A fate worse than death ALIAS finale vs Book 7

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 152872

***Alias series finale spoilers below!***

Randy:
> Sydney Bristow has been called the Chosen One in the past.  In this 
> episode her dying father, (Jack Bristow) tells her that only she 
> can face and defeat her mother.  The dying father, JAck then 
> confronts the evil Arvin Sloane who has finally attained eternal 
> life.  He realizes that Sloane can never be killed now, so the 
> dying Jack does the next best thing.  He blows up the cavern that 
> they are both standing inside and traps Sloane in the rubble for 
> eternity.  Sloane cannot die, but cannot move to escape.
> 
> I immediately thought of Dumbledore's statement that "there are 
> worse things than death".  I must confess that trapping Voldemort 
> for all eternity in an undead state with no horcruxes and no 
> helpers to find him would prevent Harry from having to actually 
> kill Voldemort.  I think this may be a possible ending for Book 
> Seven.  A dead Voldemort forces Harry to be considered a murderer, 
> but an eternally trapped Voldy is much more effective.  Harry will 
> not have become a trained assassin as his legacy from Hogwarts.


SSSusan:
Whoa.  Randy, I watched that series finale, too, but the comparison 
to HP never once crossed my mind.  (Go ahead, call me dense!)  But 
now that you've presented it, it's fun to consider.

I confess that while I was pleased with Jack's quick thinking as his 
own life was fading away, and thoroughly enjoyed the look on his face 
just before he pressed the detonater (Yay, SpyDad!), there was also a 
part of me that was ... I don't know... BOTHERED by a Sloane trapped 
in perpetuity, just as I would be somehow BOTHERED by a Voldy trapped 
in perpetuity.  

Such a scenario would, yes, prevent Harry from becoming a "murderer," 
a thought which distresses many an HP fan.  I am not one of those, 
however, feeling myself that such a killing could be viewed more 
as "necessity" or as "self-defense" and thus would not class Harry as 
a "murderer" in my mind.  (Heh.  Rather like how I won't see Snape as 
a murderer if my position that he killed DD upon DD's request/command 
is borne out. <g>)

But, yes, I can see that there are many fans who would like for Harry 
to have this kind of out.  I'm not even very well able to articulate 
what it is that bothers me about such a scenario.  Maybe it's that I 
don't want to have to consider his ongoing state; I want him to be 
GONE and totally out of my thoughts.  Maybe it's the worry that, 
though trapped *theoretically* for all eternity, there would also 
always be the slightest chance that another Wormtail will come along, 
seek out and find his old Evil Master, help him escape whatever's 
trapping him, present him with a wand, and voila -- VoldyWar III is 
on the horizon.  

So although I see the parallel you're drawing here with DD's "There 
are things worse than death," and it's a nifty parallel, I personally 
wouldn't find this as satisfying as finding, at the end, that Voldy 
is truly GONE.  Even if he's gone, there would always be the worry 
that some *other* evil overlord will pop up, but at least there 
wouldn't be any worry that this *particular* one will come back.

However, just to play along with your scenario a little bit more, 
I've noticed a couple of posters have mentioned the "Neither can live 
while the other survives" segment of the prophecy as a reason for how 
this really can't happen.  I'm not sure I agree with that.  I don't 
think it would be out of the realm of possibility for JKR to be 
utilizing one of the lower-in-the-list definitions of "live."  Here, 
for instance, from dictionary.com:

"live v. 
6. To pursue a positive, satisfying existence; enjoy life: those who 
truly live."

So, she could be meaning that version of living.  It could simply 
mean that Harry will die (as Jack did) in causing whatever befalls-
but-doesn't-kill Voldy.  You know?  Voldy survives, so neither can 
live:  Harry literally and Voldy in the "pursuing a positive, 
satisfying existence" sense.  

I hope not, but I think your suggestion is still a possibility.


Siriusly Snapey Susan, wondering if JJ Abrams is a closet Harry 
Potter fan