From: marc@continuumsi.com
Subject: (urth) Eclipse question
Date: 2 Oct 1998 05:38:37 


OK, the "obvious" guess for what caused Apu-Punchau's eclipse
is the ship.  But, why would Tzadkiel bother to help Severian
in such a situation?  Remember, Severian has already brought
the New Sun, and therefore has already insured the continuation
of the next cycle...  I could understand why Zak, Juturna, the
Green Man, etc. would interfere in Severian's past prior to
Severian's examination, but it seems pointless to interfere
after Severian's role is complete (unless Severian has some
additional destiny after UotNS that Gene Wolfe hasn't written
about yet...  Possibly in a short-sun connection).

In fact, given that Apu-Punchau's people end up killing and
entombing him anyway, and given that he's resurrected by the
coming of the New Sun, the whole eclipse thing seems kind of
pointless.  Unless Apu-Punchau's leadership is itself one of
the driving factors in his people's development that eventually
plays itself out in their future history/evolution to New Sun
times...  Any thoughts?

On an unrelated not, it seems clear that Pas is the avatar of
Typhon/Piaton (unless there are other two-headed all-powerful
monarchs floating around capable of building generation ships).
But Pas seems to be a mostly benevolent figure, at least compared
to Echidna, Scylla, etc...  Whereas, Typhon was clearly a bastard...
Guess you'd have to chalk that one up to programmer's error, heh.

-Marc

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