Severian as Savior; Destruction Of Urth As Redemptive Act?

Roy C. Lackey · 21 Aug 2006, 06:03 · from 2006-August.txt.gz

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From: rclackey at stic.net (Roy C. Lackey)
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 01:03:17 -0500
Subject: (urth) Severian as Savior;
	Destruction Of Urth As Redemptive Act?
Message-ID: <008101c6c4e7$82239fa0$2c3ec6d8 at rclackey.stic.net>

Jack Redelfs wrote:
>I got a very different impression on reading UOTNS. In my reading, Severian
>may have killed billions of people, but it was a justifiable "cracking of
>eggs" in order to bring about a righteous purpose. The ultimate outcome was
>not just redemptive for the aging sun, but for humanity as a whole.

Then you won't agree with Wright's ATTENDING DAEDALUS. <g>

>2) It was a physical redemption, preserving the bloodlines of
>Urth. Immediate trauma is preferable to eventual extinction.
>Humanity was trapped on Urth (although probably by choice)
>and the sun was fading very fast. True, Severian has the
>ability to escape by various means, but he seems a special
>case. Despite the ephemeral presence of cacogens, there was nowhere for
>Jonas and co. to dock, and no more Whorls in the making.

The "Ice Future" would take a long time to come about. But no matter what
happened to Urth, mankind had already spread, minimally, all across the
galaxy. Ushas was not necessary to the survival of the species.

-Roy

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