More Keeper of the Lost Cities Thoughts and Speculation

Even though I haven't read the Keeper books since my third read-through ended in November, I continue to think about them.  I love theories, and I love discussing them.  This post contains my current thoughts.

STOP READING unless you have read through the entire series including #8.5 and #9.

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My opinion about the identity of Sophie's father has not changed.  I still believe that Kenric is Forkle and that he is also Sophie's father.

If you haven't read my past posts, then you can find them here.

Keeper of the Lost Cities Summaries, Reviews, and Theories

My opinion about Kenric and Fintan colluding together to fake their deaths in the Everblaze has shifted for now.

This is what I wrote previously in my post More on the Forgotten Secrets:

What happened when Kenric probed Fintan's mind?  Could Kenric have made a deal with Fintan?  My thinking is that Fintan and Kenric had some kind of agreement that ultimately resulted in Fintan and Kenric faking their deaths at Oblivimyre.

The one thing I've struggled with is that Fintan would know that Kenric is alive.  I've since realized that since Kenric is a Washer, he would have simply erased Fintan's memory right after they escaped the flames.

I've been mulling this over, and I currently feel that both Kenric and Fintan faked their deaths with no knowledge of what the other one did.  There's obviously a secret about what happened when Kenric probed Fintan's mind in the Forgotten Secret.  I thought that Kenric and Fintan made a deal.  Later, it becomes apparent that Kenric learned about Elysian and/or stellarlune from probing Fintan's mind.

From my post The Chronological Order of the Forgotten Secrets:

Stellarlune, Page 239:  "Have you ever heard of Stellarlune?"  "Stellarlune?" Fintan repeated, dragging out the syllables.  "Can't say that I have."

Later in the book, Mr. Forkle makes this remark.

Stellarlune, Page 291:  "Stellarlune," Mr. Forkle repeated, dragging out each syllable.  "You'll have to forgive me—sometimes the abundance of strange terms gets the better of me.  Stellarlune is one of Lady Gisela's projects, isn't it?"

I wrote in that post, "Mr. Forkle is definitely playing dumb by dragging out the syllables in 'stellarlune.'  He's heard of it."  Fintan is playing dumb as well.  Ah, these former Councillors and their games..."   

I suspect that Kenric gleaned some information about Elysian and/or stellarlune from Fintan when he probed Fintan's mind and that they did not necessarily make a a deal with each other.  However, I don't rule it out.

I mull over Kenric/Forkle being Sophie's father pretty much all the time.  It is fascinating how most fans—who are active in online discussions—think that Elwin is Sophie's father and very few of them see Kenric as a possibility.  These fans take everything that Forkle has said to Sophie as true.  I believe Mr. Forkle has lied just about every time Sophie has asked about her father.

Ironically, I believe that Mr. Forkle is telling the literal truth in this passage.

Neverseen, Page 367   "I'm not who you think I am."  "Who does she think he is?" Biana asked as Fitz snatched Sophie's forms.  His jaw fell.  "He's her father."  "No, I'm not."  "Then why would you list yourself as family?"  "Because I am family.  My name is the one on her Inception Certificate.  Someone had to vouch for her existence.  And since her genetic parents couldn't reveal themselves, I took the responsibility.  Though of course I had to use an assumed identity.  But Mr. Forkle is still me."

Sophie had questioned why Mr. Forkle's name was on her Inception Certificate, and this was his explanation.  When I first read through the books, I took the word "family" as meaning "fellowship."  Everyone who is part of the Black Swan is family in terms of being in a fellowship.  However, I recently realized that Mr Forkle is outright admitting that he and Sophie are family, as in genetic relatives. 

This passage is also from the same scene.

Neverseen, Page 368   "Someday you may understand," Mr. Forkle told Sophie.  "But for now I can at least assure you—as I did with your concerns about Jolie—that I am not your genetic father."  Keefe grabbed Mr. Forkle's wrist.  "He's telling the truth.  And... he actually feels kind of bad about it."

Again, Mr. Forkle is telling the literal truth, and Keefe proves it.  The Mr. Forkle speaking isn't Sophie's father, but his identical twin brother is.  Since Mr. Forkle's twin is Sophie's father, then this Mr. Forkle is Sophie's uncle.  He is family.

As I've been saying for a while, Shannon has revealed the identity of Sophie's father, yet most readers have missed it.  She's also rather directly revealed Mr. Forkle's identity.  The most obvious clue is the anagram from Kenric's full name. 

Kenric Elgar Fathdom rearranges to form the phrase "Forkle grin and teach."  "Grin" is Kenric and "Leto" is teach.  Therefore, "Forkle grin and teach" means "Forkle, Kenric, and Leto."

Shannon very obviously modeled plot devices and names after the Harry Potter series.  The name Cassius was styled after Lucius Malfoy, for instance.  Both Cassius and Lucius are unpleasant characters.  There are other really obvious examples.

Back to the anagram, it was also styled after the Harry Potter series.  "Tom Marvolo Riddle" rearranges to form "I am Lord Voldemort."  So of course, Shannon did the same with her mysterious leader of the Black Swan.

I had wondered last year why Shannon placed such an obvious plot spoiler in Kenric's name and in such an early book in a series that we now know will contain at least 12 volumes (#1-10 plus #8.5 and #9.5).  After I learned that Shannon originally thought that the series would end with three books, I understood why such an important spoiler was placed in the third book.  She wanted to include that clue before the series ended.  It's interesting how that spoiler has been missed by most fans.