Peter Pettigrew's (Wormtail's) Death

[Tonks]

This thread is for the discussion of Peter's death.

Do you think he fufilled his life debt?
Was his death just?

Discuss...

[Lucybird]

I must admit I was hoping for something a bit more dramatic from him fulfilling his debt. But I quite like the way he was killed off, killed pretty much by himself for not supporting Voldemort 100%

[BelleSnowyOwl]

Yes, he fulfilled his life debt. His own body couldn’t prevent the magical bond that was created.

He had it coming. The method of death was shocking, though. I was kind of grossed out.

This scene will give the movie a harsh rating, that’s for sure!

[thagrimreaper]

I'm not 100% clear on how why the silver hand choked Wormtail to death. Did Voldemort enchant the hand so that whenever he showed the slightest sentiment of hesitation it would immediately turn on and choke him to death?

I suppose my question is 1) Was it because of the life debt that Wormtail could not kill Harry or 2) Was it because of the life debt that Wormtail hesitated, thus cementing his death due to the silver hand that he had been gifted by Voldemort?

[Mia_Potter]

Originally Posted by Lucybird

I must admit I was hoping for something a bit more dramatic from him fulfilling his debt. But I quite like the way he was killed off, killed pretty much by himself for not supporting Voldemort 100%

I was expecting something way more dramatic then what we got. However he did do it to himself by betraying his friends and thinking his alliance with Voldemort would save him. To bad he hadn't changed back into a rat and gotten caught in a rat trap LOL!

[Grim_Reapster]

I was expecting something a little more heroic, like throwing himself in between Voldemort, and Harry. I thought that he might redeem himself for betraying his friends.

Instead his death was pretty anti-climactic. He died for a moments hesitation. But his death wasn't as pointless, or disappointing, as snape's. I really expected something impressive from him. Only to see him die for nothing.

[Anhelda]

Originally Posted by thagrimreaper

I'm not 100% clear on how why the silver hand choked Wormtail to death. Did Voldemort enchant the hand so that whenever he showed the slightest sentiment of hesitation it would immediately turn on and choke him to death?

I suppose my question is 1) Was it because of the life debt that Wormtail could not kill Harry or 2) Was it because of the life debt that Wormtail hesitated, thus cementing his death due to the silver hand that he had been gifted by Voldemort?

My take on this was that the life debt caused Wormtail to hesitate, thereby showing less than 100% loyalty to Voldemort, who had apparently jinxed the hand to punish Wormtail if he was every less than 100% loyal. Remember, Voldemort had no illusions about why Peter joined him after POA, and he probably figured if Peter could betray his friends, he could just as easily betray Voldemort. The hex on the hand just ensured that if Peter did turn, he wouldn't live to enjoy it--a necessary precaution, seeing how Peter has wormed his way out of his just desserts so often before.

I don't know that I think he really fulfilled his life debt to MY satisfaction, but his hesitation did allow Harry to escape him, so I guess Peter fulfilled it to the best of his ability, anyway.

[MrsGinnyPotter]

Wormtail's death scene confused me with the hand. I couldn't figure out if Voldemort sensed his remorse and weakness and killed him because of this or if Wormtail suddenly felt remorse becasue of what Harry said to him and realized he deserves to be dead and took his own life. What do you think?

The thing about Voldmort killing him for not killing Harry seems strange though becasue Voldemort wanted to do it himself. Or was he just angry becasue of the effect HArry's words had on Wormtail?

I'm obviously confused

[Patronus87]

If you are thinking about it from a purely human standpoint. Would you be able to actually choke yourself with your own hand? Besides, the way it was described in the book, he didn't seem to pleased to be choking.

My first thought was that voldemort enchanted it, because he knew how much Wormtail was there out of fear, and not loyalty (Gof) So it was kind of like an insurance plan. If he wasn't going to stay with voldemort, he wouldn't be able to serve anyone.

[MrsGinnyPotter]

well the hand voldemort gave him wasn't exactly a normal hand. it was stronger than normal as seen when he crushed sticked into dust with it when he first recieved it. so i think it would be possible to for him to choke himself to death with the hand....

[myndon]

Um, I'm pretty sure it was Voldemort's curse that did it...remember what he said when he gave Wormtail the hand?

"May your loyalty never waver again..."

[rebellious]

That was great the way he died!! He didn't deserve a heroic death after what he did to his friends... It was quite disturbing, but I almost cried of happiness. Maybe it's just that I always hated Wormtail.

[Infinity9999x]

I thought it was fairly anticlimactic. I expected Pettigrew to do more then simply waver a bit in his loyalty. Though, I suppose it fit his character, he was never one to take a strong course of action.

[Desraelda]

I thought his death was grotesquely ironic. His fulfillment of his life-debt to Harry ensured his own death. He had no more part to play in Harry's life. His death was the result of betrayal; something that was a way of life for him.

[MrsGinnyPotter]

now that i remember that quote i understand what you are saying

the thought of wormtail killing himself seems kind of i dont what the word is...redeeming but not really

i think it would have been a good (and shocking) way for him to die

[4halls]

Voldermort definitely enchanted the hand. Voldermort never TRULY trusted any of his followers and he condemned most of them to death if they betrayed him... (except maybe the Malfoys).

I really thought that Pettigrew would have given Harry more than what he did to repay his life death, but I guess the hesitation he gave him in turn saved his life.

[rainie_hp]

Very anti-climatic. Expected more contribution from him to be honest, though it still proves Dumbledore to be right, I mean turns out Voldemort really did not want his servant under Harry's debt, now did he?

[stunnedtina]

I actually liked his death, very fitting. He was disloyal to Voldemort so therefore the hand took his life. I was expecting something more dramatic but it worked.

[Sibe]

I disagree with those who didn't like the his death, I thought it was a great. He had one moment of mercy, which, saved Harry's life and made the chain of events more dramatic. And it's only logical that Voldemort cursed the hand, and as soon as he stopped doing his bidding, it killed him, whether Wormtail knew the hand was cursed or not is another question, since if it was it would make his deeds even more heroic. And my P.O.V. I think he did know it was cursed, because he didn't seem surprised when it was killing him.

It wasn't anti-climaxed at all IMO, it was quite fitting. Because it was a big question, would he repay Harry? And so he repayed it with his own life, while if the hand was not cursed, he could not have.

Of course, I wasn't expecting too much from Wormtail myself in this book, because of all the other storylines, so I was quite happy that his mercy had quite a big effect overall.

[Pigleto972001]

i was expecting something a bit more heroic, but i think the scene was very fitting. he allowed harry to escape, to take his wand, and ultimately to save hermione and ron...as well as get draco's wand, thus ensuring him the elder wand. so in that moment, it didn't seem like that much, but overall, i think it was a profound move on his part. and it's interesting that he didn't try to change into a rat or anything like that, probably wouldn't have saved his life anyway...