Cyr-frey - Commander Donald Morgan.

writing is so fun

guy who hasn't had lunch yet: does the entire world feel doomed to anyone else or is this one just between me and the flaming skull

Morgan needs to be right down there with Nicodemus in the ‘pulls into the drive through and orders a black coffee then leaves’ corner

It had to be done. Feel free to argue over who goes where (except for Harry. Harry stays right where he is), and you can add more characters if you want! :P

Mouse: BARK

Harry (with the same tone and volume): WHAT

I'm kicking myself, because I forgot to note down the Turn Coat line that inspired this thought.

Harry is Morgan.

They're entirely the same.

Morgan was the Council's Enforcer, working for the Council that isn't about what's fair or right, it's about controlling power and stamping out Black Magic, bc that's the only line you can draw that won't make things worse. So he's serving and helping this supernatural nation filled with plenty of people who do awful things with their power and are not even remotely held to account for it. Except... He's not an attack dog. If he was then he would have straight up taken Dresden's head off in the first scene we meet him, if not sooner. It's a whole thing in Death Masks (and later in Changes) when we hear about how Ebenezer was supposed to kill Harry for any sign of darkness or disobedience, but even when teenage traumatised Harry acted out, Ebenezer didn't do that. It's a *huge* thing that Eb had orders from the Council to do that but didn't because of who Harry is to him. But... Those orders weren't special. Eb didn't have unique orders to do that, that was just The Doom of Damocles, and Eb was responsible for it. The same Doom that Harry's still under until the end of Storm Front, but Morgan has been the one responsible for the last 5-7 years.

Morgan.

Attack dog Morgan.

Who barely reacted when Dresden decked him.

Who, after Dresden knocked him out with a solid oak chair after being arrested, sought Harry out and walked into a burning building with a demon inside to rescue Harry, and then gave testimony to the Council that convinced them to lift the Doom.

First off, that rules the whole "attack dog" image out entirely, that's *far* too calm and thoughtful and understanding.

But the real point there is... Why do we think that's just Morgan being so Lawful Neutral that he cannot stand anything other than following the letter of the law and being totally honest? Bc that's how it's portrayed at the time, but compare it to the Council that we see in Summer Knight and Proven Guilty and Turn Coat (and remember that these books are *way* more accepting and tolerant, bc Summer Knight sees Simon Petrovich (Justin Du-fucking-Morne's master) replaced by Eb, and then LaFortier (who seems to be the most ruthless and unforgiving, based on how people talk about him) is gone in Turn Coat) ; can you imagine that Council *lifting* the Doom when they hear about Harry's actions in Storm Front?

Morgan is lying to them.

He's protecting Harry.

And where is Harry now?

Morgan was the Council's Enforcer, and now Harry is Mab's Enforcer. He's supporting this supernatural nation filled with plenty of people who do terrible things with their power, and aren't held to account for it. So he just draws the one line that he can.

And he becomes terrifying.

As readers we know that he's still a good guy, but look at how almost the entire world sees him... Harry has become a monster. He's terrifying, and powerful, and cold, and nobody can stand against him when he decides you've done wrong, and the fear of him keeps anyone even close to the line from risking anything that would put him on their back.

Isn't Harry just doing exactly what Morgan always did? Wasn't Morgan always just as moral and understanding as Harry, though they both covered it with intimidation?

Didn't Morgan react to the shooting in Dead Beat exactly the way Dresden did in Battle Ground?

I would arm wrestle Jim Butcher for Morgan’s full backstory. 

I've been seeing a lot of knight posts recently. pretty great

Morgan: Dresden, somewhere out there, there is a tree tirelessly producing oxygen so you can breathe.

Morgan: And I think you owe it an apology.