Unpopular Opinion: Popular Characters We don't Like
There are often many characters in HP who are popular among the fandom, yet we don't like.
Express freely who they are and why you don't like them.
Marauders as a group is excluded because while they are popular, it's not believed in Snapedom and we usually dislike them. However, you can rather tell why you like them because it'd be an unpopular opinion here indeed.
There'll be no judgment or hating the member's choices. I expect everyone to behave and freely express themselves.
Hagrid; specifically in the books.
As much as I love Hagrid, I do largely despise how unfazed he acts about the dangers of his magical creatures, particularly around ones he isn't too experienced with introducing people to. An instance being his attitude in CoS towards leading Ron and Harry to potentially man-eating spiders that have been fed sporadically (also that have no trust nor evidence in Ron and Harry being Hagrid's friends) is just so awful to me. For one, Hagrid is completely ignorant of how very dangerous it is to wander into the Forbidden Forest carelessly, let alone without an adult guardian such as him for protection. Secondly, how could you know for sure that your friend-spiders would even be susceptible to delving into any pieces of information for the boys? No introductions were made beforehand, and there was no knowing how they'd react, so why think to suddenly meet them together? What could've possibly told Hagrid to just instantly let them meet and share information, without his presence to assure Aragog of trusting Harry and Ron? Smh
Side note - I do feel like I've missed something here, please feel free to comment if my facts are wrong 🤍
Quote from InterwovenMadness on July 31, 2023, 10:17 amHagrid; specifically in the books.
As much as I love Hagrid, I do largely despise how unfazed he acts about the dangers of his magical creatures, particularly around ones he isn't too experienced with introducing people to. An instance being his attitude in CoS towards leading Ron and Harry to potentially man-eating spiders that have been fed sporadically (also that have no trust nor evidence in Ron and Harry being Hagrid's friends) is just so awful to me. For one, Hagrid is completely ignorant of how very dangerous it is to wander into the Forbidden Forest carelessly, let alone without an adult guardian such as him for protection. Secondly, how could you know for sure that your friend-spiders would even be susceptible to delving into any pieces of information for the boys? No introductions were made beforehand, and there was no knowing how they'd react, so why think to suddenly meet them together? What could've possibly told Hagrid to just instantly let them meet and share information, without his presence to assure Aragog of trusting Harry and Ron? Smh
Side note - I do feel like I've missed something here, please feel free to comment if my facts are wrong 🤍
I agree with Hagrid part and the fact that he perceived magical creatures differently than others, often to the detriment to others.
A point I'd add is how he transfigured Dudley during his first meeting. In books, there was no scene where Dudley was stealing Harry's cake. Hagrid took Vernon's insult to Dumbledore personally and took it out on Dudley. Later he said that he intended to fully transfigure Dudley into a pig, not just give him a tail which was a very cruel statement, it's forbidden to punish children with transfiguration as said by McGonagall when Moody transfigured Draco into a ferret.
There are many other Hagrid's offenses but I'd prefer if other members add on to it.
Oooh, boy haha
In no particular order (and no, this isn't the most hated, but is pretty high up on my personal list) -
- Hermione Granger - She's mostly always been just tolerable for me (She is my absolute opposite), and never one I ever considered her a 'role-model' in my youth, but in the last 7-9 months, my dislike of her has skyrocketed to an almost intolerable point. I won't go into details otherwise this will end up in character-bashing territory, but I blame fanon and fanfiction's portrayal of something she isn't in canon, and people changing her morals/personality, completely trashing the character we know. I avoid most fics with her in it.
- Hagrid - Again, I won't go too much into this, but I never liked him. He's far too incompetent, definitely not fit to teach children in a safe way, does not think before speaking thus spilling things he shouldn't, playing favorites, and just comes off as an uncle rather than a member of staff.
- Dobby - I always found him annoying, and he just grinds my gears. I guess because he was written to be more annoying in CoS, it kind of stuck. I definitely didn't get teary over his death.
I know most of our members will give me a side eye for this one but... Lily.
It's funny cuz when I first started reading HP fanfics, I used to love Snily stories but the more I interacted with the fandom, the more I started hating Lily because she so often becomes a Mary Sue: the perfect mother, beauty that befriended the oddball, talented student, capable witch, and a brave lioness.
Canon does not show much of her but what we see at least allows us to infer that she does have flaws and isn't perfect. The movies make us believe she was extraordinarily kind and fanon sometimes turn her into an angel who can do no wrong and after a while, you seriously get sick and tired of it. So, when I was only exposed to canon I didn't really hate any character as I appreciated everyone's part they played in the story but fanon is what really fueled my hatred 😅
Regarding the Marauders, I'm somewhat sympathetic to both, Sirius and Remus. Their canon version is everything but flattering to me (I can't forgive what a coward Remus was and the with Sirius it's the werewolf prank) but fanfic authors sometimes do go down interesting routes with them and make me enjoy reading about both.
Quote from Dark Angel on July 31, 2023, 10:39 amI know most of our members will give me a side eye for this one but... Lily.
It's funny cuz when I first started reading HP fanfics, I used to love Snily stories but the more I interacted with the fandom, the more I started hating Lily because she so often becomes a Mary Sue: the perfect mother, beauty that befriended the oddball, talented student, capable witch, and a brave lioness.
Canon does not show much of her but what we see at least allows us to infer that she does have flaws and isn't perfect. The movies make us believe she was extraordinarily kind and fanon sometimes turn her into an angel who can do no wrong and after a while, you seriously get sick and tired of it. So, when I was only exposed to canon I didn't really hate any character as I appreciated everyone's part they played in the story but fanon is what really fueled my hatred 😅
Regarding the Marauders, I'm somewhat sympathetic to both, Sirius and Remus. Their canon version is everything but flattering to me (I can't forgive what a coward Remus was and the with Sirius it's the werewolf prank) but fanfic authors sometimes do go down interesting routes with them and make me enjoy reading about both.
Agreed on Lily - she is definitely high on my list. I just naturally excluded her from my list by default because I wasn't sure if she was passable to be added. But yes, I definitely don't have the kindest things to say about her, so probably a good thing I didn't add her.
@interwovenmadness17 and @sanctuaryangel
Poor Hagrid😭
I do like him but I agree that he is not suitable as a teacher and put the kids in unnecessary and dangerous situations but I also see him as being half giant as partly responsible. The giants are not portrayed as exactly intelligent and Hagrid is a half giant (am I the only one who wants to know how exactly he was conceived?). The characters' creature status sometimes does act a s a metaphor for real life conditions as is the case with lycantropy representing AIDS, so maybe Hagrid's status as a half giant is supposed to suggest a mental disability? So, his irresponsible behavior isn't exactly his fault.
@sanctuaryangel and @darkangel, I fully agree on Lily. I hate her and often told my opinion on her many times on the site.
About Hagrid, I don't think he was unintelligible, but perhaps he did have some mental disability, he often seemed childish to me.
Side note, as someone in the medical field, I don't agree with the medical analogies like Lupin = AIDS. There is no comparison. Two very different conditions, in two very different worlds. Both are terrible in their own way, but still not enough to connect them both.
Quote from SanctuaryAngel on July 31, 2023, 11:24 amSide note, as someone in the medical field, I don't agree with the medical analogies like Lupin = AIDS. There is no comparison. Two very different conditions, in two very different worlds. Both are terrible in their own way, but still not enough to connect them both.
Yeah I agree, I also being in medical field dislike this synonymity of AIDS with Lycanthropy. This comparison was made by JKR, who in my opinion doesn't know or understand the stigma and suffering associated with AIDS. I also dislike any comparison of fiction with real life things like between death eaters and Nazis, blood purify with racism, etc.
