Is Jim Butcher intentionally side-lining/maligning the White Council?

Question

The question kind of sums up what I see as Butcher's attempt to isolate his hero. In the events that transpire during Peace Talks and Battleground, is there any mention of the White Council's elite and how they're reacting to the events that are unfolding in Chicago (which seem pretty dire)? I'm talking about Merlin and the other senior council besides McCoy.

Answer 1

Dresden's isolation from the White Council is simply the end product of that plotline.

The first attempt to remove him from the Council, after all, was all the way back in Summer Knight. Blaming Harry for the Red Court's war, the Merlin tried to get Harry removed, in a body bag at one pass, to clean up the situation. Harry's Council allies managed to deflect much of that, but the idea never really gets dropped completely. The entirety of Molly's trial and apprenticeship is just another excuse to keep prodding the idea. He gets allies in the Wardens, but that only lasts a short while before the events of Turn Coat strain that to the breaking point, and Changes breaks everything completely, not to mention what happens to Ramirez, and then the rest of his posse in Battle Ground.

The end result is that by the time of Peace Talks and Battle Ground, Harry's allies are too busy fighting to keep the Merlin from finally getting his way. Given that there was open speculation about how they would secure the Eye of Balor, and the growing shadow over the Council, both from attempts to usurp it, and actions take to smash those attempts, your view of whether this is a good or bad thing may vary.

Your question is about Butcher's intent, and he has gone on record that his job is to find new ways to torture Harry. He's certainly done that. White Council, now hostile. McCoy, next best thing. Thomas, put on a bus. Carlos, crippled in body and soul, alone, and walking the Butters path of broken faith in Harry.

That said, Harry is far from truly isolated. He is probably tighter to the Carpenters than at any point in his life. He's getting a better understanding of the Winter Fae, cementing his allies there, sensing what he needs to avoid on his path as Knight. He still has distant allies in the Council, namely Gatekeeper Rashid, who has better understanding of his duties and burdens than the Council ever will. He has the support and friendship of the two active Knights of the Cross, and an archangel played a multi-dimensional bank shot to put him exactly in this position. Most importantly, he is raising Maggie, which he believed to be the next best thing to impossible not two or three books ago.

It'll be a long while before Harry is truly isolated, and he is keeping his moral centers as close as he can get them.