Dobby the house elf is one of the most beloved characters in the Harry Potter franchise, with some even dubbing him as the best character in all of Harry Potter. A true mark of his treasured nature is the memorial for him that was created at the filming site of his death scene in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. He’s the sweetest elf there is — well, in the films, of course. In the books, we are introduced to Winky, Barty Crouch’s house elf. Winky is kind of like Dobby, but suffers from a drinking problem and constant anxiety. As we know, Kreature is a grumpy elf who begrudgingly does the bidding of wizards and hates Muggle-born witches and wizards. As the only kind and somewhat normal elf we meet in the films, Dobby deserves a ton of recognition.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
When we first meet Dobby, he is an enslaved house elf to the Malfoy family, who, as Dobby says himself, “treats him like vermin.” We get glimpses in the film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, of poor Dobby’s abuse. He is kicked, hit, and punished for trivial things, and he’s scared to make any missteps. But as time goes on, and we get later into the franchise, another side of Dobby is revealed. He isn’t scared anymore: he’s brave, outrageously kind, and not afraid to die for his friends. Let’s take a look at why Dobby was one of the best characters in the Harry Potter franchise.
Dobby Had Unique Magical Powers
Warner Bros.
Dobby displayed several unique types of magic throughout the series that we didn’t see from any other magical creatures or beings. These magical abilities may even be better than wizarding abilities. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Dobby levitated the cake at the Dursleys’ home and dropped it on Harry’s Aunt in an effort to keep him from returning to Hogwarts. In the same movie, he displays his ability to tamper with objects. He tampers with the bludger that chases after Harry during Quidditch. Additionally, he tampers with the barrier to Platform 9¾, forcing Harry and Ron to abandon their normal train ride to Hogwarts and steal Arthur Weasley’s magical car.
As we see in Chamber of Secrets and Deathly Hallows Part 1, Dobby is also able to apparate in and out of places that strictly forbid wizards from using apparition. In The Chamber of Secrets, he apparates into Hogwarts. In The Deathly Hallows Part 1, he apparates not only the trio of Harry, Hermione and Ron, but Luna and the others out of Malfoy Manor and to safety away from Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Finally, by snapping his fingers, Dobby is able to release powerful blasts of magic and disarm wizards and witches. How cool is he?
Dobby Was Brave and Risked His Life
Although Dobby first appears as a nuisance in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, we later discover every inconvenient moment he presented to Harry was for his own good (well, at least Dobby thought so). He may have made certain situations worse, such as the bludger that chased Harry or blocking the barrier to get onto Platform 9¾, but it was all done with true bravery. As we know, Dobby was enslaved to the Malfoys, who were Death Eaters and despised Harry Potter and everything he stood for. Every time Dobby went out of his way to protect Harry in The Chamber of Secrets, he risked his life as he knew it, especially if the Malfoys ever found out. Additionally, in The Deathly Hallows Part 1, although he was not enslaved any longer, he still risked his life coming to Malfoy Manor to rescue Harry and his friends, knowing any of those wizards or witches would’ve killed him in an instant. Some speculate that Dobby broke his promise at this point. In The Chamber of Secrets, Dobby promises to never try to save Harry Potter’s life again. But technically, he did save it this time. There was no trying about it.
Dobby Was Kind to Everyone
Even though very few witches or wizards were kind to Dobby, he was always especially kind to anyone he met. For all of his life when he was enslaved, Dobby was treated awfully by most people. The Malfoys and their extensions, such as Bellatrix, treated Dobby like the trash they threw out last week. But he never sought revenge on them or harmed them in any way. The only time he ever laid a finger on them was in the name of protecting Harry Potter and his friends. In The Deathly Hallows Part 1, Bellatrix screams at Dobby and belittles him for knocking down the chandelier and almost killing her. Dobby admits he only meant to “injure or seriously maim” her. As bad as that is, Dobby has never seriously hurt anyone, especially the witches and wizards who hurt him so many times before. He spoke to everyone with kindness and respect.
Dobby Dedicated His Last Years to Harry and His Friends
We know, we hate this scene too. It hits the heartstrings a little too hard, especially for those who have read the books where Dobby was in almost every single one. If it helps, J.K Rowling apologized for killing off Dobby. But as most of us know, Dobby was killed by Bellatrix in The Deathly Hallows Part 1, where we had to watch him in his last moments. But before this tragic scene was years of dedication to protecting and helping Harry Potter and his friends. To Dobby, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were some of his only friends in the wizarding world, and they were worth sacrificing everything for. Even though Dobby is never fully appreciated in the films for all his heroic efforts, the trio knew Dobby would’ve done anything for them. He risked his life, he showed true Gryffindor bravery, and he used his unique abilities to his advantage to do good.
