Fred didn't have to die, Dobby didn't have to die and George's ear didn't have to die!

It was completely unnecessary. It was a killing spree. I hope JKR gets locked in a broom cupboard with a blast-ended skrewt.

Poor Fred and Dobbie... :( that almost made me cry. :(

I think it helped showed the horribleness of war. I think it helped readers how it was so serious and what the characters were going through. Although it was horrible when Fred, Lupin, and Tonks all died.

Yeah, I agree with sheen. It's what JK said, she said she hated to kill all those characters, but she had to show how undiscriminating war is, and it's not just the baddies who die. It was realistic, if a little hard to take in.

I think it hit just the right note of somberness and sheen24 is right at how it conveyed the seriousness and brutality of war. Just because it is a children's series doesn't mean Rowling was going to sugar coat the final battle for us. And yes I have to agree with skeloth that it was also quite a realistic interpretation.

it was to shw how it was before and how horrible it was like and that it was a LITERAL war

I don't see why Tonks and Lupin had to die! Maybe it was just to finish off the Marauders but it was SO sad! Right after they had Ted and got married - Lupin's life was finally going to turn out so of course, he dies.
Ok I might see why JK did it - just to really imprint that message that death is heart breaking but the fangirl in me does not tolerate it!!

well she had to kill at least two main characters by the end of the series of books?or else it would have just been a tad boring!:)

omg after reading snoznoodles comment i have just realised that all of the marauders are dead and i suddenly feel may sadder. i wish lupin didnt die and fred but i think at least one weasley had to die (coz there so damn many of them :P) and some other people from the order and that harry loved had to die to make it belivable and also that all the marauders died was kinda fitting.

FRED DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE!

yeah i actually dont agree with fred's death. his is the only one that should of not happned. the rest i really dont mine. bummer but eh whatever. but fred. its over a year later and when i think of it i still get torn up.

yes because it was the last book and we needed to know what happens to everyone and i so wish that fred and dobby didnt die

It was a war. In fact, a war against the most powerful dark wizard of all time. J.K. was tying to get across the fact that, just because we love these characters, doesn't mean their immune to death in that war. And she did a very good job of writing it!

I'm sad about everyone's death, too, but they were entirely necessary.

i think that it was kinda sad but they were in the middle of a war and some of the good guys had to die or we would of being like "yeah like that would happen!" although i must admit that i dont think Tonks should of died since she just a baby and all that!

And Dobby.And Lupin,Tonks.But it was neccessary

i luv all the heroes and its so sad they had to die, i really wish they hadn't (lupin, tonks, fred, dobby), but it made it more realistic cos its real life we're talking about-unfortunately in wars lots of ppl die and sometimes we have to lose the ones we love!

like fred, colin creevey, hedwig, and dobby

hedwig- cutting of all childhood
Mad eye- im not sure i think because not everyone could have lived it that broom battle
Peter Pettigrew- showing well i dont know how to put this. harry saved him so he saved harry sort of thing.
dobby- showing both sacrifices and that creatures are suffering to..
Fred- to show families torn part.
tonk and lupin- i put them to getter because they died for the same reason. So... lets put it this way.
Sirius is to Harry as Harry is to Teddy
basically so harry could be his godfather
Colin Creeveys- even the young die.
and if anyone doesn't know why voldy died... read the book again

i think it just emphasizes how voldemort would do anything to get to harry and he didnt care who he hurt. it showed that not everyone is safe. it also let ppl see that all of hogwarts would put their life on the line for harry

And Severus </3
And Padfoot </3
And Lupin </3

And Dobby, Tonks, Mad-eye, Hedwig, Dumbledore and anyone I've forgotten.

All the deaths were completely necessary, and made the book better!

i know it's horrible but deaths are needed. it was a battle so you can't expect there to be no casualties. its harsh, but it makes it more real :)

As hard as it is to say this,but yes,it was neccessary.

(I love the fact that in the yes option, they had to put 'even though we all miss Fred' because it's just so true.)

A lot of the deaths were necessary, yes, but I'll stand by the fact that Fred didn't have to die. They had 9 Weasley's to choose from, JKR could have chosen Bill or Charlie or something. In fact Bill's would have been quite striking, seeing as he only just got married in the same book.

Hedwig didn't have to die!

I understand the reasoning behind each death, but still. When I first read the battle chapters I was screaming at all the deaths coming one after another. It felt too much.

^

I liked it. It made the ending so bittersweet, and so unlike other fantasy books where everything resolves and everyone is happy. It made a very strong point about the futility of war. Victory is not "glorious" like often portrayed but merely necessary, and marred by loss and grief. This quote stuck with me:

"Harry was an indispensable part of the mingled outpourings of jubilation and mourning, of grief and celebration. They wanted him there with them, their leader and symbol, their saviour and their guide, and that he had not slept, that he craved the company of only a few of them, seemed to occur to no one. He must speak to the bereaved, clasp their hands, witness their tears, receive their thanks..."