The BLACK AVENGER Poll!

[Marchwarden]

I'm not really a vindictive person. I have serious misgivings about capital punishment; I avoid holding personal grudges; I always try to be considerate of other peoples' situations before I pass any sort of judgement.

But Bellatrix Lestrange has got to go. Preferably by end of 6.

I don't mean 'go to Azkaban', either. Tried that; didn't work.

The only question in my mind is: who shall prove to be her nemesis?

Hence the poll.

[PhineasNigellus]

after what she did to Neville's family he HAS to be the one...or perhaps Ginny can use one of her bat bogey hexes?
(i don't understand are u suggesting the Lestrange commits suicide on the poll?)

[Kristin]

Harry has that whole fated-to-kill-Voldemort problem, so I don't think it will be him.

I picked Neville. :)

And I love how the Lestranges escape from Azkaban really lit a fire under Neville, enabling him to show a level of talent he hadn't reached before.

I also find it interesting how much Bellatrix is the baddie we love to hate. (Look at the poll results.) Whereas Voldemort is the true villain, but somehow he's less compelling. Very similar to The Emperor and Darth Vader; The Emperor was the head bad guy and he was much more evil, but Darth Vader was so much more fascinating.

[Marchwarden]

Originally posted by PhineasNigellus
after what she did to Neville's family he HAS to be the one...or perhaps Ginny can use one of her bat bogey hexes?
(i don't understand are u suggesting the Lestrange commits suicide on the poll?)

Not out of remorse or anything; more like death due to her own actions. Psycho-fanatic villlains do that a lot. Possibilities might include:

- failing to notice danger to self due to homicidal fixation
- succumbing to magic too powerful to control in attempt to destroy foe
- kamikaze "I'm taking you all with me!" situation
- sacrificing self to save Voldemort
- aiming destructive curse at Disapparating hero and hitting potion rack/magical furnace/pillar that supports ceiling/snowy, avalanche-prone mountainside/etc.

That sort of thing.

[Kristin]

Or biting off one of Harry's fingers and falling to her death. ;)

[Moxie]

Originally posted by Kristin
Or biting off one of Harry's fingers and falling to her death. ;)

No, that's Wormtail's job. ;)

[ChianaWeasley]

Neville does the job.
He has more of a right then anyone else.
But...then of course he'll have killed someone...
I dont think he can do that,
even after what she did to his parents:(

maybe hermione will....
:confused:

[jesuisalleeaujardin]

ya, i think neville will start it... harry help him with it... and remus lupin finish it. :)

http://www.smilies.org/basesmilies3/niko-k.gif

jardin

[Mirdan]

i want Neville to do the job by himself...even though Harry and Lupin (and i suspect, a few others) have a bone or two to pick with Bellatrix, i think Neville should finish her off :cool:

...though Jardin's idea sounds really good http://www.muggleinformer.net/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif

[Fleurdelacour]

I like jardin's idea too :)

Remus has forgotten to take his Wolfsbane Potion, and somehow ends up in werewolf form with our darling Bellatrix in the same room as him. He bites her, and runs off somewhere. Neville and Harry find her convulsing in pain, and are both so mad, they attempt to kill her, they fail, but then the sunrises, and voila, our darling Remus comes and the three of them kill her!

Like that'll happen, rather random :p


All I can say, she has to die... :mad: IF JKR doesn't kill her, or make her have a Dementor's Kiss, or go crazy like Alice and Frank... :mad: I'll bloody kill JKR.....

[Pippin]

by Marchwarden

- failing to notice danger to self due to homicidal fixation
- succumbing to magic too powerful to control in attempt to destroy foe
- kamikaze "I'm taking you all with me!" situation
- sacrificing self to save Voldemort
- aiming destructive curse at Disapparating hero and hitting potion rack/magical furnace/pillar that supports ceiling/snowy, avalanche-prone mountainside/etc.
Can I vote for ALL of that? :D

Seriously, much as I feel sympathy with Neville and Harry I can´t really see the kids killing anyone in cold blood. :eek:


So I must say I`m with Fleur:
by Fleuror
go crazy like Alice and Frank... I think that would be fitting and somehow just. Can you see a tame, harmless, sheepishly smiling Bellatrix Lestrange in St. Mungo´s? I can.



by Kristin
Or biting off one of Harry's fingers and falling to her death. by Moxie
No, that's Wormtail's job. :D I love you guys.

[xKatiexBellx]

I think Voldemort will end up killing her, it might run down through the blacks, they all tie together, so this could happen. Though this time maybe she'll be important enough to be killed in person.

That would be the one time I would be happy with Voldemort:D

[Kristin]

It makes me wonder at what point would Harry or Neville be unable to kill?

To kill someone intentionally is a very momentous thing. Even in self-defense, it's got to be a hard thing to do. When Harry saved Wormtail, he told Sirius and Lupin that he didn't think James would want them to become killers. ... And there was justification. Harry has already shown he couldn't do the cruciatus curse because he doesn't have the hateful, evil nature to do it.

So here's my dual question: Would Harry or Neville have to be evil/hateful in order to kill? If so, would it be worse for them to become evil than to let Bellatrix go?

[Colli]

I picked Neville.. although I really don't want him to become a murderer.

I'd like Bellatrix to live a long life, alone with her cowardice. ;)

Bellatrix: To the death!
Neville: No! To the pain!
B: I don't think I'm quite familiar with that phrase.
N: I'll explain, and I'll use small words so that you'll be sure to understand, you warthog-faced-buffoon!
B: That may be the first time in my life a boy has dared insult me.
N: It won't be the last. To the pain means the first thing you lose will be your your feet below the ankles, then your hands at your wrists. Next, your nose...

:D

[wilecoyote]

Colli: that is quite appropriate:D

I voted for Neville, becuase I think he has suffered much more than anyone knows. But it would have to be like Sirius' death. Neville would be the catalyst not necessarily the cause.

The death eaters have somehow gotten on the Hogwart's grounds. Bellatrix is standing by the lake putting the crusciates curse on Ginny. Neville whips out his new wand and yells expelliamus. He misses Bellatrix's wand and hits her. She flys backward into the lake and is swallowed whole by the giant squid.
the end:D

[Marchwarden]

Originally posted by Colli
I picked Neville.. although I really don't want him to become a murderer.

I'd like Bellatrix to live a long life, alone with her cowardice. ;)

Bellatrix: To the death!
Neville: No! To the pain!
B: I don't think I'm quite familiar with that phrase.
N: I'll explain, and I'll use small words so that you'll be sure to understand, you warthog-faced-buffoon!
B: That may be the first time in my life a boy has dared insult me.
N: It won't be the last. To the pain means the first thing you lose will be your your feet below the ankles, then your hands at your wrists. Next, your nose...

:D

Bellatrix: "Don't make me laugh. Longbottom?! He doesn't even rate as a sidekick! He's the Comic Relief! He's useless!"

Neville: "That's possible, you miserable vomitous mass...but then again...perhaps I do have the strength after all..."*rises*"DROP. YOUR. WAND."

[Bellatrix_Lestrange]

Originally posted by wilecoyote
Colli: that is quite appropriate:D

I voted for Neville, becuase I think he has suffered much more than anyone knows. But it would have to be like Sirius' death. Neville would be the catalyst not necessarily the cause.

The death eaters have somehow gotten on the Hogwart's grounds. Bellatrix is standing by the lake putting the crusciates curse on Ginny. Neville whips out his new wand and yells expelliamus. He misses Bellatrix's wand and hits her. She flys backward into the lake and is swallowed whole by the giant squid.
the end:D

Swallowed by squid is good.

I do agree that it shouldn't be directly due to one of the kids, even Neville, even in self-defense. That said, there's a certain kharmic justice in self-destruction; as Marchwarden suggested, not a deliberate suicide but a consequence of being a little too obsessed with dealing out pain and death to pay proper attention to her own safety. Of course, if the poll were multiple choice I'd also check off Lupin and the big V; either would work.

Need I mention that I feel a little weird posting on this thread?

[xKatiexBellx]

Originally posted by Bellatrix_Lestrange
Need I mention that I feel a little weird posting on this thread?

:LOL: Cute... *raises Wand and points it to BL* Maybe I'll be the one to at least drive Bellatrix off this board...

[Marchwarden]

Originally posted by Kristin
Harry has that whole fated-to-kill-Voldemort problem, so I don't think it will be him.

I picked Neville. :)

And I love how the Lestranges escape from Azkaban really lit a fire under Neville, enabling him to show a level of talent he hadn't reached before.

I also find it interesting how much Bellatrix is the baddie we love to hate. (Look at the poll results.) Whereas Voldemort is the true villain, but somehow he's less compelling. Very similar to The Emperor and Darth Vader; The Emperor was the head bad guy and he was much more evil, but Darth Vader was so much more fascinating.

It's actually very difficult to make a fresh and original Dark Lord(TM); the requirements of the plot tend to demand certain obligatory words and actions, and this leaves archvillains looking rather similar.

Bellatrix is colorful and complex. There's the borderline-psychotic angle, but if you don't set off her triggers she can be calculatingly sadistic. Add the extremely dangerous duelling ability, and the absolute adoration of Voldemort which, in a severely twisted way, is almost sort of admirable (steadfast loyalty is usually considered a virtue; it's too bad she owes hers to the big V).

Umbridge was infuriating, but had a certain pettiness to her; we could tell that her political connections would never prove sufficient to overcome the far superior talent and ability wielded by the Hogwarts teachers and students. Bellatrix has a slightly lower infuriation factor, but this is more than compensated for by the fear factor.

[Pippin]

Pippin grabs Bella´s arm and pushes her out of the line of fire while disarming Katie Bell with a well aimed Expelliarmus. :D

Bella´s staying. :p Bellatrix is colorful and complex. See? Far too interesting to be driven off already.



Great analysis, Marchwarden. I do get the feeling that with all these colourful villains around (Bella, Lucius Malfoy, Crouch jr.), Voldemort is starting to look a little pale and boring with his "just evil"-ness.


Umbridge was dangerous, too, but in a completely different way from Bellatrix. "Pettiness" is a very good word there - take away all Umbridge´s authority, connections, titles etc. and only little remains. Bellatrix had everything taken away from her when she went to Azkaban, but she´s still as fierce as hell.

[Marchwarden]

Originally posted by Pippin

Great analysis, Marchwarden. I do get the feeling that with all these colourful villains around (Bella, Lucius Malfoy, Crouch jr.), Voldemort is starting to look a little pale and boring with his "just evil"-ness.


Thank you, "Pippin"...

*thinks*<The real Pippin always calls me 'March'...>

*eyes 'Pippin' suspiciously*

Right - what's your Patronus, then?

[Pippin]

Originally posted by Marchwarden
*thinks*<The real Pippin always calls me 'March'...>
Erm - not always. :o


Right - what's your Patronus, then? A lynx. Don´t ask, it´s true. :D

[Lord Schaudt]

I think she gets Neville, and he gets her at the same time

[KillerBunny]

I can't decide which I like better... "to the pain", or the giant squid. :D

At any rate, I voted for Neville.

[Athelas]

Originally posted by Kristin
Or biting off one of Harry's fingers and falling to her death. ;)

I've been away for a month and it's taken me 2 weeks to even begin catching up--but this is why catching up is so much fun!

GO NEVILLE!

[MarySueMalfoy]

I vote 'Other', meaning Ginny. Reasons:

- As much as I like the idea of BL in St. Mungo's, I'm not sure how it would happen. Between Azkaban and being the Dark Lord's personal disciple, she's already experienced the full gamut of sanity-blasting horrors, and while her sanity has certainly been affected, she hasn't been rendered harmless.

- The best way to handle the Harry-Ginny-Neville situation would be for Neville to die saving Ginny and for Ginny to avenge him. Neville would get the acknowlegement he deserves, and Harry could help Ginny through her grief, learning much more about her than he had previously noticed. Notably, post-Neville Ginny will display qualities most unlike post-Cedric Cho. When the two of them eventually cultivate something more than a friendship, it will be on a more mature level, based on mutual understanding and respect.

- Bellatrix threatened to use 'the little one' as a torture subject to compel the other DAers to surrender the prophecy. It is a) classic for an arrogant villain to fall prey to the foe they had discounted as a weak link and b) a very bad idea to try to use Ginny as a tool against her own side. Based on her comments in OotP, Ginny hasn't forgotten the events of CoS, and seems to have cultivated a formidable 'survivor' mentality.

- Bellatrix is scary as hell, but based on her ranting to Harry in OotP, her fighting spirit is rooted in her intimate bond to the Dark Lord. She is his personal disciple; he has personally taught her the Dark Arts; no other witch alive can claim that degree of intimacy...

(CUE GINNY IN A HIGH, COLD VOICE): "Can't I, Bella?"

Regardless of how fully recovered Ginny is or is not from her experiences, she was him for a little while, and he was her. Given Bellatrix's religious awe and terror of Voldemort, having this little factoid sprung on her could really rattle her nerves at a crucial moment.

[Flockman The Wise]

Neville.

[Lord_Faelon]

Well i voted for Neville as he has most right to do it and has a pure hatred driving him on where as Harry hasnt lost a blood relative at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange he has lost his godfather (maybe he hasnt this is not the point)

Yet OTOH She has to be punished for wasting a year of Voldemorts time as she was partly to blame about losing the prophecy.Will Voldemort show mercy as she was the most loyal DE?

[MarySueMalfoy]

I hope it isn't Neville. Bellatrix made zombified invalids out of two intelligent, loving people. Shall she also force their gentle son to become a killer?

I hope she brings it on herself.

[Marchwarden]

I have to agree. If Neville survives, he ought to earn himself a 'Samwise ending'; you know, the one where you play your humble yet vital part in ridding the world of evil, survive, go home, work up your courage and finally marry the feisty lass with all the brothers, the one you've always held fast to in your heart, and you have thirteen children and use your natural talent for nurturing and growing to regreenify the world now that the shadow has passed.

Bellatrix has polluted enough lives. One could argue that any sort of death is ultimately of her own making, but if a basically good person had to harden him- or herself to do it, that would be just one more wound she could inflict, one more lessening of love in the world.

When Ginny closes her eyes and leans forward, and Neville has to stamp down on the disgust he must feel, that a girl like her might be defiled by a murderer's lips, and has to force himself to comply with what ought to be a beautiful, natural expression of love, then Bellatrix's laughter will ring out from whetever dolorous place a stain like her must linger beneath. All the years they spend, careers, children, every day, every hour, he'll be shadowed by his secret belief that the day he killed Bellatrix, she infected him, that everything he touches will be exposed to the contagion, that if he really cared about Ginny he'd fling himself as far away from her as possible and pray (although it cuts his soul) that she finds the happiness she deserves with someone...better.

I say no.

Neville is too prone to self-blame, too eager to shoulder guilt to survive killing even so deserving a foe as Bellatrix. It would eat him apart.

So, please, not Neville.

[ChianaWeasley]

Definatley Neville, after all he has more right to give her what she deserves in the end. With his parents and all, boy does she deserve the worst. And Neville is really growing into his own, he's going to give Harry a run for his Gringott's vault ;) .

And I agree with Marchwarden, even Azkaban would be too nice a punishment for her. She does have to go, and I hope Neville is the one to give her the boot.