Voldemort's Immortality Goal

[Risti]

No: HPFGUIDX 46455

I'd first of all like to say that what Phyllis said really got me 
thinking, and not just because Voldemort's search for immortality is 
a favorite topic of mine.  His inability to admit that he is fallible 
could be his undoing.  Pride goes before the fall, after all.

Actually, I'm glad that you brought this up, as I'd been meaning to 
bring back some discussion about Voldemort, Dumbledore, and the 
search for immortality.  It was actually the first subject I ever 
brought up on this list, when I was a brand new newbie(as opposed to 
a not even 2 month newbie like I am now).  I'll give a short quote 
from my original post.
*
So now let me go back to what I began with. Life, and the search for 
it. Voldemort admits that it is his goal to conquer death. Would it 
not make sense then that his arch-enemy would be the person who has 
succeeded in doing this? Albus Dumbledore, along with his defeat of 
the dark wizard Grindlewald, is also famous for something else:his 
work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Nicolas Flamel is 
holds the only KNOWN(I'll get into that in a later post...) 
Philosopher's stone. The one thing that can truly conquer death. 
Unless of course, it's the tears of a Pheonix.
*

If anyone is interested the full thought is message #44205.

Aside from what is discussed in that message, I have to say that I 
believe the battle between life and death plays a major role in the 
themes of the series.  The first book, which sets up the entire 
series, is especially heavy in this theme.  The first chapter 
introduces us to 'The Boy Who Lived.'  As much as I hate the over-
emphasis of that phrase in fandom, it really does give us a clear 
picture of who Harry is.  He too is someone who has escaped death at 
a moment when there would seem to be no escape.  This is only the 
beginning of a book that is filled with the ideas of ghosts, innocent 
lives being destroyed(the unicorns), and the search for life.  I 
wouldn't be surprised if the Philosopher's stone and Nicholas Flamel 
turned out to play a big role in the upcoming books.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the quest for life comes up in 
the very next book.  Pheonix's are symbols of immortality.  Already 
the three key figures when it comes to wizarding power, Dumbledore, 
Voldemort, and Harry, all have a connection with one Pheonix.  I 
can't see JKR allowing something like that to just sit and stagnate.

Now that Voldemort has once again achieved mortal life, I can't see 
him as being content to stay with that for long, especially after his 
close call in the graveyard.  Many people have been discussing Harry 
Potter and the prophecies in the Book of Revelation.  Please excuse 
me if this has been stated already, since I am terribly far behind in 
catching up on my posts, but if Voldemort is to be compared to the 
anti-christ, then one thing should be mentioned.  Within the 
prophecies, it is said that the Anti-Christ would die and be 
resurrected as Satan Incarnate three and a half years into the 
Tribulation.  The grave yard scene is very near to the three and a 
half year mark from when the books began.  Continuing with the 
Prophecy, the next three and a half years are a time when the Anti-
Christ only increases his powers to levels it has never been at, and 
achieves what seems to be immortality.  Another thing that is scary 
is that the government and most of society are said to fully support 
him.

So what does this have to do with the series?  Voldemort's quest for 
immortality is hardly over.  I foresee an unknown Philosopher's stone
(all we're ever told is that Nicholas Flamel made the only known 
stone), the powers of the Pheonix bird(Could the Order of the Pheonix 
include all the people who have ever owned Fawkes?), and the search 
to conquer death.  Ultimately, as Phyllis said, it is the fear and 
fascination of death that brings together all of mankind.  The Harry 
Potter series is already being called a classic.  There is no greater 
theme in classic literature than the quest to conquer death.

~Risti