The shield bracelet is a magical focus used by Harry Dresden. It first appears in Storm Front.
Description[]
The original bracelet was silver with dangling shield charms. It was designed to serve as a metaphysical barrier to stop kinetic attacks such as bullets and blows.[1]
This bracelet was heavily damaged during a battle in Blood Rites, after which, it would bleed energy as a shower of blue sparks.[2][3]
During the battle that damaged the bracelet, his shield was coated with napalm and since the shield did not act as a barrier to heat, his hand was severely burnt.[2] By White Night, Harry Dresden crafted a newer much more sophisticated shield bracelet made of "shields of silver, iron, copper, nickel, and brass."[1]
This new bracelet is capable of focusing a much more sophisticated shield that may serve as a barrier to nearly anything, physical or magical.[1] Dresden says that he could even use it to create a sphere, within which he could withstand the harsh environment of space.[4]
One down side to this more powerful focus is that it requires more energy to maintain.[5]
In Small Favor a sorcerer attacked Dresden using five or six complex "frequencies" of magic, but the bracelet only managed to block the majority of them.[6]
In the series[]
Storm Front[]
- Main article: Storm Front
In Storm Front, Harry Dresden uses a shield bracelet to prevent Victor Sells' scorpion golem from attacking him, as well as to protect himself and Karrin Murphy from the concussive forces of falling several stories in an elevator,[7] burning the bracelet out in the process.[8]
Fool Moon[]
- Main article: Fool Moon
In Fool Moon, Dresden has replaced his shield bracelet with a new one.[9] He uses it to block shotgun shells from the Streetwolves[10] up until Karrin Murphy takes it from him,[11] although he reclaims it later.[12] Later, under the effects of the stimulant potion, he deflects yet more munitions from the Streetwolves.[13]
Grave Peril[]
- Main article: Grave Peril
In Grave Peril, Harry Dresden uses his shield bracelet to track down the Dead Man's Talisman he had previously given to Lydia, and to defend himself from Kyle and Kelly Hamilton.[14] He also uses it in a ritual used to prevent The Nightmare from doing harm to anyone but Dresden himself.[15]
The bracelet is taken from him when he is captured by Bianca St. Claire,[16] and is later recovered[17] and used to defend Dresden from St. Claire's security guards' gunfire.[18]
Summer Knight[]
- Main article: Summer Knight (novel)
In Summer Knight, Dresden uses one to block gunfire from Red Court assassins.[19] He later defends against physical attacks by the Chlorofiend in the same way.[20]
Death Masks[]
- Main article: Death Masks
In Death Masks, Harry Dresden blocks Deirdre Archleone's blade-hairs with it until she eventually tries to dismantle the bracelet with magic, at which point he distracts her with pepper spray full in the face.[21] He later attempts to protect himself against Nicodemus Archleone, but Anduriel simply surges beneath the shield and wrenches him off-balance.[22]
Blood Rites[]
- Main article: Blood Rites
In Blood Rites, Dresden uses it to deflect munitions from Lara Raith[23] and, in the assault on Mavra's scourge of Black Court vampires, he also uses it to hold a blast of homemade napalm at bay. However, as the shield was not designed to deflect heat, the braceled becomes heat-warped and Dresden's hand is horribly burned.[2]
Dead Beat[]
- Main article: Dead Beat
In Dead Beat, Dresden's heat-damaged shield bracelet now emits blue-white sparks when powered up. Dresden uses it numerous times to deflect everything from shotgun blasts[3] to magical assaults.[24]
"Something Borrowed"[]
- Main article: Something Borrowed
In "Something Borrowed", Dresden's bracelet generates a bridge of pure force, allowing Karrin Murphy to make it over shellycobb-infested waters to collect Georgia Borden. Later, Dresden catches a sphere of energy from Jenny Greenteeth on his shield bracelet and deflects it back at her, wounding her.[25]
Proven Guilty[]
- Main article: Proven Guilty
In Proven Guilty, Dresden's bracelet is still damaged, but serviceable enough to hold Fetches at bay,[26][27] although some of them were able to "ooze" through the shield.[28]
White Night[]
- Main article: White Night
In White Night, Harry Dresden has created an improved bracelet designed to deflect heat, cold, electricity, kinetic energy, sound, light, and a fairly broad spectrum of supernatural energies.[1] One of the shields from the bracelet is attached to Mouse's collar, which enables Dresden to locate the dog.[29]
Dresden later liberally uses the new bracelet during his duel with Vittorio Malvora and Madrigal Raith.[5]
Small Favor[]
- Main article: Small Favor
In Small Favor, Dresden uses the bracelet to deflect bullets from Gruffs[30] and from mercenaries such as Bart.[31] Later, at the aquarium, Thorned Namshiel is able to short out Dresden's shield by surrounding him in disruptive magic.[32] Once freed, Dresden uses it to halt a forward charge by Magog, albeit with some difficulty, and protects himself from a magical assault by Polonius Lartessa until being disarmed.[33]
Meeting Namshiel again on Demonreach island, Dresden is able to initially deflect Namshiel's attacks with his bracelet until Namshiel launches a five-fold magical assault on five different magical "wavelengths". Dresden's bracelet is able to deflect three of the beams and nearly blocks the fourth, but is unable to stretch to counter all of them simultaneously. The fourth beam is able to place Dresden in a choke hold[6] while the fifth steals eleven Blackened Denarii from his pocket. Finally, Dresden uses the bracelet to deflects bullets from Nicodemus Archleone's squires while awaiting rescue by Thomas Raith from Lake Michigan.[34]
"Day Off"[]
- Main article: Day Off
In "Harry Dresden's Day Off", Dresden equips his shield bracelet in case Kirby should become violent, but ends up not needing it.[35]
The Warrior[]
- Main article: The Warrior
In The Warrior, Dresden protects himself from Father Douglas' gunshots long enough to make it behind the powerful wards of his apartment.[36]
"Last Call"[]
- Main article: Last Call
In "Last Call", Harry Dresden uses his bracelet to prevent Karrin Murphy and Meditrina Bassarid from attacking him.[37]
Turn Coat[]
- Main article: Turn Coat
In Turn Coat, Dresden wields his bracelet against the Naagloshii, Shagnasty, but each use is only partially successful[38][39] until he uses Demonreach to bolster his spells.[40] He later uses it to defend himself from the Gatekeeper's sleep spell, although everyone around him, including Molly Carpenter and Will and Georgia Borden, were still affected.[41] Lastly, Dresden blocks a magical assault by a mind-controlled Warden while chasing after Wizard Peabody.[42]
"Love Hurts"[]
- Main article: Love Hurts
In "Love Hurts", Dresden protects Murphy from Maroon's gunfire, a servant of Baroness Leblanc. He later uses it against LeBlanc herself as well.[43]
Changes[]
- Main article: Changes
In Changes, Dresden employs his shield bracelet to stop charging vampires, gunfire,[44][45][46] and to protect himself should he enter the Nevernever in an environment as deadly as the vacuum of space, by enabling him to survive in for a short time.[4] It turns out to be unnecessary, as he arrives in Lea's Garden, although Dresden does ultimately use his shield bracelet to protect himself from a giant centipede guardian that Lea had set to guard the area.[47] Finally, he uses his shield to block sorcerous attacks from vampire nobles and Lords of Outer Night during his duel with Arianna Ortega and the subsequent battle,[48] the last times Dresden would ever use this version of his shield bracelet.[49]
Ghost Story[]
- Main article: Ghost Story
In Ghost Story, Harry Dresden manifested his Shield bracelet while in the Nevernever during the D-Day Normandy Landings[Footnote 1] battle that were Evil Bob's defenses preventing entry to Corpsetaker and Big Hoods's Hideout.[50]
"Jury Duty"[]
- Main article: Jury Duty
In "Jury Duty", Dresden has once again created a new shield bracelet, presumably not as versatile or powerful as his advanced shield bracelet, having been "thrown together". This shield bracelet produces green-gold sparks on impact, and although it cannot be made omnidirectional, Dresden is able to effectively shield himself from repeated gunfire with it.[51]
Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 White Night, ch. 10
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Blood Rites, ch. 33
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dead Beat, ch. 5
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Changes, ch. 11
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 White Night, ch. 38
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Small Favor, ch. 43
- ↑ Storm Front, ch. 22
- ↑ Storm Front, ch. 23
- ↑ Fool Moon, ch. 4
- ↑ Fool Moon, ch. 9
- ↑ Fool Moon, ch. 13
- ↑ Fool Moon, ch. 18
- ↑ Fool Moon, ch. 21
- ↑ Grave Peril ch. 16
- ↑ Grave Peril ch. 23
- ↑ Grave Peril ch. 34
- ↑ Grave Peril ch. 37
- ↑ Grave Peril ch. 38
- ↑ Summer Knight, ch. 1
- ↑ Summer Knight, ch. 20
- ↑ Death Masks, ch. 13
- ↑ Death Masks, ch. 32
- ↑ Blood Rites, ch. 16
- ↑ Dead Beat, ch. 8
- ↑ "Something Borrowed"
- ↑ Proven Guilty, ch. 25
- ↑ Proven Guilty, ch. 29
- ↑ Proven Guilty, ch. 35
- ↑ White Night, ch. 25
- ↑ Small Favor, ch. 7
- ↑ Small Favor, ch. 19
- ↑ Small Favor, ch. 30
- ↑ Small Favor, ch. 32
- ↑ Small Favor, ch. 45
- ↑ "Day Off"
- ↑ The Warrior
- ↑ "Last Call"
- ↑ Turn Coat, ch. 5
- ↑ Turn Coat, ch. 25
- ↑ Turn Coat, ch. 44
- ↑ Turn Coat, ch. 38
- ↑ Turn Coat, ch. 48
- ↑ "Love Hurts"
- ↑ Changes, ch. 4
- ↑ Changes, ch. 17
- ↑ Changes, ch. 35
- ↑ Changes, ch. 12
- ↑ Changes, ch. 45-47
- ↑ Cold Days, ch. 12
- ↑ Ghost Story, ch. 42
- ↑ Jury Duty