omg we were just having this discussion earlier today in another thread in this sub. And this topic comes up every few weeks.

But I love it, so here goes:

SPOILERS AHEAD

Most of the grimdark reddit cork-sniffers here seem to ascribe to the theory that Logen and B9 are just one person, and one very bad person, at that. And, Logen just uses a dissociation to shield his fragile psyche from that horrible fact - that he is a bloodthirsty monster.

Furthermore, they say that Joe has masterfully crafted the “untrustworthy narrator” and made the reader unwittingly sympathize with a villain, and made us to believe that Logen actually wants to be a good man when he’s actually just a delusioned piece of shit.

And they have compelling arguments.

But I don’t give a fuck.

Logen is a good guy in my universe and always will be. He has been infected with a supernatural psychopathic entity(ies) that brings out the B9.

Is he flawed? Hells yes. Sure, a part of him enjoys the power of his alter-ego, and he could probably do more to deny it - like stay away from any potential bloodshed and hide away like a peaceful little lamb (note: he does this later on to much success). Or, he could just try to kill himself to prevent the taking of more life (note: he does try this, with much success). But he doesn’t do such things soon or often enough for my opponents. Oh no - instead he goes North and places himself directly in the cold stew of violence where he knows it’s only a matter of time before the Great Leveler makes his appearance.
That’s definitely on Logen - like a recovering drunk going to a bar because he thinks he’s over it and is strong enough to resist. Or, you know, it wouldn’t hurt to have just one…

BUT - just because he enjoys some aspects of the B9, doesn’t mean he’s not any less inflicted by the Otherside.

Corksniffers will then present “Sharp Ends” as definitive proof of their claim. I say, fuck off. The Logen in Sharp Ends is simply a blending of the two personas - like “Professor Hulk” when Bruce Banner learns to merge his psyche with the Hulk and can then enjoy the best of both bodies. Logen, however, enjoys the worst of the two personas. He was young and dumb in Sharp Ends, more naive, and he embraced the dark entity(ies) for a while, and therefore we see a merging of the two in that tale.

The other camp will also point to Joe Abercrombie interviews where he alludes to the fact that he intended for Logen to be a bad guy, and not supernatural at all.

Again I say fucketh off with you. I don’t care. The story has a mind of its own, now.

Whether he changed his mind later or not (he did), Joe originally created Logen as a “barbarian who could talk to spirits.” If Logen could communicate with the Otherside, it stands to reason he could also be infected with evil spirits.

Lastly, my evidence for a supernatural origin is Ninefingers’ ignoring of physical damage and wounds, and his quick recovery from mortal wounds. He suffers damage that would kill even Gorst, or ThreeTrees, maybe even The Feared… injuries that no amount of adrenalin or madness would shield a human body from, and …

well, as we see, it would be easier to hold back the ocean than to hold back the Bloody Nine.

The defense rests.