding to genuinely be swept back under the rug (though it seems some are still trying), and Tilly will (now that his eyes are opened) be able to recognize the coverup... may in fact be tasked with trying to advance the coverup!  But also assigned to figure out (post-facto, as an outsider to the conflict, with very-little material evidence, and with mortal witnesses who may wish to deny the reality and/or have been subject to various glamours & even mind-altering magics) just what the F--K happened, and who were the aggressors, and who were all the other parties, and what it was about (and etc etc etc).

I think this could be part of Twelve Months, if Jim decides to make it so (or it might be deferred to another book).

But WoJ was (IIRC) that Battle Ground was kind of a breaking-point in the supernaturals' "masquerade," that too many mortals would have too much public evidence, and that the nigh-universal "official" dismissal of supernatural causes wouldn't be possible any longer; this was an inflection-point in the series, in the setting, that Jim had long planned.

[SerScot]

Me, too!

He came to terms with the reality of the supernatural -- or at least faced up to the reality of its existence -- in Changes.  I expect that he'll be coming back to Chicago in the wake of the Battle of Chicago:  the Federal gov't has to pay attention to a disaster of that scale (whatever the cause), so Tilly is a "natural" for Jim to bring back in this regard.

My hope is that he transfers out of the FBI into the Library of Congress' Special Collections Division.      In my headcanon, these are the Federal agency that acted like Murphy's SI (and the Black Cats before them); but on a Federal scale.

The supernatural came too far out of hiding to genuinely be swept back under the rug (though it seems some are still trying), and Tilly will (now that his eyes are opened) be able to recognize the coverup... may in fact be tasked with trying to advance the coverup!  But also assigned to figure out (post-facto, as an outsider to the conflict, with very-little material evidence, and with mortal witnesses who may wish to deny the reality and/or have been subject to various glamours & even mind-altering magics) just what the F--K happened, and who were the aggressors, and who were all the other parties, and what it was about (and etc etc etc).

I think this could be part of Twelve Months, if Jim decides to make it so (or it might be deferred to another book).

But WoJ was (IIRC) that Battle Ground was kind of a breaking-point in the supernaturals' "masquerade," that too many mortals would have too much public evidence, and that the nigh-universal "official" dismissal of supernatural causes wouldn't be possible any longer; this was an inflection-point in the series, in the setting, that Jim had long planned.

“Twelve Months” seems like a perfect opportunity to show the normal world’s growing awareness of the Supernatural world.  Tilly’s reemergance and his friendship with Murphy seems like a nice in for plot and character reasons.

[g33k]

“Twelve Months” seems like a perfect opportunity to show the normal world’s growing awareness of the Supernatural world.  Tilly’s reemergance and his friendship with Murphy seems like a nice in for plot and character reasons.

You could be right.  One of Harry's character-arcs has been from "keep them ignorant for their own good" over to "got to know the threat exists, to be able to act/react appropriately."

Given the number of supernatural threats that keep coming to Chicago, it seems likely that Harry will conclude the entire city needs to be more generally clued-in.

I can just see it... PSA's on "how to quickly make a defensive circle" &c...

[Snark Knight]

I think this could be part of Twelve Months, if Jim decides to make it so (or it might be deferred to another book).

Last I've seen the plan was still for Mirror Mirror to come after Twelve Months, which would start to add up to a long delay between BG and the feds showing up. My guess is Twelve Months at least touches on them, if only peripherally.

I suppose it's possible they'd recruit Tilly. On the other hand, it's potentially too easy to make the point of contact a fed who's somewhat sympathetic to Harry, after coming to believe him and teaming up against the Reds in Changes. The Librarians probably work better if they start off more antagonistic and it takes a real effort to win them over.

At a guess, I think the Librarians might be more likely to pull some strings to transfer Tilly to some dead-end backwater posting or surveil him (thinking him potentially compromised, either as a sympathizer or by mind control, after too much contact with the wizard) than to actually recruit him.  I think there was a WOJ that the main reason Murphy never got an invite was that they were suspicious of her known association with Dresden.  So if Tilly has a role in 12M, I'd bet in the direction of him helping / working with Harry on something isolated, then paying a career price for it to introduce the kind of pull the Librarians have. Something along the lines of an epilogue appearance to tell Harry some undefined other feds have been questioning Tilly's associations, and maybe he's being reassigned to the Wyoming field office.

[SerScot]

Wyoming is beautiful.   

What has Jim said about the Librarians?  Are they actively attempting to suppress magic and people with magical talent? 

[g33k]

Last I've seen the plan was still for Mirror Mirror to come after Twelve Months, which would start to add up to a long delay between BG and the feds showing up. My guess is Twelve Months at least touches on them, if only peripherally.

Hmm.  That's a good point.

...
I suppose it's possible they'd recruit Tilly. On the other hand, it's potentially too easy to make the point of contact a fed who's somewhat sympathetic to Harry, after coming to believe him and teaming up against the Reds in Changes. The Librarians probably work better if they start off more antagonistic and it takes a real effort to win them over ...

Or even remain as semi-antagonists, "frenemies" of sorts.  Sometimes working together on a particular problem, but never really "won over."  I mean, when has Harry ever had a major institutional organization on his side??!?

... I think there was a WOJ that the main reason Murphy never got an invite was that they were suspicious of her known association with Dresden ...

Ooooo!  Can someone point me at any WoJ addressing this, or any other "Librarian" topics?
IIRC there is nothing in "canon" (the fictions) to date, so everything Librarian is just WoJ's ... ?

...  So if Tilly has a role in 12M, I'd bet in the direction of him helping / working with Harry on something isolated, then paying a career price for it to introduce the kind of pull the Librarians have ...

I hope not; that honestly looks like a re-tread of the Murphy storylines (minus the flirting (I presume)):  Harry's lone ally/informant inside law enforcement, who (of course) Pays the Price.  I'd much rather Jim do something entirely-new with Tilly.

[Ed0517]

Wyoming is beautiful.   

Yeah, saw a clip this week of a farmer doing his chores.

It was -30F, -55F windchill.

[vincentric]

I actually think Detective Bradley is a better candidate to become a recurring character than Tilly especially if Rudolph can get him sent to SSI. He wouldn't have to be hostile, and they could become friends off the job thru being single fathers.

[g33k]

I actually think Detective Bradley is a better candidate to become a recurring character than Tilly especially if Rudolph can get him sent to SSI. He wouldn't have to be hostile, and they could become friends off the job thru being single fathers.

https://i.imgflip.com/73xxu7.jpg

I think you're right, that Bradley is a great addition.  Furthermore, he fits neatly into Jim's apparent agenda for Twelve Months, the "daily life" and "integration into Chicago" and "new normal" themes.

But Tilly's a good candidate in a totally different way:  he moves Harry up the food-chain with gov't & law-enforcement, same as Harry's going up the supernatural food-chain.

But I expect Harry hasn't forgiven Rudy, and having been thwarted in the moment, is now thinking of a more Mab-inspired retribution (slower and colder).

[Ed0517]

Bradley fits Chicago, but Tilly fits Feds, if Jim wants to escalate. He did roll the army for BG - that even Ethniu took notice of

[Snark Knight]

But I expect Harry hasn't forgiven Rudy, and having been thwarted in the moment, is now thinking of a more Mab-inspired retribution (slower and colder).

The choice Butters told him to make was to recognize that Maggie doesn't deserve a cold-blooded killer for a father. That seems like a final answer on the matter of retribution.

That said, if Lara were to mention to any of her Skavis peers that this Rudy guy who's been a problem for her new fiance has some excellent reasons for be feeling regretful and would surely make a delicious meal ... oh, well ... if it's not by Harry's hand, or even his word.

[g33k]

But I expect Harry hasn't forgiven Rudy, and having been thwarted in the moment, is now thinking of a more Mab-inspired retribution (slower and colder).

The choice Butters told him to make was to recognize that Maggie doesn't deserve a cold-blooded killer for a father. That seems like a final answer on the matter of retribution.

A "Mab-style" retribution would be to hoist Rudy on his own petard.  Sucker him into complicity with some corruption that law-enforcement is going to discover, etc.

I don't expect the KotC's -- or Uriel&co -- would object to a corrupt cop being taken-down by the straight cops, so long as he wasn't coerced into the corruption.

[KurtinStGeorge]

First, Agent Tilly has to have survived the recent carnage that occurred in Chicago; otherwise there's no point in replying to the OP.  With that in mind, I will assume that Agent Tilly made it through in one piece.

I'm thinking of a TV police drama where there is more than one agency involved.  In such a situation, the local PD can find themselves stymied because the F.B.I. takes over their investigation, or even worse, the suspect in the local crime turns out to be an F.B.I. informant.  However, in this situation it could be the F.B.I. that has its case taken away from them. 

I think the Chicago Office of the F.B.I. would have good reason to want to keep an eye on Harry.  He was involved; even if in a helpful way, with an attack on F.B.I. headquarters that resulted in a number of deaths.  He definitely interfered in the investigation of a potential terrorist; Susan Rodriguez, who disappeared during the same attack mentioned above.  Harry was seen amidst the fighting which recently occurred in Chicago; and even though those reports would tend to paint Harry in a positive light, there would still be some suspicion about the role he played.  Plus, Harry could have been seen in close proximity to John Marcone and the F.B.I. wouldn't necessarily know about the animosity between them.

So, I could see Agent Tilly watching Harry's place and suddenly notice that there was another group of people, who will probably use similar surveillance techniques, who are also watching Harry's castle.  Agent Tilly could find himself getting muscled out of his own investigation by the Librarians.  Normally, Jim wouldn't show us this happening because everything is seen from Harry's perspective; however, Harry could see Agent Tilly arguing with another group of people who resemble cops, but probably in more expensive suits.  Perhaps Agent Tilly would even approach Harry afterwards to ask who else he has pissed off.  This would tell Harry that the Librarians are watching him.

Imagine Agent Tilly's expression when Harry tells him those people are U.S. Government's real men in black.  So, I think we could see Agent Tilly again and it could be fun.   

[SerScot]

First, Agent Tilly has to have survived the recent carnage that occurred in Chicago; otherwise there's no point in replying to the OP.  With that in mind, I will assume that Agent Tilly made it through in one piece.

I'm thinking of a TV police drama where there is more than one agency involved.  In such a situation, the local PD can find themselves stymied because the F.B.I. takes over their investigation, or even worse, the suspect in the local crime turns out to be an F.B.I. informant.  However, in this situation it could be the F.B.I. that has its case taken away from them. 

I think the Chicago Office of the F.B.I. would have good reason to want to keep an eye on Harry.  He was involved; even if in a helpful way, with an attack on F.B.I. headquarters that resulted in a number of deaths.  He definitely interfered in the investigation of a potential terrorist; Susan Rodriguez, who disappeared during the same attack mentioned above.  Harry was seen amidst the fighting which recently occurred in Chicago; and even though those reports would tend to paint Harry in a positive light, there would still be some suspicion about the role he played.  Plus, Harry could have been seen in close proximity to John Marcone and the F.B.I. wouldn't necessarily know about the animosity between them.

So, I could see Agent Tilly watching Harry's place and suddenly notice that there was another group of people, who will probably use similar surveillance techniques, who are also watching Harry's castle.  Agent Tilly could find himself getting muscled out of his own investigation by the Librarians.  Normally, Jim wouldn't show us this happening because everything is seen from Harry's perspective; however, Harry could see Agent Tilly arguing with another group of people who resemble cops, but probably in more expensive suits.  Perhaps Agent Tilly would even approach Harry afterwards to ask who else he has pissed off.  This would tell Harry that the Librarians are watching him.

Imagine Agent Tilly's expression when Harry tells him those people are U.S. Government's real men in black.  So, I think we could see Agent Tilly again and it could be fun.   

I really like Tilly.  I love that he trusted Karen.  That he rolls with the punches and suspect he likes Harry.  I really would like to see Tilly back… and investigating Rudolph.