(urth) Sev's Family Tree

[Lee Berman]

>Son of Witz-I think the spirit of the text suggests that we get past our attachments 
>to the past and let the regeneration/resurrection stand as a positive, necessary thing 
>for the future of Urth and humanity.

Well, I certainly felt that was the spirit of the text for many years, but doubts always
lurked. Master Ash says that in the Ragnarok future, most of humanity will be saved. With
the New Sun future, most of humanity will be destroyed. I used to think there was supposed 
to be some value in humanity remaining on their home planet. But even there, there are new
continents formed, it has a new name..it really isn't the same planet. So what's so great
about Ushas?
 
When Tzadkiel says, "Let me say plainly that we have tricked you, Severian" nothing could
be truer both for Severian and for the readers. For 4.5 books we have been led to believe
that the New Sun was great! Nothing more wonderful than to fix a dying sun and restore a
dying urth. Woo hoo, fully green plants.
 
Suddenly now in the last half book do we and Severian finally learn that he is to be returned 
to Briah and Urth "which will be destroyed at your order".
 
We get a further explanation which fits Witz' interpretation a bit better with:
 
>"The death agonies of the world you know will be offered to the Increate.  And they will be
>indescribable--continents will founder, as has been said [by Talos].Much that is beautiful
>will perish and with it most of your race; but your home will be reborn."
 
I guess we were all too dumb to get this soley from the Play.
 
Still no real explanation why this future is required and the future of ice with humanity saved 
to other planets is an inferior future. There is an implication that the Hierogrammates are a
superior race and thus deservere to live even if it means 99% of humanity must die horribly.
(this is why I've called Hiero-dudes akin to Nazis). 
 
As I've posted in the past, the only moral justification I can find for this is in the Bible. 
There must be something irrevocably corrupt about the humanity which happens to be on Urth now; 
just as there was on Earth before the Flood.
 
 
>Gerry Quinn: It seems obvious that family and/or close acquaintaince are the basis of its [alzabo] 
>modus operandi. It comes to the door crying to be let in in the voice of a family member, and in 
>Sev's conversation with what might be called 'the spirit of Becan' within it, it indicates that it 
>is motivated to bring his family to join him.
 
Yes, I think the text reads just this way. As Thecla became a part of Severian (and her desire to sit
on a throne became partly his) so Becan became a part of the alzabo. Both beast and Becan wanted his
family to join him, though for different reasons. Becan-in-alzabo was still intelligent and caring as 
a man and father. He knew the family reunion would mean his family would be eaten, dying a painful 
death but, hey, so what. They'd be together. I supposed they neurally thanked Becan and had a biochemical
group hug inside the alzabo's brain later.
 
It sounds like similar morality to Severian destroying millions of people on Urth; or FDR/Truman killing 
a million civilians in WWII- the end justifies the means, no matter the cost. It was a WWII/Cold War
mentality and I understand it.  I can't be sure if Wolfe embraced it or was repulsed by it. Perhaps both?
He did have Severian disband the Guild.  But from what I've heard of his political leanings, I think he 
might embrace the "brutal reality" philosophy also. Can't be sure though.