Villain Therapy: SEVERUS SNAPE

Is Severus Snape a hero or a villain?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright take an in-depth look at the character of Severus Snape - what makes him heroic, what makes him villainous, and how love and bitterness shaped him. They talk about his bullying of Harry and other students, his relationship with Lily, his loyalty to Dumbledore, and how absolutely iconic Alan Rickman is in this role.

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Cinema Therapy is:
Written by: Megan Seawright, Jonathan Decker, and Alan Seawright
Produced by: Jonathan Decker, Megan Seawright, and Alan Seawright
Edited by: David Sant
Director of Photography: Bradley Olsen
English Transcription by: Anna Preis
Spanish Transcription by: Juan Willems

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[sheilarough]

It’s Alan Rickman’s voice, pauses and all. It was commanding, even when he was very quiet. He played villains very, very well. And his very presence instantly made his character the most interesting. RIP Alan Rickman

[katietoole]

It's not just the one kid. He bullies Neville to the point that he is literally Neville's greatest fear.

[Juggtacula]

Snape: *Gets mad at Harry for not paying attention*
Harry: *Is literally taking notes on his opening speech*

[hellogoodbyeandallinbetween]

The scene where Snape calls out Hermione for speaking out of turn also shows how differently Ron is portrayed in the films compared to the books. In the books he defends her, rather than agreeing with Snape, and it saddens me that they reduced his character to comic relief in the films.

[Kangakool]

First day of school: Harry gets in trouble for taking notes
Harry: never takes notes again

[laurelanne]

I've said it before and I'll die on this hill: Snape is an INTERESTING character because he makes us think about "what if a person who is objectively cruel and miserable, was directly responsible for saving not only your life, but countless others by defeating a greater evil?" Some characters aren't meant to be admirable, but are there to make you think.

[trinaq]

Rest in peace, Alan Rickman. Even though Snape was a character we loved to hate, Alan played him so splendidly, and with so much heart and soul, that we couldn't help but empathise with him, after all this time.

[Daeneiracorn]

snape: "not paying attention."
harry: literally writing notes showing he's paying attention.

[Angeldotty]

Rickman's delivery is in line with the whole "Villains don't run" idea. Villains are in charge and in control. Running or rushing is a sign that something else has power. As long as Snape is talking, he is in power. The longer he makes others wait to hear what he has to say, the more he exerts power over them.

[katelynrushe]

“Snape is nothing if he’s not impatient.”

Which makes…the

[RespectedProfessional]

Snape seems to flip between bullying Harry, Neville, and Hermione. Harry is one end of the spectrum as Snape created a narrative where he believes Harry is a potential narcissistic, overinflated bully (to reflect the father) and Neville is on a completely opposing end of the spectrum. The film and book show him as meek, awkward, stammering, and subjected to bullying. I think snape sees himself in Neville and despises that “weakness” and propensity for victimhood/trauma that he shares with Neville. I took it as a show of self hatred in which he projects his despised attributes onto Neville and brings attention to his “weakness” or lack of power.

[Windthroughcedars]

The tragedy of Snape and Harry is that Harry came to Hogwart’s absolutely starving for love. If Snape had befriended Harry, Snape would have gotten to spend time being loved by the last bit of Lily she left in the world. Harry would have absolutely been a loyal and attentive friend. Instead he got to hated, because of his own pettiness.

[AnnaCurser]

"There's no one like Rickman on earth." - terribly accurate.

[moonstonepearl]

Snape is a perfect example of how people can be more than one thing and have both terrible and admirable traits.

[ToriTheDormouse]

What I always struggle with is that Snape never valued Harry as an individual, as his own person. He protects him for Lilly´s sake and he despises him for James´ sake, but none of his behaviour has anything to do with who Harry is. it´s all about his parents.

[kryw]

I've said this elsewhere on YouTube: Movie Snape has a redemption arc. Book Snape has an explanation arc. They are not the same. Alan Rickman was a master.

[Scrofar]

I love the duality yet mutual understanding between Jonathan's "He was a terrible teacher, but credit where credit is due, he committed to lessons that benefitted the survival of his students, namely Harry, " and Alan's "Doesn't change that he still negatively impacted many of his students, including Harry!"

[williamblack]

“Why is Dumbledore keeping this obvious child abuser around.”

You mean Albus “I send children to fight a war” Dumbledore?

[whitneyj]

You laughed at the moment where Ron said, "she's right you know, " but that is one of my least favorite parts because in the book, Ron defends Hermione asking Snape why he would ask something he didn't want to know and ends up getting detention for it. I hated this change in the movie.

[TheRhetoricGamer]

Snape does shoot himself in the foot in the first scene, because Harry could have been his best student. The one year where Harry actually cared about potions and used Snape's instructions, he was better at potions than Hermoine. Harry was also at a stage of his life where he needed/wanted a father figure, especially in this strange new world of wizardry. If Snape put his bitterness aside, Harry could have ended up like a son to him.