Who is Thomas talking to?

[seanham]

The unnamed prisoner says that "He belongs to be here" (paraphrasing). I wonder if Thomas will adopt this same attitude after talking with him or once he gets off the Island that he will feel that he belongs back in prison.

[Mira]

The unnamed prisoner says that "He belongs to be here" (paraphrasing). I wonder if Thomas will adopt this same attitude after talking with him or once he gets off the Island that he will feel that he belongs back in prison.

He might, he was troubled before, that is why when he went to live with Harry he starved himself because he knows on some level it is wrong to feed on other people.  Then he found some peace in nibbling on people, bringing them pleasure while feeding his needs.  Then after the Skinwalker got done with him, he once again saw humans as kine.  Not saying that he fed until death more people since Turn Coat, but he now he has to face the harm that he has done.  If he cannot rid himself of his Hunger Demon, he may also come to believe that he belongs where he is at.

[morriswalters]

The phrase is "Someone who needs to be here." In some ways it is similar to Lea's interaction with Harry in Arctis Tor during Proven Guilty.

“Child,” she said. Her voice was weak. “You must not free me.”

I stared at her, feeling confused. “Why?”

She gritted her teeth and said, “I cannot yet be trusted.

Another way to read it is to assume the the person is healing. Much like Thomas is expected to do. The third alternative being that the prisoner is there waiting for something to happen.  Or some mix of the three. Pick your poison.

[Mira]

  In Lea's case what remained of her sanity due to the infection knew she couldn't be trusted.  It is a creepy scene because at first Harry didn't believe her, then crazy infected Lea appeared and begged him to release her.

[morriswalters]

Yep, she was fruitier than a nut cake.

[Mira]

Yep, she was fruitier than a nut cake.

Isn't nuttier than a fruit cake?

[morriswalters]

I dare to be different.

[Mira]

I dare to be different.

 

[seanham]

The phrase is "Someone who needs to be here." In some ways it is similar to Lea's interaction with Harry in Arctis Tor during Proven Guilty. Another way to read it is to assume the the person is healing. Much like Thomas is expected to do.

Thanks for finding the quote. I like the idea of needing healing. I wonder if being in Contemplation is another way someone could be healed from being infected by Nemesis? Or if the prisoner is infected and cannot leave because if they would, then part of Nemesis would be free to act on the world.

[Basil]

Interesting thought that it could be one of the Nem-fected.  Have we decided whether that ability has limitations? In other words, is there a limit to the number of individuals that can be infected?  Much like the 13 corner hounds, or something like that.

[ZhonLord]

Interesting thought that it could be one of the Nem-fected.  Have we decided whether that ability has limitations? In other words, is there a limit to the number of individuals that can be infected?  Much like the 13 corner hounds, or something like that.

Presumably He Who Walks Beside can only split his attention in so many directions, but beyond that we have had no idea or hints from Jim as to the outsider's capacity yet.

[Basil]

Perhaps the "British Guy" is Demon Reach's in-house psychologist? 

[TrueMonk]

It seems unlikely, but extremely hardcore!

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Most likely a previous Warden, Jim won’t say who the last two Wardens were and I think that the last was Fortier as a placeholder, an absentee to prevent Kemmler from regaining the Wardenship which he had previously held. He had no interest in Demonreach, which made him perfect after Kemmler. His murder was to free the wardenship for a Black Council Member for access to the ley lines except some idiot blundered into it instead. The only definite info we have on Wardens are Merlin, Kemmler and Harry. Harry is the only local.

Humans can’t be held permanently according to WOJ but not permanently   Could still mean centuries and Thomas falls within that category according to Demonreach so presumably would a Wizard, so they could have been in there centuries, a blink of an eye for Demonreach which thinks in geological time as a genius loci. That’s one reason I think it’s Bob’s dad, hiding from Lea.

[Snark Knight]

Also, do we know that only the British Prisoner is the only being in contemplation mode?

IIRC there was some Harry narration when he confined Thomas that there was only one other prisoner under the contemplation protocol.

It wasn't explicitly stated to be the British guy, but it's on the same tier of really strong implications as the blackstaff being MW's walking stick.