ask-macphail

[ask-macphail]

Good for you taking Graves out last night. The man was a stain on the holy church.

MacPhail: I wholeheartedly agree. To propose an idea as preposterous as denying the anomaly. He surely desired to the see the Magisterium fall to its knees and that is something I can not allow. As they say, it only takes one poisonous apple to spoil the bunch hence it is best to eliminate a threat before it has already become one. And, I think you’ll find my methods effective to say the least.

+++

My thoughts: A lizard will feast on neighboring insects and rodents, growing in power and strength. But when it has exhausted its hunting grounds, it will be driven mad by a fanatic hunger which will force it to the darkest ends as it finally turns on itself. (Called it!)

[ask-macphail]

Your answer to the last ask made me curious: why do you think MacPhail is this way and what drew him to the Church?

In all honesty, I don’t know. And in the time I’ve spent deliberating over this, I’ve come to no definite conclusion. I guess the sub-question is: what would make someone seek such an unshakeable purpose? Such order? A lack of freedom one could argue?

Maybe the answer is rooted in something introspective like the scary possibility that human existence is pointless and life itself has no real meaning. Maybe MacPhail grew up near a sect that held such belief and a possible degree of lawlessness ensued which may have harmed him in some way. Or just strongly repulsed him. Then perhaps he would view religion as a remedy to the wrong he witnessed/experienced and hence pursued it.

An easier answer would be he had similarly devout parents and it was only natural for him to assume a priesthood or he was seeking power after suffering some type of inferiority in his past. But I favour a more tragic reason or otherwise the fanaticism he displays in TAS can only be described as a state of madness. His desperation to believe in his faith, in the The Authority, is truly terrifying and the things his faith makes him do even more so. That kind of desperation, to me, can only be brought upon by past tragedy. 

So I guess right now I would say MacPhail witnessed/experienced something traumatic in his past that was rooted in lawlessness/sin that made him turn to the Church and ultimately makes him the way he is.

[ask-macphail]

I do not approve of such... 

vulgar,.. 

tasteless,...

sordid...

*takes a heavy sigh that bares down on his very will to live*

Please, do not involve me in such discourse ever again. Thank you. 

[ask-macphail]

Do you have any hobbies you use to relax?

MacPhail: Life in the Church requires too much from an individual for a meaningful hobby to be maintained. Besides what else could provide greater comfort and peace of mind than devoting one’s life to a holy cause. That being said, I do find that the following tasks do provide some alleviation to any distress:

Exercise (not including Sunday sports).

Quiet reflection.

Listening to confessions.

Cleaning.

---

My thoughts: On the point of listening to confessions, I think MacPhail would feel some sort of comfort (especially before he became an ardent sinner or maybe even more so after) in hearing others confess the sins they’ve committed. Something on the lines of “look at them, then look at me, see the disparity Lord, favour me.” He’s definitely an Authority pleaser and I’m still puzzling over what in his early life could have made him determine that this was his only career path. I guess it could be easy to say ‘power’ brought him to The Church, but that’s almost too easy. Or I just don’t like a simple answer. But that wasn’t your question and I’m rambling again.

[ask-macphail]

What do you really think of Mrs. Coulter?

MacPhail: Imagine this. A woman deceived into a grievous act of sin seeks refuge in the Church and the Church, following The Authority's teaching of forgiveness, accept her. She demonstrates devotion to her faith and grows in the organisation and hence the upper clergy responds with greater inclusion of this woman within their ranks, no simple feat mind you.

Now imagine the insult, the distasteful sense of betrayal, the unfathomable revulsion at learning that this woman had used our kindness for her own selfish needs. That under our noses she did not learn to resist sin but instead reveled in its devilish warmth and used her God given attributes that are to care and nurture to instead charm and manipulate. Imagine that shameful feeling of realising you've been used by such a tempting fiend.

Females are fruits. And once poisoned they are never safe to eat again. Instead they should be discarded and I assure I will discard our world of this rotten fruit. Or die trying.

My thoughts: Really had to channel MacPhail's blatant misogyny here (using female as a noun is just disturbing and yet so MacPhail to do) but it does leave quite a rancid taste in the mouth afterwards. What interests me about showMacPhail is that he knows Marisa is not to be trusted, he honestly spends the whole of season 1 resisting her wiles (for the most part). But when ambition meets temptation, he falters, just for a second. Then it's Pandora's box and he finds himself entrenched in so much sin even after Marisa leaves him that he has to find justification ("rid the world of sin" - whatever makes him sleep at night). But imagine what hate he must harbour for the woman that trapped him in such a predicament. Really his revenge sub-plot in book 3 just demonstrates the effect she had on him. The pleasure he must of felt at quite literally attempting to kill two birds with the same stone. Fascinating character arc and deservedly tragic end.

[ask-macphail]

I just wanted to compliment your ability to really answer these like MacPhail. The answers are on point but also the way you phrase things. I just can here him saying it in his rather unique, kind of clipped, way of speaking.

Thanks, Anon! 

The guy’s too complex and interesting of a character not to try. I’m glad you think I did a good job of it. And great questions, thanks for sending them in. 

[ask-macphail]

What did you really think of Cardinal Sturrock?

There's something to be said about the elderly's obsession with maintenance of the status quo. I'm unsure if this is an affliction that befalls us all or if some with age choose this ... particular neurosis as a means of defining whatever dwindling personality they have. But I'm determined this shan't be I.

Cardinal Sturrock, may his soul rest in peace, was a fumbling old cleric. His mind diseased with the abuse of substance, his stature, an eyesore and his conviction, paper thin. Were it not for the bishops that serviced him, his weakening presence would have long since crumbled. He has done his duty and has now been called for.

I think we can all agree The Authority's timing is always ripe.

[ask-macphail]

Did you always want to be Cardinal/Chief Justice? Or is this something that you were suprisingly called upon to do by the Authority?

The latter. 

When I first entered the Church I was quite satisfied as remaining a priest for the rest of my days. The Authority had greater plans though and has guided me to this cardinalship. If need be and I am destined to do more, then more I shall do and willingly at that.

-- 

My thoughts: This is MacPhail's failed attempt to be humble and quench his hubris. Cardinal was always the end goal and he is quite pleased to be the youngest president of the CCD. Will he ever admit this?

Never.

[ask-macphail]

What do you think is the most important teaching of the church?

The demonstration of love for The Authority through the resistance of Sin's temptation. 

I have a great distaste for the distinction made between mortal and venial Sin; as if the act of Sin itself (regardless of what it is) does not liken the committer to what lies below than above. Sin is made likeable and desirable by the devil, its very nature designed for the destruction of the soul. I see no greater declaration of love for The Authority and hatred for the devil than resisting the tempting seeds of Sin borne in the mind by the devil himself and his agents.

[ask-macphail]

What where your thoughts when Octavia first settled as a skink lizard?

MacPhail: Confusion, at first. I thought we had come to the general consensus that anything reptilian had been ruled out for quite ... obvious reasons. But after a few days I realised it worked to our reclusive and discrete nature. She rarely finds herself obligated to interact with other daemons which is a preferable arrangement, some can be quite pesky. Her form allows us to keep to our own confidence which I've come to realise with age is of the upmost importance as who else can we trust if not ourselves and The Authority.

 - SPOILERS - 

 My thoughts: I think it's quite interesting that a lizard would be among a clergy that predominantly have insects and rodents as their daemons (well, at least in the show). I think it speaks to Hugh's final position in the Magisterium. I'm getting the vibe that the show is really going to make us watch as Hugh cuts down each and every clergyman in his way as he rises to the Head of the CCD, just like a lizard eating its prey. Also, I think his daemon settling as a lizard subtly hints to his battle with sin. Or his struggle with the temptation of sin and what he believes he can achieve through it; a world without Dust/sin. The irony is not lost on me. But, yeah, I see his daemon as an embodiment of that temptation and I presume MacPhail has resisted it for most of his life until the threat of Dust became real and all of sudden he becomes consumed by it. It's nice that the show starts his dissent with sin by proxy via Mrs. Coulter but the more fanatical and, more importantly, powerful MacPhail gets, the more direct his use of sin to achieve his desires becomes. Until he commits what is arguably one of the ultimate sins, suicide, which I'm sure he and his daemon rationalise in their final moments as an act of martyrdom.

Long answer but it was a great question!

[ask-macphail]

... that cuts through my grief like a KNIFE.

(see what I did there?)

(phrasing peasants... phrasing)

[ask-macphail]

... and then she said I was both the spider and the fly.

[ask-macphail]

A New Cardinal Rises

[ask-macphail]

Rejoice!

The Authority has deemed it fit for me to rise to Cardinal.

...

Pardon me, I mean remorse for our dearly departed. May this great old bastard Cardinal find peace at the gates of heaven.

Amen.