Unpopular Opinion: Popular Characters We don't Like
Ooh, I like this thread. I can't say I hate any character that wasn't purposefully intended to be hated, but I do find some of them to be annoying...
I'd start with Cedric and Luna, which I'm sure is a pretty irrational opinion as I can't pinpoint what exactly it is that annoys me about them... Might be too many fanfics rhapsodising them. Definitely also agree with @sanctuaryangel on Dobby. Everything he did in CoS was so maddening it almost made me hit my own head against the wall lol.
And Lily... I don't dislike her, but I definitely don't agree with the way she's often portrayed in fanon. We saw too little of her in canon and most of it was flattering, but she had her flaws.
I don't really like those real life comparisons either. I bought up the lycanthropy and AIDS comparison up because of a statement Rowlimg made. Not that the two have much in common except the stigma associated with them.
I also remembered @sanctuaryangel's point about Hermione. I do like her in canon and as a kid I did admire her as well but fanon does strange things with her. I would like to read more about her but her characterization is often horrendous. Especially when she's sorted into Slytherin nothing of canon Hermione remains and she turns into an OC.
I agree about Hermione. While I do like her character, she often becomes a Mary Sue and everyone's moral conscience which often irritates me. Some writers also tend to Self-Insert themselves like JKR did with her.
About Lupin and Sirius, since we'd excluded Marauders as a group and not individuals, I frankly don't like them much though I like Sirius a bit better since I have reached an understanding of his character.
Lupin sympathy in fics often irritates me in fics, even a lot of Snape fics write him in flattering ways and I often found myself grinding teeth whenever Lupin is shown in a very good light. And gods forbid if Snape becomes friends with Lupin, I often drop fics with it unless writers do it in a believable way.
Sirius is actually portrayed worse in Snape centric fics than canon, most of the times but if writer is a Sirius or marauder fan, then Sirius is portrayed much better than canon. I like his character but hate him as a person, he also seems more redeemable than Lupin as a character to me.
Lily is my second favorite character. I love her almost as much as Severus, so I'd prefer to keep any Lily bashing out of regular threads. Not saying any of you have done that here – I just wanted to get ahead of it in case it starts going in that direction, especially since we have other members who love her as well.
I was actually coming in here to say Hagrid. Glad I'm not alone with that one! 😂 I dislike him for reasons already mentioned here, especially his childishness and reckless behavior. He comes off as incredibly self-centered in a lot of situations, and the Dudley thing in particular ticks me off. Also, let's not forget that he went out of his way to poison Harry against Slytherin. I don't know about you, but I can't help but wonder how differently the series might've played out if he hadn't done that.
Second, here's a potentially less popular opinion…
I dislike all the Weasleys except for Bill and Charlie.
Arthur: I don't hate him, but I can't find much to like about him either. My opinion on him would be neutral/slightly annoying.
Molly: Good god, where do I start? I dislike her most out of all the Weasleys for multiple reasons. To me, she comes off as overbearing, and I think she was more interested in Harry's celebrity status than Harry himself. I was also really bothered by the way she treated Sirius in OotP… regardless how I feel about him, he was Harry's godfather, the person that Harry's own parents entrusted with his care. She had no right to interfere with that, yet she steamrolled over him like his opinions didn't matter.
Also, the way she treated Hermione in GoF was despicable. Again, she had no authority over Harry OR Hermione, yet she took it upon herself to slut shame and humiliate (in other words, punish) a 14-year-old girl. The fact that she did this over a tabloid article makes it even worse, but even if Hermione had dumped Harry for Viktor, what business was it of hers?
Of course, there was also the way she shit all over Fleur for the crime of *checks notes*… being attractive? Between that and Hermione, she comes off as very sexist toward other women. I have no tolerance for that shit.
Percy: I don't like suck ups, especially boring ones. Moving on…
The Twins: Self-centered, reckless, entitled… need I go on?
Ron: While I can sympathize with him in certain respects, he definitely has his asshole moments. I also don't think he was interesting or remarkable enough to be part of the Golden Trio… I would've much preferred to see Luna or even Neville in that role.
Ginny: I see no chemistry or foundation for her relationship with Harry, but it isn't just that. She has a nasty streak that reminds me of her mother, and as a whole, I just don't find her to be an interesting, well-developed, or compelling character.
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.
I'm old enough to remember the absolute worst of the AIDS epidemic, and JKR is more than a decade older than me. She should know better than to make that comparison, but who knows? Maybe she was way more sheltered from it than I was.
A character I absolutely hate is Mundungus Fletcher. He reminds me too much of someone I know in reality so I think I'm biased.
Both Umbridge and Petunia are close second. Harry's power struggle with Umbridge felt too real to me and when she dished out her "punishments" I felt like lashing out on Harry's behalf. With Petunia it was attempting to hit Harry with a frying pan and locking him up in the cupboard. It's not anime. That stuff hurts. Harry didn't seemed to pleased by it either so I'm just going to dislike her based on how she reacts to him.
Rereading the books, reminds me how strongly I dislike James Potter and Sirius Black. At least the villains are transparent. I can appreciate honesty.
Unpopular opinion but I dislike Peeves. I don't know why but I find him really annoying.
Quote from JaySM on July 31, 2023, 10:57 pmA character I absolutely hate is Mundungus Fletcher. He reminds me too much of someone I know in reality so I think I'm biased.
Both Umbridge and Petunia are close second. Harry's power struggle with Umbridge felt too real to me and when she dished out her "punishments" I felt like lashing out on Harry's behalf. With Petunia it was attempting to hit Harry with a frying pan and locking him up in the cupboard. It's not anime. That stuff hurts. Harry didn't seemed to pleased by it either so I'm just going to dislike her based on how she reacts to him.
Rereading the books, reminds me how strongly I dislike James Potter and Sirius Black. At least the villains are transparent. I can appreciate honesty.
Unpopular opinion but I dislike Peeves. I don't know why but I find him really annoying.
Well, Umbridge is definitely a character that is hated even more than Voldemort because she represents a real evil, she's not a cartoonish villain.
With Petunia, I remember considered the frying pan thing slap-stick comedy like the one presented in Tom & Jerry 😭 Granted, I was 8 or 9 years old maybe when I attempted to read the first book bit later I understood that she was serious 😱
+1 for Peeves hatred! He's legitimately AWFUL.
Quote from Heatherlly on August 1, 2023, 1:16 am+1 for Peeves hatred! He's legitimately AWFUL.
I never got why so many people like him.
An unpopular opinion is I hate the Weasley twins. Fanon perception of them being those funny and jolly guys is not accurate representation of them.
They are quite cruel and even JKR admits it despite liking them.
They permanently gave Ron fear of spiders, beat a pufferskin to death, talked about releasing a potential poisonous gas in school, jeered at an eleven year old for getting sorted into Slytherin, they could've permanently injured Montague through vanishing cabinet etc.
They often escape criticism in Weasley bashing fics which dial up Molly, Ron and Ginny bashing to monstrous proportion.
Quote from Naaga on August 1, 2023, 1:22 am
I never got why so many people like him.
An unpopular opinion is I hate the Weasley twins. Fanon perception of them being those funny and jolly guys is not accurate representation of them.
They are quite cruel and even JKR admits it despite liking them.
They permanently gave Ron fear of spiders, beat a pufferskin to death, talked about releasing a potential poisonous gas in school, jeered at an eleven year old for getting sorted into Slytherin, they could've permanently injured Montague through vanishing cabinet etc.
They often escape criticism in Weasley bashing fics which dial up Molly, Ron and Ginny bashing to monstrous proportion.
No way! What? They did that? How horrible.
*hides Weasley Twins fanfiction stash*
I can't believe they did that. Not to Ron of all people. 😅
