@Cycloptichorn,
Quote:Yeah, it is - after all, this guy is the end-all be-all master when it comes to making Horcruxes. He knows more about it than anyone alive, period. Why would it be too complex for him to understand? How did it happen by accident?
Remember that when we say "Voldemort made himself into Harry's Horcrux," we're speaking metaphorically. It's not like Voldemort actually (or even accidentally) cast the Horcrux spell on himself. Harry became immune from Voldemort because Voldy took Harry's blood during the graveyard ritual, which had nothing to do with Horcruxes. So there's no inconsistency between Voldy's knowledge of Horcruxes and his error of taking Harry's blood.
That Harry's strength came from the power of sacrifice... now yes, that
was too difficult for Voldemort to understand. But failure to understand the power of sacrifice is exactly what defines Voldemort's character, so there's nothing "external" about it.
Quote:Just because there was a 'prophecy' saying that this sort of thing would happen, doesn't mean it wasn't a Deus Ex Machina. It was an externality, an event which not only took place outside of the time range of any of the books, it was outside of the control of any of the characters - yet pivotal and crucial to the downfall of the main enemy.
True: the prophecy alone doesn't mean it wasn't a Deux Ex Machina. But the prophecy was an iteration of the underlying theme of the whole series. The accidental Horcruxes were a mistake on Voldemort's part but it's the same mistake he's been making the whole series, the mistake that defines his character: failure to realize that Harry's strengths are precisely Voldemort's weaknesses and vice versa, and (as Dumbledore has to spell out to Harry in
Order of the Phoenix and
Half-Blood Prince) that every attempt to conquer Harry through selfishness merely reinforces the power of Harry's selflessness. That's why Harry won in
Sorcerer's Stone, when he looked into the Mirror of Erised without any desire to use the stone for himself; it's why Harry won at the end of
Order of the Phoenix, when his only thought as Voldemort tried to destroy him was that he'd see Sirius again; etc.
Voldemort made the "Horcrux mistake" when he took Harry's blood in the graveyard at the end of
Goblet of Fire. The purpose of his doing so was to steal the protective magic imbued in Harry's blood, bring himself back to full strength, and destroy Harry to boot. Voldemort's "error" was not inconsistent with or external to his character, but the exact opposite: it epitomized his character. He was doing what he always does--destroying others for personal gain--not realizing that this makes Harry, who epitomizes selflessness, stronger.
So I can't see why the "accidental Horcrux device" could be called an externality. It's a literal instance of what has been metaphorical throughout the whole series.
Man... I'd almost forgotten how fun it is to philosophize about Harry Potter.
(But apparently i felt guilty enough about it to add a PS [appropriately conflicted emoticon here])
