Earwa > The Warrior-Prophet
The Dialectic of Esmenet
Callan S.:
Seems to be locke's idea - that he mind rapes them, but unbeknownst to him, it links them to him. And him to them. Maybe like a hacker who in letting down someones firewall, has let down his own firewall unknowingly as well.
The halo's always flip me for a loop, because the skin spy immidating him displayed them as well (even as Serwe semi noticed the skin spy was shorter).
If the halos are a meme, it's one Kellhus catches himself, latter on (as he sees the halos himself as well)
locke:
More or less that is the idea. That souls are connected--this is the insight Kellhus offers in TTT iirc, but is an insight he doesn't seem to possess prior to the circumfix--and Kellhus and Moenghus both did not realize how by 'forcing' men and women to love them, that they allowed them inside as well. Look above, Esmenet's perspective has seized upon three core Dunyain principles, the since of everything collapsing to a single PLACE, The Absolute, and The Unconditioned. She got the right words and roughly understands the concepts--Kellhus doesn't understand that he is leaking himself into Serwe and Esmenet. Moenghus did not understand that he leaked himself into Cnaiur.
The Firewall description seems like a really good one. Kellhus seeks to dominate, when Serwe and Esmenet willingly submit to his domination he in turn is unknowningly submitted to them as well. His methods undo him.
And note that Esmenet pulls off the exact same trick in TTT when she is interroraped by the Consult.
Later in TWP, Esmenet reads Kellhus' exact thought, as "am I strong enough." and grasps the trial to come before Kellhus says anything.
It's possible this "leaking" is a unique blindness to the Dunyain. Kellhus labels Esmenet as Defective (after he remembers the way the Dunyain opened faces of 'defectives') for possessing both Animal and Intellect, for being dual natured instead of single natured--but in that memory, Kellhus experiencing an Animal nature reaction of revulsion, he represses the Animal side and prefers to believe this means he has mastered or eliminated it. It's possible that the Dunyain repressing their Animal side becomes so automatic that they think they are no longer dual natured--in other words they are blind to it. And it is through this vector of emotions that Kellhus is blind to that he is fully vulnerable and exposed to the 'hacks' preformed by Serwe and Esmenet.
Callan S.:
Oooh, good tie in to the hack, locke! An ignored, and thus unguarded, gate! Actually it also reminds me of magic - possibly by much the same sort of ignored back door!
Ironically, frankly while reading the story I was blind to any such level of interaction occuring!
--- Quote ---And note that Esmenet pulls off the exact same trick in TTT when she is interroraped by the Consult.
--- End quote ---
How so?
locke:
iirc, she gets some of Aurangs memories during the interrorape.
***
I was up for hours last night, caught up in the final chapters of TWP (didn't finish it though) and just before Kellhus launches his attack on Sarcellus and Conphas there is a super explicit passage about the trinity of Esmenet, Kellhus and Serwe being a singular being. I'll post it later, hopefully, but maybe not until sunday, it's a busy time at the moment.
locke:
--- Quote ---It frightened her, sometimes, the way he effortlessly commanded these men. But then it could be no other way. Where others blundered from moment to moment, scarcely understanding their own wants, hurts, or hopes, let alone those of others, Kellhus caught each instant— each soul— like a fly. His world, Esmenet had realized, was one without surfaces, one where everything— from word and expression to war and nation— was smoky glass, something to be peered through …
Bakker, R. Scott (2008-09-02). The Warrior Prophet: The Prince of Nothing, Book Two (Kindle Locations 10105-10109). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.
--- End quote ---
--- Quote ---But then, why did the ground thrum so? And the stars … What did she see?
Something … Something without compare.
Her skin tingled. The Thanes of the Warrior-Prophet watched her, and she looked through their faces, glimpsed their yearning hearts. To think! So many deluded souls, living illusory lives in unreal worlds! So many! It both boggled her and broke her heart.
And at the same time, it was her triumph.
Something absolute.
Her heart fluttered, pinioned by Kellhus’s shining gaze. She felt at once smoke and naked flesh— something seen through and something desired.
There’s more than me … More than this— yes!
“Tell us, Esmi,” Kellhus hissed through Serwë’s mouth. “Tell us what you see!”
There’s more than them.
“We must take the knife to them,” she said, speaking as she knew her Master would have her speak. “We must show them the demons in their midst.”
So much more!
The Warrior-Prophet smiled with her own lips.
“We must kill them,” her voice said.
Bakker, R. Scott (2008-09-02). The Warrior Prophet: The Prince of Nothing, Book Two (Kindle Locations 10119-10130). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.
--- End quote ---
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