Why Did Voldemort Choose to Kill Grindelwald Instead of Freeing Him?

The decision by Lord Voldemort to kill Gellert Grindelwald instead of freeing him has long puzzled many fans. While Grindelwald's imprisonment might seem like an opportunity for a powerful ally, Voldemort's reasoning was rooted in several key factors.

Power Dynamics

Voldemort's Ambition and Rivalry: As a figure driven by intense ambition, Voldemort recognized the threat posed by a potentially powerful ally. He sought to eliminate any individuals who could challenge his supreme authority. By confronting and neutralizing Grindelwald, Voldemort ensured that no one could pose a threat to his dominion. This action was part of his strategy to consolidate his power and remove any rivals.

Ideological Differences

Divergent Goals and Methods: Despite sharing some beliefs about the superiority of wizards over Muggles, the methods and ultimate goals of Gellert Grindelwald and Lord Voldemort were fundamentally different. Grindelwald sought to create a wizard-led world where Muggles were subjugated for their own benefit, portraying himself as a liberator. In contrast, Voldemort's aim was the establishment of pure-blood supremacy, all the while maintaining a facade of benevolence to maintain control and influence. Given these ideological divergences, Voldemort likely saw Grindelwald as a potential asset to his enemies and thus needed to eliminate him.

Control and Loyalty

Control over Subordinates: Voldemort valued control and loyalty over everything else. His relationships were often based on fear and manipulation, and he might have doubted Grindelwald's willingness to serve him. The Dark Lord saw Grindelwald as a complex figure who could potentially resist or rebel against his commands. This insecurity led Voldemort to eliminate Grindelwald as a threat to his own stability and power.

Historical Context

Grindelwald's Legacy: As Grindelwald had been imprisoned for over fifty years at the time, Voldemort might have perceived him as a symbolic figure from the past rather than a viable ally for the present. Voldemort's focus was on his own rise to power, and he may have believed that he could achieve his goals without depending on Grindelwald. The fact that Grindelwald managed to defy Voldemort's powerful mindreading abilities in jail further cemented this belief in his irrelevance or potential as a future threat.

Grindelwald's Defiance

Defying Voldemort's Legilimency: Perhaps one of the most striking aspects of this conflict is Grindelwald's ability to withstand Voldemort's most powerful magical attacks. Even when locked up without his wand for decades, Grindelwald managed to block Voldemort's legilimency attempt and laugh off his efforts to extract information through more conventional means. This further emphasized the idea that Grindelwald could potentially align himself with those who opposed Voldemort, making him too dangerous to be left alive.

Ultimately, Voldemort's decision to kill Grindelwald was a complex interplay of his ambition, ideological conflicts, control over his followers, and the perceived irrelevance of Grindelwald in his path to power. By eliminating Grindelwald, Voldemort ensured that no one could challenge his authority or align with his enemies, making him the undisputed ruler of the wizarding world.