Deathly Hallows - death watch *EXPECT SPOILERS*

[kythe]

I am quite surprised that none of the "main" characters died. Despite the sheer number of deaths, many of these people were created as disposable characters. Charity Burbage, Ted Tonks, and Bathilda Bagshot were unknowns to us until they appeared right before their deaths. Although tragic, it just isn't as emotionally moving as if Hagrid or McGonagall had been lost in battle.

It also seems to me that more adults died than kids. Sure, the number "50" is thrown out at the end, but it still feels like more experienced aurors fall than students. I think the last battle could have had more impact if a kid we know well, like Luna or Ginny, had been among the 50.

[PTeppic]

Originally Posted by kythe

It also seems to me that more adults died than kids. Sure, the number "50" is thrown out at the end, but it still feels like more experienced aurors fall than students. I think the last battle could have had more impact if a kid we know well, like Luna or Ginny, had been among the 50.

At the end of the day, wouldn't the adults present be doing all they can to protect any "children" who have stayed (with due note that those staying should have been "of age" anyway)? As such they are likely to be getting themselves into the line of fire deliberately, and so more likely to be injured.

It also means I forgot a section in my "how come 50 died who we didn't know by name" spiel above - any Aurors and related adults who came to try to help Hogwarts at its hour of need. But I still think JKR didn't fully think through that minor detail (which can be forgiven judging against all the detail she did think through)!

[Markida]

I think the death of Fred Weasley was shocking enough for my liking. To the point that it made me cry

[DarkIntentions]

To be honest whenever I came to the point when I noticed Fred or George was to speak I would skip reading their name without realising it, When I do that it is hard to have a relationship between myself and the character and to me the twins were just one person, Tbh I didn't really care about Fred dying as I still had George to entertain me.

Ooh that is so wrong. Maybe it stems from when I was younger and there was this boy who fancied me and was an indentical twin and I never got to know HIM because I couldn't tell whether I was speaking to him or his brother. To this day I don't know which one it was who fancied me.

I'm rambling.

[bookaholic]

Well, because I'm me, I've always liked Fred better than George. No idea why,I just do. I read the passage when Fred dies aloud to my brother and I burst into tears halfway through. Poor Fred

[PTeppic]

Just watched OotP again, having now finished Hallows. Very weird watching the whole movie going, you're going to die, you're going to die, you're losing an ear, etc...

[HoopyFrood]

Heh! Yeah, I think I'd be like that...even in Order of the Phoenix, every time I saw Sirius I kept thinking, well, make it worth your while, mate, you're dead soon!

I was thinking about this the other day...do you think the people playing Lupin and Fred and everyone else who dies read the book and thought "Oh, damn it, I don't make it to the end!" or "Ooh, I get a great death!"

[Alia]

What's interesting is you forgot...

Severus Snape and Harry Potter

AND George's ear! We can't forget George's ear, especially after the 'holy' remark. *giggles*

[Alia]

Originally Posted by Markida

I think the death of Fred Weasley was shocking enough for my liking. To the point that it made me cry

I did cry! Fred and George are my two favorite characters in the book. Dobley took me for a spin too! I had a hard time with that one as well!

[Joel007]

Snape yes, but the Harry thing was strange enough that I still don't know if he was dead or just unconcious and delirious.
Was Dumbledore supposed to be a part of Harry's mind or actually Dumbledore? And why didn't Harry summon Dumbledore with the stone before going to face off with Tom.

Personally I'd always thought that Harry's confrontations with Voldemort would be better if he used Tom's real name rather than the one that Voldemort gave himself. Giving something it's real name often makes it less scary.

[manephelien]

Something about his willingness to die helped defeat Voldemort, given that he was a horcrux. If he'd fought him, he would've fought himself too. Now he made Voldy fight himself (as his horcrux) instead.

Harry going peacefully to die in order to prevent evil taking over the world is almost messianic, never mind his eventual resurrection...

[Joel007]

Ah well, if you want a good story that will touch people's hearts it's best to put a bit of truth into it.

[Culhwch]

Well, finished ealry this mornig (very early). And I must say that many of the deaths felt tacked - particularly those off-screen. Tonks and Lupin, as an example. Lupin is my all-time fave character, and yet his death had such little emotional impact... The death that hit me hardest was Hedwig, and the emotion I felt was anger at such an arbitrary ending. There was no need for it, so far as I could see, except to throw in an early 'shocking' death. And that's the way I felt about most of the subsequent deaths, that they were thrown about because it was expected to happen.

[Dave]

I think part of JKR's idea was to keep you guessing whether Harry would die or not (I predicted wrongly that he would die, though her explanation of why he survived the removal of the Horcrux was a little weak, I thought.) Or if not Harry, then a major character as has already been mentioned - McGonagall, Hermione or Ron. With so many dying, you would feel it possible to lose any of them, though it did begin to feel like the final episode of 'Blake's 7' or the end of 'Serenity'.

I think the 55 dead mentioned would only be adults, or students who were 'of age' (unless they sneaked in like Ginny.) The younger students were all evacuated first through the corridor to Hogsmeade long before the battle.