HBO’s Harry Potter TV show has the opportunity to fix certain elements of the movies, and it can finally do a key character death justice after the initial adaptation rushed right past it. The Harry Potter movies have a positive legacy compared to many other book adaptations of their time. However, they don’t always do the source material justice. In certain instances — like the Harry Potter movies’ worst death — they even repeat the problems from J.K. Rowling’s books. And this is the case for another key Harry Potter death, which deserves more attention in both the books and films.
Fortunately, Harry Potter will get a second chance on the small screen, and it can spend more time on details like that. A TV show’s runtime will allow the supporting characters to be fleshed out further, and their send-offs can be treated with the weight that they deserve. Harry Potter‘s battles can also be expanded and improved, something that would help several character deaths hit harder, including one Deathly Hallows – Part 1 speeds through too quickly.
Mad-Eye Moody is introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire — and though the real Moody doesn’t show up until Order of the Phoenix, the character plays a prominent role in the latter half of the series. It’s largely thanks to Moody that Harry escapes Privet Drive unharmed after his 17th birthday, and that doesn’t get acknowledged enough. After all, Moody perishes getting Harry to safety in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. Unfortunately, this is quickly rushed past with everything else happening during the Battle of the Seven Potters.
The Deathly Hallows movie doesn’t show Moody’s death in battle, nor does it give it adequate attention after it’s announced. The remaining Order members briefly mourn Moody, but developments like George Weasley losing his ear distract from the battle’s major deaths. And while it’s fair to say that things move quickly in battle, Moody isn’t really mentioned again after his flight from Privet Drive. It’s a disappointing way for his character to go, and it’s something HBO’s Harry Potter remake should rectify when it reaches the later books.
It’s obvious that Mad-Eye Moody deserves a better send-off in the Harry Potter movies, but it’s hard to blame them for failing this moment. After all, even the source material doesn’t do Moody’s death justice. Like the movies, the Harry Potter books don’t actually show Moody going down fighting. This could have been portrayed as a valiant moment for a character who dedicated his life to fighting evil wizards. Showing his death on-screen would have allowed Moody to have one last epic scene before taking his final bow.
The books also move quickly during and after the Battle of the Seven Potters, with the characters jumping from loss to loss without time to truly grieve. While this is realistic, it doesn’t work after failing to show Moody’s final fight. Instead, it feels as though the character is an afterthought of the battle — a means of showing that people are dying during the war. The death is meant to pack a punch, but its lack of attention strips it of emotion. The Harry Potter TV show must ensure to fix that, making this moment a tearjerker instead.
When it comes to giving Mad-Eye Moody a better send-off, the Harry Potter remake already has an easy way to do it. Rather than showing the Battle of the Seven Potters from Harry’s perspective alone, the series should allow viewers to see this fight from multiple vantage points. This would make Moody’s weight pack a greater punch, as fans would actually see it — and they’d get a reminder of what a great character he is right before it happens. It would also make the Battle of the Seven Potters more epic in general, as there’s plenty of chaos that unfolds outside of Harry’s sight.
Additionally, the HBO show should give Moody a more emotional send-off than a toast at the Burrow. It could change Harry Potter canon and have the Order recover Moody’s body, enabling them to have a funeral to say goodbye. Of course, the characters could also host a funeral of sorts without the body. Moody certainly deserves a proper send-off, so the Harry Potter series must find a way to make it happen.