planetary problems

Lee Berman · 27 Dec 2010, 18:41 · from 2010-December.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 13:41:19 -0500
Subject: (urth) planetary problems
Message-ID: <SNT123-W55B3CCCB7FA67B16646FC8CF000 at phx.gbl>

>Marc Aramini: Yes, the question of what exactly Blue is remains a big problem of understanding 
>what happened when the New Sun came,  why there is a city there underwater, maybe even what caused 
>the eclipse that spared Severian's life in the time of Apu Punchau. 

Hm. I already mentioned the ruins beneath Blue's Ocean. And I have long thought the "Accepted Lupine 
Gospel" was on the wrong track with regard to the eclipse ("Tzadkiel's Ship caused it"). What is the
direction of your thoughts, Marc?

Lately I have been considering the nearly endlessly repeated fuligin imagery we get associated with 
Severian and remembering that one of the nicknames for the Conciliator/New Sun which confuses Severian is:
Dark Star.

We hear so much about Severian's association with the White Fountain in UotNS we may be a bit distracted
by the fact that white fountain is the paired opposite of black hole. Considered in this (er..)light, it
seems almost ridiculous for anyone else but Severian to have brought the black hole to eat at Urth's sun.

When did he bring it? I think the concensus is that it was brought at the end of Typhon's rule. It may
be that is what Wolfe intended to convey. But I wonder if there is another possibility.

As Apu Punchau, Severian can be said to have brought civilization to humanity, with the introduction of
modern, durable architecture and effective warfare strategies. Could this somehow be marked by the 
eclipse and perhaps the arrival of the black hole/Dark Star?

It nicely bookends with the coming of the White Fountain, also brought by Severian, marking the end of
civilization on Urth. The Ushas that we see is awfully low tech, (but quite spiritual).

Just some not-very-organized thoughts to throw out there.

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