Likeable Regulus.

[prep0strus]

No: HPFGUIDX 178056


> Magpie:
> So, wait. Regulus was another one of those DEs who actually wasn't 
> being racist by joining the DEs even though that seems to be the 
> most obvious belief they espouse? Does this apply to Draco to? 
> Because they seem exactly the same to me. Being attracted to the DEs 
> is being attracted to evil even if the primary attraction isn't 
> wiping out Muggle-borns--although though Pureblood superiority seems 
> to be exactly the beliefs that Draco and Regulus got from their 
> parents that sent them to the DEs to be "right little heroes." 
> That's how they're special. Espousing bigoted pulchitrude is a way 
> of thinking youself special.
> 
> I think Regulus is pretty much absolved in the end too--he made the 
> greatest sacrifice he could to bring Voldemort down. But I still 
> agree with Adam's point as I understand it. I still consider him a 
> DE who did something brave when something he loved was threatened--
> whether this led to a change of heart and seeing that his other 
> beliefs had been truly wrong and that he had *therefore been evil 
> for espousing them to begin with* I don't feel confident in saying 
> at all. I think Regulus was always brave--he joined the DE to help 
> the holy cause of putting Purebloods in charge or everyone else and 
> getting rid of Muggle-borns. It's possible he rejected those beliefs 
> along with Voldemort. It's also possible he didn't.
> 
> -m
>

Prep0strus:
I think I've pretty much reached an impasse on this discussion, but
Magpie has summed up my opinion pretty nicely. 

Everyone who commented that I was looking for the worst possible
explanations of Regulus' behavior was absolutely right - not because I
necessarily believe it to be so, but because I was throwing ideas out
there that could exist.

My personal belief, based on the story? Regulus died a racist.  I
think he always was one, and died one.  I think he always cared for
Kreacher, but believed Voldemort cares for him, and shared his
beliefs.  When Voldemort let Kreacher die, Regulus realized that
Voldemort did not care about anything but himself.  He discovered he
was into some VERY dangerous magic and was perhaps becoming something
less than human - something dangerous, scary, and not supported by
Regulus' ideology.

I don't think Regulus was ever quite prepared for the group he had
joined - he was a hate-filled little brat, but not necessarily a
murderer.  I think, when he died, he realized it was a mistake, and he
was, indeed, trying to stop Voldemort, and he was also laying his life
on the line for Kreacher.  I think, in that sense, he was 'good', but
I think he was also a racist jerk who I would have hated.

Everything I just said could be disputed.  I understand that some
people think that by saving Kreacher, that makes him incapable of
bigotry.  However, I also think that his motivations may have been
less heroic, and more twisted in his attempt to take down Voldemort.

Someone said I didn't believe there was enough information, so the
musings were strange.  That's true.  I talk a lot about possibilities,
but IMHO, there simply isn't enough information for me to form a
concrete opinion on the matter.  Everything in conjecture and what i'd
'like to think'.

And I still believe motivations and beliefs are very important in
regards to action.  I think in literature we can know them, and they
are more interesting and give more information about a character than
the action itself.

As for Regulus becoming what he was because of his parents... that's
another discussion entirely.  I don't even personally believe in free
will, really, so in that sense, I can't blame anyone for anything. 
But even if someone has no choice but to become a bigoted murdering
monster, that doesn't change what they are... and it doesn't change
their beliefs or motivations, just the reasons for them.  Regulus may
have been raised to be a bigot, but that's not an excuse.  Especially
as he did have his older brother setting a better example.

Others have certainly made up their minds on Regulus - this 'hero' who
we never actually meet or learn about why he did what he did.  But for
me, unless JKR writes 'Regulus Black and the Change of Heart', he will
always be a mystery, an unknown.  A plot twist even more than a plot
device (because his actions didn't, in the end, change very much of
what our main characters did), but not someone I can call a hero or a
villain.  Or, for that matter, the 'good Slytherin'. ;)

~Adam (Prep0strus)