Likeable Regulus (Was: Villain!Dumbledore)

[prep0strus]

No: HPFGUIDX 177973

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Carol" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:
Prep0strus and other readers are, of course, perfectly free to
continue regarding Regulus as unlikeable, but his heroism seems
undeniable. For me, he's "a right little hero," not for joining up but
for rebelling and sacrificing his life for, of all people, a House-Elf
that his brother Sirius wrongly held in contempt. The Gryffindor was
wrong and the Slytherin was right. Give me Regulus over Sirius, the
arrogant bully who never stopped mistrusting Snape, any day.


Prep0strus:
And I certainly agree that the 'likability' test is one done by each
person individually.  I can only describe my reasons, not expect them
to be a litmus test.

When it comes to Regalus... I think we just don't know enough.  What
we do know is a mixed bag.  He appears to have sacrificed his life for
his house-elf - showing he regarded him as a friend, perhaps even an
equal.  And that's awesome.  But we did not see enough of him to
really know his true motivations and beliefs beyond that.

We know he was a pureblood fanatic, which is more than enough to put
someone in the negative column in my book.  And, not only was he a
supporter of these ideals, he was someone willing to join a group that
used violence and terror to achieve them.  That says a LOT.  We don't
know what he did as part of the group, whether or how much he became
disillusioned, or really anything about him.  He was part of a
prejudiced terror organization, and he sacrificed his life for a house
elf.  One terrible thing, one good thing.  I guess it's the weight you
put on each.  I don't know that his caring for Kreacher made him any
better of a person in any other part of life.

As for Sirius... his treatment of Kreacher, while regrettable, is
expected.  Sirius didn't know of Regalus' sacrifice.  What he did know
is that his best friends were killed by Regalus' evil group.  That he
was framed and put into Azkaban for over a decade because of their
supporters.  That Kreacher continued to spout the same hateful filth
about Sirius and Sirius' friends.  And, even when treated kindly by
others, Kreacher continued to be horrible and nasty all of the time. 
And even with this, Sirius was never as cruel as one might expect a
man who had been unjustly imprisoned in Azkaban for all those years to
be towards someone who shows no regret or change of heart from the
evil that put him there.  As for never stopping mistrusting Snape?
This is a basis on which to judge a person?  

Not only were they childhood enemies, but Snape had already proven he
could play for either side.  After HBP, NO ONE continued to trust
Snape. Even before then, he was playing for both sides - and you can
even make it a positive for Snape that he was able to play his part so
well.  But I think a turncoat almost always has people who will never
fully trust them - even if being turncoat is 'good'.

Sirius went away to that hellish prison believing Snape to be part of
the group that killed his friends.  Then he comes out, emotionally
scarred, put on by Snape (who also doesn't trust HIM), with a
different world to understand.

Plus, let's not forget how horrible Severus was and continues to be to
Harry, who is Sirius' godchild and probably the only person in the
world who Sirius cares about (well, maybe Lupin too).

Never stopped mistrusting Snape?  Kind of a feeble flaw, I'd say. 
Maybe the greatest, most loving, most forgiving, most trusting people
could trust Snape (of course, the most trusting people also include
Hagrid, who is willing to trust acrumantula, so trust doesn't come
with judgment, and a failure to trust isn't always a sign of poor
morals or poor judgment).  But a man who fought against him as a child
and as a man...  who suffered more than anyone in his loss of friends
and freedom...  who sees his beloved godchild continue to suffer under
Snape's tutelage...  this is not a man whom I will begrudge a little
mistrust of Snape.  And he trusts Dumbledore enough to let Snape come
into his home.  Rather big of him, I'd say.

And yet, you'd take Regalus, the bigot and terrorist of which you know
almost nothing, over him?  That seems strange to me.  I see no
evidence Regalus would be any less arrogant.  And there is no evidence
he even died any less of a bigot, or any less of a person who believes
violence is ok.  We know he died a friend to his house-elf, and I
won't criticize that.  But that's all we know of him.

~Adam (Prep0strus)