Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Antagonist

[blaqlives]

Discussion of the featured editorial Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Antagonist by Melissa Walker.

[coasterprincess]

The more I think about it...the more I like it. There has been so much tension between Harry and Snape building that there is no way JKR can't have something big in store. Since Snape has been seen so much more throughout the books while Voldemort has been more of some kind of unseen but often thought of threat, it's going to be a lot more personal and a lot more interesting. Well done.

[DJGoldstein]

I think that what you're saying makes a lot of sense. I understand that Snape makes much more sense than Voldemort, however, there is only one book left, and resolving both of those conflicts will be rather difficult in one novel. There is no way that Rowling will be able to fit both fights in one book. Just getting to the main climax of the story took 5 and a half books. I think it is more likely that harry will spend much of the novel (a) destroying Voldemort's soul and (b) gaining an understanding of the relationship between his parent's death/snape/voldemort/the prophecy. If Snape really is just "on his own side," then he must be intertwined deeply with Harry's fight against Voldemort. I believe that Snape's relationship to these events is much larger than we know...I believe Snape was at Godric's Hollow, especially because Rowling was unable to answer the interview question about who else was at Godric's Hollow that night. I think that because of this, Snape and Voldemort's future can be determined in a single solution through Harry. Though I don't wish to speculate what that future is...

[jca0331]

I read it and I like it. It's a wonderful hypothesis -- unconventional and in line with how Jo operates. But, after careful consideration, I do not believe it will pan out.

Reason #1: No physical harm has ever come to Harry while Snape had the power to prevent it. In SS/PS, Snape saved Harry. In HBP, even in their final confrontation, Snape never used an offensive spell, only defensive ones.

Reason #2: Jo has communicated to us in other ways that Snape is on the good side. In the books we see everything through Harry's oft-tainted eyes. In the movies, however, we see characters in a different light. And I believe that Snape has been shown in a positive light in the movies. (Not necessary a nice person...just on the right side.)

This one is going to be a stretch and I expect that many people will not agree with it. However, we know that Jo gets final say on certain aspects of the movies. First, the movies clearly revealed the relationship between Hermione and Ron before the books made it obvious. Also, I believe that at one point, the director wanted to put a graveyard on the school grounds and Jo said it could not go in spot X because there really was a graveyard and it had to go somewhere else. Anyway, reason #2 may be a stretch but I believe in it.

Why I could be completely wrong
Something has always bothered me. And, for humor, actor Alan Rickman (Snape) put it into words in Galaxy Quest: "What's its motivation?" I know what Harry wants. (Vanquish Voldy, marry Ginny) I don't know what Voldemort is up to or what his plan is but I know what he wants too. (Kill Harry, take over the world) I have no earthly clue what Snape wants, though. None what-so-ever. This is because Jo has planned it so. And given this, anything is possible with our favorite former professor.

[yorkiegirl]

Originally Posted by jca0331

Something has always bothered me. And, for humor, actor Alan Rickman (Snape) put it into words in Galaxy Quest: "What's its motivation?" I know what Harry wants. (Vanquish Voldy, marry Ginny) I don't know what Voldemort is up to or what his plan is but I know what he wants too. (Kill Harry, take over the world) I have no earthly clue what Snape wants, though. None what-so-ever. This is because Jo has planned it so. And given this, anything is possible with our favorite former professor.

This has always been my problem with Snape, though until you pointed it out I couldn't put my finger on it. Voldy may be the nastiest bad guy in town but Snape is an enigma - deliberately so as you say. This editorial has really built well on its predicessor (another editorial that I thought that was well done) but I am not yet fully convinced for one reason only - we still don't really know why Dumbledore trusted Snape. Until I discover that I must reserve judgement.

That said - I don't like Snape, whichever side he is on, he takes far too much pleasure in belittling others - never, ever, a good thing.

[Lauren17]

I like this theory because it also goes with JKR's philosophy of no issue having a clear "right" and "wrong." For most of the books, there's been "Harry is good" and "Voldemort is bad" but it would be very like JKR to show her readers that there can be three sides, or even a multitude of sides to an issue.

Also, it just seems like something she would do: fake us into believing the Dark Lord is vanquished, and then spring another surprise on Harry.

[Linda_Carrig]

very well thought out! I enjoyed reading the article. I have nothing to add except one of Rowling's more clever devices has been the one where after 6 books we still don't know what goes on inside Snape's head.

[Desraelda]

I think the double ending is most evident in the movies. Just when you think there's a logical ending point, and you're just beginning to get your breath, along comes another crescendo. Not sure I agree that it will be Voldy and then Snape in the last book, but I do agree about the double ending.

[Lioness]

this makes the most sense of anything I have read in any of the HP websites discussions, forums, etc. It explains Snape's razor's edge dance of "is he good/is he evil" completely. I also think there is a huge backstory to this that hopefully we will find out in book 7.

[TheMalteseFan]

Yeah, very good editorial (and yay for the return of a FEATURED EDITORIAL, at last). It is very good written but, as someone else said on this forum, I find it easier to belive that the Harry VS Snape fight will be intertwined with the Harry VS Voldemort one. I believe that the last fight will take very long in the book so I think a long fight against Snape and Voldemort is the thing that will happen.

[burns20002002]

Wow!! I almost wish I had not read this editorial, because if it's correct there won't be any shock factor when I read it. I don't believe Jo has ever tried to convince us that Snape is on the side of good. In fact in her interview with mugglenet/leaky she made it seem like he was never on anyone's side, except his own. I'll have to look up the exact wording.
Oh, and I loved the "Lost" episode comparison! That was one of the best episodes this season. When Sawyer walked out of the woods with that gun in his hand I was like "what the fluff!!" I totally did not see it coming. I know Jo has at least one major surprise left for us, and this could be it.
Well Done !!

[morphia]

I liked this editorial a lot, someone has taken the time and energy to construct the argument i have been discussing with my gryffindor friend since TOOTP.

Voldemort is definately a boogeyman, and Harry is most definately set against him, but it is Snape who has been shaped as the main antagonist throughout the books. And we have no idea of what his motivations are.

The beauty of this is that he could just be a supporting charecter, he could simply be "good snape/bad snape" or he could be questing for ultimate power for himself.......we just haven't been given any clues.

JK has given herself a lot of scope for Snape in book 7, i for one am really looking forward to what her final plans for him are.

[The Obsesser]

My first reaction was to cry "No! You’re wrong! It has to be Voldemort! It’s so obvious that there’s no use even arguing about it!"

But I have to admit that the author is right. I'm not saying Snape is really the main enemy here, or that there will be a double showdown, with Snape being the second. But I agree that the possibility is a tempting one, knowing Jo's love of red herrings.

It would also fit with her love of turning titles into red herrings. The Philosopher's Stone, the Chamber of Secrets, Sirius, the Goblet of Fire, the Order, and Snape didn't particularly turn out to be hugely important elements at the end of their respective books. Brandon Ford wrote an editorial on this about a year ago.

Originally Posted by jca0331

Something has always bothered me. And, for humor, actor Alan Rickman (Snape) put it into words in Galaxy Quest: "What's its motivation?" I know what Harry wants. (Vanquish Voldy, marry Ginny) I don't know what Voldemort is up to or what his plan is but I know what he wants too. (Kill Harry, take over the world) I have no earthly clue what Snape wants, though. None what-so-ever. This is because Jo has planned it so. And given this, anything is possible with our favorite former professor.

I totally and absolutely agree. The problem with Snape - he is so darn hard to read. Did he care for anyone? Does he care for anyone now? What makes him truly angry? What does he want? Where does he want to go? And how is he going to get there?

Well, if they give out Academys at Hogwarts, we know who should win. He's hidden so much, and most of it very sucessfully. We have answers to some of those, but mostly speculative answers. Some think that he cared for Lily, which does seem to have some weight behind it. We have seen that he is highly protective of Draco, very parent-like, which I find very amusing. We've seen him get angry a number of times - after Sirius escaped in PoA, when he found Harry in the Pensieve, and when Harry called him a coward in HBP - but which time was he truly angry, versus just acting?

And the other questions? We've got nothing. And that's what makes this theory so intriguing. Through the pensieve, we've found out a great deal about Voldemort's past, in a book that the real live character was conspiciously absent. Yet in the very book named after him, we learn very little of the Prince himself.

It does perhaps look like Snape shall be the "last thing to mend."

[WeasleDiva]

Good job. A well presented essay.

I have thought for quite awhile that Snape was the main villan, as you indicated, because he gets more page time.

Book one: Snape is set up to be the bad guy and it turns out to be Quirrell. Psych.

Book seven: Snape is the bad guy after all. Psych.

Snape keeps Harry safe because Harry is the only person who can get rid of Voldemort. Snape is playing, "Let's Harry and Voldy Fight."

[drpepperaddict7]

I like this idea. I don't know if it'll happen, but I have thought of it before. I believe that this could be where Wormtail's debt gets repaid, or there is an alternative. The only time I have seen Snape get caught off guard, was when Harry, Ron, and Hermione hit him with expelliarmus all at once. So perhaps multiple people will be needed to vanquishing Snape.

[SmoothieKing33]

I think that the TRUE red herring here is the character of snape. Like everyone has been saying, so much emphasis has been put on him in all of the books, but in the end, I don't think he is going to be that key. I think Jo has us speculating on Snape so much on purpose in order to distract us from the final scene and how that will play out.

This article is also deterring us from the main thing that everyone seems to forget. DUMBLEDORE trusted Snape. And if Dumbledore wasn't right, then I don't want to be.

[Grindelwaldspet]

I like drpepperaddict's idea of more than one person being needed to vanquish Snape. What if a somehow redeemed Riddle is the one to help Harry with this?
I'm going out on a limb here, but there was a theory circulating some time ago that Harry would vanquish Voldy through an Unbreakable Vow. What if this unbreakable vow prevents Riddle from killing anyone, but then he ends up killing Snape to save Harry (and the world) and then "dies at the hand of the other"?
Okay, I know that theory is assuming an aweful lot of things I don't really quite believe will happen, but it's just fun to come up with and discuss these things.

[Gmariam]

Originally Posted by SmoothieKing33

This article is also deterring us from the main thing that everyone seems to forget. DUMBLEDORE trusted Snape. And if Dumbledore wasn't right, then I don't want to be.

I think this is a good point. Dumbledore had a solid reason for trusting Snape, and I doubt it was "Well, he may not be on my side but he's not on Voldemort's either so he'll work out."
JKR has said that when she needs to tell the audience something, she often uses Hermione or Dumbledore to do so; she said that Dumbledore speaks for her (Chamber of Secrets DVD). So on one hand, if Dumbledore trusts Snape, then we could believe that JKR is telling us - through Dumbledore - that Snape is indeed trustworthy. But in her interview with Melissa and Emerson, JKR also agreed that Dumbledore was trusting to the point of recklessness; that though he embodied great wisdom and knowledge, he had already demonstrated he was capable of making great emotional mistakes with Harry. So on the other hand, we have the author acknowledging that Dumbledore can make great mistakes - meaning its possible he's making a mistake about Snape.
Looking back at what JKR has said about Dumbledore didn't really help; it was pretty much a draw! But there are still too many unanswered questions about Dumbledore that make me write off his trust in Snape. And until then, while I don't necessarily believe Snape to be a good guy, I also don't think that he is the bigger baddie. If there is a double ending, a big showdown between Snape and Harry, I think it will be before Harry battles Voldemort. Harry and Snape may be more personal, but the conflict between Harry and Voldemort is more symbolic of larger conflict in the wizarding world, and has a bigger impact on the rest of the world than does Harry battling Snape. It's more epic, more universal, and more important for Harry/Voldemort to be resolved in a climactic battle.
Unless - Snape destroys Voldemort and/or takes over the Death Eaters for his own personal reign as Dark Lord. But I don't think that's his goal, and I don't think it will happen.
Unless - no, I'll just stop there
~Gina

[WoodsMom]

I have no idea how Snape is going to be in the end... I can see it played both ways so well, The redeemed Snape Vs the More evil than Voldemort , Snape.
I can't help but wonder if Jo is going to leave this question open. the one question the readers will debate forever- what side is Snape really on?

[Spritey]

Wow. And it would follow Jo's usual pattern of putting in a primary, obvious bad guy (Like Quirrell in book 1, Sirius in PoA etc etc.) and then overturning it at the last moment. As someone who was worried about how Snape-centred the story was becoming, I can honestly say that I somehow find this idea very exciting. Well done. Seriously, very well done. I love it.