Although the evil wizard Lord Voldemort was the main antagonist of the Harry Potter series, there was one Death Eater who was just as wicked as He Who Must Not Be Named. When audiences were first introduced to the World of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, we quickly learned that pracтιтioners of the Dark Arts opted to spread hate and despair under the guise of pure-blooded superiority. With a belief that Muggles, Squibs, and Muggle-born witches or wizards were inferior, the followers of Voldemort were about as heinous as one could get.

Across the eight Harry Potter films, viewers watched Harry grow from a mistreated 11-year-old boy locked in a closet by his cruel relatives into the Chosen One who defeated Voldemort. However, Harry faced many other foes during his time at Hogwarts, as antagonists like Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, and Dolores Umbridge consistently pushed him into perilous situations and put his life in jeopardy countless times. While some characters, like Snape, redeemed themselves in the end, there was one particularly reprehensible evildoer who was totally beyond absolution.

Bellatrix Lestrange Committed Some Of The Harry Potter Franchise’s Most Heinous Acts

A Death Eater Whose Evil Equaled Voldemort

Out of all the many villainous characters in the Harry Potter franchise, it was Bellatrix Lestrange who stood out as being just as despicable as Voldemort himself. Through an incredible performance from Helena Bonham Carter, the Fight Club actress captured the ruthlessness, brutality, and unforgiving nature at the heart of Bellatrix’s characterization. With a fanatical belief in pure-blooded superiority, Bellatrix was among the most unquestioning and loyal followers of Voldemort, who appeared to spread evil for evil’s sake.

Bellatrix’s vile acts began well before the events of the first Harry Potter, as Neville told Harry in The Order of the Phoenix how she tortured his parents with the Cruciatus Curse to the point that they no longer recognized him. With no remorse over her past actions, Bellatrix relished the pain she had caused, and she later taunted Neville for the trauma she had inflicted upon him. While other Death Eaters, such as Lucius Malfoy, carried out Voldemort’s evil whims, he at least struggled with the morality of what he was doing in a way Bellatrix never did.

Not only did Bellatrix eliminate the biggest connection Harry had to his late parents when she murdered his godfather, Sirius Black, but this became all the more harrowing with the realization that he was her own cousin. As the one who set fire to the Burrow and Hagrid’s hut, those who hold a special place for the Harry Potter series in their hearts could only look on in abject horror as she burned some of its most iconic locations to the ground. As Voldemort’s most loyal follower, Bellatrix was evil through and through.

Bellatrix Has No Redeeming Qualities

Bellatrix Did Not Even Have A Tragic Origin Story

One thing that sets Bellatrix apart from most other villainous characters in Harry Potter is that she has zero redeeming qualities. Even Lord Voldemort became evil as a result of misguided beliefs and his troubled upbringing, with viewers coming to understand how the once-promising wizard known as Tom Riddle turned toward the Dark Arts in the pursuit of power and immortality. Bellatrix had no such origin story that adds context to the way she ruthlessly mocks and taunts her victims and takes pride in spreading despair.

There was no doubt, regret, or inner conflict in Bellatrix’s story, and her total lack of empathy signalled a character who was troubled beyond repair. While Bellatrix used Voldemort as justification for her murderous ways, it’s hard not to feel like she would have embraced the Dark Arts even without the influence of Death Eater philosophies. As a terrifying Harry Potter villain with a contemptible sense of superiority, it was immensely satisfying when she met her end at the hands of Molly Weasley, who, in a total juxtaposition of Bellatrix’s beliefs, cursed her while protecting her daughter Ginny.