While Voldemort may not be everyone’s favorite character from the Harry Potter franchise, there is no denying that he is a central part of the series. Every great tale needs a compelling and dastardly villain to battle against the heroes. The dark lord, who is often known only as "He Who Must Not Be Named,” is the primary antagonist to Harry Potter and the wizarding world at large.
Yet, for all of his importance to the story, fans actually know very little about Voldemort. That is especially true for those who have only seen the movie adaptations. After all, they leave out so many details from the novels that it is difficult to fully comprehend his motives, abilities, and history without reading them for yourself. These are the biggest facts about Tom Riddle left out of the films.
15 In The Books He Has Red Eyes
Throughout the various movie appearances of Voldemort, the character generally has white eyes, almost like he does not have any color whatsoever. This is very different to the description given in the books. The novels explain that the villain has blood-red eyes, giving him an even more fierce look.
14 The Ordinary Way In Which He Died
After his Horcruxes are destroyed, Voldemort dies in a dramatic fashion, slowly crumbling into dust and blowing away in the wind. This death is very different in the books, where the character simply falls to the ground and dies in a very unspectacular manner, proving he is just like any other person.
13 Voldemort’s Wand Only Connects With Harry’s Once
In the novels, Voldemort and Harry’s wands only connect once. This is due to very specific reasons with the pair using wands with the same core. However, the movies play out differently. Their wands constantly connect and don’t seem able to be used against each other, even when they use different wands.
12 The Murderous Hand He Gives Peter Pettigrew
After chopping off his own hand in order to bring back Voldemort, the dark lord rewarded Peter Pettigrew with a magical silver hand. Later in The Deathly Hallows, the villain hesitates when attacking Harry Potter, prompting the hand to choke him to death as it believes he has betrayed Voldemort. This gruesome end for Pettigrew is left out of the movies.
11 Tom Riddle Cursed The Defence Against The Dark Arts Position
Although it is hinted at that the Defence Against the Dark Arts teaching position is jinxed in the movies, no one goes into the specifics. In the books, it is heavily suggested that this was a result of Tom Riddle being turned down twice for the job. Dumbledore theorizes that he put on a curse on the position, meaning no one can do the job for more than a year.
10 Voldemort Actually Compliments Neville
When speaking to Neville Longbottom at the end of The Deathly Hallows, Voldemort compliments the young wizard and even says that he would make a good Death Eater thanks to his skill and pure blood. This is in contrast to the movie where he simply mocks Neville.
9 The Explanation For Why Voldemort Can’t Touch Harry At The Dursley’s
Many film fans might wonder why Voldemort never attempted to kill Harry when he was seemingly defenseless at the Dursley’s. A detailed explanation is given in the novels, with Dumbledore casting a Bond of Blood charm on the household to protect the young wizard. While he lived there with the Dursley’s, Voldemort was unable to harm him.
8 Most Of His Family History Is Omitted
Throughout the later books, readers get a chance to see much of Tom Riddle’s history via various memories. This gives details about Voldemort’s family as well as how he turned into the evil villain he became. This is largely left out of the movies, with just two memories shown about his past.
7 Voldemort’s Love of Controlling Others And Valuing Places He Has Caused Pain
Harry and Dumbledore talk often in the novels, discussing the life of Voldemort. One of the details that this reveals to the reader is that the dark lord loves controlling others and has a special memory for places where he has caused a large amount of pain to others.
6 He Felt That Hogwarts Was His True Home
Voldemort clearly has a special connection with Hogwarts in the books. The films leave this detail out, but readers will know that the villain has a strong connection with the school and acts as it's his true home. Voldemort’s young life was spent away from his family and it also signified that he was special as it is the school for wizards.
