Spent years terrorising children because a girl rejected him in high school and somehow the fandom turned that into one of the greatest redemption arcs in fiction.
Snape didn’t have the best childhood and neither did Tom Riddle (Voldemort). So I can imagine Snape feeling like he finally found a mentor/father figure in him who taught him dark arts :)
Imagine Dumbledore sending Snape
And petunia calling lily freak?
Edit: I believed or think that Snape hated harry because he believed that harry was like his father. And I don't think or properly remember if Snape knew Harry didn't know about being magical until 11. Obviously if he goes to pick him up he would see how petunia actually is to the boy and also that he actually knows nothing about magic and petunia would obviously recognize him too.
How would that interaction go
How would he actually tell the boy that he is magical etc
Would he take him to diagon ally or just tell him and go away
Etc
I feel broken, hollow, lonely and confused in life.
I keep falling into the same destructive behaviours, paradigms, prejudices and fears and I never seem to be able to overcome them.
Deep down, there's a longing for someone like Lily to walk into my life. For her to "Fix me" with kindness and love and friendship. But it was never meant to be: I don't seem to realise that my fear of vulnerability will forever impede me from making true friends, just like Severus. I'll only get the superficial companionships.
Much like Severus, if someone like Lily were to miraculously walk into my life, my personal insufficiencies would push them away. My very nature seems to be to fall prey to my demons again and again and again, with no saviour.
That's why I love his character and his relationship with Lily so much. We both feel broken inside and long for someone outside to fill that void. But in the end, we are destined for misery as long as we continue to fall victim to our very nature.
I'm sorry for the cynical post. I just read a few fanfics pertaining to Snape and felt like venting my feelings. Thanks for reading
Some of stupid claim i hear and laugh at are
Snape was obsessed with lily : Yeah and james blackmailing lily and doodling her name is respecting her space.
Snape is the reason Petunia and Lily relation broken : I m sure tuny was complimenting on wearing his mum blouse and freak is just a respected word.
Snape vs Marauder was rivalry with marauder only defending : If it took 4 of them to overpower a greasely outcast like snape then you 4 do deserve to die by wormtail.
James hate snape because of dark arts : Yeah and using SA and chocking with soap is way to deliver justica and also blackmailing your crush in dating you is just pure gentlemenship.
Snape is fully responsible for potters death : I m sure peter was just recommending potters name to voldemort for giving an award on mediocracy.
I disagree he’s too damaged. A lot of people are damaged and still end up being with someone. I don’t think Snape deserved a lifetime of misery.
It was precisely because Harry had been mistreated by the Dursleys and relentlessly bullied at the Muggle schools he attended before entering Hogwarts—to the point where he had no friends—that, upon seeing Snape’s Worst Memory, he felt sorry for Snape and was deeply disgusted by his father’s shameful and depraved behaviour, to the point of wondering how his own mother could have fallen in love with him and ended up marrying him.
If James and Lily were still alive, Harry would never have known what suffering is; he would never have known what it is like to grapple daily with the relentless injustice of life. Harry would have grown up as a cherished, even adored child; he would never have wanted for anything in his life.
In comparison, Snape knows what it is to suffer and to have an unjust life, for he experienced it first-hand during his lifetime.
[Art by Linndsey](https://www.deviantart.com/linndsey/art/what-could-have-been-391670121)
This post was a long time coming, i've really been putting this off for a while, i think it's because i knew i'd be a very long one. I just think it needed to be said, the films really did snape dirty. They took away everything that made layered, evil, compelling, and most importantly of all, real. He's definitely the most butchered character of the films series (minus harry, but that doesn't count because i'm biased, he's my <3) so strap in, because this is why i don't like movie snape.
First things first, just some general criticisms of snape, before we delve into specific books, mainly his looks. Now, ik Alan Rickman is a phenomenal actor, he's been in countless films, and yes he did give a good performance as snape...but did he give a good snape performance? (insert v-sauce music) listen, what i'm trying to say is...he's too old i'm sorry. Some character's ages i can get behind, like yeah i'm not going to fight anyone because they couldn't find an actor who's 150 to play dumbledore, but i mean cmon. Snape is like 31 when the first book takes place, and that the time they were filming, rickman was already into his 50s. It's just weird to me, because even the marauders are kinda aged up alot, when they're all supposed to be young as hell, snape included. It's always depressing when he see lily and james's grave and we see the fact that they died at like 21, it's tragic, and yk what else is tragic's design.
He's not animated, so i don't why i'm talking like i am an artist or something, but still. He doesn't look anything like snape. When i think snape, i think greasy black, hooked nose, sallow skin, ugly teeth, and black robes, because that's how he's described, like a stereotypical looking villain and also maybe a vampire. Villains are designed to look ugly, it's how we know they're evil. Not saying if you're ugly, you are evil because that is stupid, but that just how fiction works. Maybe harry just hates him so much, he's just lying to us and he makes snape look ugly to bully him or something idk.
The Philosopher's Stone
Technically, everything i said you could apply to it this section of the post because we meet him here in this book, so it makes sense to talk about like his looks and stuff, but i didn't think that far ahead. I feel like there's one line in this book, that really boils down harry and snape's relationship in a very succinct way, and that is this:
It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to him so far. At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he’d been wrong. Snape didn’t dislike Harry — he hated him
Looking back at this scene with fresher eyes, i can totally relate to harry in this scene. I had a teacher, who was exactly like snape in this scene, just kept asking so many questions and this was like the first day, really pissed me off that i couldn't answer his questions, but doesn't matter. This is about snape, not me. And wow, he really comes off as a mega doo doo jerkwad in this scene, as he is. It's also funny that he mentions the bezoar, which comes back in HBP.
The problem with this scene, is that it's in the film...but isn't. It's only in the extended cut of the film, and it's lifted word for word, however even in that same scene, it just doesn't feel the same. It comes off as if he's trying to teach harry something, like he's angry at him for not knowing the answer to the question, but in the book, even if harry got all the answer right, snape would still be pissed, he's trying to make him angry, not teach him a lesson. That's why he's asking the questions so quickly and out of pocket, he wants him to slip up.
Too add to that, harry shows him some cheek and tells him to ask hermione, and snape of course, snaps at her and him and takes points away, but he doesn't in the film. He's meant to be like a bully, unfair, it's literally what makes him snape. Yet we don't really see that at all. In the same scene of the book, we see do this to neville:
“Idiot boy!” snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. “I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?” Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. “Take him up to the hospital wing,” Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville. “You — Potter — why didn’t you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he’d make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That’s another point you’ve lost for Gryffindor.”
It's like what kind of teacher is he? He sucks! But in the film, we never really see this. I don't even think he teaches a class in COS, and he's not even teaching his own class in POA. So we really miss out on alot of opportunities to really see snape in his element, being an asshole to his students. It's like in the films, it's almost like a joke the way he treats his students, i'm thinking like the scene in GOF where he smacks harry and ron, it's meant to be comedic, but it really isn't in the books, he's serious in these moments of the book, there's no haha moment, it's just sad looking back on it, that a person like that would have that much power and be allowed to teach.
What else does snape even do in this film? He threatens quirrel and i think that's it. There's the fact that like hagrid says that snape wouldn't steal the stone, because he's protecting it, but we didn't see any of his defenses, which is a shame but i like that scene in the book, its one of the best hermione moments i think.
Anyways that's all for this section of the post, didn't realize it'd be this long, but it gets longer from here, because snape only gets worse from here on out.
The Chamber Of Secrets
Okay, maybe that last part was hyperbole. Because, i forgot what does in this film, but also i didn't, if you catch my drift. I don't even think snape does anything worthy of note in this film. It's probably his least amount of screentime throughout the series, he definitely plays his least important role.
We get to see more of him bullying his students and being an asshole to pretty much everyone who isn't slytherin, and that's it lol. In the film, like i said in the previous section, it's not as prevalent because we don't even see his own class, which is a damn shame. The films almost like forgot that hogwarts is a school, yeah on paper it seems mundane reading about classes, but i find those are some of the best moments of the book. Too bad it wasn't on screen.
One thing that i think is worth mention, it's kinda small but it's very telling on how the film's understood snape. During the dueling club, harry and draco pretty much duke it out, and it's pretty accurate, but one thing that makes/breaks this scene for me, is this
He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, “Whoops — my wand is a little overexcited —” Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, “Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?”
Snape literally told draco what kind spell to use, he told him to summon a snake! But in the film, he doesn't, it's seen as draco's own idea when it wasn't. It's so stupid, that even small details like this which doesn't like that much, but it is, because it shows how much of an ass he really is, and ofc him bullying neville, because you can't have snape without it.
A bad idea, Professor Lockhart,” said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. “Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We’ll be sending what’s left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox.” Neville’s round, pink face went pinker. “How about Malfoy and Potter?” said Snape with a twisted smile.
As much i disagree with this kind of behaviour...it's kinda a funny line, but that doesn't excuse it.
The Prisoner Of Azkaban
All of my posts or most of them, has like a catalyst, which starts a chain of reaction of me thinking and then it just blooms into like a huge novel, like this one. The catalyst, the thing that started this fire, was i saw an interview with Alan Rickman, and he was going on about how ''snape is a calm person, he never really raises his voice'' and i was like what? Did he read the last few chapters of POA?
Watching the films first, it feels almost weird seeing snape just lose his shit, which is something that movie snape would never dare to do, but this book is snape on crack. We probably see his most outright and visceral treatment of neville during this scene.
“Orange, Longbottom,” said Snape, ladling some up and allowing it to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see. “Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn’t you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one rat spleen was needed? Didn’t I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?” Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears. “Please, sir,” said Hermione, “please, I could help Neville put it right —” “I don’t remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger,” said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville. “Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly.”
It's crazy, because this is like an integral part of his character and to a certain extent, neville himself. Neville is like the princess diaries, he goes from nerd to a jock by the end of the series, how is he supposed to grow or get back up, if we don't see snape pushing him down on the floor in the first place, because that's what this is. There's like a scene in OOTP where i think, it's during the OWLs and neville is doing actually well, because snape isn't breathing down his neck and ruining his life. (okay, maybe not like ruining)
But snape isn't mean for the sake of being mean (he is, but bare with me), he also has layers, and ''reasons'' for why he is the way he is. He was bullied himself, by our next set of characters, the marauders.
The marauders are like the secondary characters of this book, it's called the prisoner of azkaban for a reason! Yet we don't even see any of their beef. Snape loathes james, but we don't get to see why and i don't even remember it being mention, or the fact that they set a prank that almost killed the guy. From his perspective, he just thinks james was trying to save his own skin, but if you think he did, that's up to you. But it's just crazy that they don't even mention anything that has to do with them or the fact that they're even animagi, or that they made the map, what is this movie!
I'm getting ahead of myself, this is about snape, not some bozos like the marauders, but they're so intertwined with each other, it's a no-brainer to mention them, but this is the scene that i really wanted to mention, because it's really funny.
“KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!” Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. “DON’T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!” A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at Black’s face. Hermione fell silent.
...
“SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!” Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever. “Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he’d killed you! You’d have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black — now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!”
He is completely deranged in this scene, in a side of snape we never got to see at all. I like this scene, because as a reader, we know harry is telling the truth, but if we look at it from his perspective, in his mind he just see's a murderer with 3 kids and his boyfriend and the fact that he hates them doesn't help.
But fine, maybe you think it's unfair for to talk about scenes that are barely in the film, how about what actually is in the film, like say lupin being fired! It almost feels like they're trying to make him a better character, by every so slightly taking away the thing that makes it his fault, like lupin being fired. He quits in the film, but we don't know why, it's not said that snape was the one who leaked to everyone that he was a werewolf, which was a huge dick move fr.
And the fact that he spent they're his substitute class trying to out him and shit-talking his teaching method. It's soo dumb, that snape isn't like even allowed to be an asshole at all, it's like literally some of his worst deeds are whitewashed and it's almost as if he didn't do it, then how can he be snape.
Snape works, because he's layered. Yeah, reading this post you might think i can't stand the guy, but that's only because comparing it to the movies, they only removed his negative traits, so i'm just focusing on them, even writing this i'm thinking, do i hate snape now? But then i realize, i don't really. He works because you can't fit him in a box, but the films try and do that, and its a huge detriment that we don't get to see an actual layered character, instead he almost comes off as generic, or in the case of the next film, cheap laughs.
The Goblet Of Fire
Maybe it was hyperbole again, because snape (in the film) doesn't have much to do in this one. Even just like thinking right now, i think we only get to see like 3 scenes of him in the whole film? But it's not about the quantity of scenes he's in, it's about how they all handled it and what he did in those scenes.
One scene that immediately sticks out to me, is that scene of snape smacking the heads of ron and harry. It looks like a pretty harmless scene, but it isn't. Snape doesn't even hit any of his students, only harry in one instance in OOTP after he see's his memories (or maybe more i'm forgetting...just remembered he sends a spell at harry like after he killed dumbledore.) and it just feels weird that it's shown to be in almost comedic in tone. Like haha harry and ron are idiots and snape needs to teach them a lesson, but snape isn't that. Yeah, sure sometimes his insults/one liners are funny, i wil admit that. But, sometimes his words hurt, like really bad, and no more is that apparent then in this scene of the book:
“Malfoy got Hermione!” Ron said. “Look!” He forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth — she was doing her best to hide them with her hands, though this was difficult as they had now grown down past her collar. Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherin girls were doubled up with silent giggles, pointing at Hermione from behind Snape’s back. Snape looked coldly at Hermione, then said, “I see no difference.” Hermione let out a whimper; her eyes filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran, ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight.
I can honestly defend snape for alot of things...this is not one of those things. It's just too mean spirited and totally uncalled for, it's literally just bullying a little girl. You compare that to thing he does in the film? And it's literally night and day. Maybe i'm just repeating myself, but it's a glaring flaw of snape's character in the film! He's just too nice and that sucks. It doesn't make a better character, it makes a worse one because now he lacks depth!
I don't even know why he even said it, hermione is like top of his class, but idk maybe he just hates her. I just realized, he called an insufferable know-it-all in POA, forgot to mention it but its kinda redundant since they both said it. Only difference is like hermione doesn't seem to care in the film, and ron doesn't stick up for her (which is almost as bad as this).
There's more instances of snape being an asshole again, like him reading rita's article and being an ass to harry in that one class where he meets karkaroff, but let's switch it up a bit. Because there is a scene where snape is being a good guy, yet it's still not in the film. I say good guy like this is some heroic deed but it's not really lol
Snape strode forward, past Dumbledore, pulling up the left sleeve of his robes as he went. He stuck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge, who recoiled. “There,” said Snape harshly. “There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing one another, and his means of summoning us to him. When he touched the Mark of any Death Eater, we were to Disapparate, and Apparate, instantly, at his side. This Mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff’s too. Why do you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord’s vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold.” Fudge stepped back from Snape too. He was shaking his head. He did not seem to have taken in a word Snape had said.
The entire ending was cut from GOF, which is a damn shame since this one of the best endings of the series. All the films care about is making snape better, so why wouldn't they add this? He pretty much exposes himself (get your mind of the gutter) to fudge and tries to prove to him that voldemort came back. Yet they still don't show it. I know i sound crazy, because when they make a good guy, i get mad, and when they don't i also get mad, but it's not as simple as that. It's just that fundamentally, more so than practically any other character in the films, book snape and movie snape are completely opposite characters. You compare any character that went wrong in their adaptation ginny, harry, dumbledore, ron , hermione, anybody else, at least some DNA of the original character is there, but snape? The only thing that's similar is the look and even that's stretching it.
They literally make a stupid joke about his bullying in this very same film, and it's like what? How did they misunderstand his character this hard? What's funny about him bullying his students (aside from the one-liners that are clever) not much really, it's just kinda sad. Because i love snape, but i love him like as a whole, with the bad. Because that's what he is, he's both bad/good, but the films just want to be all good, which isn't snape at all.
The Order Of The Phoenix
Again, like the last film, snape's role is hugely diminished from what we see compared to the book, but that's a given really. It's not like the whole book's named after him and we barely get to see anything about him, because the films would never do that cough half-blood prince cough But that's for later, because what there is in this film, is really telling how they understood the snape character, which is to say they didn't understand him at all.
The most we see of snape, is during his occlumency lessons with harry. They're great scenes, in one medium, guess which one? In the film, again it just feels weird. In the book he's just using it as an excuse to just shit on harry, half the time he isn't even trying to teach him anything, he is, but let's be real, isn't REALLY giving it his hundred percent? In the film, it's like the complete opposite. He just seems like he's goading harry to try and make him do better, but that isn't snape, he just says shit for saying stuff, he's just like that. It's exactly like their first lesson in PS, book snape is just insulting harry, whereas movie snape actually tries to teach him a lesson.
Okay, you could make the argument that is ''better'' for the character, sure, i'd bite. But what you certainly cannot defend, is their own version of his worst memory! Which we don't even see the full thing off. Before we talk about snape, can i just say, why don't we see how harry feels about all this? It's never brought up at all in the film after this, he doesn't seem like he cares and he doesn't even seek assurance from lupin and sirius? At that point, why include it? Because in reality, that scene was for harry more than snape, only reason i'm mentioning it because of some glaring flaw that they forget to include in the film, but i'll get to that. The whole point of that scene, is this line
What was making Harry feel so horrified and unhappy was not being shouted at or having jars thrown at him — it was that he knew how it felt to be humiliated in the middle of a circle of onlookers, knew exactly how Snape had felt as his father had taunted him, and that judging from what he had just seen, his father had been every bit as arrogant as Snape had always told him.
Is it true? Idk, i don't want go get into the whole snape/james debate, because that's a whole another can of worms. But that line really encapsulates the whole point of the scene, so if you're gonna include harry's dilemma (am i using that right idk) about his father, what's the point of adding the scene? It makes no sense. But they added the scene to show snape be bullied, that's fine. But what's missing, is even worse! It's the fact that snape did this as well.
“I don’t need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!” Lily blinked. “Fine,” she said coolly. “I won’t bother in future. And I’d wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus.”
It's like they're so against the idea of snape being even a tiny bit like an asshole. What's worse is that they even filmed, not really filmed it but there's stills online, about this scene which includes lily in it, and she's a huge part as well! The only reason why it's even considered his worst memory, is not because he was bullied that day or humiliated in front of everyone, but it's the fact that he lost his best friend, probably his only true friend that liked him for who he was. It's like they were so close, you show james being an asshole, but then not snape too? Why the double standards? Same for the fans of both those characters, they both suck and did bad/terrible things.
I feel like i'm going insane, because far cry 3 taught me anything (i haven't played it) is that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting something to change, snape in the films is a constant. In the last film, they also removed him doing something good, even in this film. They don't even mention the fact that he alerted the order that harry went into the office or that he give umbridge the fake veritaserum, so why are they so hellbent on making a good guy in scenes where isn't, and removing the scenes where he actually does good? I don't know!
The Half-Blood Prince
Can't believe i'm nearing the end of this long-ass post, but it doesn't matter, there's alot more characters in this series that i can talk about for hours. So let's talk about snape, is what is literally his biggest and most important role of the series, because this was the moment he became, heisen....i mean snape. What i'm talking about ofc, for those who don't know, is that snape won guys, it's over. He finally did it and he became the DADA teacher...in the books, because the films can't do anything right can they?
This film literally cold opens with snape, and really missed the point of that entire sequence. It really wasn't just about him making the unbreakable vow, more so spoiling everything about him, really wanting you to believe he's the bad guy. It's planting the seeds of his treachery and his ultimate betrayal at the end of the book, and i like this scene because it answers questions i had like why didn't voldemort kick his ass after he got revived for what happened in PS.
It's a crime against humanity that didn't get to see snape's class, especially in this film, because we miss out on some of the funniest lines of the series.
“Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?” “Yes,” said Harry stiffly. “Yes, sir.” “There’s no need to call me ‘sir,’ Professor.” The words had escaped him before he knew what he was saying. Several people gasped, including Hermione. Behind Snape, however, Ron, Dean, and Seamus grinned appreciatively. “Detention, Saturday night, my office,” said Snape. “I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter . . . not even ‘the Chosen One.’ ”
But this film is different than all the others, because it probably makes one of the stupidest retcons of the film series, the fact that harry doesn't find out that snape sold his ass to voldemort, he relayed the prophecy. We're gonna see more of this in DH, but this is the book where harry like truly loathes and despises snape, and this before he killed dumbledore.
“Snape!” he said, very loudly, and Fawkes gave a soft squawk behind them. “Snape’s what’s happened! He told Voldemort about the prophecy, it was him, he listened outside the door, Trelawney told me!” Dumbledore’s expression did not change, but Harry thought his face whitened under the bloody tinge cast by the setting sun. For a long moment, Dumbledore said nothing. “When did you find out about this?” he asked at last. “Just now!” said Harry, who was refraining from yelling with enormous difficulty. And then, suddenly, he could not stop himself. “AND YOU LET HIM TEACH HERE AND HE TOLD VOLDEMORT TO GO AFTER MY MUM AND DAD!”
Honestly, i'm surprised harry didn't start trashing the office again, because that's exactly what i'd have done in that same situation. I already know that in DH, we see him talking to dumbledore about the prophecy, but even in that scene, it's just not the same. There's a very crucial difference between those two scenes, but this isn't about DH yet.
And to add more fuel to the fire, the film doesn't even explore the central mystery of the half-blood prince even is! It's like they just forgot about it and just shoehorned his line at the end about him being it, and let's talk about that, because continuity is nothing to me.
Harry had dived for his wand; Snape shot a hex at it and it flew feet away into the darkness and out of sight. “Kill me then,” panted Harry, who felt no fear at all, but only rage and contempt. “Kill me like you killed him, you coward —” “DON’T—” screamed Snape, and his face was suddenly demented, inhuman, as though he was in as much pain as the yelping, howling dog stuck in the burning house behind them — “CALL ME COWARD!” And he slashed at the air: Harry felt a white-hot, whiplike something hit him across the face and was slammed backward into the ground.
We're back with snape forgetting to take his meds and just losing it, but of course that isn't there. It's like most of this in the film, the lines are almost ripped word for word, the only thing is just the emotion and the tone, just isn't the same. This is literally the most angry harry felt for snape, and this is right after what he just witnessed and the film he should be angrier. Snape came to him before he killed dumbledore, and i didn't forget about that, because that makes no sense either. Why would harry just do nothing and trust snape? Especially after everything he's learned about him in this very book. it's so stupid that they fumbled this hard.
It's also such a shame that we didn't get to see any of the aftermath of dumbledore's death, it just ends up leaving his death emotionless and weightless. Along with anything snape does in this film. It's like all this time, i wanted a book accurate snape and this film almost tries to give us one, but at the end it still fails. Snape works because so well in this book, yet he feels like a background character in this film, he does nothing besides kill dumbledore at the end and say a few lines here and there. But it didn't have to be like that, the book is named after him, there's so much you could explore. Like how harry seemed to love using the half-blood prince's book and even considered it a friend, then he finds out it's snape, or even include that scene in the toilet like after he duels with draco, where snape is really hinting at the fact that he knows the truth.
What i'm trying to say is, this is really the last time we saw snape in his element, he was butting heads with harry, bad mouthing a few people as well too, the whole shebang. He literally dies in the next book and a huge twist about his character is revealed in that very same book, and don't tell me they didn't know, this film came out out in 2009, 2 years after the DH book ended, they knew. They just didn't care enough.
The Deathly Hallows
Yay, we're finally reaching the end of this! Deathly hallows is special in many ways, because guess what, this is were snape becomes the snape we all know and love. But it's also the least amount of time that we see him and i think it features the biggest problem with movie snape, but we'll get to that in due time, actually screw continuity, let's talk about his memories because there's so much to go on.
The films had the chance to show us his memories in OOTP and they dropped the ball there, but did they pick it back up again? In this film? NOPE! Still sucks. What do you mean, i mean it's just too short really. These memories are an entire chapter, and probably the most important chapter of the series, so much is revealed about everything! But the film barely scratches the surface. All we get his playing with lily and pteunia, but like always we don't get to see him being an asshole!
“Haven’t been spying,” said Snape, hot and uncomfortable and dirty-haired in the bright sunlight. “Wouldn’t spy on you, anyway,” he added spitefully, “you’re a Muggle.” Though Petunia evidently did not understand the word, she could hardly mistake the tone.
“What is that you’re wearing, anyway?” she said, pointing at Snape’s chest. “Your mum’s blouse?” There was a crack: A branch over Petunia’s head had fallen. Lily screamed: The branch caught Petunia on the shoulder, and she staggered backward and burst into tears. “Tuney!” But Petunia was running away. Lily rounded on Snape. “Did you make that happen?” “No.” He looked both defiant and scared. “You did!” She was backing away from him. “You did! You hurt her!” “No — no I didn’t!” But the lie did not convince Lily: After one last burning look, she ran from the little thicket, off after her sister, and Snape looked miserable and confused. . . .
It's baffling to think that we don't really get to see this, it's even brought up in OOTP in one of my favorite lines of the series, but as for what he takes away, it really takes away alot. The whole point of snape is that he sucks right, but much like all the other films, all we see is his good side. We only see him and lily be friends, we don't see them break up or fight! Like this scene as well!
“Slipped out?” There was no pity in Lily’s voice. “It’s too late. I’ve made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends — you see, you don’t even deny it! You don’t even deny that’s what you’re all aiming to be! You can’t wait to join You-Know-Who, can you?” He opened his mouth, but closed it without speaking. “I can’t pretend anymore. You’ve chosen your way, I’ve chosen mine.” “No — listen, I didn’t mean —” “— to call me Mudblood? But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?”
Even this as well is crucial to their relationship! And since they didn't even show the scene in OOTP of his worst memory, they could've done it here, but again they didn't! It's like at that point, what's even the point! The whole point of their friendship or whatever is that they were once friends and now they're not. It's almost as if the film thinks of this as a love scene? Him cradling her body at the end, them laying around in the grass, it almost makes you think like they're in love, but they're not. Snape wasn't even in love lily, the only reason he even switches sides wasn't because he loved her, but because he felt guilty, the whole reason she died was his fault.
The film goes on again, to remove a crucial line which takes away from his character, the fact that he only loves lily. ONLY. Snape, i think loves the idea of her, probably because she was the only person who truly knew him and accepted him for who she was, but the fact that he thinks like this
“You know what I mean! He thinks it means her son, he is going to hunt her down — kill them all —” “If she means so much to you,” said Dumbledore, “surely Lord Voldemort will spare her? Could you not ask for mercy for the mother, in exchange for the son?” “I have — I have asked him —” “You disgust me,” said Dumbledore, and Harry had never heard so much contempt in his voice. Snape seemed to shrink a little. “You do not care, then, about the deaths of her husband and child? They can die, as long as you have what you want?” Snape said nothing, but merely looked up at Dumbledore. “Hide them all, then,” he croaked. “Keep her — them — safe. Please.”
If dumbledore of all people is scolding you? Then you know you did something wrong. It's crazy to think that film snape says the complete opposite, he says hide them all! It doesn't even mention him bargaining with voldemort about sparing lily, which again is the only reason harry even survived, is because she had the choice to leave, which was only given to her because of snape. And the add more salt to the wound, this happens again! In the most iconic moment of this scene, and by far, the most misunderstood.
“Don’t be shocked, Severus. How many men and women have you watched die?” “Lately, only those whom I could not save,” said Snape. He stood up. “You have used me.” “Meaning?” “I have spied for you and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potter’s son safe. Now you tell me you have been raising him like a pig for slaughter —” “But this is touching, Severus,” said Dumbledore seriously. “Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?” “For him?” shouted Snape. “Expecto Patronum!” From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe: She landed on the office floor, bounded once across the office, and soared out of the window. Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears. “After all this time?” “Always,” said Snape.
That for him, says so much about snape as a character, even the way he addresses him as lily's son, just show's that he doesn't give a damn care about harry at all and he never did. But in the film, he doesn't hate harry as much or james, so it just comes off as half-assed. Even if we're comparing like it book to screen, book snape seems way more emotional than in the film, which sucks. It would've been great to see snape with his eyes full of tears saying this line, but we don't.
Even weird stuff like snape cradling lily's body, i just think it's overblown. It feels like it's replacing the scene with him and lily's letter, which why is that not in the film? All these films care about is making snape the best, so why don't they show him at his best? Why don't we see him spying for dumbledore numerous times in this scene like him telling him about karkaroff/quirrel, him scolding phineas nigellus black for calling hermione a mudblood, him giving voldemort the fake date of harry leaving, and many more that i'm forgetting.
It's like they just think that the whole point of this scene, is snape's love for lily, but that isn't it. It's the fact that he was dumbledore's man through and through. That's what makes this scene, this scene. Because snape is much more than his love for lily, he's alot of things, he's sadistic, arrogant, bitter, but he can also be caring sometimes and be heartfelt, but film snape is nothing like that! It's like their trying so hard to fit him into one thing, when he isn't. It makes nearly everything he does feel half-assed, even his death doesn't feel right.
His death is really graphic, but i feel like they couldn't get away with showing it on screen, but i love it. It's a really cool kill, really deserves the golden chainsaw award.
And Voldemort swiped the air with the Elder Wand. It did nothing to Snape, who for a split second seemed to think he had been reprieved: But then Voldemort’s intention became clear. The snake’s cage was rolling through the air, and before Snape could do anything more than yell, it had encased him, head and shoulders, and Voldemort spoke in Parseltongue. “Kill.” There was a terrible scream. Harry saw Snape’s face losing the little color it had left; it whitened as his black eyes widened, as the snake’s fangs pierced his neck, as he failed to push the enchanted cage off himself, as his knees gave way and he fell to the floor. “I regret it,” said Voldemort coldly.
That about wraps up snape in this film. It's such a shame that we really didn't get to see more of his memories, it would've probably cleared up alot of my issues with snape, those memories are like quintessential snape as a character, if you want to understand what kind of person he is, just read that chapter. But in the film, what do we get? He likes lily, then lily dies, then harry needs to die...always. And that's basically the whole scene with a moving score, but that doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things.
Even just like as a whole, everything that happens before this scene with snape, it's like what's there to talk about? Yeah, harry confronts him in the great hall, but that's it? Really? He just scolds him and he jumps out of a window? Book harry would've shot snape in the head, he was that angry with him. But again, like anything in the films, we don't get to see the nitty gritty drama that i want, everything needs to be streamlined, simple, and straightforward, but snape is the last character that should be any of those. He's complex, intricate, and puzzling, by design. The films set out to revamp his character, to make him more nicer, but in the end, it just made him worse.
Conclusion
Wow, it feels surreal actually being able to end and finally post this post after working on it for sooo long. I had this idea for years, this was originally supposed to be a defense of snape, but idk it just fell through. Contrary to what this post may say, i actually really like snape, as a character because he's fun to talk about (and there's alot to say) and as a person, because i love his dilemma. While writing this, i saw some post that was exactly what i had said and wanted to say, like how alan rickman wasn't snape. And after seeing that, i was so close to just delete this post and never let it see the light of day, i like to think i'm original and i want to be, i don't want to be regurgitating some other guy's opinion.
I don't even think anyone would even read this far, but if you are, thanks for reading to my rambling thoughts. This post took forever to make, and now i get to rest. So bye.
Sirius x Severus
Jamesx Severus
Remus x severus
A lot of the people you're arguing with are bots.
I also may vomit (╥﹏╥)
I don’t know why but I just do. Like for example say Trelawny was struggling to get up a step, he’d give her his hand to help, but say nothing. We don’t see him often interacting with adults but I bet it’s a lot better than students
Edit: I should add that he’ll help as a last resort but won’t go out of his way to help.
Easily the best character in all of English literature. He should be studied like Arthur and Sherlock.
Snape section goes a bit on the Alan Rickman casting and that his behavior is less excusable as a young Snape. I find it horrible regardless of his age. If anything, it makes more sense with a younger Snape, while I expect an older Snape to be not so much perturbed and offended, rather just annoyed and tired of Harry, just how Rickman portrayed it in the movies.
Next is the conflation of Snape's personal behavior and his actions in the grander schemes to defeat Voldemort. The conclusion that we side with Snape because we infantilize him under patriarchy is not a take I have heard and fully understand. Does it refer to accept and dismiss a persons emotional flaws as long as the net result is satisfactory? As in, "yeah, this person is a piece of shit, but they had a troubled past and couldn't help themselves, look what they accomplished for our benefit"?
I also didn't quite got her first description of the fandoms depiction of him. Something like babydaddyfication?
Hi in the first war before the downfall of Voldemort at the hands of Harry Potter. what kind of role did Snape have in the Death Eaters?
as it seemed that people like Karkaroff, Lucius Malfoy, Yaxley and the Carrows knew who he was.
was snape one of Voldemort's favourites?
She married the man who beat and r-ped him. How can people be this stupid?