That's certainly possible, but what did Uriel actually do? He traded places with a mortal (behaving exactly as that mortal would for the duration) and said mortal took all that power and did precisely nothing with it.

Like I said, it's possible that Michael's actions allowed him to do something somehow and we just haven't seen it yet, but I don't see the act of temporarily transferring his Grace as something that would prompt a reaction from the Fallen.

I mean, at absolute worst, it means that for a period of a few hours, one of the Fallen can transfer their Grace (or whatever their version is called) to a mortal, limiting themselves to behaving exactly as that mortal would, and in exchange letting a mortal have Unlimited Powah (tm) and the ability to act on it with the same lack of foresight and planning that mortals are so famous for. Which, ultimately, would simply allow the Host to respond in a way vastly better organized and with a much more encompassing and positive end result than anything that mortal could accomplish.

 

A) It would mean Lucifer could transfer his grace to say.. Nicodemus? Big difference.

B) From my understanding it's not equal in the sense that 'Lucifer also gets 7 words' it's equal in the sense that 'Lucifer also gets to reveal a truth'. It's about actions of equal magnitude and who can play the long term consequences better.

 

You missed my point, I think. It doesn't matter who Lucifer gives his grace to. By the very nature of the beast, no mortal is capable of operating on the same level as an angel, Fallen or otherwise, and by doing so, all that you do is allow the other team to act in a significantly better way, in the long haul at least. That's one of the reasons it was such a big deal for Uriel to do what he did. Thus, it's rather unlikely that Lucifer would act on the opportunity, even if it was allowed under the rules.

 

I think it unlikely Big Lou would gift his Grace or Malfeasance or whatever the 'dark' term is to a mortal, for the simple reason that doing so would require him to be functionally mortal himself for a period. Short or long term, regardless of the possible prize, I don't think Lucifer would ever take that risk.

The very idea of personal risk and sacrifice probably doesn't appeal to him much.

 

This is completely valid but then does having the opportunity and not acting on it count as balancing the scales? As in he chooses not to take the risk and that's his Decision? Or is it banked influence he can spend at a later date?

 

It only has to be an exchange of equal worth. The first act we know of that Lucifer had a hand in was sending 30 of his strongest to inhabit Judas' pieces of silver, which I would guess would be as a consequence of Christ's activities on Earth.

 

I'd guess Archangels (probably) can't break the "Rules" and not fall. In Skin Game, there was a fair bit of handwaving about Uriel following the letter of the law, and how he could fall if Michael misused his Grace (broke the rules).

Archangels balance rule breaking, and if archangels don't cheat then there's no imbalance for the fallen to rectify.

I'd agree with Little Chicago on the Fallen risking mortality by trusting a mud monkey; it's permitted but not a likely strategy. Awesome potential for a twist though.

Sources:
"[Uriel] couldn’t change the world around [Michael], at least not of his own will. But he could change himself... That way it isn’t his will that’s using the power. It’s yours..."

"'if [Michael] were to misuse it . . .'
'[Uriel] would Fall,'"

 

I always assumed the three Swords equaled out the Denarii personally.

 

Have to wonder what equalled Christ, then.

 

Maybe something not on our world.

 

The impression I've always had was that 'Evil' always moves first, and 'Good' only moves to restore the balance.

The bad guys in Dresden Files seem hellbent (heh) on corrupting and/or destroying mortals, while the White God and his archangels seem quite determined to preserve free will and choice, the very things that set mortals apart from supernatural entities.

When the good guys make a move, it is rarely a direct move; the two most obvious examples we have are: reminding a mortal that they have a choice (7 little words, to counter 7 other little words), or about giving them an opportunity that they have to grasp for themselves (Soulfire, once Lucifer fired up the fire circles).

In which case, the you'd have the question backwards: not 'What equaled Christ?' but 'What balance did Christ restore?'

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me, Jim

 

And an important question as part of this is "Does such a balancing have to obey the rules of linear time?". Given Lash's disdain, for lack of a better word, for Dresden's perception of time and cause-and-effect, it's very possible that the existence of Christ counteracted a move that, from the mortal perspective, hasn't happened yet.

Admittedly, there's not a whole lot to base that on, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out that Hey-zeus' birth was the counter to Hell's actions at the onset of the Apocalypse.

 

In that case the answer may very well be Original Sin. It has been corrupting humanity for so long God finally decided to clear it up.

 

That makes... substantially more sense. If memory serves, the death and resurrection were supposed to wipe the slate for the Original Sin in most Christian lore. It'd follow logically that Christ was therefore the counter to the serpent's little apple trick.

 

Where do the Walkers rank, power-wise? Dresden seemed to think Sharkface in Cold Days could give Mab a run for her money, but at the same time he seemed to fare well enough against it.

 

As far as we've seen, the Walkers are the generals and field commanders of the Outsiders. In terms of personal power, they don't appear to be super strong (see: Dresden has dealt with two of them reasonably well), but it would not surprise me if they were considered substantially more threatening because of their role (i.e.: they could potentially field forces capable of matching Mab's) or something along those lines.

 

I think he said it was a similar power or something, but not never plainly said it'd be stronger than Mab. If it was, there'd be no way in hell he'd have lived through the first encounter, let alone beat it.

It could be that the creature is hampered by entering the mortal world. Nevernever creatures already are. Outsiders, who are yet another level removed might have an even tougher time.

They strike me as rulers rather than generals, each with their own area of responsibility/aspect. Or champion's. Isn't He Who Walks Behind referred to as a Knight by Lasciel?

 

Thanks, both of you. Seems like a fair deduction. I think I got tripped up by this section

However in the same paragraph Dresden also says

That said, are both He Who Walks Behind and Sharkface still hanging around in the mortal world. Both times we've seen them killed (HWWB in the Raith Deeps I think), and Sharkface in Cold Days - they've turned into some black cloud sort of thing and sped away. Does that mean they were banished to the Outside or are they still lingering around, but weakened?

 

It's never been made clear, one way or the other. I'm currently operating on the assumption that their defeats banished them, but that's only because He Who Walks Behind had to actually be summoned by Papa Raith. It could easily just weaken them and they go and lay low somewhere that Dresden never found out about.