Voldemort

[black-dog.livejournal.com]

Hello, alt_fen! This looks fun.

There have been a couple of interesting comments about the game’s Voldemort lately. [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] in the post below suggests that Voldemort may still be consolidating his power if he’s only recently abolished Muggle Studies, and [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] in an associated comment, reminds us that “Voldemort is claiming to be the good guy, who protects and cares for his subjects.”

I'm not sure we have enough info to really run with this yet -- but there’s a really interesting issue here that bears watching as the game develops. And that is that Voldemort as Gothic Bogeyman cannot really survive the experience of Voldemort in Power. This game’s Voldemort is necessarily a politician. He may have dictatorial ambitions, but he has to work with and through other people, other powers. And some of them are potentially independent, unruly, tricky to manage from day to day. This is going to be fascinating to follow along with.



We've already seen some evidence of how this works: that Lucius has to go to the Wizengamot to lobby for expanded powers of interrogation, and even Bella recognizes Voldemort doesn’t dare push too hard for oversight of the Goblins.

And we get a more complicated personal take on Voldemort, too: Via Harry, we see Voldemort as an indulgent father (even if Harry is worried that won't last now that he and Draco are growing up), we hear about him as an involved parent conferring with Slughorn about whether Harry's ready for a broom, and we are invited to visualize him as a potential regular in the Quidditch stands. Via McGonagall we see him as "Tommy Riddle all grown up," and she has to remind herself there's something “not right” about him. (It's helpful for us to remember, as well, that without his canonical dis-corporation, and the experience of being boiled back into existence with a genetic assist from Nagini, this Voldemort is probably not particularly snaky-looking – add nose, subtract red eyes.)

So I'm intrigued by the idea that we might get, in this game, a more rounded, more politically sophisticated Voldemort. Not a good guy, not “misunderstood,” of course, not excusable in any way but – a real person, with real dilemmas, and presumably a complex and clever strategist. That should make him a more interesting character than JKR’s Voldemort, and it will be fun to identify bits of implicit characterization as puzzle out his political strategy as we go along.

And this won’t necessarily happen directly on-screen, either, which makes this issue rich for watcher speculation. I kind of like the way we’ve been learning about V not directly, in his own voice, but through other people’s reaction to him. Plus, there’s a wonderful bit of menace in the fact that he’s silent, but he has a journal, and he’s got everybody friended. We all know journals like that. :)

* *

Anyway, here’s my first practical question about Voldemort in the game – do you believe in his peace overture to Regulus? The question unpacks some issues about the strength of Voldemort’s position and his general strategy as a politician.

We know, from DH canon, that Regulus crossed Voldemort very seriously in the matter of the locket-horcrux, though V may not know that and only know that Regulus abandoned his cause. The “obvious” read is to be very suspicious of V’s intentions, and to think of those exiled Iraqi generals lured home by Saddam. And yet: 1. Narcissa points out, if Voldemort could find Regulus to give him a journal, he obviously could have killed him already if he wanted to; 2. there may be family connections here, particularly Narcissa’s apparent fondness for Regulus, that this Voldemort probably has to take into account; and 3. the matter has been allowed to become public via the journals; a public reconciliation with a former opponent would offer certain advantages to a politician in V’s position, while public treachery after a visible peace offering would probably cost him.

On the other hand, Lucius makes an interesting slip, here, when he segues from bringing Regulus home right into the question of catching Dumbledore on British soil. They haven’t heard from Regulus – “however” they did get word about that “blood traitor Dumbledore.” Why are these parallel issues in Lucius’ mind?

Not sure what to think yet; but it’s interesting to try to clarify the questions and measure some things to look for as the game develops.

Comments

[lapin-agile.livejournal.com]

Lucius makes an interesting slip, here, when he segues from bringing Regulus home right into the question of catching Dumbledore on British soil.

I noticed that, too, and think the players have done a very good job of building suspense about what will happen to Regulus should he come home or be brought to ground.

I wonder if Regulus's backstory has been altered for the game. After all, my understanding of the locket episode in canon is that Regulus died at the hands of the Inferi in the cave (and should have died anyway after drinking the basin's poisoned potion in order to switch the real horcrux for his fake replacement). Either we've got some new plot bits to get him out of the cave and well after drinking the potion, OR that event never happened in this AU.

With regard to the difference in Voldemort, I wonder if the business of the horcruxes applies here -- and if so (after all, why not?), how many he has created so far and under what circumstances.

[black-dog.livejournal.com]

It's hard to be sure what the rules are on canon. Officially there is only "one small difference" which suggests all events prior to Oct. 31 1981 would be the same. With Regulus, though, I don't remember exactly when he was supposed to have left Voldemort and/or died in the cave -- was it before or after the murder of the Potters? (I guess it's a straightforward canon question but I am too lazy to look this up before coffee!) So there's possibly a little pre-81-canon fudging going on, which would be interesting to have clarified, but the essence of it still applies -- that Regulus somehow crossed Voldemort and vanished, so he has reason to fear for his life and angst over the sincerity of the peace offering. I totally agree that it's a great bit of drama, and it also really does raise some fun questions about how this Voldemort operates.

[alt_moderator]

You're right that Regulus died in canon in 1979, not 1981.

This is the only pre-81 canon fudging that's happened (afaik), and the only pre-81 canon fudging that will happen.

As to what the fudge actually was? As to what happened in Regulus' life? You'll have to wait and see.

[black-dog.livejournal.com]

Thank you, you are even better than coffee and research!

I will wait hungrily for the fudge.