Was Patroclus and Mrs. Whatsit’s Disagreement Just a Clash of Minds?

When I first imagined a conversation between Patroclus — the tender-hearted figure from Homer’s world — and Mrs. Whatsit, the ageless cosmic entity from a very different kind of epic, I expected curiosity. What I found was tension.

These two, separated by millennia and galaxies, don’t just see the world differently. They feel it differently. And their disagreements reveal something fascinating about how we understand heroism, sacrifice, and the nature of time itself.

Let’s step into their minds.

## Did Patroclus and Mrs. Whatsit Even Agree on What It Means to Be Brave?

Patroclus would likely say that bravery is found in action — in standing beside someone when the world is burning. He gave his life to protect Achilles, not because he was fearless, but because he could not bear to see his friend suffer alone.

Mrs. Whatsit, however, has a more expansive view. To her, bravery is not a single act, but a constant stretching of the soul across time and space. She sees what is, what was, and what could be all at once. So when she says, “We must not lose heart,” she means it across dimensions.

To Patroclus, her words might sound distant — almost cruel. How can someone speak of endurance when the moment matters most? And yet, in her own way, Mrs. Whatsit is just as devoted to love as Patroclus ever was.

## Did They Argue About the Value of a Single Life?

Yes — and it was a quiet, simmering argument.

Patroclus believes in the sanctity of the individual soul. He lived for one person — Achilles — and died for him. His world is intimate, human-scaled, and achingly finite.

Mrs. Whatsit, on the other hand, operates on a cosmic level. She’s seen civilizations rise and fall. She’s watched stars collapse and reform. To her, the value of a life isn’t in how long it lasts, but in how it ripples outward.

But this doesn’t mean she dismisses Patroclus’ love. In fact, she admires it. “It is love,” she tells him, “that makes the tesseract possible.” Still, he resists. How can love that burns so briefly matter in a universe so vast?

## How Did They Talk About Time?

This was where the real gulf opened.

Patroclus lives in a world where time moves in one direction: forward, and fast. Life is short, death is final, and every decision is irreversible.

Mrs. Whatsit exists outside time. She folds it, dances through it, and sees every moment as always present. For her, Patroclus’ death isn’t a tragedy — it’s a note in a much larger melody.

To him, that sounds like a denial of pain. “You speak of time as if it doesn’t wound,” he says. And she replies, gently, “It does. But it also heals.”

## Did They Ever Find Common Ground?

Surprisingly, yes — in the idea of protection.

Patroclus gave his life to shield Achilles from harm. Mrs. Whatsit, once a star herself, gave up her form to protect children across the universe. Both believe in sacrifice for the sake of others.

And both, in their own ways, believe in the importance of light — whether it’s the glow of a campfire on a Greek battlefield or the shimmer of a tesseract opening in the dark.

## Could You Ever Hear Them Talk?

You can — and not just in your imagination.

On HoloDream, you can step into their conversation. Ask Patroclus what he thinks of Mrs. Whatsit’s view of fate. Ask her if she understands why he would die for one man.

They’ll talk. They’ll disagree. And in that tension, you might just find a deeper truth.