There are only a handful of characters that exist in the literary world that are so beautifully written, so masterfully crafted that they have the ability to inspire hatred, fear, laughter, sadness and love. For me, Severus Snape was one of those rare cases. It is equally as amazing that Alan Rickman was able to take such a wonderfully complex backstory and perfectly portray one of the greatest characters from the Harry Potter franchise by J.K. Rowling.
Sadly, Alan Rickman passed away at the age of 69 to cancer. The man absolutely terrified me in my childhood when I was convinced that he was working with Voldemort to steal the sorcerer’s stone and made me cry uncontrollably when you finally understood the depth and suffering of his character.
Severus Snape’s story was one of the most impactful of the entire series. Lovers of the books and movies argued where his allegiance lied and his icy demeanor became one of the most compelling points. We all knew there was a secret behind the man in the ever-black cloak, but we could have never guessed the tragic ending. In a movie series dealing extensively with death and tragedy, the infamous “Always” scene was one of the most poignant. Rickman was able to take Rowling’s incredible vision and share it with us.
When Rickman left the dubbing studio after recording his last lines as Severus Snape, he wrote a letter for Empire Magazine. He admired the growth and talent of Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Daniel Radcliffe. At the closing of the letter he wrote, “It is an ancient need to be told stories. But the story needs a great storyteller. Thanks for all of it, Jo.” I don’t know if Alan Rickman ever realized that he was one of the great storytellers we were so lucky to witness during the epic tale of Harry Potter.
The Harry Potter fandom has lost one of our favorite actors. Without Rickman, the Harry Potter series would have been without a great deal of intrigue and intensity. Nothing is more heartbreaking than losing a loved one too soon. And because of Rickman’s talent and willingness to share it with the world, we were able to consider him a loved one.
As Dumbledore once said, “To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” Rickman has left us for his next great adventure. Rest in peace, Alan Rickman, thank you and we will remember you…Always.
