Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the explanation of the ending

The ending of
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

contains some of the most emotional and important points in the entire franchise, and while it may seem complicated at first, there are several details in the film that can be used to explain the shocking conclusion of the story. The majority of the narrative centers on Voldemort's rise to power within the wizarding world, and the film's ending demonstrates that the Dark Lord will stop at nothing to stop Harry and his friends from defeating him. The Order of the Phoenix it's a clear turning point for the franchise: things can only get darker from here on out.

Since the times of
The Philosopher's StoneVoldemort was considered the most dangerous wizard in the entire world and The Order of the Phoenix it's the first time he becomes a real threat to the heroes. After his resurrection in Goblet of FireVoldemort spends most of the film gathering his followers and planning his return. The film ends with a deadly battle in the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries, demonstrating for the first time how ruthless and indiscriminate the Dark Lord can be. It's an emotional finale and there are several details that clearly define the future of the franchise.

Why did Voldemort want the prophecy?

The Order of the Phoenix
introduces the concept of prophecies, with a specific prophecy taking center stage. Several years ago, Professor Trelawney told Dumbledore about a young boy who would be able to defeat Voldemort; this information was later acquired by the Dark Lord, who used it to kill James and Lily Potter. There are theories that Voldemort's prophecy is not real, but it has never been said explicitly. However, there was more to this prophecy that Voldemort had not heard, and after his defeat at the graveyard in
Goblet of Firehe became obsessed with listening to the rest of the prophecy to make sure he understood it correctly.

The original prophecy was passed on to Voldemort by Severus Snape, but luckily for Harry, Snape hadn't heard everything. If Snape had listened a little longer, he would have heard Trelawney state that neither Harry nor Voldemort can live while the other survives, and that one of them will eventually have to kill the other. This prophecy essentially establishes the second part of the Harry Potter franchise: Harry now knows that he is the only person capable of defeating Voldemort, which forces him to take on immense responsibility and lead the Order to victory. It is this pressure that leads Dumbledore to be a little rude to Harry Potter in later stories.

What happened to Sirius Black?

The Order of the Phoenix
hosts one of the most tragic and emotional moments of the entire Harry Potter franchise: the death of Sirius Black, Harry's close friend and godfather. The two have formed a deep bond since their introduction in
The Prisoner of Azkabanfueled mostly by Sirius' long-standing friendship with Harry's father, James. Sirius was one of Harry's last living ties to his late father andOrder of the Phoenix sees the character suffer an untimely fate at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange. But it's not immediately clear what happened to Sirius, as he falls backwards through a magical veil.

Sirius lived much of his life as a prisoner and fugitive, and although some theories suggest that Dumbledore could have proven Sirius' innocence, sadly this never happened, making the character's death even more tragic. The Veil is described as a physical manifestation of the border between Life and Death, although Rowling makes it very clear in the novels that it is a one-way journey. The Veil was likely studied by employees of the Department of Mysteries, which explains its disturbing presence in the Death Chamber. It's an incredibly dangerous object, but it's safe to assume that Sirius managed to get through to the other side.

How did the Order of the Phoenix know to save Harry?

Shortly before the final battle inOrder of the PhoenixLord Voldemort sends a mental taunt to Harry: an image of Sirius Black being tortured in the Ministry of Magic. While much of Voldemort's makeup doesn't make much sense, it is this image that drives Harry and his friends to action. While many of them are rightly worried that Voldemort may be setting a trap, Harry takes the Thestrals and flies to the Ministry, without telling anyone in the Order. The only person who informs of his plans (in secret code) is Professor Severus Snape.

Although Snape's loyalties have been a shrouded mystery throughout the franchise, it is revealed in the book that he warned Dumbledore of Harry's bold idea, who then summoned the Order. Without their intervention, it is difficult to imagine that Harry and his friends would have survived this encounter, especially when Voldemort himself finally appeared. In this way, Snape truly saved the day and ensured a landslide victory for the Order of the Phoenix. Movies often forget to explain why Snape was Slytherin's greatest hero, but there's enough information here to piece together Snape's courage.

How did Harry overcome Voldemort's magic in the Ministry of Magic?

Harry, who survived his second encounter with Voldemort at the end ofOrder of the Phoenixshows how lucky he is. He managed to escape him in the Goblet of Fire thanks to Voldemort's similar wand cores, and somehow manages to do the same in the Ministry of Magic when Voldemort takes over his mind. In both cases Harry escapes through sheer luck rather than skill. But while this might initially seem like an overwhelming coincidence, there is actually something much more important that continues to protect Harry in these moments of darkness. Voldemort lost all humanity when he gave up the name Tom Riddle, and that's why he's too blind to see it.

Harry and Voldemort are linked in a much deeper way than either of them realize, and Trelawney's prophecy is the key to understanding that. In the second part of the prediction (unheeded by Lord Voldemort), the prophetess defines Harry as “he who has the power to defeat the Dark Lord”. Harry later realizes that this power is the same thing that protected him when Voldemort killed his parents, and the same thing that protected him in the graveyard last time: love. While Voldemort fights out of hate, Harry fights out of love, and that's what gives him the advantage.