Cowl's Identity [FPOTM2 11.2016]

[Griffyn612]

Hey, that's what I just said

Indeed.  Griff was supporting you 

Indeed.  With unsourced evidence and irrelevant statistics.  Which is about the best I can provide these days. 

[jonas]

Indeed.  Griff was supporting you 

Indeed.  With unsourced evidence and irrelevant statistics.  Which is about the best I can provide these days. 

Bah, statistics are always irrelevant. Chaos theory proves if you look at a statistical system the same pattern will repeat itself on every scale. Plus scientists willingly admit that numbers are made up constructs we use as placeholders to define reality. Which is probably good correlation for why 2+2=5 came outa something from beyond reality

[wardenferry419]

Looking at the poll, Simon has almost half the votes. I wonder the reasons why. My reason is repetitive mentions and elimination of  most of the Senior Council. Cristos is possible exception.

[Anubissama]

The reasons I usually give are the following:

As you mentioned he is a character introduced in a "by the way" style, the same as another traitor of the Council, Peabody.

Cowl uses pseudo-Slavic for his spells ("dorosh" is a Russian surname but no actual word in Russian, similar like Dresden pseudo-Latin) which suggest that he is from somewhere with Slavic ethnicities, like Russia, where Archangel, Simons stronghold is. Similar to Dresden who doesn't use proper Latin for his spells but bastardises it because he uses the real thing. Where he NOT from Russia (or around) he could use proper Russian for his spells.

Both Cowl and Dresden use hands crossed at their wrists as defence position against magical attack. Which is not a common or standard position since for example, Peabody uses the "Doctor Strange" hand position to deflect attacks. If Cowl where Simon (who taught DuMorne) it would explain why he and Dresden ended up with the same magical gestures. From one master to the next student. The same way the Council first suspected Harry of leaking the information about Archangels Wards because he was DuMorne's student.

Cowl hands are covered in scars, probably battle scars, since Wardens and the Archangel Brute Squad where the only groups of Wizard to regularly see combat before the War, this suggests that Cowl belonged to one of those groups.

As Senior Council responsible for the "Brute Squad" he would obviously be consulted by the Wardens, and maybe be there go to guy on the Senior Council which would be a handy way to learn about Dresden and be interested "what makes the Warden so nervous about you [Dresden]".

Petrovich was supposed to be the Council's expert on vampires, and every time we've seen Cowl he's associating with vampires (Dead Beat the deal with the Red Court to destroy Edinburgh defences, White Night the putsch in the White Court).

[Shift8]

Question: Do we know for certain what cowls motives or goals are? Like do we know if he is evil or not? I cant recall everything he did in the books well enough to say for myself.

But I do remember him being disgusted with the idea that he was referred to as a kemmlerite. And wasnt Kumori like super polite to Dresden or something?

Like I find it really strange that Simon would build all those wards into his defenses only to sabotage his own stuff so vampires could kill him. That makes no sense.

What if he isnt Simon, but is a relative of Simons? That would explain how he might have different goals or motives, but would also explain why he needs to hide his face still. It would also explain how he might know Simons defenses so well as to sabotage them.

[wardenferry419]

Noone can get to Cowl's level of power without the SC noticing and trying to track what you are doing. So, if you are powerful but want to work in secret then being considered dead is a good way to do that.

[Shift8]

What if Fortier is Cowl.

[Shift8]

What if Cowl faked his death at the hands of Luccio in order to simultaneously frame morgan and disappear from suspicion? Wouldnt this be the exact kind of thing a necromancer like Cowl could do?

[wardenferry419]

Fortier seemed to scream Merlin toady to me. But who knows. With Fortier there is a well examined corpse; not so much with Simon.

[Shift8]

True but the thing I find off about Simon is that he was considered a friend of McCoy IIRC. And McCoy is a shrewd man.

Fortier seems likely to me mainly because he is in a perfect position to be overlooked. He is kind of glossed over when he is murdered. Not that his murder wasnt a big plot point, but that the main plot revolved around who dun it etc. Readers would have been too busy musing over how Luccio was under the control of Peabody and Morgans death etc.

I think its likely that either Fortier used some Necromancy to skirt death, or switched bodies.

[Shift8]

Ok I just noticed something interesting.

Fortier did not like Dresden, or at least Dresden suspects this. Cowl both seems to know and dislike Dresden for more than just being his in the moment enemy.

Kurmori is a Japanese name. Fortier was known for having many non-western connections in Asia.

From wiki: In Turn Coat,[5] the Nevernever location that Wizard Peabody attempts to escape to after Morgan's trial is consistent with the description of the way that Cowl opens to the Nevernever in Dead Beat in order to flee Harry and the werewolves after the incident outside Bock Ordered Books.[6]

Additionally, Cristos is a perfect Red Herring because we know Harry suspects him of being in league with the circle. Literature wise, this makes him a prime candidate for NOT being who Dresden thinks he is.

[Shift8]

More evidence for LaFortier being Cowl.

LaFortier is the one who comes forward with the rather convenient Red Court Peace offer. It is important also that Simon is killed in Summer knight by the Ramps. What is also extremely interesting is that Aleron is the first person to suggest that his was Harry's fault.
       So LaFortier is rather conveniently responsible for coming forth with the peace offer and trying to pass the blame on Simons death on Dresden. Not only is he the source of these ideas/accusations, but both are strongly tied to the Red Court.

-We know that Cowl was at biancas ball the night the war started.
-We know that LaFortier suggested the peace, and tried to blame Dresden.
-Simon dies just before, conveniently killed by Ramps. And someone on the inside was needed...

[Griffyn612]

Cowl uses pseudo-Slavic for his spells ("dorosh" is a Russian surname but no actual word in Russian, similar like Dresden pseudo-Latin) which suggest that he is from somewhere with Slavic ethnicities, like Russia, where Archangel, Simons stronghold is. Similar to Dresden who doesn't use proper Latin for his spells but bastardises it because he uses the real thing. Where he NOT from Russia (or around) he could use proper Russian for his spells.

This doesn't make sense to me.  Harry uses Latin because it's not a language he uses with any frequency (other than as root words), which provides a mental buffer between magical and linguistic meaning.

In contrast, you're suggesting that a Russian living in Russia that probably uses Russian frequently is using Russian words as his magical language, thus resulting in no buffer. 

That's the exact opposite of what Harry is doing. 

Additionally, Cristos is a perfect Red Herring because we know Harry suspects him of being in league with the circle. Literature wise, this makes him a prime candidate for NOT being who Dresden thinks he is.

But it's so simple. All we have to do is divine from what we know of JB: is he the sort of man who would put the secret identity in front of us, or off page? Now, a clever man would make the secret identity secret, because he would know that only a great fool would choose the option that he was given. We are not great fools, so we can clearly not choose the choice in front of us. But he must have known we are not great fools, he would have counted on it, so we can clearly not choose the choice hidden from us.

But, that's what he wants us to think.  He's originally from Missouri, which is the Show-Me state, so he would obviously put the choice in front of us to be seen.  But he's now moved to Colorado, the Centennial State, who took a hundred years to finally become a state, so clearly he would wait for the hidden choice to be revealed in due time!

In fact, it's obvious!  He's given everything away! We know who Cowl is!  JB fell victim to one of the classic blunders - the most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia" - but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go in against a fan when theories are on the line"! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha..

[Shift8]

This doesn't make sense to me.  Harry uses Latin because it's not a language he uses with any frequency (other than as root words), which provides a mental buffer between magical and linguistic meaning.

In contrast, you're suggesting that a Russian living in Russia that probably uses Russian frequently is using Russian words as his magical language, thus resulting in no buffer. 

That's the exact opposite of what Harry is doing. 
But it's so simple. All we have to do is divine from what we know of JB: is he the sort of man who would put the secret identity in front of us, or off page? Now, a clever man would make the secret identity secret, because he would know that only a great fool would choose the option that he was given. We are not great fools, so we can clearly not choose the choice in front of us. But he must have known we are not great fools, he would have counted on it, so we can clearly not choose the choice hidden from us.

But, that's what he wants us to think.  He's originally from Missouri, which is the Show-Me state, so he would obviously put the choice in front of us to be seen.  But he's now moved to Colorado, the Centennial State, who took a hundred years to finally become a state, so clearly he would wait for the hidden choice to be revealed in due time!

In fact, it's obvious!  He's given everything away! We know who Cowl is!  JB fell victim to one of the classic blunders - the most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia" - but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go in against a fan when theories are on the line"! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha..

INCONCEIVABLE! I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT ! 

What do you think of the theory though? I think what you mentioned about Simon's language adds to my evidence. Or maybe thats what Jim wants to think, but he would have know this, so....

[Griffyn612]

INCONCEIVABLE! I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT ! 

What do you think of the theory though? I think what you mentioned about Simon's language adds to my evidence. Or maybe thats what Jim wants to think, but he would have know this, so....

I'm solidly in the Cristos camp, so it's hard for me to be objective.  LaFortier seems technically possible, given what we know of faking one's death.  But from a "feels right" perspective, it doesn't, at least for me.

As for Kumori, I expect the reveal to be similar to the Bruce/Selina reveal in Batman Returns.  Quite suddenly, unexpectedly, there's going to be a private moment of revelation in a public place between Harry and Elaine, where he realizes she's Kumori based on something she said, and she realizes he knows. 

And they'll both smile through the pain. And they'll dance, and try to figure out how they can stop the reality of it from crashing down on them.  And then they'll realize they can't, and after finding and losing each other so many times, their relationship is over, and they'll never have another chance.

And then she'll walk away, and he'll let her, because he can't do anything else.