Why Did Harry Potter Break the Elder Wand in Deathly Hallows: Part 2?

The Elder Wand, also known as the Deathstick or the Wand of Destiny, is one of three objects that comprised the Deathly Hallows. The most powerful wand in the wizarding world, it was rumored to have been created by Death himself. So why did Harry Potter snap the Elder Wand in half?

Harry broke the Elder Wand because it was so powerful, and he didn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands again. Wanting the power line to end right there, he broke it in half and tossed it. In the book, Harry placed the Elder Wand in Dumbledore’s tomb and hoped the power would be broken when he died naturally. 

Still, so many questions are left about the wand. Why did Harry break it instead of just putting it back? What happened to the wand in the book? How was Harry able to break the wand? How did Harry come into possession of the wand? Keep reading for the answers to all of these questions. 

Why did Harry Have to Break the Elder Wand?

So, what led up to Harry breaking the Elder Wand? Harry became the owner of the Elder Wand when he obtained it by force from Draco Malfoy. Knowing the power and darkness that the wand held, Harry decided he didn’t want any part of it. 

He also knew that the wand’s power had consumed some of its previous owners. Moreover, he was worried that others who were after the wand’s power would come after him once they knew that he was the owner. 

He could have used the wand for good, and he did to an extent. He fixed his own broken wand with it before he destroyed it. But he knew that the power of the Elder Wand was so tremendous and unpredictable that keeping the wand was not an option for him. 

And as to why he broke the wand and tossed it in the movie, as opposed to just placing back in Dumbledore’s tomb as he did in the book, there is no clear answer. Possibly it was because Harry snapping the Elder Wand like a twig and then tossing it off the bridge had a more theatrical effect. 

What happened to the Elder Wand in the Book?

Harry’s feelings were pretty much the same in the book as in the movie. He knew how powerful the Elder Wand was and how negativity and darkness accompanied that power. He did not want the responsibility, or burden, of being the owner of such a powerful object. 

In the book, Harry decided he wanted to put the wand back where it came from- which was Dumbledore’s tomb. He concluded that if the wand was where no one could take it, and he died a natural death, not at the hands of someone else, then the power of the wand would be broken. 

How was Harry Able to Break the Wand?

The Elder Wand was the most powerful in existence. It was created by Death. The owner of the wand is the true Master of Death. So how was Harry Potter able to snap this mighty wand in half like it was nothing?

The answer is that he was the valid owner of the wand and had all three of the Deathly Hallows when he broke the wand. The other two Deathly Hallows were the Invisibility Cloak and the Ressurection Stone, which Harry had gained possession of before he got the wand from Draco. 

Then he gained ownership of the wand, making him the Master of the Death. Well, the wand is powerful, and the wand’s owner has all the power of the wand. So they can do pretty much anything with it, including breaking the wand in half, which is precisely what Harry did. 

How did Harry Become the Owner of the Elder Wand?

The Elder Wand had several owners throughout the course of its history. The wand was usually taken by force. This is where it gained nicknames such as the Deathstick. In most cases, the owner of the Elder Wand was killed by someone trying to become the next owner of the wand because they wanted all of the power.  

However, that was not always the case. The owner of the Elder Wand was whoever overpowered the current owner. This did not mean that someone had to be killed for someone else to gain possession of the wand. The wand had to be won in a duel, with one wizard disarming the other.

Dumbledore became the owner of the Elder Wand without killing anyone. Shortly before Dumbledore’s death, Draco disarmed him and took ownership of the wand without even knowing it. 

This is where it gets confusing. Since Snape was the one who killed Dumbledore, it was believed, especially by Voldemort, that he was the new master of the Elder Wand. But it was actually Draco, although he never used the wand. 

Then Harry and Draco had their scuffle at Malfoy Mansion. Harry didn’t kill Draco, but he did overpower him and took his Hawthorn wand. And since Draco was the true owner of the Elder Wand when Harry defeated him, Harry became the new owner. 

However, Draco did not have the wand because no one knew he was the valid owner. Voldemort was actually in possession of the wand at this time. Thinking Snape was the owner since he had killed Dumbledore, Voldemort killed Snape then stole the wand from Dumbledore’s grave. 

Harry later realized that he was the wand’s true owner when he went to the Forbidden Forest to sacrifice himself to Voldemort. Voldemort tried to cast the death curse on Harry using the wand, and it backfired since Harry was the absolute master of the wand. 

Voldemort met his doom, and Harry realized the wand belonged to him. This was also when he decided it was best to destroy the Elder Wand once and for all.