A pagan, witch, Practitioner, and Onyx’s girlfriend. She first appeared in Good Intentions.
Biography[]
Molly Murray grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. She became estranged from her family during high school due to being bisexual and a pagan.[1] She was supported by her uncle Kevin Murray in Seattle, who took her in and helped her gain a GED diploma.[2][3]
Life in Seattle[]
At age nineteen she worked in Elizabeth Van Dalen’s bookstore and had been mentored in magic by her for some time, despite them following different Practices. She met Onyx while working there.[2][4] They moved together into an apartment in Shoreline sometime after that.[5]
After Elizabeth’s death Molly was bequeathed her Book of Shadows, the most important element of Elizabeth’s magical heritage. Molly and Onyx however had to fight off violent attempts by other Practitioners to claim the book.[5] The Brotherhood of Apollo also approached them several times, wanting them to join the Brotherhood.[6]
Meeting Alex[]
Molly met Alex in photography class at North Seattle Community College. Both she and Onyx found him interesting, and Molly supported Onyx in asking him out. When Onyx had discovered Lorelei’s presence in his life, they planned and executed an attempt to free him from her. The attempt summoned and bound Rachel instead. Their further investigation caused them to be “invited” to Blackthorne Manor”, where they participated in the Battle of Blackthorne Manor and met the Crew.
In late October Lorelei approached her and Onyx. Lorelei wanted them to raise magical protections in and around Suite 1705 and also sought their help to alleviate Alex’s Post Traumatic Reincarnation Disorder. An additional factor was that Lorelei wanted to nurture the relation between Alex, Molly, and Onyx.[7] After the Emerald City Halloween Ball and the Battle of the Bus Tunnel those concerns became much more urgent. Molly and Onyx raised magical protections around Suite 1705, and then crafted and performed a ritual with and for Alex to settle his memories of past lives.[8][9] This also opened the way for the three of them to start a relationship.
She participated in and played an important role in the Battle of Magnuson Park. After the battle she and Onyx started to consult on magical topics with the Special Task Force of the FBI.[10] This together with being on retainer for Lorelei gave them greater economic freedom.[7][11]
As a result they went house-hunting in early December, assisted by Alex. They found, leased, and cleansed House 12573, and moved into it between Christmas and New Year.[12][13]
Seattle Practitioner community[]
She and Onyx were approached by Kate Oakwood in January, who wanted to craft closer ties between the Practitioners in Seattle. They were escorted by Alex to the meeting, with the rest of the Crew nearby as backup. The following meeting turned into the Battle of the Casino, and a continued assault from the Light with the Battle of Suite 1705. During this she befriended Taylor and introduced her to magic.[14][15]
When Onyx’s connection to the Family was unearthed by Zafirah she went to Vancouver with most of the the Crew. She provided magical protections, logistic support, and backup during the Family party, and played an important role during the Battle of the Silver Delta where she freed Joel.
Personal[]
“Molly’s all fire and raw intensity, but she’s also the warmer one between her and I. She’s a badass chick on the outside and a teddy bear inside. A bear with teeth and claws and bear muscles, but still.”
— Onyx, Natural Consequences, chapter 12
Molly usually dresses as a goth of the punk variety, with torn black band t-shirts with references to bands like VNV Nation and Sisters of Mercy, paired with metal and leather jewelry.[16][7][17] She has green eyes and red hair, which she styles into spikes and colors fire engine red.[9][2]
Compared to most Practitioners, Molly is relatively open about the knowledge, effects, application, and consequences of magic. While she does not speak freely and openly about magic, she is candid about it to people aware of magic or who will be directly affected by it.[18][19]
She is intense and outspoken with little care for manners or choice of words, and prefers to handle conflicts and other topics head-on. Behind her brusque and edgy manner she has plenty of natural empathy and cares strongly about people.[20] She likes and cares for animals, which also is reflected in her magical talents.[21][5] She is frugal but also stresses out easily over money.[22]
She is bisexual but claims to be mainly attracted to women.[2] She is open about sex and sexuality, both her own and others. She enjoys and can handle large amounts of alcohol, but quickly loses a lot of her verbal self-control.[23][13]
Relationships[]
Molly is close to her uncle Kevin and gets along well with his cat Attila. She is estranged from the rest of her birth family.[1][2]
She has lived together with Onyx for several years and has good relations with Onyx’s parents.[24] She and Onyx has a developing relationship with Alex, though it is is less serious for her than it is for Onyx.[19] She also has a crush on Lorelei and has started having trysts with her.[13][19] She has had prior relationships with both men and women, though apart from Alex all of her experiences with men had been unsatisfying to her.[2]
Together with Onyx she maintains a wide circle of mundane friends.[13] She has however kept a relative distance to the other Practitioners in and around Seattle.[24]
Abilities[]
Molly is physically strong and knows how to use her brass knuckles to good effect.[1][6] She has several years of experience from theater, which has nurtured her ingenuity.[11][22]
Her natural talent for magic was effectively nurtured by Elizabeth, making her into powerful, capable, and well-rounded witch and Practitioner despite her youth.[4][25] She is particularly talented in matters of nature, like weather, plants, and animals. She has so far demonstrated the ability to communicate with cats,[23] crows,[6] snakes, raccoons,[5] dogs,[26] and red-tailed hawks.[14] She is a highly capable healer. She can also work effectively with the elements, at least air, fire, and water.[13][27]
She became much more powerful after the Brotherhood of Apollo was destroyed.[28][29] However, her inventiveness, her pragmatic attitude and experience from working with limited resources means that she often uses indirect effects.[25][27]
Possessions[]
Molly’s wand is made out of verawood and she owns at least one set of brass knuckles.[21][6] She used to drive an old red Honda Civic, but recently bought an inexpensive hybrid.[9][22]
Together with Onyx she owns Elizabeth’s Book of Shadows.[5]
Theories[]
Given her surname and her red hair, it is probable that Molly is of Scottish or Irish descent.
It is possible that their role in the Battle of Blackthorne Manor led to Molly and Onyx claiming a greater part of the freed magical power in the Seattle area.
Her relative distance and wariness of other Practitioners, despite her having been close to Elizabeth, probably has several causes. One might be the trauma of having to escape her family, leading to her being very careful in who she trusts. Another was repeated early experiences with the more unpleasant elements of Seattle’s Practitioners, like the Light, Archimedes and Hypatia, and the Brotherhood of Apollo.[4][5]
Sources[]
Molly play a key role in the following stories:
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 “Naked Justice”
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Natural Consequences, chapter 11
- ↑ Personal Demons, chapter 2
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Personal Demons, Prologue
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 “Authenticity”
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Good Intentions, chapter 14
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Natural Consequences, chapter 4
- ↑ Natural Consequences, chapter 8
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Natural Consequences, chapter 10
- ↑ Natural Consequences, chapter 18
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Natural Consequences, chapter 5
- ↑ “More Than Friends”
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Personal Demons, chapter 3
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Personal Demons, chapter 14
- ↑ Past Due, chapter 14
- ↑ Good Intentions, chapter 11
- ↑ Good Intentions, chapter 15
- ↑ Natural Consequences, chapter 13
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Past Due, chapter 12
- ↑ Natural Consequences, chapter 12
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Good Intentions, chapter 17
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 “Legitimacy”
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Good Intentions, chapter 12
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Past Due, chapter 2
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Personal Demons, chapter 23
- ↑ “Date Night”
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Past Due, chapter 25
- ↑ Natural Consequences, chapter 16
- ↑ Personal Demons, chapter 11