Monday, May 14, 2007

Who Dies in Harry Potter 7?

This post is for those of us who read Harry Potter. In a recent news article JK “Rowling has said two major characters will die in ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.’” Which leads to the speculation; which two?

Since they are “major” characters (whatever that means) I’m going to rule out Mad Eye Moody and Tonks. But from the members of the Order of the Phoenix I can see Mr. Weasley dieing. He is some sort of father figure to Harry and goes out to fight. I don’t see Fred and George dieing, and the other Weasley kids (except Ginny) aren’t major enough. Hagrid, Lupin and Professor McGonagall could be but I doubt it.

Between Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry I hope none of them die, but can see two of them dieing – either Ron and Hermione or Ginny and Harry as they were the couples at the end of Book 6.

That assumes that Voldemort doesn’t count as one of the two since it is expected that he dies. If Voldemort is one of the two, then the second could easily be Harry, although I would prefer if it were Mr. Weasley instead.

Snape, Draco and Lucius are also candidates, but if Voldemort is one of the two then I don’t see the two major characters that die as both bad (or good, maybe, in Snape’s case. Who knows.).

In the end I think that Voldemort will die, a different bad guy and a good guy. Some minor characters will snuff it as well such as lesser members of the Order of the Phoenix and some Death Eaters like Crabbe and Goyle’s fathers.

Of the two major characters I would like to think it would be Snape (if he's bad) and Weasley, but I wouldn’t put high odds on it.

Discuss.

7 comments:

Nick said...

One of the two is definitely You-know-who, since he is a very major character, and if this is really the last book as JK says, then he must die to give closure. It will not be Harry, since that would be just wrong- not a good way to end a series originally intended for children. The idea that is will be one of the father figures to Harry is at least consistent, since he's already lost his father, god-father, and Dumbledore- though losing his last real father figure (Mr. Weasly) seems a bit of a stretch for me. The Weasely family in a sense epitomizes "the good" in the series- the kind of innocent good that evil can't touch (I know, Mr. Weasley was nearly mortally wounded- but he got better!). I really don't see it being Ron or Hermione either, Ron because he's a Weasely, and Hermione because...shes a girl, and too smart to die by some stupid death eater. I can see it being Hagrid, since he is the only other real father figure Harry has, McGonagal, or Snape (I doubt it).

There are a host of minor characters that I see her writing off. Possibilities include Draco, Lucius, the death eater woman that killed sirius, that one weird girl from DA, Neville (highly likely), any of the main Gryffindor people, or Trelawny.

I also see Percy redeemed, Snape unveiled as NOT a bad guy (maybe not completely good, but not a cold blooded murderer), and a familiar object or two as a horcrux.

Warren said...

I forgot about Neville and Luna. I can almost see Neville and Harry ganging up on Beatrix and taking her out, with maybe Neville dieing.

The Shark said...

What about the mirror that Sirius gave Harry in book 5, which, at the end, he tosses into this trunk and forgets about?

Could that be a horcrux for Sirius?

I have a hard time truly believing that Sirius is dead. He fell behind some curtain and disappeared. I know that's symbolic of passing through the veil of death, but come on - there was NO explanation behind what that curtain was or why it caused death or anything. It just happened.

A girl in my ward tells me that the mirror is no longer important. If that is the case, then shame on Rowling for introducing a mystical object with such an important character and giving no explanation.

I think Snape is good and will die. I could also see Neville kicking the bucket in a blaze of glory. He's a character that I really like and I sympathize with him. I wish the movies gave him more focus, though they already have so much going on...

Does anyone else think they should have made movie 4 into two separate films? They had originally talked about this but scrapped the idea. I think I would have liked that - it seemed way too fast paced for me, and it's the only Potter flick I haven't seen more than once.

Asian Keng said...

I feel the need to raise my hand timidly to ask permission to participate in this discussion of illustrious salsa makers/eaters, but the topic is too tantalizing to pass up. I just started rereading Order of the Phoenix last night to rev up for the movie... SO excited to see Imelda Staunton as Umbridge. She'll be positively fantastic.

Snape is going to redeem himself in a hugely dramatic fashion, and in my opinion seal it with his own death. In the HBP he kills Dumbledore, but I am positive it was on Dumbledore's orders, whether given at that moment or at some time previously (both are skilled Legilimens and reading minds should be easy for them) and actually performs a heroic deed by taking the blame for an act that condemns whomever performs it. Literarily (yes, I made that up) speaking, Harry is so determined to hate him that almost by default (and going along with J.K. Rowling's theme of "more than meets the eye"... or wait, that's the Transformers...) he has to be intrinsically good. Dumbledore trusts him and so far Dumbledore's opinions and statements have panned out to be truth.

Rumors have been proferred of Ron dying as well; symbolically represented by how he sacrificed himself in the first book during the chess match.

Really, I could ruminate for hours, but in the end I'm shallow and like to just go with the flow and allow myself to be surprised. But I agree with the shark, Sirius's death is just completely underwhelming.

Julie C said...

I guess I don't see why Harry can't die - I mean, if we're discussing Ron & Hermione & Ginny, etc. Harry seems like he would be able to make the tough choice and ignore what was happening to himself in order to do what he felt he had to do. I'm not advocating it - I'm just saying I can't write off the possibility that easily.

Personally though, I vote for Snape - the ultimate act of redemption; and Ron - Ron's death could be the impetus to allow Harry to be victorious.

And I definitely don't think that the deaths of any "bad guys" count.

morgan said...

I can definitely see Neville getting killed, probably in some act that allows Voldemort to be beaten. It seems to me that JK has suggested that Neville could play a part in beating Voldemort, and he's lived a fairly down-trodden life. It would seem appropriate for him to kick the bucket in the act of helping to defeat Voldemort.

I also don't believe for a second that Sirius is dead. All we know is he fell behind some curtain; it seems like a rather short, explanationless death for such an important character.

Warren said...

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Sirius is "definitely dead" according to Rowling. (go about half way down)