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In Dan Simmons' Hyperion, Father Paul Duré is reported to be continually crucified on a 'Tesla tree' and then resurrected by the cruciform implanted on him over a period of seven years, until Father Lenar Hoyt breaks the cycle and rescues him.

However, the cruciform resurrection as experienced by the Bikura has left them largely imbecile, and with certain gross anatomical deformations. We see that Duré's cruciform 'gives up' over the amount of pain he has experienced when he is rescued, but why isn't Duré a hairless, sexless, imbecile by the time Hoyt takes him off the tree? An acceptable answer will provide a citation from the relevant book(s).

Is this seeming inconsistency explained in some detail I have glossed over? (I have read up to about half way through the fourth book in the Cantos, and am aware of some of the issues about unreliable narration, but this specific thing keeps bugging me.)

Lexible
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  • Similarly, is it ever explained how in books 3 and 4 the Church of able to use the cruciform to allow perfect resurrection? – Daniel Roseman Sep 05 '19 at 07:07
  • It's been a while since I read the first two books, but my understanding was that the transformation into a Bikura-state being requires way more deaths than what Father Duré experienced. In fact, I do remember Father Duré mentioning at some point that he feels less smart and that he blames the cruciform for that. – Aventinus Sep 05 '19 at 10:37
  • @DanielRoseman - Yes; it's explained (or rather, revealed in steps), but to encapsulate it here is somewhat spoily. – Jeff Zeitlin Sep 05 '19 at 11:00
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    @Aventinus Father Duré probably experienced more deaths and resurrections than anyone: he was continually dying and resurrecting for seven years, meaning hundreds of times. By contrast the Bikura have much slower rates of dying. – Lexible Sep 05 '19 at 17:44
  • @jeffZeitlin You can include your answer in a spoiler tag. – Aventinus Sep 05 '19 at 18:07
  • @Aventinus Or not, since spoiler tags are evil. – Lexible Sep 05 '19 at 18:28
  • @Aventinus - The information and the slow reveal are so critical to the progression of the story that I'm not willing to spoil it, even behind the tag. – Jeff Zeitlin Sep 05 '19 at 18:47

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