Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince has a fantastic ending that uses brilliant plot twists and character decisions to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, whilst also introducing several new ideas that will make the upcoming finale even more exciting. It's the first film in the series to introduce the concept of Horcruxes, which play a huge role in Harry, Ron, and Hermione's quest to defeat Voldemort and bring peace to the Wizarding World. Half Blood Prince sees the Golden Trio tackle these ideas for the first time but maintains that classic Harry Potter charm that can only be found in Hogwarts.
The conclusion of Half Blood Prince has become synonymous with the death of Hogwarts' most powerful professor, Albus Dumbledore - but there are plenty of other details that make this ending much more powerful than the franchise's previous installments. It's filled with shocking twists and long-awaited revelations that completely reframe the story, including some very important moments for characters such as Snape, Draco, and Harry himself. The final moments of this film completely subvert expectations and raise the stakes tenfold, which creates a dark atmosphere that's maintained throughout the thrilling two-part finale to come. Nothing is the same after Half Blood Prince, but there are several details that are easily missed.
What Is A Horcrux? - Their Origins Explained
The word, 'Horcrux,' is mentioned several times throughout Half Blood Prince, but very little is actually understood about these dark artifacts. The film's shocking ending reveals that Regulus Black discovered Voldemort's Horcrux secret, but little else about the secret itself is explained. As noted in the original books (and touched upon through Slughorn's memories in the film), the creation of a Horcrux requires an immense amount of Dark Magic, and allows the user to break off a piece of their soul and hide it within a specific object. At least whilst the Horcrux lives, the user cannot truly be killed - even if their physical form is destroyed beyond repair.
Slughorn's memories reveal that Tom Riddle once planned to create seven Horcruxes in order to make himself truly immortal. Just one of these Horcruxes would need to exist for Voldemort to stay alive, and although his professor warned Riddle against it, Dumbledore believes that Voldemort likely succeeded in his task. There are several theories surrounding the creation of Horcruxes, but all that's known is that it requires an unspeakably dark act to succeed - something which Voldemort would undoubtedly be capable of. At the end of Half Blood Prince, Dumbledore reveals that two Horcruxes have already been destroyed: Tom Riddle's Diary (by Harry) and Marvolo Gaunt's Ring (by Dumbledore with the sword of Gryffindor).
Why Salazar Slytherin's Locket Was A Fake
The climax of Half Blood Prince sees Harry and Dumbledore travel away from Hogwarts in search of a potential Horcrux, which they soon identify as Salazar Slytherin's locket. The pair battle a swarm of undead Inferi to retrieve the locket, but once Harry actually gets it back to Hogwarts, a note hidden inside reveals that it's a fake. Slytherin's locket is unlike the other Horcruxes, given its complex history and ownership, but the note inside the fake reveals that it was taken from its hiding place many years ago by R.A.B (Regulus Arcturus Black - who had once tried to destroy the real necklace after realizing Voldemort's dark plans).
This immediately sets the scene for Harry's next quest, as he knows that Slytherin's real locket is still out there somewhere - and without destroying it, taking down Voldemort would be impossible. It's this distressing realization, in addition to his previous conversation with Dumbledore, that really spurs Harry into action and puts the pieces into place for the final stage of this timeless battle against Voldemort. The discovery of Voldemort's Horcruxes (and the realization of how dangerously they're hidden) is a real turning point for Harry and his friends, proving that their endgame against the Dark Lord is going to be much harder and more complex than they'd anticipated.
Why Did Draco Become A Death Eater?
Lord Voldemort is the most dangerous Dark Wizard in the world, so when Harry and his friends learn that Draco Malfoy has joined his parents in following him, they're understandably shocked. It seems like a huge transformation for the character at first - he's always been trouble, but joining Voldemort and the Death Eaters is a massive step in his journey. Ron and Hermione are initially hesitant to believe that he's taken that step, but his actions in the Room of Requirement definitely prove otherwise. Since Draco's introduction, he's always respected his family and their beliefs - but it's now this family pressure that's forced him to join Voldemort's cause.
Draco's father has always been proud of his status as a Death Eater, and whilst he might not always be an incredibly useful asset for Lord Voldemort, he's been unwaveringly loyal. Lucius Malfoy is an older Harry Potter character, so he's had plenty of experience with Voldemort and his followers over the years. Draco has seen just firsthand how influential and powerful Voldemort is, and now that his power is rising, Draco feels that his only option is to join the cause. His character undergoes some serious development and transformation in the later movies, so this is a hugely important step for his turn into darkness.
Where Are Harry, Hermione, And Ron Go Next?
Ever since the beginning of the first film, it's been clear that Harry and Voldemort will have to battle each other in the future. Their relationship is so long-standing and complex that neither can live whilst the other survives - exactly as Professor Trelawney prophesized so many years ago. Even if Trelawney's prophecy against Voldemort wasn't real, there's no denying that her instincts were right, and Harry must be the one to bring down his nemesis. Now, thanks to Dumbledore, Harry knows that the destruction of his seven Horcruxes is the only viable way to defeat Voldemort for good. Naturally, Hermione and Ron are right by his side.
They know (or at least, suspect) that Slytherin's Locket is out there, and there are other artifacts that need to be destroyed along with it. Now that Dumbledore is no longer around, it'll be up to them to find these objects by delving into Tom Riddle's past and extracting those that hold special value for him. The locket seems like a logical place to start, but now knowing about the diary and the ring, the friends have a pretty good idea of what they're looking for. Half Blood Prince is far from the end of the road for Harry, Ron, and Hermione's adventures - in fact, it's only just the beginning.
Why Did Snape Kill Dumbledore?
Snape and Dumbledore have a tragic past in the Harry Potter movies, but their complex relationship reaches an emotional climax at the end of Half Blood Prince. When Draco Malfoy finds himself unable to strike down his headteacher, Professor Severus Snape takes control of the situation and kills Dumbledore himself. It's a truly shocking moment and it's not until the following movies that Snape's motives become fully clear. It's only until Deathly Hallows - Part 2 that Snape killed Dumbledore on the latter's own orders, knowing that his life was nearing its end and wanting to spare Draco from the act.
Snape's true allegiance has been a mystery ever since Sorcerer's Stone, and although Albus has always trusted him through thick and thin, the same can't be said about the other characters. Snape might have been Slytherin's greatest hero, but his undercover espionage for Dumbledore forced him to commit several dangerous crimes. Dumbledore wanted to die by Snape's hand because he knew it was the only way that his trusted friend would be accepted by Lord Voldemort as a true Death Eater. This shocking murder is a crucial moment in Snape's story, and whilst it's difficult to forgive him for actually going through with it, it's exactly what Dumbledore wanted.