The Harry Potter franchise has many iconic elements right at the heart of the pop culture zeitgeist, with one of its most well-known being Lord Voldemort. While he arguably may not have the depth or complexity of other famous villains (in the films), he is one of the most recognizable baddies in cinema history and a character who helped make the Potter films so good.
However, not every Potterhead agrees about aspects of Voldemort's time in the franchise and what he brought to it, with many posting their unpopular opinions about "He Who Must Not Be Named" on Reddit.
Grindelwald > Voldemort
While most Potterheads seem to prefer Voldemort as far as on-screen Wizarding World villains go, Redditor ShortDrummer22 states that they "think Grindelwald was better." in of powerful bad guys.
They go on to talk about how Grindelwald's ambitions and powers exceed those of Voldemort. They mention that they are "basing it on the movie versions" of Grindelwald and Voldemort, but there is a definite disparity in popularity between the two, with the latter being preferred by most.
Voldemort Being The Favourite Character
Every Potterhead has their favorite character, or a favorite couple of characters, and rarely is Voldemort topping those rankings. But that's not so for Redditor LawlessMind, who states that they "came to the conclusion that mine is Voldemort."
They then say they "so ire his competence," calling him a master of most aspects of magic. While this is not an opinion held only by this Redditor, there is no doubt most fans have a central hero or side character as their favorite character, with some other Harry Potter villains are even more loved by fans than Voldemort.
A One-Dimensional, Children's Book Villain
Particularly in the books, Voldemort has quite a history and personal backstory that adds some depth to the character, but that does not stop Redditor Cake4Meeks from saying, "Lord Voldemort is a one-dimensional, children's book villain."
There is no doubt that Voldemort is far scarier and more creepy to the younger Harry Potter audiences and that his film counterpart is more one-dimensional than the character overall. However, to deem him nothing more than a children's book villain may be unfair and an unpopular statement to diehard fans.
Dumbledore Vs. Voldemort Is The Saga's Only Cool Duel
The Harry Potter films have a handful of duels and face-offs that thrill many fans, but Redditor edd6pi says other than Voldemort Vs. Dumbledore, the combat is not good, and "It's just shooting spells or worse, shooting a beam while standing there."
This will likely be a more popular opinion amongst older audiences, but the majority of Potter fans do seem to enjoy at least one other piece of combat in the saga, such as the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Harry Vs. Voldemort in the graveyard, and the Battle of Hogwarts.
Tom Riddle Is A Better Villain Than Voldemort
Fans do not get much of Tom Riddle in the films since the storyline of his backstory wasn't fleshed out, but that does not stop Redditor PlantsArePeople from stating, "Tom riddle (like in CoS) was a much better villain figure before going full Voldemort."
They go on to say Voldemort was "just a jerk" while Riddle was interesting. There is no doubting the fact Riddle is a fascinating figure, but to call him a better villain than what he is when he becomes Voldemort when he only has one film appearance is an opinion that most other fans don't share.
He Is The Most Powerful Wizard Ever
There are various debates always raging on amongst Potterheads, with one consistent debate being who the most powerful wizard really is. Redditor RandomAs5Nick believes that "Voldemort is the strongest wizard of all time."
They go on to say the likes of Snape and Grindelwald could not dream of his power and that Dumbledore in his prime would not be able to match the Dark Lord. While Voldemort is unquestionably one of the most powerful wizards ever, most seem certain that the most powerful - seen in the films and books, that is - is Dumbledore.
His Death Is Tear-Inducing
One of the most fist-pump-worthy moments in the Harry Potter franchise is when Voldemort finally meets his end in The Deathly Hallows. But Redditor Immortal_Eskimo says Voldemort's death "Still always makes me sad."
They say that they always cry when the Dark Lord dies, which is a reaction that not many other fans of the series would have. It is not like Voldemort was ever on the verge of being good or having some sort of redemption like Snape; he was flat-out evil incarnate.
Ralph Fiennes Is An Awful Voldemort
Like many of the other characters in the Harry Potter movie franchise, Ralph Fiennes seemed to be perfectly cast as Voldemort. Redditor spacex1776 simply states, though, that in their opinion, "Ralph Fiennes was an awful Voldemort."
Of course, people have serious issues with the portrayal of the character, such as the almost cartoonish noises he makes. However, in of just portraying the character, making fans emotionally react to him, and in the delivery of lines, Fiennes has generally always seemed like a great choice to bring biggest villain and evilest character to life.
He Is Attractive
Voldemort's look in the films is instantly recognizable and not many would find it attractive, but Redditor throwawaybellamort believes Voldemort is exactly that, saying, "There's something about him that's very alluring."
The Redditor is not just talking about Ralph Fiennes either, stating that they are also attracted to the book version of the character. Of course, this is less about looks and more about power and personality, which makes it more understandable. However, even then, few people will be in the same boat.
His Final Duel In The Film > His Final Duel In The Books
Book fans struggle to get on board with many controversial aspects of the films, including the final duel between Voldemort and Harry. Redditor DragonBat362, though, says they "actually prefer the movie version of Harry and Voldemort's final duel over the book version."
With the turning to dust of Voldemort and lack of spectators being a huge issue, not many hardcore Potterheads believe this to be true. To them, the book death of Voldemort and the final battle overall is far more meaningful for the story and more impactful for the audience.
