Leaving the spin-offs aside, the mainline Harry Potter franchise remains one of the few IPs that didn’t lose its magic throughout the series, as it stuck close to the books by JK Rowling. And unlike many great adaptations that stumble upon their ending, with the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, the creators stuck the landing, giving fans a satisfying conclusion to the saga.
However, per reports, things could’ve been exponentially different with the ending if JK Rowling stuck with her original planned conclusion to the books, which would’ve witnessed Voldemort live.
Voldemort Would’ve Survived in JK Rowling’s Supposed Original Ending
Instead of witnessing a final showdown between Harry and Voldemort at Hogwarts, per British investigative journalist Greg Palast, it would’ve allegedly taken place in the Forbidden Forest. The battle would’ve seen Voldemort being surrounded by soul-sucking Dementors, and somehow, the Dark Lord’s dead parents would’ve shown up. This would’ve caused Voldemort to turn younger, resulting in his curse rebounding off Harry’s scar and hitting the youthful Voldemort, which would’ve caused him to transform into a statue.
Before being hit by his own curse, his parents would have put their reassuring arms around him to protect the Dark Lord from the blow. Ultimately, the three of them would’ve transformed into statues, with Voldemort forever living in his parents’ warm embrace.
The Epilogue, per Palast, would’ve further dived into the future, taking place in 2130, with Harry, an old Headmaster of Hogwarts, wiping every memory of Voldemort from the Wizarding World. However, the statue of the young Dark Lord in his parents’ embrace would’ve resided at the Hogwarts grounds, with allusions hinting Potter’s son would go on to become the next Dark Wizard.
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This Supposed Ending Would’ve Ruined the Harry Potter Saga
Considering that JK Rowling used foreshadowing to tease events that would play out later in the story, introducing a brand new curse in the ending moments seems out of character for her. Furthermore, bearing the fact that Voldemort had no emotional attachment to his parents, the ending with his dead parents coming to his aid also seems a bit off.
The Epilogue too bears its fair share of issues, as having Harry wipe the memories of the Dark Days seems unlikely of him, as he’d definitely want his contemporaries to remember it. It remains unclear if JK Rowling, who has found herself in hot water previously following her remarks against the Trans community, was seriously considering such a controversial storyline or not. But fans won’t complain about how things eventually turned out.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is available to stream on Max.
