Future Character Death: Rowling's

[azurelunatic]

In which I discuss who I think it's going to be.

ataniell93's journal mentioned that the slightly cracked patriarch was a stock character for school romps. They have precious little actual character development, and are generally only of use as pawns, and pawns are sacrifices.

The death of Arthur Weasley would bring a straying Percy back to the fold, might sober up Ron, and would turn the twins from merry pranksters into avenging angels. Molly would be devastated, of course, but her family would rally around her.

Ron would come to be closer to Harry; Ron's perfect family would no longer be so picture-book whole and complete, and Ron would understand where Harry was coming from. Despite the Weasleys wholeheartedly embracing Harry, Harry's always an outsider.

It would serve a narrative purpose, I think, and I don't see Rowling as someone who kills off characters without too much of a narrative purpose. Trelawney would be no big loss. Snape would be a devastating loss for the Order of the Phoenix, but Harry wouldn't miss him too much, and some readers would be sighing relief. Snape's going to become more of a sympathetic character in the next book, I think -- I entirely think that Harry's discovery of his father's gang bullying Snape was only the start of an interesting dynamic that's going to wind up being crucial in the final book. I don't see Snape dying until he's needed the most. I don't think Dumbledore will die for a good long while either, he being Voldemort's opposite number. Unless Hagrid starts becoming more important, I don't see him dying.

I don't see Harry's schoolmates starting to drop like flies either. Cedric was a bit of a fluke, I think, just to prove to Harry that yes, he's mortal.

I don't know. I'm rambling. But I still think it's going to be Arthur Weasley.

Comments

[weruletheschool.livejournal.com]

Has there been any word on when it comes?

[azurelunatic]

In the next book?

[weruletheschool.livejournal.com]

Sorry. I left out the "out" in that question. :P

Any word on when the next book comes out?

[azurelunatic]

No clue.

[ataniell93.livejournal.com]

Oh, I do so hope you're right. But the timing is right for Dumbledore or Hagrid. Then again, either one of those would please me too.

[azurelunatic]

Unless Hagrid starts taking a prominent place in the action, I wouldn't think he'd be the one to die. And unless she means to have Harry face off against Voldemort on his own initiative, unmanipulated, and better-prepared (but feeling less-prepared), I don't see Dumbledore keeling over until later on.

[kdorian.livejournal.com]

I agree, it's far too early for Dumblebore to die, but I don't think he'll make it to the end of the series, either.

[azurelunatic]

I think he'll make it to the last book, at least.

[kdorian.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing he'll die in the last or at the end of the second-to-last.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Great analysis.

I know there are various characters with targets on their foreheads, just because of who they are... but most of them, I can't picture dying before the final book, the ultimate dramatic climax. One of my friends postulated Neville nobly sacrificing himself, but I can't imagine that before the last book. Same with Hagrid.

[azurelunatic]

Indeed.

I have a feeling that for the sake of narrative -- oh, what's the word I'm looking for? It's the same on both sides. The same people opening and closing. I think Dumbledore, McGonnagal, and Hagrid are going to be around at the very end.

In fact, I could see Hagrid getting into a dangerous situation (that he, with his half-giant heritage, can handle), and someone going in to purportedly rescue him, and it turns out that Hagrid can take care of himself perfectly fine (if somewhat bruised and battered) and Hagrid's would-be rescuer either needs rescuing themselves, or doesn't survive. And Hagrid could have saved them if only he'd known they were there.

[tygerr.livejournal.com]

Neville MUST survive until the Final Great Climactic Battle. There are *two* people to whom the Prophecy might apply: Harry and Neville.

And nobody in ANY faction *really* knows which of them it is. That tension (for the characters if not for us readers) WILL be maintained right up until the bitter end.

Neville's going to be around at the Last Battle. He might die *then*, but not before.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Yup. Exactly.

[amberite.livejournal.com]

Gawd. I hope she doesn't kill Snape. His character development is practically as central as Harry's.

[azurelunatic]

Agreed. He's the only one of the "bad guys" sufficiently interesting to develop, for me.

And I really like the presence of a person who isn't All Good, even though there are a lot of the good guys with dubious morals. Snape is Really Bad, even though he's Really On The Good Side.