Well, i think its pretty obvious that, despite the vocal protests of a religious minority that does not seem to have real jobs, we can safely say that the Harry Potter books are going to be classics. Barring, say, JK Rowling becoming a Scientologist and turning out book 6 and 7 as “Dianetics the Harry Potter Way” and “Battlefield Hogwarts,” their status seems relatively assured.
However, one of the big mainstays of the HP septology is that in the end, good triumphs over evil. That is the argument used against the aforementioned vocal dink minority, and it is borne out by the present books. While we don’t have any concrete idea of where the books will go, it seems to be a safe bet to say that in the end, Harry will defeat Voldemort, and although some characters might as well be wearing signs around their necks with bulls-eyes painted on them, the world will turn out OK.
But what if it doesn’t? We always expect a happy ending, and it is the rare movie/book/show that does not give it to us. But it does happen. So let us suggest an “alternate” ending for Harry Potter. Envision, for a second, the scene at the end of book seven. Harry’s lifeless body on the ground, all his companions betraying him or long dead. We leave the HP universe forever with the image of Voldemort beginning his neverending reign of terror.
Remember, this possibility was given at the end of book 5. The prophecy, in addition to including Neville, also notes that one must die while the other lives.
If this happens, what will be the reaction? Will the books be tossed aside? Will they continue to be touted as classics? I doubt they will be clasified as childrens books. How would you deal with ending? Evil, triumphing over good. What are the ramifications of this, if any? Would you buy an alternate book 7 with this ending?
Well, it would all seem rather pointless, you know.
“Congratuations, all you terrible struggles and sacrifices against tyranny was totally wasted. You are dead, your families will soon follow, and then your very names and deeds shall be burned from history as Voldemort moves to rule over all magic with his immortal iron fist. Maybe he’ll make a try at invadint the “muggle world” with his power and get nuked by the US of A, killing millions of Britons. Have a nice day.”
Maybe they’ll end up killing each other? Like Harry and Voldy both fire a blast and BOOM they’re both dead. The world would be saved, but of course at a great cost. This doesn’t contradict the prophesy, does it?
Well, I do think this would tend to put a sock in the massive merchandising of action figures, Saturday morning cartoons, clothing, accessories, toys, DVDs, soundtracks, books, stickers, posters, bookmarks, collectibles, spinoffs, food items (like Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans), and so forth.
On the other hand, Rowling has said more than once that she really hates all that merchandising crap.
So maybe she’ll kill Harry in Book Seven, just to totally screw with Time/Warner entertainment (who totally owns the rights to all things Harry Potter EXCEPT Rowling’s actual books).
I can’t say I’d enjoy the book, but I’d laugh like a bad dog to see Warners get screwed like that. And Rowling’s rich enough not to care… except, perhaps, for Harry’s sake.
Heh. Someone I know is writing an X-files/Harry Potter fan fic in which Voldemort enlists the help of the Cigarette Smoking Man to take over the Muggle world. http://forums.prospero.com/foxxfiles/messages?msg=117666.1 (log in as “guest” if asked)
TimeWarner OWNS Harry Potter now?? When did this happen? I shudder to think of the knockoffs like “Harry vs. Agent Smith” that will inevitably follow once Book 7 is filmed…
what about the possibility that, as with the Oz universe after L. Frank Baum died, the relatives sell the rights and dozens of authors write knockoff continued adventures of Harry Potter: some good, some abominable.
No. They own the rights to produce movies based on the books, and the rights to merchandising based on the movies. I know that that was part of the deal Rowling signed.
I don’t know about OTHER books that Time/Warner may wish to produce. They may or may not have the rights to that. I also don’t know about TV rights – sure, they have the TV rights to the movies, but what if someone decides to launch a Harry Potter TV series or cartoon (like The Real Ghostbusters?)
I think it would be (obviously) a bold move, and pretty cool. But then, I like depressing stories.
I wouldn’t be suprised if some of the readers who were kids when the first book was released thought it was kind of a neat way to end the series. I mean, good doesn’t always triumph over evil, but even in the face of all the horrible stuff in th OP, that doesn’t mean the series would have to end without a single glimmer of hope.
Word. How sweet would that be.
It could lend itself to some potentially squicky beyond the grave-slash, though.
[spoiler]Yeah, I knew that. What I stated as the possibility was that Harry could LOSE to Tommy boy, seeing as how the prophecy stated that one must kill the other before that one could live, and they made a big scene in the book about how this would happen. Coincidentally, it was right after Dumbledore laid out exactly why the prophecy was talking about Harry. Was I any less than clear?[spoiler]
Anyway, I too would greatly respect JK if she gave the story a wellwritten bad ending, and the books would always be classics in my house. However, I doubt that she would let herself explore that rout; or maybe not. She surprised me in a lot of respects in book 5, so I guess she can do it again.
