Summary
What makes villains do the awful things they do in the stories we watch?
Understanding a villain’s backstory shapes how we understand their choices and even the story as a whole.
In theHarry Potterbooks,J.K.
Image via Warner Bros.
Rowlinggives Voldemort a more complete backstory.
Voldemort’s backstory makes him relatable and believable.
And as a reader, his story feels bone-chilling.
An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.
What Is Voldemort’s Backstory in the ‘Harry Potter’ Movies?
When it comes totheHarry Pottermovies, some aspects of Voldemort’s backstory are condensed or left out altogether.
While we still get glimpses into his past through flashbacks and dialogue, certain details are missing.
This results in a slightly different portrayal of Voldemort’s motivations and character development on screen.
This experience serves as a foundation for his resentment and desire for power.
These details argue that Voldemort was born evil and that his childhood cemented this tendency.
Step aside, Deathly Hallows.
Both elements are shown in the same scene withChristian Coulsonas Voldemort.
How Is Voldemort’s Backstory Different in the ‘Harry Potter’ Books?
Voldemort’s mother, named Merope Grant, was a pure-blood witchdescendant of Salazar Slytherin.
Unearthing their troubled past reveals secrets long buried and sheds light on how Voldemort became entangled with pure-blood ideology.
Voldemort’s father was a rich muggle from Merope’s town.
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
He was called Tom Riddle.
Merope became obsessed with Tom Riddle and used a love potion to marry him.
Alone and without anything, Merope went to an orphanage to give birth.
There, Merope died, and Voldemort never forgave his father, whom he killed soon after leaving Hogwarts.
Why Does Voldemort’s Backstory in ‘Harry Potter’ Matter?
This deeper motivation makes understanding and empathizing with him utterly chilling.
All theHarry Potterfilms are available to stream on Max in the U.S.
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