Villainy

[boyd_smythe]

No: HPFGUIDX 109484

> Kneasy wrote:
> Dunno about you but I'm disappointed in Voldy.
> Seems to be more caricature than character.
> More cardboard cut-out than cut-throat.
> <snip>

boyd:

As usual, Kneasy, I agree with your starting point: LV is not exactly 
the most successful villain in the history of fiction. And 
that also causes me much vexation. However, I have a slightly 
different take on why, and therefore a way of dealing with the 
frequent annoyances that come with delving into this aspect of the 
series.

First off, we must remember that, at least initially, this was a 
children's series. Whether the more recent books target an older 
demographic is a bit beside the point when set against the backdrop of 
JKR's primary readership, the kids. So she can't make her villain too 
scary, too competently evil, or too successful in hurting the 
protagonist; that'd be fairly tough on kids who may identify closely 
with Harry.

Second, from a plot perspective, JKR has needed Harry to defeat LV a 
few times. That's her plot, a stright defeat of LV by Harry, right? 
Sure, he gets a little help from friends, but he's still the one 
standing up to LV despite his fear. So if LV were really 
ultra-powerful and ultra-smart, the series would be impossible to 
write as she wants it.

Third, she has really given LV just a couple of tragic flaws in an 
otherwise apparently ungodly arsenal of weapons. The weapons: 
tremendous wizarding power possibly second only to DD, 
near-immortality, willingness to kill on a whim, a band of 
similarly-minded followers, a reputation so fearful that most won't 
even say his name, and only one being with the power to stop him in 
Harry. Couple those powers with the relative uselessness of the WW and 
muggle institutions and press and you have a formidable foe.

His flaws? He apparently becomes a bit impulsive near the time of his 
victory, and therefore misses clues to his looming defeats. Really, 
aren't GH, the cemetary, the DoM, Quirrel!Mort all examples of him 
jumping the gun in expecting a victory? The other flaw: he has not yet 
used terror tactics to their potential. That may change now that he 
and his DEs have appeared at the DoM.

Or perhaps not. What is his motivation? To rule? To kill others? To 
rid the world of mudbloods? I doubt all of those. I think he's 
selfish, sure, which would make it nice to have the WW in his thrall, 
but his main goal is, I believe, true immortality. He's not there yet, 
thanks to this Potter kid who somehow can kill him according to a 
prophecy. But he's close.

So is LV a weak evil villain? A bit. But then again JKR also has to 
fit in the many other plots of this series, so poor LV gets less face 
time than in many typical good vs. evil stories.

--boyd
but wouldn't it be great if LV and the DEs come out swinging in 6?