Although the evil wizard Lord Voldemort was the main antagonist of the practitioners of the Dark Arts opted to spread hate and despair under the guise of pure-blooded superiority. With a belief that Muggles, Squibs, and Muggle-born witches or wizards were inferior, the followers of Voldemort were about as heinous as one could get.
Across antagonists like Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, and Dolores Umbridge consistently pushed him into perilous situations and put his life in jeopardy countless times. While some characters, like Snape, redeemed themselves in the end, there was one particularly reprehensible evildoer who was totally beyond absolution.
Bellatrix Lestrange Committed Some Of The Harry Potter Franchise's Most Heinous Acts
A Death Eater Whose Evil Equaled Voldemort
Out of all the many villainous characters in the Harry Potter franchise, it was Bellatrix Lestrange who stood out as being just as despicable as Voldemort himself. Through an incredible performance from Helena Bonham Carter, the Fight Club actress captured the ruthlessness, brutality, and unforgiving nature at the heart of Bellatrix’s characterization. With a fanatical belief in pure-blooded superiority, Bellatrix was among the most unquestioning and loyal followers of Voldemort, who appeared to spread evil for evil’s sake.
Harry Potter: The 10 Worst Things Bellatrix Lestrange Did
Bellatrix Lestrange is one of the most villainous character in Harry Potter and she did some of the most despicable things in the whole series.
Bellatrix’s vile acts began well before the events of the first Harry Potter, as Neville told Harry in The Order of the Phoenix how she tortured his parents with the Cruciatus Curse to the point that they no longer recognized him. With no remorse over her past actions, Bellatrix relished the pain she had caused, and she later taunted Neville for the trauma she had inflicted upon him. While other Death Eaters, such as Lucius Malfoy, carried out Voldemort’s evil whims, he at least struggled with the morality of what he was doing in a way Bellatrix never did.
Those who hold a special place for the Harry Potter series in their hearts could only look on in abject horror as Bellatrix burned some of its most iconic locations to the ground.
Not only did Bellatrix eliminate the biggest connection Harry had to his late parents when she murdered his godfather, Sirius Black, but this became all the more harrowing with the realization that he was her own cousin. As the one who set fire to the Burrow and Hagrid’s hut, those who hold a special place for the Harry Potter series in their hearts could only look on in abject horror as she burned some of its most iconic locations to the ground. As Voldemort’s most loyal follower, Bellatrix was evil through and through.
Bellatrix Has No Redeeming Qualities
Bellatrix Did Not Even Have A Tragic Origin Story
One thing that sets Bellatrix apart from most other villainous characters in Harry Potter is that she has zero redeeming qualities. Even Lord Voldemort became evil as a result of misguided beliefs and his troubled upbringing, with viewers coming to understand how the once-promising wizard known as Tom Riddle turned toward the Dark Arts in the pursuit of power and immortality. Bellatrix had no such origin story that adds context to the way she ruthlessly mocks and taunts her victims and takes pride in spreading despair.
There was no doubt, regret, or inner conflict in Bellatrix’s story, and her total lack of empathy signalled a character who was troubled beyond repair. While Bellatrix used Voldemort as justification for her murderous ways, it’s hard not to feel like she would have embraced the Dark Arts even without the influence of Death Eater philosophies. As a terrifying Harry Potter villain with a contemptible sense of superiority, it was immensely satisfying when she met her end at the hands of Molly Weasley, who, in a total juxtaposition of Bellatrix’s beliefs, cursed her while protecting her daughter Ginny.
- Created by
- J.K. Rowling
- First Film
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
- First TV Show
- Harry Potter
- Cast
- Mads Mikkelsen
- TV Show(s)
- Harry Potter
- Movie(s)
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore