Severus Snape - good or evil?

Hehe...the age old question...Is Snape a goody or a baddy?

Personally, I have no clue. I don't know if he is on the good side, the bad side, if he killed Dumbledore as some sort of secret plan or if he is just plain evil.

I do, however think that he is on his own side...Snape does whatever is best for Snape, IMO.

So what are your thoughts?

Im not sure about this one, though i did put Snape as good in the poll. I think he is the sort of person to do whats best for him, but then why does Dumbledore trust him so much?

Dumbledore (grr it took me three go's to type that.. I kept putting Dumbeldore...) never says that he made a mistake with Snape... and from what we've seen so far, Dumbledore is never wrong.

I do think myself that Snape is bad, but we can either put this as Dumbledore's fault, or Snape's fault. I go for the latter.

I really don't know. I think of reasons why he is good, but then i think of just as many reasons for why he is bad. So, I will have no opinion until the last book comes out , or we are given evidencefor goo/bad Snape! (doubt that is going ot happen though)

I went I have no opinion, but I lied. I reckon he's a bit of both old Snape. He's neither good, if he were he wouldn't of been a death eater, but he isn't evil either. Dark and twisted, yes, but evil no. Whose side he'll wind up fighting on when the time comes, I don't know, it's a flip of the coin.

I don't think Dumbledore would have trusted Snape only because he said that he was sorry for Lily and James' death, which was obviously a lie. No way Dumbledore is that stupid, so saying that there was only that is in a way insulting Dumbledore

I'm sure there is something we don't know, something between Snape and Dumbledore that we ignore...

Do I even need to answer lol - you so know it already! SNAPE IS GOOD!! there is no denying it lol

HE KILLED DUMBLEDORE!!!

hello?? a plan? DUMBLEDORE BEGED HIM!... "Severus... please..."

come on, why would a good person kill DUMBLEDORE?

that's what i think

and of course, i voted BAD...

Quote :

hello?? a plan? DUMBLEDORE BEGED HIM!... "Severus... please..."

Ah, but this is the moot point. Is it in Dumbledore's character to beg someone not to kill him? He willingly drank the potion in the cave, even though he knew it might harm him.

The theory is that Dumbledore and Snape had a plan - that Dumbledore had made Snape promise to fulfil the unbreakable vow. When on the tower, Snape may have been having second thoughts (communicating via occlumency with Dumbledore, as they are both skilled in this area), and Dumbledore may have been pleading with Snape, "Severus...please....(kill me)"

Does this make sense? Of course, until the 7th book comes out, we won't know.

I voted for bad, he killed Dumbledore! And while he worked for the order, he still worked for Voldemort. He`s just bad!

My theory is this:

Snape killed Dumbledore, because keeping his promise to Narcissa. Remember? He made this Unbreakable Vow thingy that he wouldn't let anything happen to Draco, which meant keeping him away fromt rouble, so no killing for him. I think Dumbledore knew this, and he begged Snape to kill him so that Snape wouldn't break the vow... Oh geez, now I'M at loss!!!!! I don't know what I'm talking about anymore!!! I had this great theory and all a couple of days ago, but now it's gone... Geez, my head hurts... Too much thinking for me!

Well, don't listen to me, my theories are bad, I know, no need to remind me.

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moved to correct thread
littleprincess_01
Posted: Fri 10 Mar 2006 - 13:58

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i think snape is just misunderstood
i stand by what dumbledore said and i trust him
also i think he only killed dumbledore because he made the unbreakable vow
oh but after writing that i am stil not sure what to think
i hate him but i love him at the same time
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

no opinion from my side... i refuse to make myself a fixed picture of him until i have read book 7.

but i have to say that Snape is too complex to think of him as either evil or good. It is certain that he is not a good guy, which means he is mean and judgemental, but it doesn't mean he is evil in the sense that Malfoy is, or Voldemort. He is simply... a jerk...

To the question if he is a real Deatheater and killed Dumbledore to serve the Dark Lord. He might be a person who uses every means he has to turn a situation to his favor, but after Dumbledore employed him and gave him a second chance it is very likely that he, even if had the plan to betray dumbledore in the beginning, might have changed his mind and has become loyal to Dumbledore.

I also think Dumbledore would not beg for being killed, but he was an old man, he was in pain at the moment and maybe he really did know he was not going to be well again and wanted to die in fight not in a hospital. That would have not been Dumbledore-like.

Snape is definitely the hardest person to judge, as he is so deep and so complex that i think nobody can really relate to him than JK herself, who invented him after all. even after the last book came out we might still be left in darkness about his real beliefs and his character. he might die in battle, either killed by deatheaters or an order member, both is very well possible, as both sides are very suspicious of him.

I love discussing Snape so I'm going to butt in in this thread.

First off, I voted good. My opinion about his innocence has been unchanged since after the moment I finished reading HBP.

I think one of the very main reasons why I believe this is the fact that we were given reasons why NOT to trust him and yet we weren't given any of why we should do. Get my point?

We were shown a the part where Snape explained himself to Bella why Voldy trusts. But how about Dumbledore? He won't let slip anything about why he trusts Snape, not even to Harry to whom he has a soft spot for. JKR is known for her subtlety when it comes to mysteries so why does she blatantly write the reasons why Snape is evil?

I have also read a good argument about this whole Snape: Good or Evil thing where it was said that Snape is playing both sides. In simpler words, that he is in his own side. Not good nor bad. And that he is doing it for the sake of survival. I think that argument made perfect sense and that the idea of it isn't really that farfetched if we would think about what Snape is as a character.

To make a long story short. I believe Snape is good and the JKR did a splendid job in characterizing him. (Unlike like what she did with Ginny. :lol!

He could be on Voldys or DD's side, but he could be on his own side. Everthing he does could be for his own selfish self. He wants power, form killing DD and stuff, he has got it. Like i said earlier, we'll never know until book 7.

Dumbledore trusted him absolutely - for more than 17 years. No way could anyone fool Dumbledore for that length of time.

I believe that Dumbledore's death at the hands of Snape was prearranged and that is why Dumbledore was so insistent that Snape was summoned that evening on the Astronomy Tower.

For good measure, I don't believe that Draco Malfoy is actually evil. I think he is confused - a result of his upbriging and pure blood brainwashing. That's why he could not kill Dumbledore.

As I debated in the debate! LoL I believe that Snape is good not the best but still good and he is doing everything on Dumbledore's orders.

Snape is pure evil he killed Dumbledore so yea he is evil and i of all people should know the innocent act HOW COULD YOU BELIVE HIS LIES HE KILLED DUMBLEDORE FOR PEETS SAKE and he mad lupin stop teaching and took the credit 4 sirius good deeds the evil little........ GRRR yes i wanted to say grr

BAD how can he be good if he killed dumbledore just because you like him doesent mean hes good mabey you like him becuase hes bad harry and ron have been right all the way through the bookls and mabey j.k was hinting at that lol.

Snape is good. He is like a double-agent, sometimes they have to sacrifice some thing on one side to earn the other sides trust(the unbreakable vow). Like Lupin said," It all depends if you trust Dumbledore, I do so therefore I trust Snape". Dumbledore is older and wiser than Harry and dumbledore is usually right, Harry is not always.I trust dumbledore and i trust Snape.

In the "Snape is Good case" we really don't have too too much proof. We just have to trust Dumbledore for his reasons. Hopefully, JKR will soon provide us with more of these reasons...

I firmly believe that Snape is Good ^^ But then again, we'll have to wait until the 7th book is out to know that for sure... and good or bad, I think Snape will die lol

Why should we trust Snape? As one of his biggest and harshest critics, it grieves me to say it, but we should!

When I first read Spinner’s end, my immediate reaction was one of delight. But he is firmly on the Order of the Phoenix’s side now. Why?

In no particular order:

Dumbledore’s scene with the Dursleys. That was so obviously a farewell scene. DD knew he would not return and wanted Harry to know then that he must still return to the Dursley household once more.

Scrimgeour tells us, and I am pretty sure if was repeated later for good measure, the biggest problem with fighting Voldemort over the last thirty years is knowing where he is. He has no friends and, looking at the dismissal or Lucius and Bellabitch, he is not the trusting type. The only way he can be brought down is if someone he REALLY trusts betrays him. How do you gain that trust? Kill his nemesis, Dumbledore.

Snape made his unbreakable vow. If he had refused, his trust would have evaporated. If he failed to carry out Draco’s mission, he would have died. So another, typical, Dumbledore sacrifice.

DD’s hand. He either knew it was untreatable and he was dying anyway, or didn’t bother getting it treated as he knew he was dying anyway.

Immobilizing Harry. This was the biggest giveaway. From under the cloak, Harry would have been a match for anyone. There was no reason to stop Harry defending himself or Dumbledore. The only possible explanation is that Harry needed to see the death and hate Snape. This tells us two things: one it is necessary for Harry’s development and that DD doesn’t trust someone else in the Order.

Evaline Vance – the apparent betrayal of her by Snape bears more scrutiny. I find it hard to believe that Dumbledore would sacrifice another – so was she already injured, like Dumbledore? Did she volunteer? Was she about to be betrayed by someone else anyway (Wormtail?) and so Snape jumped in to get the ‘credit’?

Dumbledore appears to beg Snape. Dumbledore wouldn’t beg to be spared. He has already told us he is not afraid of death. This appears so out of character! Dumbledore is actually begging Snape to remember their pact and to kill him. The look of hatred and revulsion is actually Snape having to overcome his distaste and his reluctance – he hates himself at that moment.

We know of DD’s power. Even wandless and ill, he could have overcome Malfoy. Where was Fawkes? Fawkes can and would have apparated instantly to Dumbledore’s side, unless he was under strict orders to stay away.

Some excepts from another web post!

We all have our beliefs about Severus Snape.

Personally, I stand by Severus he his innocent!!! I just know it!!

And I stand by him through and through!!

So now I ask what are all your opinins about dear old Severus Snape?

Elfie you are going to kill me! But I have to say that I don't think he's innocent. He knew that Draco wouldn't be able to kill Dumbledore, and yet he made the Unbreakable Vow anyway! That's all I'm going to say for now. *hopes elfie doesn't kill her* Elfie, I'm one of your granddaughters!

I will have to agree with my dear mummy on this one...I dont think he is innocent.

*shakes head* Sorry Elfie, but Snape was just bad throughout the books... He's not innocent :D

im afraid i do think that he is evil.....if he does end up being innocent i will be quite shocked, as i do firmly believe hes baaaaaaaaaaaad....

I think he could go either way at this point. I think he's neither innocent nor guilty I think he just works for himself

*scoffs* he is so innocent! *grumbles*

um, there is a thread already like this

http://hogwarts-experience.heavenforum.org/viewtopic.forum?t=31&start=0

I think that if you look at the way JK Rowling writes, it is more possible that snape will turn out how dumbledore believes - a spy for the order and on the good side. Like in all good stories, there is often one person who makes you believe that he/she is evil only to be the hero in the end. Im not saying that snape will turn out to save the day, but i do think, if you look at the way stories go, that snape will be the anti-hero

what is an anit-hero?

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In literature and film, an anti-hero is a central or supporting character that has some of the personality flaws traditionally assigned to villains but nonetheless also has enough heroic qualities or intentions to gain the sympathy of readers or viewers. Anti-heroes can be awkward, obnoxious, passive, pitiful, or obtuse; but they are always, in some fundamental way, flawed or failed heroes. ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti_hero

i think snape is good though he is a bad good

Snape is well I guess good he didn't have an option when he killed Dumbldor anyway he was under the promies' curse or whatever, Bound by his word to Narsissa.

But Pesonally I think he is bad, remember HBP Chapter 2 "I think he (voldy) means for me to do it (kill dumbldore) in the end."

Well that's all I have to say on the subject

Sunset

I love snape. I think he will end up showing that he was on dumbledores side all along. A person can be good but still dislike another person!

you know, the longer time i spend on this site, the more i am starting to really believe that snape is good!

He is so complex! JK is leaing us hanging till the very end. I do think that there is more to snape than we think. I think that in the end he will probably redeem himself.

Like dances with wolves said - he is the anti hero of the story, and if HP goes along the lines that typical stories do, snape will end up being a hero in one form or another

I think Snape is good. Although I hate him for killing off Dumbledore, but he was only doing it to save Draco. Snape was under a vow, so I don't really blame him. I think he had a soft spot for Dumbledore and only did what he had to do.

I'm behind Snape. I support him in his innocence.

i think snape is going to turn out good. i think that dumbledore isnt stupid so he wouldnt trust snape for nothing

In my opinion I think Snape is good. The reason I think this is that he had so Many chances to finish Harry off in the 6 years he was around Harry at hogwarts.

He is a very good undercover agent if you ask me. Voldemort thinks he is on his side....Dumbledore thinks he is on his side... Takes a true master to play them both without a hint of the other knowing what is going on. Not to mention he would risk certain death by Voldemort himself if he was found out. "Don't call me a coward!" Is right. He is risking everything to find out everything he can about Voldemort and help Harry to bring him down. He heard the prophecy. He knows Harry is going to be the one to end the evil forces of Voldemort once and for all.

I think Snape and Dumbledore had a pact that if Draco was not able to kill Dumbledore, then Snape would have to do it. Killing Dumbledore was the only way to save Draco from being killed by Voldemort for not completing his task that he had assigned to him. Snape killing Dumbledore would also save his own life. He would have died because of the unbreakable vow he made with Narcissa. Dumbledore knew everything and it had to be done this way. I think that the potion Dumbledore drank in the cave was going to kill him. I think Dumbledore knew this before he even went to the cave and that is why he mad the pact with Severus to kill him.Dumbledore also knew that Snape killing him would prove to Voldemort that Snape is his most trustworthy.

I think Snape will now return to Voldemort. Voldemort will trust him completly now that Snape has killed Dumbledore. I think Snape will use this opportunity to get close to Voldemort to get the information Harry needs to end Voldemort once and for all. Harry needs Snape.

I think he's bad because what advantages does the Order have to Dumbledore being dead? JK Rowliing has confirmed that he is dead (its on her website under "Rumors") and won't be coming back. Tell me what advantages he has?

Wel i think Snape is i dont know scared. somewhat like wormatail. he's scared of Voldemort so he killed Dumbledore. But I think he will redeem himself by sacrificng himself as I have mentioned in many threads but I still wont forgive him..

There weren't enough options, it was too black and white! XD

Anyway, I support "50/50" and "where the wind blows". I think Snape is a way to complez character to qualify as black or white - he's somewhere in the gray - really difficult to say where, I can easily find arguments for both sides.

Oh yeah, and I agree with Katie: I also think he will probably die in Deathly Hallows - but in my opinion, if that happens, he will prove us that he really belonged to the good side. *thinks* that would mean I tend towards "Snape is good".... not 100%, though. :/

obviously snape here, is a very confusion person. let us not forget he is on the unforgivable vow which he would have died had he not "help" "save" malfroy up there to kill dumbledore. and i would not think that dumbledore would have want him to die, as well the lack of begging from dumbledore side is trying to say something.

This is only willing to work if you hate Dumbledore. Please don't get
mad at me but its the truth. Snape killed Dumbledore. Thats enough for
me he is evil. He was a double spy!! Thats bad! No offense but it isn't
good to think that the 2nd evilist person in the book is good!

GOOD GOOD GOOD !

Incase anyone missed that, I do believe that Snape is good.
Theres more than meets the eye about the whole killing Dumbledore thing.

Snape...hard to answer.

He can be evil.He killed Dumbledore,he just does bqd thinks to Harry etc...
But he could be good too.I read something the other day,i was saying that Harry was going to kill Voldemort with Snapes' help,but it's not sure at all.And also,he helped Harry in the 1st book when he was almost falling from hi broomestick.
It's a very confusing question.