Power He Knows Not

[kerravonsen]

I've been reading some post-OOTP Harry Potter AUs recently, and it's interesting how they've latched onto and interpreted the phrase in the prophecy about "power that he knows not" and how it differs from what actually happened in Deathly Hallows, and, indeed, what it says about what people consider to be "power".

The pattern seems to be that Harry discovers some other power or twist to magical power, and becomes really good at it, and defeats Voldemort that way. In one case it was wild magic, in another it was Legilemens (plus the fact that this Harry was inclined to be suicidal and thus didn't hold back). In either case, while there were elements of self-sacrifice and friendship, the outcome was that Harry defeated his enemies because the "power" was the kind of power where power=might, and violence was met with more violence. And in one case (a story I finished today) it was considered that any price was worth paying to defeat Voldemort, including becoming morally grey.

Taking up the weapon of one's enemy, fighting fire with fire. Me, I'd rather fight fire with water.

In Deathly Hallows the "power" was self-sacrifice, and not violence. Harry defeated Voldemort twice; once by sacrificing his life and coming back again, and twice by having power over the Elder Wand and having Voldemort's death-curse rebound on Voldemort again. And Harry used Expelliarmus.

This kind of solution is so very rare. The only other fantasy novels I can think of (off the top of my head) where the Great Evil One was fought without a might=right solution are (a) the Narnia stories, (b) the Lord of the Rings.

The more common tendency in fantasy is fighting the Evil One with some mighty weapon, and killing them. Or maybe not killing them, but doing them violence, at least.

Comments

[jedibuttercup]

There's kind of an obvious reason for that, though, isn't there?

[kerravonsen]

You mean the thing that Rowling, Lewis, Tolkien and L'Engle have in common?

[kalquessa.livejournal.com]

I'm a fan of both methods if they're done well and seem well-justified within the context of the story (I'm in favor of good guys defending themselves through violence if necessary, that is...I agree with Tolkien on the unfortunate necessity of war and so forth. The moral grey area is not one that I like to see entered to frequently, however). With HP, it would have seemed a betrayal of the first six books to have Harry just bust out a can o' whup-ass on Voldemort. At least, it would have to me.

I would suggest for your category of stories that fight the bad guys without violence: Madeline L'Engle's original "Time Travel" trilogy (can't speak for the books she added to the series later, as I never read them, but the three original books are very much what you're talking about).

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

You beat me to it! With Madeline L'Engle's original "Time Travel" trilogy, I mean.

[infiniteviking]

in another it was Legilemens (plus the fact that this Harry was inclined to be suicidal and thus didn't hold back)

Ooh, I read that one. Took the characters in an... interesting direction. *shivers*

Excellent points. Thud-and-blunder is highly overrepresented in the genres, but in a universe where winning doesn't just mean the destruction of the enemy, there must be some implicit higher values, which take more thought to codify in a story than a simple decimation of the immediate threat.

By the way, can I friend you? (Don't know why I didn't ask long ago. *g*)

[kerravonsen]

Took the characters in an... interesting direction. *shivers*

I should have realized what I was in for when the author said that the title was based on "What is stronger than hope? Death."
I read it because it was recced, and it was really absorbing while I was reading it, but it left a bad taste in my mouth at the end.

Thud-and-blunder is highly overrepresented in the genres, but in a universe where winning doesn't just mean the destruction of the enemy, there must be some implicit higher values, which take more thought to codify in a story than a simple decimation of the immediate threat.

Indeed. It is a harder road to tread, and thus a harder story to write.

By the way, can I friend you? (Don't know why I didn't ask long ago. *g*)

No need to ask, go ahead!

[infiniteviking]

Yes... it was a good buildup and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it never did.

a harder road to tread, and thus a harder story to write

..and much of the time, far more rewarding to read.

Hurrah!