Bellatrix and Regulus? Why? I mean, it seems like Bellatrix is sort of beyond your usual abused person and Regulus does get out and strike a blow at the person. Not that people in abusive relationships can't do those things, it just seemed like the Malfoys and Quirrel were representing more everyday stuff where they lose their confidence in themselves. (Quirrel especially, of course, claiming that Voldemort has to abuse him because he does bad things.)
As for Lucius being an idiot rather than a schemer... see, I can totally see him as an idiot before, too (especially when you remember the sheer ridiculousness of movie!Lucius), though it's hard to imagine why he has power/influence except that it's literally all about breeding and they just happen to be Purebloods.
Well, of course he was always an idiot but the point is you can see where people thought he might not have been. (Not sure what ridiculousness of the movie Lucius you mean so I can't speak to that.) Because this is a guy who was in the inner circle, and seemed to be succeeding the first time around, and then the second Voldemort went down he supposedly made this about face. In the early books it probably was easy to imagine him being actually smooth.
Of course, he wasn't. But I think that's partly something JKR didn't want to write. Even when Lucius has supposedly gotten off he's *obviously* a bad guy. It's not like he's wormed his way into the hearts of good people and has a good reputation, at least it doesn't seem that way. It seems more like he's regarded as a low-life with money.
unless you consider slipping the diary to be an intelligent survival-oriented scheme... isn't it just ridiculous? what did he really think would happen? and in the end Voldy lost a part of his soul
But that scheme wasn't all that ridiculous. What he thought would happen was exactly what did happen--Ginny was possessed into opening the Chamber of Secrets and releasing the basilisk. Had Harry not saved her (and Lucius couldn't have predicted he ever could have done so when he gave her the diary) she probably would have been outed as the one who did it and Arthur would be disgraced and hurt, which seemed to be the idea. Lucius didn't know he was using a piece of Voldemort's soul, so he can't be said to be stupid for using it.
Not that I thought Lucius was a genius either, but I don't think the characterization of him being cool came out of nowhere, wrong as they were.
I dunno what my point is :> I feel like Lucius surviving post war-1 was more the messed-upness of that whole situation rather than Lucius' survivor instincts.
I agree it's basically the plot--and whether he died or not was always going to just be random. (Why do Colin and Lupin and Tonks die but none of the boys in Harry's year? It just happened that way.)
no subject
As for Lucius being an idiot rather than a schemer... see, I can totally see him as an idiot before, too (especially when you remember the sheer ridiculousness of movie!Lucius), though it's hard to imagine why he has power/influence except that it's literally all about breeding and they just happen to be Purebloods.
Well, of course he was always an idiot but the point is you can see where people thought he might not have been. (Not sure what ridiculousness of the movie Lucius you mean so I can't speak to that.) Because this is a guy who was in the inner circle, and seemed to be succeeding the first time around, and then the second Voldemort went down he supposedly made this about face. In the early books it probably was easy to imagine him being actually smooth.
Of course, he wasn't. But I think that's partly something JKR didn't want to write. Even when Lucius has supposedly gotten off he's *obviously* a bad guy. It's not like he's wormed his way into the hearts of good people and has a good reputation, at least it doesn't seem that way. It seems more like he's regarded as a low-life with money.
unless you consider slipping the diary to be an intelligent survival-oriented scheme... isn't it just ridiculous? what did he really think would happen? and in the end Voldy lost a part of his soul
But that scheme wasn't all that ridiculous. What he thought would happen was exactly what did happen--Ginny was possessed into opening the Chamber of Secrets and releasing the basilisk. Had Harry not saved her (and Lucius couldn't have predicted he ever could have done so when he gave her the diary) she probably would have been outed as the one who did it and Arthur would be disgraced and hurt, which seemed to be the idea. Lucius didn't know he was using a piece of Voldemort's soul, so he can't be said to be stupid for using it.
Not that I thought Lucius was a genius either, but I don't think the characterization of him being cool came out of nowhere, wrong as they were.
I dunno what my point is :> I feel like Lucius surviving post war-1 was more the messed-upness of that whole situation rather than Lucius' survivor instincts.
I agree it's basically the plot--and whether he died or not was always going to just be random. (Why do Colin and Lupin and Tonks die but none of the boys in Harry's year? It just happened that way.)