Harry Potter death spoilers abound in this one, in case you still haven’t seen the movies or read the books and were planning to.
At some point, J.K. Rowling started to realize that the creative decisions she made in Harry Potter as far as “conflict” goes actually broke some hearts, perhaps even physically. She’s even started issuing some public apologies for the grief she’s caused, most recently concerning the death of Florean Fortescue. But she’s now apologizing for one character death that she says was the “worst” for her to deal with herself, that of Fred Weasley. If you ask me, that’s an apology that was a long time coming. Here is what Rowling said on Twitter:
Today I would just like to say: I'm really sorry about Fred. *Bows head in acceptance of your reasonable ire*
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 2, 2015
When asked about other tragic character deaths, like Tonks and Lupin, Rowling explained:
.@Brieuc26Rankin I thought I might apologise for one death per anniversary. Fred was the worst for me, so I started with him.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 2, 2015
Devastating character deaths, the more seemingly senseless they are, are intended to make an impact on those who have become so attached and invested in a good story. The deeper the connection, the harder the death is to deal with, and the harmless prankster Fred Weasley was an especially rough death to read and watch. It was hard for not just the audience, but his fictional twin brother, George. For the people audience, it wasn’t just our own grief, it was George’s grief, his phantom limb, that made Fred’s death even more gut-wrenching than many others.
The real question is how willing Potterheads will be to forgive Rowling. For killing Fred Weasley? A character whose demise made the sweet, tender-hearted Mother Goose Molly Weasley curse out loud in a children’s movie? This might take a while.
(via MTV)
