Heartwarming / Battle Ground (2020)

Moments pages are Spoilers Off. You have been warned.

Despite the Big Badass Battle Sequence, as always, there's plenty of light in the darkness.

• Harry bonding with River Shoulders again and fighting alongside him. River even calls Harry his friend and they share a fist bump.
• Butters standing up to Ethniu and protecting Harry from her. Doubles as a moment of awesome.
• Butters also comforts Harry after Murphy's death immediately after preventing him from killing Rudolph in revenge.
• Despite their violent disagreement in Peace Talks, Harry has a few nice moments with Ebenezar and is more than happy when he sees the old man survived the injuries he took fighting Ethniu.
  • Eb, no doubt shaken by realizing how close he came to murdering his own grandson in his blind rage, lays out just why he's been so gruff. He once watched his own daughter fall into the company of monsters, becoming more and more like them, eventually being raped and murdered, while he could do nothing. Now he's watching pretty much exactly the same thing happen again with his grandson. It's very clear that he wants nothing more than to protect his loved ones and is terrified of losing Harry (especially since Eb already had to deal with losing Harry once, after his suicide).
    • While Harry's feelings for Molly aren't romantic (or so he claims), he still cares deeply for her, so when Ebenezar tells Harry he needs to try and escape Mab and the Winter Knight gig, Harry makes it clear that isn't an option until he knows he can do it with Molly by his side, refusing to abandon her to face the Winter Court with no true allies.
• Harry's fist bump with Carlos after fighting the blampires. Pity how things turn out.
  • Though it's a tearjerker as well (and he does make valid points), Ramirez is clearly sickened and upset about how things have developed. He really didn't want this to happen.
• When he hears that Harry's been kicked out of the White Council, Michael is so pissed off at them that he unleashes a Precision F-Strike, which shocks Harry so much that he slips and lands on his arse. He then follows this with a Cluster F-Bomb in about a dozen languages. Michael, of all people.
  • Then he reaffirms his friendship to Harry, assuring him that he and Charity are still on his side.
  • At the very end, Michael casually lets Molly know that he and her mother already knew she was the Winter Lady, and they still love her regardless.
    • But she still has to help do the dishes. No matter how powerful she might be now, she's still their daughter.
• Showing that even she has standards, Lara protests Mab's suggestion that she and Harry marry right away to unite the Winter and White courts, insisting that he have time to mourn Murphy and to court her (i.e. more time to mourn Murphy).
  • Afterwards, Mab shows a degree of sympathy for Harry, and when he challenges her on why she isn't doing the marriage instead, she actually takes the time to explain that she would if she could, but owing to certain choices she made as a mortal, she can't.
• There are multiple occasions in this book where Mab shows a little of the humanity under the cold, terrifying exterior of the Winter Queen.
  "I offered my hand to Mab, plain soldier. She took it."
  • When the dust settles and he's finally alone with Mab, what does Harry do? He thanks her for fighting to protect his city, three times to show how much he means it. His gratitude gets a reaction out of her, and she tells him he is welcome.
  • When Harry brings Murphy's body to the Winter fortifications, and they lie her in state with full honors.
  Harry: She's a Jotunslayer. She deserves to be laid with dignity.
  Mab: And so she does.
  • Mab beaming with pride in Harry as Winter Knight — not just for his skills in battle, but for his strength of character.
  Mab: You did not embrace the cold.
  Harry: No.
  Mab: Never once in your life, my Knight, have you taken the easy road. I chose well.
• As estranged as the two sisters are (literally having not spoken to each other for almost a thousand years), Titania still comes through for Mab when she needs her.
  • Later, they're shown standing together.
• After the battle, Harry gatecrashes the meeting of Accorded nations and tells a room full of monsters they were guests of Chicago and owe reparations for bringing their battle to its streets. Come the Christmas Eve short story we learn that medical bills and funeral expenses for all those who fought and died have been covered by Winter.
• Molly doesn't have as much screentime in this book due to being away gathering an army for the Final Battle and making sure her family and Harry's are protected, but she and Harry still share some truly touching moments.
  • Their talk in the limo on the way to her family's house, where she affirms that she's got his back and will help him try to find a way out of his Arranged Marriage to Lara.
    "You're my Knight as well, Harry. And I owe you a great deal. I am on your side. When you're ready to act, I'll be there. And until then, I'll be here."
  • Harry is nothing but supportive and encouraging of her coming clean to her family about being the Winter Lady, talking her through her fears and doubts — all of which vanish when Michael casually reveals he and Charity already know and love and accept her anyway.
• It's a small moment, but Hendricks diving in between Ethniu's spear and his boss. It's not dwelt on, but that single moment shows that he genuinely had that much faith in and loyalty to Marcone, that he would sacrifice himself without a second thought.
  • Afterwards, Gard and Harry drown their sorrows together.