Moved from Main - the Dark is rising series and movie

[sistermagpie]

> > marion11111:
> > I just finished a very fast reread of these for the first time in 
> probably twenty-five years.  It 
> > was very interesting to do this following all the discussion 
about 
> right and wrong and 
> > good and evil in the Harry Potter books.  
> > 
> > I know in earlier readings I felt terrible about the Walker's 
> betrayal, but I never really 
> > considered the depth of Merriman's coldness.  To know that 
someone 
> is gambling with 
> > your life, not their own, but yours.  How could Merriman even 
> think that the Walker would 
> > remain loyal?  It's so much darker than anything JKR wrote about 
> Dumbledore and Snape 
> > and I wonder if it's just beyond the comprehension of most kids.  
> I certainly was so caught 
> > up in the idea of kindly, protective Gumerry that I didn't see 
the 
> real motivation behind the 
> > Walker's switch.  
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Agreed. Dumbledore is a baby in comparison, me thinks :)
> 
> And when Merriman for all his sadness does not even flinch when he 
> tells Will that I was prepared to let him die...

Magpie:
I would say that you have to also take into account the different 
relationships--and again that Merriman isn't supposed to be a human 
being (so someone we should aspire to be). He's like a god.

The Walker's weakness really wasn't just that Merriman betrayed his 
love, because Merriman didn't, iirc, lie to the Walker. He told him 
exactly what he was being asked--and being asked to take on a mission 
that was potentially deadly isn't unheard of, really. The problem 
wasn't that Merriman betrayed him, since Merriman laid out exactly 
what Hawkin was doing. Hawkin made the choice--Merriman didn't force 
him, iirc. That's the thing the Light doesn't do.

The trouble was the Walker in the moment where he could have died, 
couldn't help but make it a test of love--even though Merriman had 
told him the truth, Hawkin couldn't really understand the depth of 
what he was being asked until that moment. In that moment the Walker 
needed exactly what Merriman was unable to give--he needed him to put 
his love for Hawkin the Man above the Light, and he couldn't. He 
would let him die, because otherwise the book might be harmed. 
Merriman and the Light also gave Will a really horrible illness, one 
where, as Bran says, the doctor didn't even realize how bad it was. 
The Light did it to protect the prophecy temporarily. Will, when he 
realizes this, has no problem.

One reason Hawkin agreed to what he was doing, though, was because he 
basically wanted to be an Old One. That's part of why he went to the 
Dark as well. He wanted to be Will, because Will was really in the 
circle. Agreeing to be part of things got Hawkin as close as he was 
going to get--but it also put him under the same law that Old Ones 
like Will live under, and those Laws are harsh. (Doesn't Will also 
risk Mary's life when the Rider tries to use her against him?)

So, the thing is, Dumbledore's the one crying and saying how he got 
to love Harry--he loved him like a person, and he needs/wants Harry 
to love him back (Merriman and Will are prepared to accept the hatred 
and mistrust of people). Merriman considers what happened to Hawkin a 
serious mistake of his own (Merriman's--not Hawkin's). He doesn't 
hold Hawkin's betrayal of him against him.

Alla:
> 
> And love Will as I am, I wanted to slap him badly when he showed 
the 
> signs in the Walker's face.
> 
> Did you still like Will after the reread? I am rereading Greenwitch 
> now and so far am liking Will still, we shall see how I feel after 
> the end.

Magpie:
I've never not liked Will.:-) I don't remember exactly what scene you 
mean when you say Will shoved the signs in the Walker's face--but I 
do remember that ultimately Will feels sorry for the Walker, 
specifically thinks about respecting him and understanding the 
cruelty that was done to him. If it's the scene I'm thinking of it 
seems like again it's laid out along the same lines--Will knows he's 
doing something cruel, and he's choosing to do it because he thinks 
it's important for the Light. In general he treats him 
compassionately and thinks of him with compassion even though he's 
tried to do some serious things to him. He thinks sadly of the short 
time they were like friends.

-m