Sev's common lineage

b sharp · 30 Jun 2008, 12:59 · from 2008-June.txt.gz

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From: bsharporflat at hotmail.com (b sharp)
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:59:47 -0400
Subject: (urth) Sev's common lineage
Message-ID: <BAY103-W384A6630C654486BBFD3AAD79F0 at phx.gbl>

Dave Tallman, to continue the debate:

Yes, my scenario involves two time travels, one forward, one back, while yours involves one. I 
don't see mine being so very unparsimonious. Moreover, along with Jeff Wilson's concerns, your 
scenario seems to  allow no explanation for why Catherine, as a complete stranger to all in the past,
is imprisoned for years, cloned repeatedly then tortured to death. You imply yours does explain why
she is cloned but I don't see it. 

She is chosen for her healing power genes? It seems clear to me that
Severian's gifts come from the gods and he is chosen for his role as Concilator and New Sun because
of his decision making ability borne of a torturer upbringing. No coincidence that Ymar had a good shot
and the kindly old bee keeping Autarch failed miserably.

In my scenario, Catherine is forced back to her own time to fulfill her destiny. Probably by Father Inire,
who, as you argue, is probably still the secret power behind the throne. If the Praetorians killed her in 
the future, she wouldn't have the same destiny, wouldn't be in the coffin in the necropolis, Severian never
meets Vodalus or Thea, doesn't fall in love with Thecla, etc. etc. Surely Inire knew this.

I still don't see that any effort should be made to find a source of exultant blood for Severian. He is tall
compared to most people but at least a head shorter than every single exultant he meets. In other words,
he is of armiger height just like (who I think are) his family members, Catherine, Cyriaca and Jolenta.

Thalassocrat:

I agree that unnamed major characters such as Dorcas' husband, (and the St Katharine maid, 
and the Castellan) send up a red flag.  Some of the age issues seem to bend your family theory almost to
the breaking point, though I've always thought of Casdoe as being in her 30's.  Old boatman as Uncle 
Severian is an interesting twist. Catherine and Ouen as siblings certainly fits my view of the incestuous 
family curse (as does the impending relationship between Ouen and Dorcas at the end of CotA).

I do favor the view that Casdoe and little Sev are family members of Severian (though I tend to think
the relationship extends from Cyriaca and Herais, in Thrax).  The incest angle here is with little Sev.  
Severian twice gives unprompted denials of pedophila, once to us and once to Mannea (or was it Ava?).
Severian, with regard to the Old Leech, makes it very clear that an unprompted denial of pedophila is a 
sure sign of guilt.
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