Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we’re discussing Severus Snape, Lord Voldemort- and the massive question of Why on earth Snape didn’t do MORE to stagnate Voldemort’s resurgence. As the series unfolds, Snape's loyalties and motivations become a subject of intense speculation and debate among fans. Because you see, throughout the series Snape occupies a unique position, situated at the crossroads of light and darkness. Initially portrayed as a villain, his true allegiance is later revealed. However, upon this big reveal I couldn’t help but also ask- why didn’t he capitalize on an opportunity to eliminate Voldemort sooner? Snape had fooled everyone, even the Legilimens Lord Voldemort, which put him in a better position to assassinate Voldemort than anyone.

Sure, Voldemort’s Horcruxes would have kept him ‘alive’- but he would have been once again reduced to a non-corporeal form, reliant on others (like Nagini and Pettigrew) to help him return to a physical form. Another aspect to consider is that the more time Voldemort is reduced to a non-corporeal form, the more time there is to find and destroy the rest of his Horcruxes. In this scenario, it’s entirely possible that by the time Voldemort is ‘back’ he has no more Horcruxes to fall back on.

By killing Voldemort Snape could have effectively put Voldemort’s resurgence to a halt and potentially saved countless lives in the process. And all it would have taken is one ‘surprise’ Avada Kedavra.

So, was it unwillingness? Fear? Snape’s devotion to a grander plan? Or something else altogether.

Let’s dive in.

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