Author Topic: Mab saw the sucker punch coming. Her tricks are functioning flawlessly.  (Read 5069 times)

Offline Conspiracy Theorist

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Good practice for Ethnui

Offline vultur

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Which is the whole point, Mab has a greater agenda and set everyone up.  Whatever her plan was has been thrown out the window by the appearance of the Titan.. Unless of course she anticipated that and that is why she is setting things up the way she did.

I think she anticipated some kind of betrayal from the Fomor; I don't know if she expected Ethniu specifically.

As KurtinStGeorge says in the original post, if Lea knows the Fomor are betrayers by nature, surely Mab does too.

But the Fomor may have showed up with more force than she was expecting.

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You say Thomas could have summoned Mab, he has that kind of power but he couldn't contain her.  However has Thomas been taught how to summon anyone or thing?

Well, we know Mab knows about Thomas (she mentioned to Harry that she might recruit him as Winter Knight, before Harry actually took up the job).

IIRC beings like that can hear their name spoken,  so Thomas might be able to just say Mab's name three times and ask to make a deal. There'd be no compulsion to show up or control of her if she did show up, but Mab would likely want to have a deal with Thomas (she might be able to use it to put more pressure on Harry...)

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Even if he had, why would he call Mab specifically?

The more I think about this, the more it might make sense. Thomas has some connection to Mab through Harry. Thomas knows about Harry's "tense" working relationship with Mab. Mab knows that if she killed Thomas and Harry found out about it, Harry would stop being useful to her.

So of all the super-powerful beings out there, Mab probably is the most likely to a) actually show up and b) not kill Thomas out of hand for having the temerity to call on her.

 
Molly didn't even try, she said she couldn't, supposedly she cannot lie now.  Harry invited her out, but she said she couldn't leave until he broke the circle.

She said maybe she could, but it would mess her up badly so she wouldn't try.

Also, Harry was asking her if she could just step out like a mortal, I'm not sure that is quite the same thing as a contest of wills like Harry vs Erlking in DB.

But yeah - circles are definitely a huge deal. I kind of doubt Thomas could hold Mab with a normal circle (she's stronger than the Erlking, and Thomas isn't experienced with this like Harry is, and Harry had an "improved" circle in DB) but she would have to exert some significant will/power to break free, IMO.

Offline Snark Knight

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Now for a WAG, or two.  Mab will succeed, but not in everything.  Harry is going to screw up her plans in some major fashion.  Mab is thinking of replacing Harry with Thomas.  She’s more than a little miffed that Harry won’t bend to her will and Thomas has much more obvious weak spots for her to apply pressure to.  Of course, this possibility will be obviated if Thomas become a KotC.

I don't think Thomas is going to be coming out of stasis for a while, so Mab isn't going to be trading knights any time soon. (Already confirmed Harry is still the Knight in Christmas Eve).

Sure, she'd like him to be harsher, but she's not exactly going to be able to replace a Starborn, soulfire-wielding Warden of Demonreach off the shelf.

Offline Mira

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I don't think Thomas is going to be coming out of stasis for a while, so Mab isn't going to be trading knights any time soon. (Already confirmed Harry is still the Knight in Christmas Eve).

Sure, she'd like him to be harsher, but she's not exactly going to be able to replace a Starborn, soulfire-wielding Warden of Demonreach off the shelf.

Exactly

Offline Conspiracy Theorist

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I do not doubt Mab has plans for Thomas, but having him in stasis is part of those plans, which means she knew about or predicted the Thomas situation but did not engineer it. Mab is spectacular at taking advantage of somebody else’s decisions to their detriment. Ask Nicky.


My guess is she put manoeuvred Marcone into hosting the Peace Talks, knowing full well the likely participants who would attend ( I think only River was unanticipated due to Harry’s intervention) white Court, Swartalves, White Council and who would be there for the White Court, Eb. She knew both Harry’s and Thomas’s living arrangements and knew of Eb’s views on Whamps and Swartalves, she just needed Eb to visit Harry at home when Thomas was there. It would indicate that Mab is ultimately behind the push to oust Harry as that is the urgent reason Eb had to visit Harry (Carlos didn’t raise it). Everything else on the Thomas incident arises from that. Thomas creates the excuse for Harry to go to Demonreach. Without the Thomas incident Harry would have been drafted by Eb and not made it to Demonreach. One of the first things, Eb does after Ethnui’s ultimatum ask where Harry is before it is even known Thomas is gone.


Mab works for more than one reason, she needed Harry of his own free will to go to Demonreach to pick up the weapons, despite being under favour to Lara and she needs to later on discredit Eb for some reason. If Eb is becoming unstable he needs to be relieved of the Blackstaff by the senior council, in circumstances where Harry will be awarded it by the Senior Council.


If the Blackstaff is Mother Winters walking Stick it can be returned to her, or it can be bestowed on another Wizard, she may intend Harry to take it to make him more her Knight, but I think he would reject it, he’s seen the effect on Eb and realises it would make it much easier for him to become a monster. He may instead return it to Mother Winter outplaying Mab and earning him a favour from her totally stymying Mab because if she ascends to being the Mother might herself have to repay that favour to Harry.


Mab may finally have outsmarted herself, which would gibe with Christmas Eve, she appears very contrite in paying funeral expenses/medical bills, and in providing a gift for Maggie. Very unlike her But does not appear herself, sending Molly. Harry finally has something over Mab, rather than the other way round. A favour from Mother Winter would do it.


Setting aside the Black Staff , which would allow Harry to kill Marcone without consequence would show Marcone that Harry will not kill him in cold blood ever. That may affect the disposition of the BFS building. Marcone is very dismissive of the “so-called” White Council in Even Hand.


By making it clear to the White Council that the Laws of Magic apply to all Harry would be seeking rescue their reputation. No more executions, No more black ops breaking the Laws.

Perhaps Harry will not be the Winter Knight Mab wants, but he may end up being the Winter Knight Mother Winter wants, a check on Mab. Mab won’t have been allowed to know what went on between Harry and the Mothers, the one person who could out Mab Mab is Mother Winter, with Harry intervention.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2020, 11:45:23 AM by Conspiracy Theorist »

Offline Snark Knight

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Perhaps Harry will not be the Winter Knight Mab wants, but he may end up being the Winter Knight Mother Winter wants, a check on Mab.

I doubt it. Everything Mab thinks about Harry not being enough of a monster? Mother Winter takes it even further.

Offline Conspiracy Theorist

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It depends on whether Mother Winter and Mother Summer feels that a Harry who is more of a monster is the right Harry for the job. They are an Intellectus, unlike Mab, and they may know better. Monster Harry may not succeed at BAT. Agonising over his actions Harry might.

A Harry who agonises over the consequences mat be just the Harry required, the Blackstaff may be construed as an emotional crutch to relieve Harry’s  suffering, and Mother Winter certainly believes people should suffer.

The Mother Winters walking stick revelation may have been dropped by Mother Summer as part of their plan and not Mab’s

PT gave us also the first connection between Mab and the White Council in ancient times, she was in love with the Merlin. She likely gave the Blackstaff to the Merlin to allow him to shoulder the pain his actions were causing him. This is what Mother Winter considers her to be too gentle. Passing the Black Staff back to Mother Winter is not only a test for Harry, it’s a lesson for Mab. Mother Winter requires her to be more of a Monster.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2020, 09:03:02 AM by Conspiracy Theorist »