I noticed this had been mentioned on a few other threads, and I thought it deserved one of its own. I've often wondered who exactly killed Alexi. As I see it, there are several options...
1) Ariel. He was there, perhaps he killed Alexi. Why? No idea. The only thing I can think of is that Ariel wanted to make sure he was the only one who had the knowledge about weaponmachines he, Vega and Alexi had gained. Other than that, the only motivation I can think of is revenge. But why?
2) Elspeth killed him accidentally with her mind. Unlikely, I know, but I thought I'd consider all possibilities. Maybe her control wasn't so good, and she ended up killing Alexi as well as Vega.
3) Rushton killed him. Once again, unlikely as he was half conscious and tied to a chair... However, if Rushton did kill him, I can think of two possible motivations. A) He was going to kill either Rushton or Elspeth so it was self defence/defending Elf or B) He didn't want Alexi wandering round stirring up trouble and causing problems. However, I still think being tied up would have made it difficult. The other possibility that just occured to me is that Rushton actually has the Killing Power, but it hasn't been detected. That way he could have killed Alexi without moving a finger.
4) One of Rushton's friends killed him. I think this is probably the most likely conclusion. When they arrive, they find Rushton tied to a chair, Elf tied to a burning machine and Alexi, who I imagine would have been trying to kill them. In this case, it's the likeliest conclusion (but then again, since when have ICs conclusions been likely?)
5) He killed himself. Yet another very unlikely possibility. Why would he do that? Unless he wanted to protect the knowledge of the weaponmachines. Then again, he was a raving lunatic so who knows what he might have done?
So, any other options that people can think of or any thoughts?
I think your number 4 conclusion is right - funny though, I'd just taken it for granted that Rushton had killed him for some reason, til I read this, then checked in the book. All we find out in Ober is that "Alexi and Madame Vega were dead".
It would have had to have happened quickly, or else Alexi would have escaped as well. The only people capable of kiling at the moment after Elf kills Vega are the people who storm into the cavern.
Yeah, number 4 did seem like the most probable to me. That said, I still think it's possible something else happened, and whatever that 'something' was could end up being relevant.
Then again, maybe I'm kidding myself. Not everything in the OC has a greater meaning, perhaps Alexi's death is of no consequence.
Nono, don't think like that! Everything in the Ober Chron is in there for a reason!
lol, as I wrote that I was thinking Why do I feel as if I'm lying when I say it might not be for a reason?
You're right though, everything does seem to happen for a reason. Which leads me to wonder further as to what Alexi's death is going to mean. It seems to me that it is an important point that was pretty much dismissed at the end of Obernewtyn. Could this be to lull us into a false sense of its unimportance? I also tend to think IC would have cleared up who the killer was if it wasn't important. The things you don't know tend to turn out to be important, or that's how it seems to me. For instance, we don't know who the Destroyer is, we don't know what Ariel's doing and we don't have a clue what Domick's up too, yet all of these will have a role to play.
Oh dear, I can see a lot of time going into thinking about this when I shold be doing other things...
Nope, Alexi is dead:
p242, Obernewtyn (1994 Edition):
"Both Alexi and Vega were dead. Ariel had rushed out into the night and it was believed he had perished in the blizzard."
The interesting thing here - there's no doubt or contemplation on Alexi's death. This says to me it is true, not just an Elspeth-ism. However, Ariel is believed to be dead. Which we find out later, is not true.
Mystic Ward
17 years ago
Wed Jun 13 2007, 09:53am
Mystic Ward
Rebel
I've always imagined that Miryum killed him. Wasnt it Alad, Roland, Maryon and Mirium that rescued Rushton and Elf? I know Roland mentions it in the fourth book somewhere when Elf asks him what he was dreaming about.
Anyway, I can just picture Miryum storming in and whacking Alexi over the head with a big stick :P
During the terrible battle in which Rushton had slain his insane step-uncle, Alexi, Elspeth discovered a dark and terrible power of her own...
That's from the introduction to The Farseekers, which seems to from the PoV of an omniscient third person narrator. I assumed that Rushton had been untied by his friends, grabbed a weapon and killed Alexi. It does seem a little surprising, considering how weak he was, though.
Mystic Ward
17 years ago
Wed Jun 13 2007, 09:55am
Mystic Ward
Rebel
Oooh, I'd forgotten about that intro :-/ I still dont think it was him though...
The way the scene is written out makes it seem as though Rushtons friends run in and "off" Alexi, then Rushton asks if Elspeth is alive, and she blacks out. If they rushed in and untied him, I doubt Alexi would just be standing there waiting for Rushton to be released so he could be killed.
I think the intro to Farseekers says Rushton killed Alexi just to make it simple, rather than "during the terrible battle a previously unknown friend of Rushtons popped up, killed Alexi and saved the day" :P
To me, that seems very odd. Firstly, he was half conscious and secondly, he was tied to a chair. Now, his friends could always have untied him, but you'd think they'd have had to deal with Alexi first. I just can't imagine Alexi letting them untie Rushton without putting up resistance. I always thought in this scenario, Rushton's friends had burst in and Alexi had been killed while attacking them, possibly by accident. However, this seems to suggest Rushton somehow managed to get off his chair, regain consciousness, find a weapon and defeat someone who, while insane, was physically quite able to defend himself. That just doesn't seem likely to me.
The other question that arises from that is if Rushton did kill him, was it murder rather than self defence? Did Rushton deliberately kill him to stop problems from arising? Was it revenge for the trouble he'd caused? Was it just convenient for him to be gone? I know it's not a particularly nice topic, but it's got me intrigued.
Also, the words 'terrible battle' are confusing me slightly. I can't see it being much of a 'battle' at all. To me, the word 'battle' would suggest a group of people vs another group, not Rushton and co vs Alexi (Ariel having fled) Is it just me, or is some of this not adding up?
Mystic Ward
17 years ago
Wed Jun 13 2007, 09:56am
Mystic Ward
Rebel
I've never understood the title "Battle of Obernewtyn" either. Technically, two people died, probably only one of them being involved in any sort of fight, and I just dont think that deserves the title of 'battle' :P
I seem to recall that Elf killed them both...
*runs off to check own copy*
Maybe Domick killed Alexi, and this was why he was picked to be the spy in Sutrium - to get him away from the place where it happened. Maybe the guilt is eating him up, and this caused his initial pulling away from Kella...
Okay, maybe that's a little far fetched.
17 years ago
Wed Jun 13 2007, 09:57am
No, it says quite clearly she killed Vega, but is very vague as far as Alexi goes. After killing Vega, she passes out, which pretty much outs her from the equation.
I suppose it's possible there was an informant among Rushton's friends, who then killed Alexi. Perhaps, and I myself am not a fan of this theory at all, it was Domick. I love Domick, but it would tie in very neatly with the Domick-and-Ariel-have-been-plotting-all-along theory. I think it's probably more likely that he was killed by accident, but the very fact it wasn't clarified seems to suggest it was more sinsister and/or important.
As for making Rushton a darker character, I suppose that's also true. It would also have a kind of eerie symetry if he was keeping it from Elf as she is keeping the fact she killed Vega from him. Which leads me onto another point. Wouldn't the fact Vega was completely unharmed other than the fact she was dead set off some alarm bells in someones head? I assume Rushton would have been debriefed by his friends, so wouldn't he have realised Elspeth was the only one who could have killed Vega before they walked in? I'm sure one of them would have said 'we ran in and Vega was dead.'
So, what's going on there? Does Rushton know about her Killing Power? Is he simply not saying anything to avoid any awkward questions? Personally, I'm sure a couple of misfits like Matty have an idea there's more to Elf's power than she's telling them, and although he's many other things Rushton isn't stupid. So what do you think on that one?
Yes, the phrase 'Battle of Obernewtyn' really seems a little exaggerated. To me, it would have been the Battle of Obernewtyn if the misfits in the main house had also been involved, and had had to fight a battle against those who supported Alexi and Vega. From what I remeber, and I could be wrong, there is nothing said about anyone other than that group of people being involved in the fight.
Sorry if that was a bit of a ramble, I'm on a theorisisng tangent again :P
Was Alexi standing close to Elspeth when she was attached to the machine? If so, there's a possibility he might've been injured by the flames...or possibly even knocked unconcious? I know it's not likely, but that would've bought some time for Rushon to be untied and get a little strength back. And he wouldn't need much strength to kill a man who's already down, anyway
Rushton may not know about the power...Elspeth pulled away from his mind just before killing Vega. But I think he's sharp enough to figure it out- it was a very sudden, strange death. So there aren't a lot of explanations, apart from the machine somehow killing her, or her having some kind of heart attack or something...
And then, Rushton's friends who entered would have been a little sus too. Unless Rushton had admitted to killing Vega himself (and how could he have, if she had no wound marks?), they have no real explanation of her death either. So maybe they all have an idea of what she's capable of, but are keeping it to themselves..I'm not sure why though. Maybe out of fear?
Surely Roland must have been able to tell what killed Vega? (I think he was in the original group of Rushton's supporters, right?) Although, weren't the effects on Dragon like being hit on the head? Maybe everyone just assumed she'd been hit on the head in a struggle.
I don't like the idea that one of the Misfits killed Alexi after he'd been injured by the machine - killing someone vulnerable is against their natures.
17 years ago
Wed Jun 13 2007, 09:57am
But nothing is said (i think) about anyone examining his body for a cause of death, and it never seems to be mentioned again. I think i'll go with the theory that Alexi is alive as this would make things more interesting.
Maybe Alexi is actually the druid in disguise? ;)
17 years ago
Wed Jun 13 2007, 09:58am
Thanks for that quote from Farseekers, Lol!
I'd like to know more about the battle where Rushton slay Alexi...if it's talked of in Farseekers during the prologue / narration, it most likely happened. As much as it'd be more interesting / make more sense if one of the Rush Supporters mob killed Alexi.
How could Rushton have killed Alexi, then? What battle ensued? Was it an accident? Was Alexi lunging for Elspeth since Elf had just killed Vega, and Rushton got in the way and accidentally - something - killed Alexi? Something like a knife? :P
Can anyone else think of a gap filler scenario, where Rushton does indeed kill Alexi? Perhaps it didn't happen straight away. I dunno.
17 years ago
Wed Jun 13 2007, 09:59am
Umm...well, I guess Alexi could have escaped. And maybe gone back into Obernewtyn to get any of his belongings, books, maps etc he'd left in his rooms there...and that's where Rushton found and confronted him? I can just imagine Rushton standing in the doorway and Alexi charging at him or something. 8-) Then they fight, and Rushton either stabs Alexi in self-defence or he lands on something sharp maybe...I dunno :P
I was going to weigh in on this theory, but I don't really have an opinion.
So I'm just gonna say that you guys totally crack me up!!!
17 years ago
Wed Jun 13 2007, 10:00am
LOL, Arien, I like your theory ;)
Though when I skimmed-read it, it was along the lines of:
"Rushton - sharp object - stabbed"
and I got all hopeful :P
Ehem. Yes, I like your theory about Alexi's killing coming later. It seems to be the only way Rushton could have pulled it off, since he was tied to a chair when Elsepth killed Vega.
maybe all will be revealed in the last book?
Rushton could finaly admit that he killed Alexi
And explain how he managed to kill Alexi. Damn, I want my copy of The Sneding now!
Perhaps the fact that Elspeth killed Vega and Rushton (if he did) killed Alexi will become important in some way? I don't know, I was re-reading Obernetwyn, and just the way Elspeth says it makes me suspicious. All she says is 'Both Alexi and Vega were dead.' I mean, you'd think there'd be a little more information. As I think I said before, the omission of detail makes me think it's important.