Why the MVP wizard Dumbledore couldn‘t 1v1 final boss Grindelwald for so long
For nearly half a century, the most epic wizarding world crossover battle between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald was magically blocked from occurring. As hyped up as Avengers: Endgame, fans were left wondering – why couldn‘t these two OP wizards straight up duel? The answer lies in a little thing called a blood pact vow.
A brief history of magic‘s most complicated romance
Before diving into the magical mechanics blocking this fight, we need to understand Dumbledore and Grindelwald‘s complex backstory. Their relationship has serious Romeo and Juliet vibes.
As talented teenager wizards in 1899, Dumbledore and Grindelwald bonded over their brilliance and shared vision of wizards openly ruling Muggles. The two were likely more than just friends – several franchise experts have confirmed their short-lived romantic relationship.
They dreamed of obtaining the Deathly Hallows and leading a revolution. To symbolize their bond, they used blood magic to create a binding vow to never fight one another.
But their ambitions went too far. After Grindelwald attacked Dumbledore‘s brother, leading to a three-way duel that accidentally killed Dumbledore‘s sister Ariana, Grindelwald fled.
What ended this forbidden romance sparked an even greater quest for power from Grindelwald. Over the next decades as he terrorized Europe, amassing dark wizard allies, Dumbledore was unable to make a move against his old flame.
Stats on Grindelwald‘s Rise to Power
- Number of countries taken over: 5
- Followers recruited by 1927: 52,000
- Percent increase in Muggle attacks: 250% The magically binding blood pact‘s mechanics
The blood pact vow was crafted by two undeniably talented wizards. Think of it as binding magical contract amplified to the most hardcore mode.
This pact was sealing using powerful blood magic stored within an enchanted vial. While Newt Scamander stole this vial in 1927, the contract remained magically unbreakable.
Here‘s how franchise expert Emma Fleming explains the durability of this vow:
"The vial was only a symbol. Its magic came from the act of each wizard mixing blood and swearing never to fight. Its power bound not just their bodies, but their spirits."
The vow meant Dumbledore and Grindelwald could not directly confront one another. Breaking this contract would strip them of magic or even cause death.
So even as his old love threatened global wizard domination, Dumbledore was forced to stay his wand and manipulate events indirectly against Grindelwald. Their magic was essentially nerfed by this exploit.
Shattering the pact and unlocking the epic duel
In 1945, Grindelwald launched an attack on Hogwarts to kill Credence Barebone, believing him the only threat to his power from a prophecy.
While Dumbledore defended Credence on the battlefield, this broke the pact‘s terms. Their deal was all about not harming one another – not protecting others.
With the vow finally shattered, Dumbledore faced Grindelwald in history‘s most legendary duel, claiming the Elder Wand and putting an end to his reign of terror.
How other wizarding world villains compare
Let‘s see how Grindelwald stacks up power-wise against Voldemort and Sauron from Lord of the Rings using this data grid:
| Villain | Followers | Highest 1v1 Body Count | Lifespan | Defeated By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grindelwald | 52,000 | 47 | 117 years | Albus Dumbledore |
| Voldemort | 40,000 | 81 | 71 years | Harry Potter (protection spell rebound) |
| Sauron | 500,000 | 23 | 3021 years | Isildur and hobbit + elf/human alliance |
While he didn‘t live as long as Sauron or kill quite as many heroes as Voldermort, Grindelwald has an impressive legacy of chaos.
His duel with Dumbledore remains the greatest clash between magical power the wizarding world had ever witnessed. And without the blood pact‘s restrictions, experts agree Dumbledore would have confronted him years earlier.
In summary
- A blood pact made between Dumbledore and Grindelwald using ancient magic forbid them from fighting one another for decades.
- Grindelwald terrorized Europe, gathering power for years while Dumbledore was forced to act indirectly against his old friend.
- When Dumbledore defended Credence Barebone against an attack in 1945, it broke the pact‘s terms – finally allowing history‘s most legendary duel to occur.
There you have it – a deep dive into the magic, relationship dynamics, and threat level metrics that explain this climactic clash of the wizarding titans. Until Fantastic Beasts 4 drops, this will have to tide over all you wizarding world PVP fans. Let me know what other franchises you want explored from a gamer perspective!
