(urth) Agia's Weapons

[David Stockhoff]

On 12/21/2011 9:01 AM, Lee Berman wrote:
> The "mercy" of Agia?
> What sort of bunk is that? She spent 3 books trying to kill him and now she is willing to
> let him go sit on a throne in a highly protected palace?

Bunk indeed! Unless Hethor (as Hethor) was able to stop her or to 
convince her that life as Vodalus' successor would be pretty sweet, that 
plot twist is almost too much to swallow. At least 2 plot drivers are 
overturned: (1) Agia's apparent backstory as a sorcerer/assassin in 
league with the dark forces arrayed against Severian (2) Agia's personal 
hatred of Severian.

Another complication is those evil forces' ambivalence about Severian. 
Hethor himself seems conflicted about whether to worship Severian or 
kill him; like the undines, he wants an executioner, not a conciliator. 
You'd think Agia and Hethor together would agree on killing Severian, 
but it's possible to imagine them agreeing to provisionally accept an 
executioner-Autarch, especially one who gives them autonomy within the 
sphere Inire allows them. If Inire goes away, maybe that changes.

I resist the idea of Hethor as Inire because of these difficulties, not 
in spite of them. If Hethor is Inire, not only are two vastly different 
characters merged, but the "manipulation" you ascribe to Inire 
disappears: even a master manipulator can't manipulate himself. And the 
tension between Hethor and Agia (sex vs power) disappears as well.

However, I have to admit that the persistent image I have of Inire as a 
dark figure repeated in an infinity of mirrors is compelling and suggestive.