- This article is for the current individual. For the magical construct, see The Archive.
Ivy, the current Archive, from which her name derives,[1] is a human female. She first appears in Death Masks.
Description[]
In Death Masks, as the Archive, she is the neutral emissary for the Duel between Dresden and Paolo Ortega under the Code Duello outlined in the Unseelie Accords.[1]
She is a little girl (seven in Death Masks, twelve in Small Favor, a teen in Changes) with blond hair and within the average height for her age group. Ivy speaks with a faint British accent. She prefers calculus to magic though she is very gifted. She likes cute animals.[1]
Harry Dresden is her only friend and Kincaid is the closest thing to a father she has ever known.[2]
Gallery[]
Biography[]
Her bodyguard and driver is Jared Kincaid, who has also become a dear friend. As she has no name other than the Archive, Harry Dresden nicknamed her "Ivy".[1]
Ivy was born to a long line of women holding the Archive and passing it from mother to daughter. Her grandmother was killed when she was young; Ivy's mother, still young, could not handle her new role and killed herself, thereby passing the Archive on to Ivy.[3]
In Small Favor, she has been The Archive from birth. She's never had the chance to develop her own identity, her mind, her own personality.[4]
In the series[]
Death Masks[]
- Main article: Death Masks
In Death Masks, the Archive pays a visit to Harry Dresden in her role as neutral emissary for the Duel. Ivy outlines the rules and told Dresden to get a second by sundown or forfeit and be killed by her. Dresden gives The Archive her name: "Ivy", derived from the "ive" part of Archive. Ivy is totally captivated by Mister, fondly petting him; Mister likes her back.[1]
At the duel, she provides a Deathstone, a Mordite sphere for the Duel of Wills.[5]
Small Favor[]
- Main article: Small Favor
Ivy and Marcone captured by the Denarians.
In Small Favor, Harry Dresden asks for the Archive to be the moderator between the Denarians and Dresden on behalf of Marcone's representatives: Gard and Hendricks. The meeting is set up at the Shedd Aquarium where she is kidnapped by the Denarians.[6] Dresden writes her a note letting her know he's coming to rescue her, she's not alone, The Archive should get it.[4]
Dresden frees Ivy from an elaborate greater circle created by Polonius Lartessa of the Denarians on Demonreach.[7] Later, through hugs and tears Ivy tells Dresden that she got his letter and thanks him.[3]
Anastasia Luccio later explains to Dresden that the power and knowledge of the Archive is passed from mother to daughter, ideally only when the new has had a life with a family and children of her own to protect herself from the memories of her ancestors. In Ivy's case, her grandmother died unexpectedly in a car accident when she was middle-aged. Her teenage mother was young and in love; when she became the Archive, she hated her mother for forcing her to become the new Archive and her unborn daughter for having a life of freedom ahead of her. She committed suicide and Ivy became the Archive as an infant, knowing exactly what her mother had done and what she thought of Ivy.[3]
Changes[]
- Main article: Changes
In Changes, Harry Dresden contacts her by writing a note, asking for information on where Maggie is being held. Ivy is initially unable to help due to the limitations imposed on the Archive, but after Dresden threatens to turn to demonic aid, she summons up enough willpower to temporarily override the Archive and point him in the direction of John Marcone, who has useful information.[8]
"Goodbye"[]
- Main article: Goodbye
In "Goodbye", Ivy stands up to Jared Kincaid, who's been contacted by Harry Dresden with instructions to kill him. She instructs him "In the chest.", reminding him that Dresden is her only other friend. She then dismiss him from her service.[9]
Ghost Story[]
- Main article: Ghost Story
In Ghost Story, Ivy would have found out that Dresden died the moment anything is written, it would shatter her since Dresden was her only friend. She's about twelve or thirteen now.[2]
Peace Talks[]
- Main article: Peace Talks
In Peace Talks,
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Battle Ground[]
- Main article: Battle Ground
In Battle Ground, Ivy takes part in the battle against the Fomor, moving in the battlefield surrounded by a circling mass of heavy objects.[10] Though she is able to wear down Ethniu with the others, eventually Ethniu throws a decapitated head and hits Ivy in the sternum, knocking her out of the battle.[11] In the aftermath of the battle, Ivy helps coordinate emergency relief with Riley.[12]
Word of Jim[]
I knew I wanted to do “creepy little girl”. Because a creepy little girl is a great character. But then after I had figured out what her powers were and how she would behave, I had to start working out the extended consequences of what that character would be like. Originally she was just supposed to be “creepy little girl,” ok but why does she get any respect? Ok well, because she knows all this stuff. Now she’s creepy little girl who knows everything! That’s bad. That’s scary.
But then she was another character who was originally just supposed to show up for one book, but wound up being interesting enough and having enough of a vibe with Harry [and his] latent father impulses to be worth showing up again and again. So it’s another one of those practitioners who kinda outgrew what I originally cast her for.— Jim Butcher[13]
In 2012, Jim Butcher stated on his forums that Ivy is in charge of the Oblivion War.[14]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Death Masks, ch. 10
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ghost Story, ch. 19
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Small Favor, ch. 46
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Small Favor, ch. 36
- ↑ Death Masks, ch. 29
- ↑ Small Favor, ch. 35
- ↑ Small Favor, ch. 42-43
- ↑ Changes, ch. 19
- ↑ "Goodbye"
- ↑ Battle Ground, ch. 31
- ↑ Battle Ground, ch. 32
- ↑ Battle Ground, ch. 35
- ↑ 2009 Q&A in Kansas City @51:18 - archive.org
- ↑ WoJ on Harry’s “mortal” “allies” - Word of Jim