S&C: Severian's progress? (through Citadel)

[Jlawrence, S&L Moderator]

A kind of sequel to the What do you think of Severian (if finished Claw)? thread - if you've finished Citadel, what do you think of him now?

I definitely held him less at a distance by the end of this re-read (but probably still at more of a distance than my initial read). He still seems a highly problematic candidate for being humanity's representative in a cosmic trial, but I felt like he definitely grew up some, overcame some of the warping influences of being raised by the torturers, and went through a pretty significant moral development. Some of that development's big points:

- His mercy towards Thecla (first betrayal of guild), but this first step was obviously more of a personally motivated action than a moral one
- His mercy towards Agia, freeing her after he thwarted her ambush at the mine
- Healing of the sick girl in the hut (the first time, I believe, that he healed someone just because they were ill, as opposed to previous attempts that were from results of some violence he'd been in)
- His refusal to kill Cyriaca - second betrayal of guild and beginning of full-fledged exile
- His spiritual revelation about the nature of the Claw on the beach
- His return to Nessus. As Autarch he frees the prisoners of Antechamber and the Matachin tower, abolishes torture, reforms the guild.

What did you think of him by the end?