Villain Therapy: VOLDEMORT

How do you teach morality to someone who lacks empathy?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are taking a look at one of the biggest baddies of them all, Tom Riddle AKA Lord Voldemort AKA The Dark Lord from the Harry Potter series. Jonathan has his work cut out for him in this Villain Therapy episode because Voldemort displays signs of narcissism, sociopathy, and psychopathy. Is he even treatable? Jonathan talks about Voldemort's villainy and how he expertly manipulates and hurts others without remorse. Alan nerds out about the production design and color grading of the Harry Potter films, particularly scenes of young Tom and Voldemort.

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Cinema Therapy is:
Written by: Megan Seawright, Jonathan Decker, and Alan Seawright
Produced by: Jonathan Decker, Megan Seawright, Alan Seawright, and Corinne Demyanovich
Edited by: Emily Colton
Director of Photography: Bradley Olsen
English Transcription by: Anna Preis

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[jessicablack]

Fun fact: in the book, Tom Riddle says “I can make bad things happen to people who annoy me” which is a lot worse than “I can make bad things happen to people who are mean to me”

[Jonathan_Collins]

"There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it..." This line is one of those that define Voldemort, both as a character and as a villain.

[oracleofdelfi]

The thing that most annoyed me about Movie vs Book Voldy was that in the movie, he died in this weird Infinity War kinda way, turning to dust and crumbling. But in the book, he died just like any other human. He fell down and was just a lifeless body. Despite everything he killed for and preached, his death was no different than the ones he caused. It showed just how mortal he really was.

[ShikisStupidComics]

"Even Umbridge has a Patronus cause she takes pleasure in beinga B-Witch... A Witch." I laughed so hard 😂

[gray]

Voldemort: *fears death, seeks to become immortal*

Also Voldemort: *dies at 72* -- while Dumbledore makes it to 115-150 easily

[gatorboymike]

Speaking of psychopaths, I thought it was interesting how Movie Slughorn is clearly creeped out by teenage Voldemort and gives him information about Horcruxes seemingly out of terror, whereas Book Slughorn seems quite pleased and unperturbed to explain it.

[BasicallyBaconSandvichIV]

What I love about this channel is that you guys take the time to point out that nobody is intrinsically evil. And just because someone has a diagnosis doesn't mean they are going to be evil, good or less of a person. I think that's really important to mention. So thank you.

[tlotlomolefe]

Voldemort putting a curse on the position of Defense against the Dark Arts so no one lasts more that a year on it simply because Dumbledore wouldn't hire him is the most hilariously savage thing he ever did.

[truthhertz]

I really respect the therapist saying "I'd refer", that shows an integrity to the field and a humbleness that is so rare nowadays.

[jenniferkerner]

Jono, I've gained many respect points for you today for the same reason I gained respect points for my primary care doctor a couple years ago. When I started experiencing some weird health issues and went to my primary about it, that appointment ended with him saying "I don't see an obvious reason for your symptoms, so I'm setting you up with this specialist I trust." The fact that he said that, instead of saying "I don't see a reason, so your symptoms are stress/weight/pretend, " let me know that he BELIEVED me - he treated my issue as real and as deserving of real treatment, even if that treatment had to come from a different doctor and even if he had to say the sentence "I don't know" out loud. Putting the health, needs, and well-being of the client/patient above your own professional pride = all the respect.

[raigrant]

As someone who has struggled with my mental health for forty years plus, I hold by the saying "mental illness is a reason, not an excuse".

[MrNicoJac]

12:52 actually, it makes _total sense_ why Tom is monologuing here.
In the books, he's very clearly stalling for time, for Ginny to fully die and him to fully live.

[colleenmueller]

Dumbledore once told Harry, "Lord Voldemort has never had a friend. Nor do I believe has he ever wanted one."
Also, I would love to see villain therapy on Palpatine and Umbridge.

[flyingbeagleee]

Ralph Fiennes performance as Lord Voldy is just something else, HE WAS HIM

[fallonfireblade]

Alan Rickman's acting the moment Snape saw Charity Burbage floating there was excellent. You could see him a little bit frozen, trying to mask his concern as indifference or being mildly surprised

[epycs]

I like the theory, that Voldemort can't feel emotions like love or empathy, because he was conceived while his father was under a lovepotion.

[iDunnoMan]

I love how Jonathan is basically like, "I treat people, and he ain't one".

[hollyhartwick]

That smile when young Tom saw the fire covering his wardrobe was genuinely unsettling. It was a creepy smile that wasn't a fascination with seeing magic. He was enjoying watching something burn.

[superfanmusicmaker]

3:42 - In the book, Tom actually says he makes bad things happen to people who _annoy_ him, not people who are mean to him.

It may not seem like a major change at face value, and it wasn't until I saw MovieFlame's analysis when I realised it was even changed in the first place. But this one little line completely changes the kind of kid Tom Riddle was, and not really for the better.

Saying that they're mean to him implies that Tom was bullied as a child and makes him seem sympathetic. Saying he does it to people who annoy him implies that Tom _was_ the bully.

[nickpickety]

My friend’s boyfriend is a diagnosed sociopath. They found out because he kept pushing for her to get treatment for her own mental health and attended her therapy appointments. It’s fascinating listening to his logic about himself and their relationship. He firmly believes that the only way she will chose to be with him is if she is safe mentally and at home, so he goes out of his way to make a pretty healthy environment for them. He doesn’t believe morals are needed, just that he wants her in his life and that maintaining an environment she thrives in is the best way to ensure she stays. He’s kinda creepy and I know that there are risks, but all in all, he gets treatment for himself, encourages her to get treatment, and they seem pretty good together.
I wonder how many people have undiagnosed anti-social personality disorder and live “normal” lives like he does