Harry's Will

[EBRIEN]

It's mentioned a couple of times (probably more)---Battle against Ortega and when Mother Winter has him pinned in her home. Do you think this is one of Harry's superpowers? Like finding things or listening? Something uniquely Harry?

Cheers--Brien

[BrainFireBob]

Willpower is one part native and one part exercise.

I assume Butcher's going for a "scarred in all the vulnerable places" approach to Harry to surprise later villains. Like the primary henchman in Under Siege 2, he's just going to walk through something.

[Yuillegan]

I suspect eventually Harry might get the Will Attack trick that all the supernatural heavyweights like using. Not sure when or why, and it seems curious that some use it but not others. Surely Mab can but doesn't, but Mother Winter does. I mean, it's clear Drakul could have multiple ways to kill someone. He clearly has access to Wizard level magic, if not Mab level. He obviously is an uber-black court vampire and has a hyper version of their physical might and dark innate powers. So why use Will instead of a Black Hole?

My guess is that, just like Mother Winter and Vadderung, every time it's both a test (and in some cases, a lesson). I think it started with He Who Walks Behind. For whatever reason, it's not about killing Harry outright but getting him ready for the End Game, but if he fails the test/lesson he dies. It's brutal that way.

[EBRIEN]

Was it Ferrovax in Grave Peril using his will to drop Harry or Harry's name?

[forumghost]

Was it Ferrovax in Grave Peril using his will to drop Harry or Harry's name?

That was Ferro flexing by using only half of Harry's name to beat him down iirc.

[Yuillegan]

The scene in Grave Peril.

"Well," Ferro said. "Let's see if we can't make an impression".

I clutched my cane and gathered up my will, but I was way, way too slow. Ferro just waved a hand vaguely in my direction, and something crushed me down to the earth, as though I had suddenly gain about five thousand pounds. I felt my lungs strain to haul in a breath, and my vision clouded over with stars and went black. I tried to gather up my magic, to thrust the force away from me, but I couldn't focus, couldn't speak"

It might be the first instance that we actually see of the Will Attack in the series. It's written a bit differently from later uses as Jim likely hadn't fleshed it out as much, but it has all the tell-tale signs: Harry can't breath, move, is trapped, is against monumental strength, it's Harry's will directly in contention with a powerful being's own.

The use of Harry's Name wasn't meant to hurt Dresden intentionally, it's just that Ferro is so powerful that by simply uttering Harry's Name, Harry allowed that Power to touch him. He opened a direct channel to himself by giving away part of his Name so easily. In fact, it was remarkably foolish for Dresden who is normally a bit smarter...but then again he didn't know about capital-D Dragons either.

[K.L.O.E.]

I've always considered the will attack to be similar to reiatsu from Bleach. Basically if you can't breathe you shouldn't even be on the battlefield and it allows the true heavyweights to dominate an army of weaklings without expending a ton of energy.

So I think Harry will either develop some form of the will attack, if only to terrify a room full of sidhe or WC Vamps into submission.

Do they stories they tell of a persons will impact an entity? I'm just wondering that if no one knows Marcone, Thorned Namshiel, Bob, and the Spear of Freaking Destiny helped out against Ethniu and they think Dresden "solo'd a Titan" how will that impact Harry the Wizard of Chicago, the Winter Knight, and the 'Za Lord?

[Mira]

So I think Harry will either develop some form of the will attack, if only to terrify a room full of sidhe or WC Vamps into submission.

He already has, his one trump card in any battle against any foe is his belief in the strength of his will.  As a result he has usually come out on top, even against a fallen angel in his head.

[Yuillegan]

He already has, his one trump card in any battle against any foe is his belief in the strength of his will.  As a result he has usually come out on top, even against a fallen angel in his head.

A nice sentiment, but we are referring to the specific spiritual attack that Ferrovax, Mother Winter, Drakul, Vadderung, and the Lords of the Outer Night and the Red King use. I haven't seen any mortal being use such an ability or anything close to it. But Drakul makes me think Harry might just be able to.

In fairness to your idea, I suspect what Harry does internally if done externally to his foes would look rather similar to the Will Attack. I just don't think Dresden has levelled up enough.

I've always considered the will attack to be similar to reiatsu from Bleach. Basically if you can't breathe you shouldn't even be on the battlefield and it allows the true heavyweights to dominate an army of weaklings without expending a ton of energy.

So I think Harry will either develop some form of the will attack, if only to terrify a room full of sidhe or WC Vamps into submission.

Do they stories they tell of a persons will impact an entity? I'm just wondering that if no one knows Marcone, Thorned Namshiel, Bob, and the Spear of Freaking Destiny helped out against Ethniu and they think Dresden "solo'd a Titan" how will that impact Harry the Wizard of Chicago, the Winter Knight, and the 'Za Lord?

Interesting, hadn't thought about it like reiatsu but it certainly shares similarities. I can also see Harry using it to smash down stubborn White Council guys.

You raise a very interesting point. Generally, people seem to learn about what Dresden did in each book without him telling them. Butcher often doesn't explain it...it's sort of an implied word-of-mouth type thing. Definitely some beings/characters have remote viewing capabilities too. But IF no one knew how Harry had solo'd a Titan...that would certainly make some people even MORE nervous than they might be if they know how he did it.

I suspect though that the Merlin and other senior Wizards etc have enough knowledge to work it out. They know about Demonreach, and I suspect know about the Arma Christi (the artefacts of Christ), and they will know that he had to do a binding (that's a requirement for any being no matter the power). I would be interested to see what happens if Bob was reported. Mab would be interested in that, and so would the Senior Council and the older Wardens.

It will be interesting to see who amongst the supernatural nations/organisations will know how and what Harry did. Lara will know, Marcone, Nicodemus etc. But will the Librarians? The Venatori? The Svartalves? etc.

[Dina]

I just wanted to comment that when I saw the title of the thread I thought it meant Harry's testament (Last Will). His plans for Maggie in case he died, and so on.

In topic, I think Harry has very good stats in Will and he probably received some boosts, like the first time he faced Mother Winter it was like a sort of training, that gave him some advantage later- And all his experience with heavy hitters helped him with the Titan's attack (not to be confused with "Attack on Titan"    )

[K.L.O.E.]

A nice sentiment, but we are referring to the specific spiritual attack that Ferrovax, Mother Winter, Drakul, Vadderung, and the Lords of the Outer Night and the Red King use. I haven't seen any mortal being use such an ability or anything close to it. But Drakul makes me think Harry might just be able to.

In fairness to your idea, I suspect what Harry does internally if done externally to his foes would look rather similar to the Will Attack. I just don't think Dresden has levelled up enough.

Interesting, hadn't thought about it like reiatsu but it certainly shares similarities. I can also see Harry using it to smash down stubborn White Council guys.

You raise a very interesting point. Generally, people seem to learn about what Dresden did in each book without him telling them. Butcher often doesn't explain it...it's sort of an implied word-of-mouth type thing. Definitely some beings/characters have remote viewing capabilities too. But IF no one knew how Harry had solo'd a Titan...that would certainly make some people even MORE nervous than they might be if they know how he did it.

I suspect though that the Merlin and other senior Wizards etc have enough knowledge to work it out. They know about Demonreach, and I suspect know about the Arma Christi (the artefacts of Christ), and they will know that he had to do a binding (that's a requirement for any being no matter the power). I would be interested to see what happens if Bob was reported. Mab would be interested in that, and so would the Senior Council and the older Wardens.

It will be interesting to see who amongst the supernatural nations/organisations will know how and what Harry did. Lara will know, Marcone, Nicodemus etc. But will the Librarians? The Venatori? The Svartalves? etc.

They know about Demonreach, I don't know who knows that Dresden got most of the Arma Christi and that Nicodemus only got the shroud. Maybe the WC thinks that Dresden used the leylines which may freak them out even more?

Back on topic Dresden will definitely get some form of stare down ability even if it's just his size and the winter mantle giving him some form of fear aura or something.

[Eleyctra]

A nice sentiment, but we are referring to the specific spiritual attack that Ferrovax, Mother Winter, Drakul, Vadderung, and the Lords of the Outer Night and the Red King use. I haven't seen any mortal being use such an ability or anything close to it. But Drakul makes me think Harry might just be able to.

The human ghost Sir Stuart of the Colonial Marines in Ghost Story used pure Will to shove Harry back when the Lemurs/shades began attacking Mortimer's home the first time.  So there is at least one human element that can and has used Will power.

Chapter 5
...
"I can see you were a fighter, boy," Stuart said, his voice harsh. "But now you're a child. You've neither the knowledge nor the tools you need to survive." He turned and gave me a ferocious glare, and an unseen force literally pushed my feet back across five or six inches of porch. Holy crap. Stuart might not be a wizard, but obviously I had a thing or two to learn about how a formidable will translated to power on the spooky side of the street.
...

[Mira]

A nice sentiment, but we are referring to the specific spiritual attack that Ferrovax, Mother Winter, Drakul, Vadderung, and the Lords of the Outer Night and the Red King use. I haven't seen any mortal being use such an ability or anything close to it. But Drakul makes me think Harry might just be able to.

Against Mother Winter, he already won a battle of wills, that was in Cold Days.  Against Ferrovax, Harry was acting more like a smart ass, he also didn't understand who or what he was up against.
However I think you aren't exactly right, it isn't a "will" attack, I don't think there is such a thing. I
think it is more about refusing to be beaten, it gives one strength to fight back whatever the odds.  The only time we've seen Harry's will really weakened is when he agreed after everything else failed to be Mab's Knight.  Uriel's seven words gave him his will back.