If Grindelwald had the Elder wand, how did Dumbledore defeat him? |
 Apr 25 2008, 12:05 AM
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#1
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Being Eaten by the Pea Soup Posts: 20 Joined: 1:45am October 21, 2007 Location: India  |
As said in Deathly Hallows, Grindelwald had the Elder wand. And Elder wand was the unbeatable wand that could defeat any other. So how did Dumbledore win the legendary duel that took place between them?
-------------------- I Cried Because I Had No Shoes. Until I Met A Man Who Had No Feet.
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Apr 25 2008, 01:38 AM
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Proud owner of a half-dead horse! Posts: 739 Joined: 1:48pm July 14, 2005 Location: Reading all the books at Flourish and Blotts  |
I think Dumbledore used an emotional appeal. He cared about Grindelwald and wouldn't have wanted to duel him, particularly if he knew Grindelwald had the Elder Wand. And he knew that Grindelwald felt as guilty as he did about Ariana's death. Rita Skeeter said that based on eyewitness accounts of their confrontation, it seemed to be more of a surrender on Grindelwald's end than a duel. I know that taking Rita Skeeter at her word is risky, but I'm willing to believe Dumbledore won this one with only his words.
-------------------- "Heh, heh, heh; Mine is an evil laugh!" --Wash, Firefly
"If only there was something in your head that could control the things you say..." --Chandler, Friends "His face looked into my face, and LIED to my FACE!" --Lane Kim |
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Apr 25 2008, 08:09 AM
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#3
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Hiding in the Iron Maiden at Borgin and Burkes Posts: 338 Joined: 6:36pm November 10, 2007 Location: In the Middle of Sending Ginny a Hogwarts Toilet Seat. |
I think it was plainly because DD was one of the greatest wizards ever, so whether he had a better wand, or a worse one he would have won.
--------------------  Neville's my soft spot Icon made by theonlysong |
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Apr 25 2008, 09:04 AM
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#4
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Junior Dishwasher at The Leaky Cauldron Posts: 615 Joined: 1:47pm August 29, 2006 Location: Kalundborg, Denmark |
It's probably because Dumbledore had the most powerful magic in the world on his side, you know love. We're shown that love reaches even beyond death so maybe even the Elder wand wasn't powerful enough against this force.
-------------------- Homer: Operator! Give me the number for 911!
Homer: Oh, so they have internet on computers now! Homer: I've gone back in time to when dinosaurs weren't just confined to zoos. |
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Apr 25 2008, 11:19 AM
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#5
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Owner of D's Favorite Avatar! Posts: 3,058 Joined: 10:59am June 8, 2005 Location: Exile on Main St |
I think Dumbledore said he was slightly better than Grindelwald. So that might have been a factor. Also in possession of the Elder wand you have to fear constant attack. You can be disarmed. So perhaps Dumbledore was a little bit clever in the duel, had Grindelwald occupied with something else, and then bam!! He disarmed him. Just my thought.
--------------------  "If Homer Simpson wants his son to work in a Burlesque House, then Homer Simpson's son will work in a burlesque house!" ...(Marge appears) "Now Marge, you're going to hear a LOT of crazy talk about Bart working in a Burlesque House..." |
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Apr 25 2008, 01:41 PM
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#6
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Terrortours Travel Agent Posts: 6,828 Joined: 12:34pm January 24, 2007 |
The Elder Wand is only powerful when in use. If you just hold it without casting a spell that instant, or you cast something at any target other than your dueling opponent you can still lose it to brute force (Gregorovitch vs Grindelwald) or by magical disarming (Draco vs Dumbledore). So all sorts of scenarios are possible.
- Albus could have shamed Gellert into handing the wand in - Albus could have distracted Gellert ('Where have you been all these years? I was so sad to hear of what you were doing. That wasn't at all what we were dreaming of') and cast an Expeliarmus while Gellert was distracted. |
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Apr 25 2008, 03:34 PM
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#7
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Cauldron Bottom Measurer Posts: 141 Joined: 3:56am February 21, 2008 Location: Commuting between Ravenclaw Common Room and the Room of Hidden Things |
Perhaps Gellert was still in love with DD? So he didn't use the Elder Wand 'properly'? Like he tried to lie to Voldemort in DH?
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Apr 25 2008, 04:00 PM
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#8
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Hiding in the Iron Maiden at Borgin and Burkes Posts: 327 Joined: 10:18pm November 9, 2006 Location: alone on a hill, perfectly still |
I see Dumbledore finding a way to trick Grindelwald. DD is actually quite cunning, doncha know.
-------------------- Come thunder! Come lightning!
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Apr 25 2008, 10:43 PM
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In Charge of Invisible Books of Invisibility Posts: 1,153 Joined: 12:36am January 18, 2008 Location: Waterloo, ON - getting Butterbeer for Hagrid's "Support Harry Potter" party |
QUOTE(Oryx @ Apr 25 2008, 02:41 PM)  The Elder Wand is only powerful when in use. If you just hold it without casting a spell that instant, or you cast something at any target other than your dueling opponent you can still lose it to brute force (Gregorovitch vs Grindelwald) or by magical disarming (Draco vs Dumbledore). So all sorts of scenarios are possible. I just to add to Oryx's ideas here: the EW's reputation as an "unbeatable" wand is just a legend - rather like the notion that Death made the Hallows is a legend - spun from the Tale of the Three Brothers. Yes, the Hallows exist, which is why some readers (and Ron) are apt to believe that the EW is actually unbeatable, but in reality, the EW is just extraordinarily powerful (as we see when Harry uses it to fully repair his shattered wand that a wizard who was well-studied in wandlore thought couldn't be repared). If it's not used with caution, the bearer of the wand will lose it (as we saw with Gregorvitch and the Peverell brother who made it). -------------------- "Tell me why, why must we fight?
And why must we kill in the name of what we think is right? No more! No war! 'Cause how do you know?" -- P.O.D. - from their new album When Angels and Serpents Dance -- |
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Jan 17 2009, 01:37 PM
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#10
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Monster Book Stacker Posts: 384 Joined: 1:59pm January 14, 2009 Location: Toronto |
Dumbledore defeated Grindlewald, because of the two, DD is vastly the most power wizard........the Elder Wand values power........if a Wizard 1 with the Elder Wand faces off against Wizard 2 and Wizard 2 is more powerful than Wizard 1........then the Elder Wand will not work properly for Wizard 1........the Wand will allow itself to be captured by the more powerful Wizard 2........the Wand will be loyal to Wizard 2 until time comes (if it ever does) when Wizard 2 faces off with an even more powerful person, Wizard 3.........
--------------------  "The Sign of the Deathly Hallows" |
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