Linking the Bracelet to the Emojis: The "surprise inside" theme, alchemical rings and the return of "Grave-digging Buddies?"

On an earlier post, I connected the numerous walled cities that have popped up in the Pre-Book Nine Twitter hints with the Bracelet o' Clues' Trojan Horse charm.  This time, I want to make a connection with some of the charms on the bracelet to one of the emoji hints. 

The emoji hints were released on December 20th, only three days before the charm bracelet. They were a blue butterfly, a diamond ring and a coffin. Multiple readers instantly connected the butterfly to Psyche, which can mean butterfly as well as soul; Psyche is often depicted as having butterfly wings. The diamond ring, of course, looks like an engagement ring, and with its silver/platinum band and the single diamond, it looks disturbingly like RFM's "sparkling shackle" ---  though I sincerely doubt the stone was that big.  Then again, few other than a billionaire could afford a diamond the size of that emoji rock.  Then, there is the coffin, which fits with the representations of death seen in other emoji sequences (TRG's gravestone, THM's skull). Death is pretty much a given in a murder mystery, 

Multiple readers have also pointed out that five of the charms: the ring box, the Fabregè-style egg, the Trojan horse, the jack-in-the-box, and the book of Psalms all have something in common: all are containers designed to hold something unknown or surprising. 

Jackie Kennedy's original engagement 
ring, set with an emerald and a diamond. 

The heart-shaped ring-box: Check out Nick's post for information on this (and all the other charms). It dates from the 1960's and contains, not RFM's solitaire but a toi et moi (you and me--- a phrase that reminds us both of the BBC Strike series theme song and the long email treatise on Strike's character sent by Lorelei) double-stoned ring. That style was very popular in the 50's and 60's; JFK gave one to Jackie. Because of the age of it, several fan sites (including Hogpro and the Strike and Ellacott files) have speculated that this could represent Joan's engagement ring, which is no doubt tucked away safely at Lucy's house and which I would be willing to bet she would gladly give to her brother if he told her he was planning to make a proper proposal to Robin. 

Personally, I love the idea of a double-stoned ring. I have been torn between wanting Strike to present Robin with an emerald ring (to match the Green Dress that I think she will wear at their wedding) or a ruby or garnet (an appropriate philosopher's stone for the true alchemical wedding for which our heroes are destined--in contrast to the mock alchemical wedding we saw in CoE) when he makes a proper proposal. Robin's first engagement ring, from the Flobberworm, was a sapphire, but we are twice told that this stone "darkened" just before she met Strike for the first time.  In CC:

Robin stood quite still, with her mouth slightly open, experiencing a moment of wonder that nobody wh knew her could have understood. She had never confided in a solitary human being (even Matthew) her lifelong, secret, childish ambition. For this to happen today, of all days! It felt like a wink from God (and this too she somehow connected with the magic of the day; with Matthew, and the ring; even though, properly considered, they had no connection at all). 

Savouring the moment, she approached the engraved door very slowly. She stretched out her left hand (sapphire dark now, in this dim light) towards the handle, but befrore she had touched it, the glass door too flew open. 

When Galbraith says something once, it may mean nothing. Twice, and we should pay attention.  In CoE, on the day Robin takes off the ring:

The first time that Robin had ever entered Strike's office had been on her first morning as an engaged woman. Unlocking the glass door today, she remembered watching the new sapphire on her finger darken, shortly before Strike had come hurtling out of the office and nearly knocked her down the metal staircase to her death. 

There was no ring on her finger anymore. 

Thus, I think the sapphire that darkens when Strike enters Robin's life is the closest thing we will see to a black stone in an engagement ring---  given that few actually use onyx for that purpose. The stone in RFM's sparkling shackle was a white diamond. Therefore. according to alchemy, the next stone should be red. This fits the alchemical pattern seen in Harry Potter, with Harry losing Sirius Black in Book 5 and  Albus (white) Dumbledore in Book 6. Readers all imagined buzzards circling Rubeus Hagrid in Book 7, and were relieved when the expendable Rufus Scrimgeour snuffed it instead, only to be blindsided by ginger-haired  F"red" Weasley's death in the final battle. Another black-white-red sequence is seen with Harry's love life, with him dating black-haired Cho Chang in Book 5, taking platinum-blonde Luna Lovegood to the Christmas party in Book 6 before finally winding up with red-haired Ginny in Book 7.  (Hat-tip to John Granger for these observations).  This is a round-about way of saying I really hope the important ring is on the bracelet, not the emoji, and is a toi et moi ruby/emerald ring originally given to Joan back in 1962. 

Fabregè eggs were originally commissioned by Russian czar's as lavish Easter gifts for their wives. In addition to their decadent shells of precious metals and stones, they were known for having an equally beautiful "surprise" inside.  Book nine is supposed to pick up immediately after THM, on April 5th, meaning Easter is less than two weeks away. I have speculated that we might see Ted's ashes scattered, if it was weather unsuitable for sailing in November, when he died. Of course, there was plenty of talk about Robin's eggs in THM; perhaps the best gift Strike could give her is not to pressure her on that front. Moreover, no one can see an opening egg without thinking of the second task of the Triwizard tournament.  Another interesting tidbit is that, like Stubbs paintings, there are at least six, possibly seven, missing Fabregè eggs, possibly sitting in someone's collection who doesn't know what they have. So, if we are looking for a reflection to LW, the stage is set for that. 

There are, of course, two charms that contain rather unpleasant surprises. The first, the Trojan horse, is a notorious means of sneaking enemy soldiers through your fortified walls. My earlier post speculated that this charm could relate to the many walled cities seen so far in the preview posts, as well as reflecting Draco Malfoy's use of the Vanishing Cabinets in the Half-Blood Prince. As for the Jack-in-the-Box, instead of the traditional clown (already frightening to some) the charm contains a horned devil, a throwback to the original toy.  Of course, Strike readers cannot think of "Jack" without thinking of Strike's very sweet nephew, who coincidently (we hope) shares the name with the folk-tale killer of Cormoran. 

As for the Psalm book charm, Beatrice Groves's blog post tells us all about them, and the connection to the original meaning of "charm." I think it can count as a surprise, since there is no way of knowing what is in it; it could contain a well-known Psalm (like the 23rd) or another Biblical text like the Lord's Prayer or Ten Commandments. For me, I am thinking there might be another "secret-containing book" as we saw in The Silkworm, Troubled Blood, Chamber of Secrets and Half-Blood Prince. 

Psyche opens the box. Note the butterfly wings.

But how do these containers connect to the emojis? We've already looked at the box with the double stone ring.  Psyche's butterfly wings most likely will connect to the head of Persephone, but, looking at the story of Psyche's final task, it was a box of Persephone's beauty that Psyche, like Pandora, could not resist opening. Instead of the beauty she coveted, she found a vapor that put her into a death-like sleep, from which Eros had to rescue her. 

This leaves the last emoji, the coffin. We've had emblems of death before: TRG's gravestone (which related more to the title than the story) and the skull from THM, which had a double meaning for the unknown corpse in the box and Chloe's skeleton as found in the concrete of Griffiths' cellar floor.  But, the casket, to me, suggests a mystery relating to a body that has already been buried. Will an exhumation be required?  Will a surprising clue be found in a coffin?  This in itself would be an interesting reflection to TIBH, where our heroes were repeatedly urged to dig up Edie Ledwell, but in which the major clue turned out not to be in the coffin, after all. 

A coffin-related surprise connected to the mystery would be quite exciting to read, and also give the Strike and Ellacott files ladies an opportunity to reprise their "Grave-Digging Buddies" song. As long as it's not Charlotte they're digging up, I'll be happy. 

Comments or subscriptions may be easier on Substack, where all my content is available free of charge!