The Dresden Codex - Links to Mayan Mythology and the DF

[Yuillegan]

While rereading Changes for the millionth time, I was researching Mayan mythology and came across an artifact, rediscovered in Dresden (Germany). It is the oldest surviving book from the Americas dating back to the 13th or 14th Century.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresden_Codex read about it's history here. Of note, it links to a 260 year cycle of the Maya Calendar and the 365 days in a year.  Interesting then that Harry Dresden ends up in the Yucatan with a bunch of expired and/or impersonating Mayan deities.

MY THEORY
The Lords of the Outer Night
I believe that the Red Court is strongly linked to the finale of the series. We know they have links to the Outsiders, and the Lords of the Outer Night (an interesting concept; Outer Night could mean the night beyond the stars, as in the Universe or more likely beyond the Universe - the Netherworld of the Outsiders) surely are directly linked.

The Mayan underworld Xibalba roughly translates to "place of fear" and is ruled by the Mayan Death Gods. Normally it is accessed through a cave, and in some Maya areas the Milky Way is viewed as the road to Xibalba. Xibalba is described as a court below the earth.

There are twelve LoON and the are twelve gods of Xibalba. Two are considered above the others, the strongest is Hun-Came (One Death) and then Vucab-Came (Seven Death). The others are considered demons and rule over aspects of human suffering - causing sickness, starvation, fear, destitution, pain and death. They all work in pairs: Xiquiripat ("Flying Scab") and Cuchumaquic ("Gathered Blood"), who sicken people's blood; Ahalpuh ("Pus Demon") and Ahalgana ("Jaundice Demon"), who cause people's bodies to swell up; Chamiabac ("Bone Staff") and Chamiaholom ("Skull Staff"), who turn dead bodies into skeletons; Ahalmez ("Sweepings Demon") and Ahaltocob ("Stabbing Demon"), who hide in the unswept areas of people's houses and stab them to death; and Xic ("Wing") and Patan ("Packstrap"), who cause people to die coughing up blood while out walking on a road.

So how does Kukulkan fit in? He doesn't quite. Perhaps like the myths, he was a boy born a monster and passed on what he was to those around him. But I don't think so. He is more like Camazotz - the Bat Monster God in form, and more like Gukumatz/Q'uq'umatz in role (as creator god).
BUT, there is another significant group of Mayan gods. The thirteen creator gods who helped create humanity. Not much is known about them other than there names and that they tried to create humanity three times, first from mud and water, then from wood and finally from maize.

It is difficult to reconcile these different groups. JB likely has pieces of information that help link the two - I have a rather grand theory that I will outline in another thread that should help explain that. Possibly he also didn't do a lot of research when naming and designing the Red Court. I find this unlikely, but it remains a possibility given the inconsistencies of the story to real-world mythology. For example, Kukulcan is rarely considered the ruler of the Mayan deities. The most obvious reason that JB chose him is that at Chichen Itza the main temple is El Castillo which is a temple to Kukulkan. This would help place the battle in an exciting location, but makes sense in terms of why the Red Court used the location rather than another.

The Hero Twins
Another interesting connection is the Maya Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xblanque. They are the oldest Maya myth to be preserved from the text Popol Voh. The Twins are often portrayed as complimentary forces (e.g. life and death, sky and earth, day and night, sun and moon AND INTERESTINGLY male and female). The twins often challenge gods and had a shitty upbringing. They are also talented and use their wits to overcome great foes. They also bring down the Lords of Xibalba. I suspect they are a loose basis for the Starborn in Jim's writing. You might argue that only Harry was there - but I think not. I think Elaine was there, I believe she is one of the members of the Grey Council despite whatever her other allegiances are.

I have more that I might add at another time - but for now I will say that while I acknowledge this theory is incomplete and loosely fits the "facts", I believe that Jim has certainly done his homework here.

[Avernite]

Or maybe Molly, Murphy and/or Thomas serve as Harry's twinlike counterparts. Molly's upbringing may have been decent, but she still ended up in a bad place all the same. Murphy's father got forced to suicide (or somesuch). And Thomas is obvious.

And each of them has challenged godlike beings together with Harry, more obviously than Elaine.

[Yuillegan]

Very true - they all fit the bill to a degree. However the issues I found when examining them as candidates is that Molly and Murphy are love interests (not great if you are a twin...) and Thomas is his brother but not actual twin (which would make more sense if he was the archetype, and he is male and the twin dichotomy for the theory is male/female). I certainly understand where you are coming from, but the way I see it coming about is thus:

Harry and Elaine are both starborn (twins not necessarily in blood, but in conjunctions, perhaps even on polar opposite conjunctions). They are raised and trained by Dumorne, then the falling out happens and Harry leaves after appearing to kill Justin and Elaine. However, Elaine returns and my guess is Justin survived too - how else did Elaine survive? She was enthralled at the time and Justin was the most powerful Wizard in the room at that time. I suspect he is Cowl and Elaine is Kumori, and that in the end she will betray Justin and stand with Harry against the Old Ones in the BAT.