Moved from Main - the Dark is rising series and movie

[sistermagpie]

> marion11111:
> So, I'm back to trying to figure out why I can't stand Dumbledore 
and yet have no problem 
> with Merriman.  I guess I felt betrayed by Dumbledore.  He was so 
cuddly in the first books 
> and gave the impression of protecting people - Hagrid, Trelawney, 
Harry.  To suddenly 
> discover that he was coldly using some people was hard to take.
> 
> Merriman was never all that cuddly.  On my first reading, I started 
with DiR and was 
> introduced to him as a wise, powerful,yet cold Old One.  Even after 
seeing him through the 
> Drew children's eyes, he was never overly warm and fuzzy.  I think 
Jane even says at one 
> point that he's not that kind of Uncle.  So, when he treated the 
Walker with such coldness, 
> it didn't seem that unexpected.   

Magpie:
I think so too--Merriman is consistent. Dumbledore's tearfully 
telling Harry how much he really loved him and wanted him to be 
happy. Maybe I'd just prefer Merriman because I'd pretty much know 
where I stood and how far his love could go and couldn't go. 

Look at the way Merriman is to Will as well--even more than the 
Drews. He's more patient with them. but in DiR there are times where 
he's really harsh to Will, like when he tells him that yes, it's his 
fault the Lady disappeared. Will's been an Old One for all of half a 
day and he was also a young boy who was tricked, and Merriman snaps 
at him anyway. Even if he apologizes, that's quite a big thing to put 
on Will's shoulders. And he's always very sharp about Will's 
shortcomings, calling him "stupid boy" when he's made a mistake.

All of this still leads to an interesting relationship that I like, 
but there's no confusing Merriman for Dumbledore here. He's treating 
Will as an almost-equal before he's really ready for it, and 
sometimes even sounds a bit Snape-like. With Hawkins he was probably 
sort of an awe-inspiring liege.

-m