Since 2015, J.K. Rowling has made it an annual tradition to apologize on the anniversary of the fictional Battle of Hogwarts for killing off a Harry Potter character. This year’s selection was not met with the usual mourning.
In 2015, she apologized for Fred Weasley. In 2016, it was Remus Lupin. Both are mostly beloved characters, and her apology turned into more of a general mourning for them.
This year, Rowling decided to just lob a bomb in the direction of Harry Potter fandom and watch it go off.
OK, here it is. Please don't start flame wars over it, but this year I'd like to apologise for killing (whispers)… Snape. *runs for cover*
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 2, 2017
See? She knows she’s stirring shit up and she does it anyway.
For the uninitiated, Severus Snape is the third rail of Harry Potter fandom. One side has the completely valid argument that Snape was, despite happening to be on the same side as the heroes, horribly abusive to his students and, whatever Rowling’s intent, less “in love with” Lily Evans than a stalker with “nice guy” syndrome. The other side says that his very obvious flaws make him an interesting and nuanced character, and that, regardless of everything else, he died a hero. Plus, being played by Alan Rickman in the movies made Snape a lot more approachable than he is on the page.
It made sense for the story. We love him so much… pic.twitter.com/WrYizZ9M54
— Nick Ellis (@NickEllis) May 2, 2017
He saved Harry. I know I do.
— Nick Ellis (@NickEllis) May 2, 2017
He saved Harry. I know I do.
— Nick Ellis (@NickEllis) May 2, 2017
He also bullied Harry and tried to make his school life hell just because he was petty and bitter???
— 🎭 (@notalwayshere__) May 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/embed/status/859372454342516736
On this issue, I am Switzerland. I have opinions on pretty much everything in the Potterverse except this one. Mainly because I agree that Snape’s behavior towards, say, Neville is unacceptable. As written, Snape is awful. But I have also read some very compelling headcanons and fanfic that have made Snape worth having as a character.
Anyway, despite Rowling asking for things to not devolve into a flame war, the responses have been… pretty much as expected. There are the people who think there are plenty of other characters she should have apologized for killing instead:
CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT HEDWIG?
— Rebecca Reid (@RebeccaCNReid) May 2, 2017
yeah but why'd you kill all the hufflepuffs though? Justice for hufflepuffs
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) May 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/embed/status/859368205017645059
https://twitter.com/embed/status/859366352213217280
https://twitter.com/embed/status/859365013122818049
You misspelled "Hedwig"
— JustMe (@RandomizedViews) May 2, 2017
People who think she didn’t need to apologize here:
I'm pretty sure the child abuser deserved it
— Paul F Verhoeven (@paulverhoeven) May 2, 2017
— jemima✨ (@jemimaskelley) May 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/embed/status/859364596104212480
And of course approximately a billion more tweets debating Snape’s relative morality:
He had it coming. pic.twitter.com/4HmwawYF6z
— Joanne Harris (@Joannechocolat) May 2, 2017
in all reality, he was still a jerk to them for 6 years… Like he couldn't he show is love for Lily a little better?
— Noah William White (@noahwwhite) May 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/embed/status/859366636545077249
He didn't think they SHOULD be together he never wanted to force her into anything, he just loved her
— Alec 🎃 (@DanielPinkR) May 2, 2017
Obsession isn't love. Snape was abusive and cruel. He got what he gave, in the end.
— Runesael Flynn (@Runesael) May 2, 2017
The responses go on for a long time, and basically everyone agrees that they do not agree. They don’t agree about Snape as a character, about whether Rowling should have apologized for killing him or someone else, or even if he needed to die. In the end, the response that best sums this all up is:
https://twitter.com/embed/status/859368390669942784
Happy Battle of Hogwarts Day.
