Albus Dumbledore’s 5 most badass moments from the Harry Potter movies

2. Dumbledore’s Death

When Harry and Dumbledore escape the cave, they apparate back to the astronomy tower at Hogwarts. Dumbledore orders Harry to hide when Draco Malfoy enters the room brandishing a wand. Malfoy explains that Voldemort ordered him to kill the headmaster, but Dumbledore tells him not to make the same mistakes as Tom Riddle. He knows that there is good in Malfoy and that this is not his path.

A group of Death Eaters led by Bellatrix Lestrange shows up and urge Malfoy to kill Dumbledore, but they are stopped by Severus Snape. Dumbledore’s last words are, “Severus. Please,” before Snape executes a killing curse that sends the headmaster hurling off the tower.

Only Snape and Dumbledore know that he was not begging for his life in this moment, but in fact discreetly urging Snape to kill him. Harry finds out later that Dumbledore orchestrated his own death and that Snape needed to be the one to do it in order to gain Voldemort’s full trust. Dumbledore knew he would die anyway from an affliction he contracted when he put on Marvolo Gaunt’s ring.

This scene is heartbreaking but it is necessary to complete the plans set in motion by Dumbledore to defeat Voldemort once and for all. It leaves a massive hole that everyone knows can’t be filled but also galvanizes the heroes to avenge Dumbledore’s death and ensure his sacrifice was not in vain.