today's in(s)ane potter theory.
Thanks to bluekivrin for the inspiration & the translation. Dedicated to sioniann, who for once was not there to make me post this.
Voldemort.
Vol de mort.
Flight of death, en francais.
Let's overanalyze.
First of all, let us skip the part about death entirely. Oooh, impending DOOM, so ebil, loadsa people killed, creeeepy DEATH. I think it kind of goes with the entire DARK Lord thing and the whole "greatest enemy of all times" and the whole evil thing in general.
It just works. It's there. Death -> evil. That's how the mind works, doesn't it? For most of us, anyway.
And don't start a moral debate with me on this thing, okay? If I'm looking to discuss the question of whether death is a bad thing or rather, whether KILLING is evil, I'll spend a day in the Death Note fandom (A great place for all of those who complain HP has a black-and-white concept of good and evil - or rather, that Rowling ignores the grey areas of moral in her books. Seriously guys, read the first 59 chapters of Death Note. It'll give you something to think about.).
So now that we've established that having "death" in your name if you're a villain is, like, totally an essential, we can focus on the other part of the name.
Flight, huh?
I see two options for this one.
1) It's a clever ploy against some airflight company Rowling has a grudge against. SAS? British Airways? Swissair? Whatever it is, it'll be hinted later on in the books. Or maybe it's already there. In the initials of the DE's. I admit that "flight of death" is kind of dramatic, but maybe one of the stewardesses was really bitchy. Or refused to give her kid a can of Coke.
or
2) Flight or flying has something really groundbreakingly important to do with Voldemort, or perhaps the Prophecy. Or both!
I'm going to go with number 2, and here's why:
Flying things are important in the HP books.
Let's see. Brooms have saved Harry countless times. Phoenix bird? His pet is a bird, too. Thestrals can fly. Harry loves Quiddich (= flying). Buckbeak was also a flying creature.
Anybody who is anybody can fly and does fly. (Except Dumbledore. So far.)
What does all of this add up to?
Quite simple. In order to defeat Voldemort, Harry has to take the flight of death. OR, alternatively, in order to defeat Voldemort, Harry has to get Voldemort how to fly.
AIR IS VOLDEMORT'S WEAKNESS. If he flies, he dies. It rhymes! It can only be true.
Before you write fic with Harry teaching Voldemort how to fly ("Go on, Tom, just mount that broom!", "I don't know, Harry, I'm just so scared of heights...") ...well, actually, just go ahead, I love a good, educative fic.
But anyway. Rowling has been very clear about her intentions on how the final showdown will take place. Let's assume Voldemort doesn't die when flying. So, where will the final battle take place? In great heights, of course!
Well, why not? I mean, it has clearly been established that Harry can fly and is great at it. Everything else, school, Potions, girls? He fails. But flying, Quidditch - this is his area. He's also good at DADA. DADA in air? That's Harry's playfield. He's bound to either win Voldemort or die after a fantastic battle because he slipped off his broom. Or something. I haven't worked out the details yet.
Maybe Voldemort's name does not refer to him having some bad case of Aeroraidiaidus (that's a real illness where people can't go further up than 5 miles from the surface of the ground without getting severe difficulties living ...okay, it's not, I made that up), but actually just talks about how he meets his fate. In air. He does on a broomstick. He dies in the final showdown, in the air.
Because Harry rocks at flying. Harry will knock Voldemort off his broom because Harry rocks at flying.
Wow, I'm such a genius. Sorry if I spoiled the ending for you guys. What can I say? Nomen est fucking omen. It's Rowling's fault for planting such an obvious spoiler.
Alternate (and my original) idea: Harry learns how to fly without any devices or spells and then Voldemort is just like *DED!* because some part of the Prophecy about the flying thing got erased.
Lesson learned: Don't name yourself after your own method of dying.
Looking at the bright side, had he stuck with Riddle, Harry could've probably beaten him by solving a crossword or something.
"Hermione, what's a 9-letter word for 'divine'?"
"Uhm.. Celestial?"
"Ha! Rock."
Somewhere in the Lair of Evil...
"My lord, why are you melting?"
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"
...
Ahem. Well, that's it for me today. I'm going to get offline now before I actually start believing in some of this shit I come up with.
But please! Debate my absolutely bullet-proof theory! It deserves to be taken seriously! XD
Voldemort.
Vol de mort.
Flight of death, en francais.
Let's overanalyze.
First of all, let us skip the part about death entirely. Oooh, impending DOOM, so ebil, loadsa people killed, creeeepy DEATH. I think it kind of goes with the entire DARK Lord thing and the whole "greatest enemy of all times" and the whole evil thing in general.
It just works. It's there. Death -> evil. That's how the mind works, doesn't it? For most of us, anyway.
And don't start a moral debate with me on this thing, okay? If I'm looking to discuss the question of whether death is a bad thing or rather, whether KILLING is evil, I'll spend a day in the Death Note fandom (A great place for all of those who complain HP has a black-and-white concept of good and evil - or rather, that Rowling ignores the grey areas of moral in her books. Seriously guys, read the first 59 chapters of Death Note. It'll give you something to think about.).
So now that we've established that having "death" in your name if you're a villain is, like, totally an essential, we can focus on the other part of the name.
Flight, huh?
I see two options for this one.
1) It's a clever ploy against some airflight company Rowling has a grudge against. SAS? British Airways? Swissair? Whatever it is, it'll be hinted later on in the books. Or maybe it's already there. In the initials of the DE's. I admit that "flight of death" is kind of dramatic, but maybe one of the stewardesses was really bitchy. Or refused to give her kid a can of Coke.
or
2) Flight or flying has something really groundbreakingly important to do with Voldemort, or perhaps the Prophecy. Or both!
I'm going to go with number 2, and here's why:
Flying things are important in the HP books.
Let's see. Brooms have saved Harry countless times. Phoenix bird? His pet is a bird, too. Thestrals can fly. Harry loves Quiddich (= flying). Buckbeak was also a flying creature.
Anybody who is anybody can fly and does fly. (Except Dumbledore. So far.)
What does all of this add up to?
Quite simple. In order to defeat Voldemort, Harry has to take the flight of death. OR, alternatively, in order to defeat Voldemort, Harry has to get Voldemort how to fly.
AIR IS VOLDEMORT'S WEAKNESS. If he flies, he dies. It rhymes! It can only be true.
Before you write fic with Harry teaching Voldemort how to fly ("Go on, Tom, just mount that broom!", "I don't know, Harry, I'm just so scared of heights...") ...well, actually, just go ahead, I love a good, educative fic.
But anyway. Rowling has been very clear about her intentions on how the final showdown will take place. Let's assume Voldemort doesn't die when flying. So, where will the final battle take place? In great heights, of course!
Well, why not? I mean, it has clearly been established that Harry can fly and is great at it. Everything else, school, Potions, girls? He fails. But flying, Quidditch - this is his area. He's also good at DADA. DADA in air? That's Harry's playfield. He's bound to either win Voldemort or die after a fantastic battle because he slipped off his broom. Or something. I haven't worked out the details yet.
Maybe Voldemort's name does not refer to him having some bad case of Aeroraidiaidus (that's a real illness where people can't go further up than 5 miles from the surface of the ground without getting severe difficulties living ...okay, it's not, I made that up), but actually just talks about how he meets his fate. In air. He does on a broomstick. He dies in the final showdown, in the air.
Because Harry rocks at flying. Harry will knock Voldemort off his broom because Harry rocks at flying.
Wow, I'm such a genius. Sorry if I spoiled the ending for you guys. What can I say? Nomen est fucking omen. It's Rowling's fault for planting such an obvious spoiler.
Alternate (and my original) idea: Harry learns how to fly without any devices or spells and then Voldemort is just like *DED!* because some part of the Prophecy about the flying thing got erased.
Lesson learned: Don't name yourself after your own method of dying.
Looking at the bright side, had he stuck with Riddle, Harry could've probably beaten him by solving a crossword or something.
"Hermione, what's a 9-letter word for 'divine'?"
"Uhm.. Celestial?"
"Ha! Rock."
Somewhere in the Lair of Evil...
"My lord, why are you melting?"
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"
...
Ahem. Well, that's it for me today. I'm going to get offline now before I actually start believing in some of this shit I come up with.
But please! Debate my absolutely bullet-proof theory! It deserves to be taken seriously! XD