HPMOR small thoughts
Feb. 25th, 2016 02:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackDumbledore and allies spend a chapter debating whether it was Harry or Voldemort who broke Bellatrix out of Azkaban. None suggest the true answer: it was both of them working together.
I can't believe it worked as an effective reveal that Quirrel was Voldemort. I mean, it was one of the top theories in fan forums, but look at the evidence: in the book, Quirrel was Voldemort, which I find probably most persuasive; Quirrel is openly evil; Harry gets the same sense of doom when he touches him as in the books; Quirrel especially loves Avada Kedavra; Quirrel is obsessed with immortality. But somehow, HPMOR managed to obscure the issue enough it wasn't a foregone conclusion.
In retrospect, I had two reasons for doubting: Quirrel was more intelligent and methodical than Voldemort ever seemed; and I liked Quirrel and I wanted to hope that someone cold could still do good things. And I think the second is true of some people, but I should have accepted I could be wrong about Q even when I didn't want to be. And the first, even though it didn't make sense before I knew V was a role played by Q (or both were roles played), I should have said, even if it doesn't make sense, how likely is it that there might be a good reason I haven't thought of? Actually quite likely.
It's always interesting what's the same as the original. EY basically does double down on "the power H has that V knows not is love" and makes it work. D turns out in the end to basically be the same: eccentric but well meaning, naturally good but beaten down by the war with V.
I can't believe it worked as an effective reveal that Quirrel was Voldemort. I mean, it was one of the top theories in fan forums, but look at the evidence: in the book, Quirrel was Voldemort, which I find probably most persuasive; Quirrel is openly evil; Harry gets the same sense of doom when he touches him as in the books; Quirrel especially loves Avada Kedavra; Quirrel is obsessed with immortality. But somehow, HPMOR managed to obscure the issue enough it wasn't a foregone conclusion.
In retrospect, I had two reasons for doubting: Quirrel was more intelligent and methodical than Voldemort ever seemed; and I liked Quirrel and I wanted to hope that someone cold could still do good things. And I think the second is true of some people, but I should have accepted I could be wrong about Q even when I didn't want to be. And the first, even though it didn't make sense before I knew V was a role played by Q (or both were roles played), I should have said, even if it doesn't make sense, how likely is it that there might be a good reason I haven't thought of? Actually quite likely.
It's always interesting what's the same as the original. EY basically does double down on "the power H has that V knows not is love" and makes it work. D turns out in the end to basically be the same: eccentric but well meaning, naturally good but beaten down by the war with V.