Okay, I assume everyone is agreed that Typhon, in SWORD, is
a Satan image in much the same way & extent that Severian is
a Christ(ian) image, right? I mean, he goes through the whole
tempting in a desert place routine and all that, so anyway...
Roy C. Lackey wrote (among other stuff)...
5 quoted lines
Typhon, who had his own head cut off to spite his ego, had
his head attached to Piaton's body. It was probably some
complication of the surgery, or Piaton's resistance to having
his mind and body subordinated to Typhon's will, that led to
the death of the body behind the curtain.
It never occurred to me before that there was an Oz reference
here. I mean, how are you supposed to deal with temptation?
Ignore it until it leaves you alone.
In other words:
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain ...