Michael Carpenter


 * This article is about the Knight. For the archangel, see Michael.

Michael Joseph Patrick Carpenter is a human male. He is the wielder of Amoracchius. He first appears in Grave Peril.

Description
Michael Carpenter is approximatively fifty of age, with blue eyes, greying brown hair, and is large and strongly built, but physically disabled, due to an accident.

A carpenter by trade, and a good friend of Harry Dresden's, Michael Carpenter used to be a Knight of the Cross and wielder of Amoracchius, but joined the Chicago Alliance when he gave up the Sword. He is married to Charity Carpenter and is the father of Molly Carpenter and several other children. He apparently is a descendant of Charlemagne.

Michael is a devout Catholic and a righteous man, worthy of wielding a Sword of the Cross. He works in close association with Father Forthill at Saint Mary of the Angels. After the events in Changes, he is raising Harry's daughter, Maggie.

As a Knight of the Cross, Michael used to wield holy power. For example, in Grave Peril, when Kelly Hamilton, a Red Court vampire, put her hand on him, it almost instantly burst into white flame. And again, when Mavra touched Michael. He wields the holy blade Amoracchius, the Sword of Love.

He is able to sense where and when his abilities will be needed, often displaying an uncanny ability to show up at times of crisis. Partly for these reasons, Harry calls him the Fist of God. In Small Favor, due to his using faith magic, he was also able to remove the forced amnesia Mab cast on Harry by confronting him with the contradictory loss of his blasting rod.

Biography
Michael Carpenter killed Siriothrax to rescue his future wife Charity Carpenter, who had been offered to the dragon as a sacrifice by cult leader, Gregor. The two married and had a large family together. Michael has assisted Dresden a number of times and the two are close friends.

In Small Favor, Michael begins to wonder if Harry is still on his side; he is reluctant to charge into a fight with him, fearing that Dresden was leading him into a trap. The two almost come to blows in the story, and Harry finally confronts Michael, demanding the truth. Michael shocked him by asking him where his blasting rod is, revealing that he was under an amnesia spell, then uses his faith magic to help him recover. Later on, while the team is evacuating from Demonreach, Harry believes that Gard, as a Valkyrie, is foreseeing Micheal's death and orders him to get in the helicopter first. As Michael puts on the harness to be lifted, Polonius Lartessa grabs a machine gun and unloads into him, nearly killing Michael.

After recovering from his wounds as much as possible, Michael is partially blind in one eye and needs a cane to walk. Unable to fulfill his duties, he is retired as a Knight of the Cross and lives as a carpenter, finally able to live with his family and support them. His home is guarded by several angels in repayment for his services, protecting them from the forces of darkness.

Grave Peril
In Grave Peril, Michael works with Harry to fight troublemaker ghosts and solve who's behind it to stop them. At the start, they find the ghost of Agatha Hagglethorn killing babies at Cook County Hospital. They follow her into the Nevernever where Michael ends Agatha with his sword, Amoracchius. He and Harry are arrested for disturbing the peace. His wife Charity, who blames it all on Harry, bails him out of jail. The Nightmare abducts Charity taking her to Graceland Cemetery where they fight him and Leanansidhe tricks Harry, taking Amoracchius. Harry and Michael attend Bianca's Ball where the Sword is given to Mavra who attempt to unmake it by killing Lydia: the blood of an innocent, the vampires attack Susan and they barely escape the burning building. Michael stood watch over Harry while he recovered. He goes into the Nevernever with Harry and Thomas Raith to rescue Susan and Justine; the two guard Ways for Harry to enter Bianca's mansion.

Death Masks
In Death Masks, Michael makes a dramatic entrance while Shiro and Sanya are fighting the Denarian, Ursiel. He drops from a fire escape platform ten feet, his silver blade flashing and humming with power, beheading the monstrous creature and landing in a crouch on the alley floor—just as it was just about to take a bite out of Harry. Michael ask Harry to get off of the case and leave town.

Proven Guilty
In Proven Guilty, Michael saved the day for some Wardens, Warden trainees led by Anastasia Luccio, and Senior Council members including: Ebenezar McCoy, Martha Liberty and Listens-to-Wind at Luccio's bootcamp. Later, Michael asks if he's been able find a candidate for wielder of Fidelacchius. He told Harry that The Original Merlin was another of the White Council who once was custodian of one the Swords of the Cross: Amoracchius. He suggested to Harry that he begin researching how Amoracchius was passed on, historically.

Small Favor
In Small Favor, Gruffs attack Michael's home while he's out. He arrives after Harry and Charity have defeated the Gruffs.

After Thomas Raith kills Akariel, Harry brings the coin which had been held by the Denarian to Michael at his home, to be given to Father Forthill. Harry is concerned that the Denarians have Saint Mary of the Angels under surveillance, aware that Harry and the knights use it as a safe house. Michael gives Harry information about which Denarians might be in town, but they almost come to blows after arguing over whether the Denarians deserve a second chance.

When Harry goes to Union Station to retrieve Gard's stash of hair and blood samples, to trace Johnny Marcone, Michael accompanies him. A group of Hobs and Tiny the Gruff attack; Michael, wielding Amoracchius, and Harry appear in time to save a group of mortals, including a woman who is holding a crucifix and praying. Michael reassures her that God hears her and answers prayers. He fights his way to the upper levels of the station, where he arrives in time to save The Archive, Jared Kincaid, and Anastasia Luccio – in town for the parley with the Denarians – as well as a group of children, their chaperone, and two Amtrak stewards.

After Harry talks to Nicodemus in front of the Carpenter house, Harry challenges Michael about not trusting him. Michael challenges him in return, leading Harry to realize his mind had been tampered with.

Michael joins Harry in the rescue of Ivy FRP, Demonreach. He kills Thorned Namshiel and cuts off the Denarian's hand which holds the coin, placing the hand in bag. He is gravely wounded during Gard's rescue. Harry and his friends take Michael to Stroger Hospital. The doctors are surprised he is still alive; among other injuries, he has lost one kidney and one lung has collapsed. He has spinal damage and may lose one eye. He requires extensive operations. Charity stays with him when he returns to his room, though Harry and Molly have to leave because they can't risk his ventilator failing because of their magic.

The Warrior
In The Warrior,

Skin Game
Michael was where Dresden went to for comfort in Skin game. Dresden confesses his worry about becoming a monster, as Butters had confessed his worry about Harry becoming more Fae in nature, and that he feels sad about his friends not visiting him during his imprisonment in Demonreach. Michael tells Harry that he has no worries about Harry becoming a monster, and tells him that he is being selfish and arrogant in not remembering the mental trauma that Demonreach gives all of the people who are not the Warden. Michael later temporarily gains Uriel's powers, and takes up Amoracchius again to help Dresden during the heist.