- [J] The show is sponsored by BetterHelp Online Therapy.
You matter. You do. And you're awesome.
Don't fight us on this one. Ask your friends.
Visit betterhelp.com/super and take care of number one.
Hey brother!
Ben, "Harry Potter" is full of odd questions
when it comes to death and life and souls. Like for example,
you can create a Horcrux and store a piece of your soul
inside of an object to protect you in the event of death.
But also a Dementor could come
and just suck your soul right out of your body,
leaving you a shallow husk of an existence.
No happiness. No sadness. Just there.
Then there's Harry himself who dies
and enters this odd limbo space for a while
before he's eventually allowed to come back.
And don't even get me started with Harry's parents. I mean,
they're dead butts are showing up all the time.
Like when Harry looks in the Mirror of Erised.
Boom. There they are exactly as they appeared when he died.
Except Harry would have no idea what they looked like
when he died cause he was just baby.
And even if you want to argue that, "Hey,
maybe he picked up on it and it's like stored internally."
In the book, generations of his family show up.
And he definitely didn't know what they looked like.
Lily and James also show up when Harry's
and Voldemort's wands meet in "Goblet of Fire".
And they cheat the system again and come back
via get the Resurrection Stone in "Deathly Hallows".
I mean, it's like they don't even know the meaning of death,
which brings me to today's topic, ghosts.
Because we all think of ghosts as dead people,
but are they even really dead?
And what would happen if a ghost traveled
through the mysterious Veil
in the Department of Mysteries.
(upbeat music)
♪ Hey brother ♪
Guys, before we dive on in,
we need to give a huge thank you to today's sponsor,
The Ridge Wallet. Here's the thing, guys.
I don't like to carry it more than I need to ever.
It all spans back to my early days with cargo shorts.
When at any given moment on my person,
I had my very standard keys, wallet, cell phone,
digital camera, flashlight, watermelon, lighter, you know,
just for like flicking it open. Showing people like,
"Look, I've got fire." A slice of watermelon guys, come on.
But as I've gotten older, and therefore wiser,
I have realized there was no need to carry so many things.
Nowadays, it is just the watermelon and my wallet.
But that doesn't mean I don't still like to be interesting,
which is why I carry The Ridge Wallet.
It's the kind of wallet that when you're out to dinner
with friends and you go to pay and you whip it out,
people are like, "Whoa, what's that?"
And then you get to tell them, you're like,
"Oh, it's just my Ridge Wallet. No big deal. It's awesome."
Ridge Wallets are not just aesthetically pleasing,
but they're also very functional.
They can hold up to 12 cards and cash.
Cash is this green stuff people use to pay for stuff with.
Look at this. Can you believe it?
They come in over 30 different colors and styles,
including this one, which is called Narrows
and has like a topographic map etched into the surface.
So cool.
They are beautiful, minimalistic and durable,
coming with a lifetime warranty.
And they come in a great box and look beautiful wrapped,
for all of you gift givers out there.
So you get 10% off. Head over to ridge.com/scb
and use promo code "SCB".
Again, that's going to be ridge.com/scb
and promo code "SCB" for 10% off your order today.
Link is in the description down below.
Okay. So what makes us an odd question is that walking
through the Veil obviously kills you.
But ghosts are already dead, right?
So if they went through the Veil,
would it also kill them or would they be protected
from its effects? Or is it just perhaps an option
for them to finally, finally die?
Well, first let's talk about ghosts
and how they operate inside of the Wizarding World.
Because despite not being able to like eat
or physically interact with anything,
they can still have quite an effect
on the world around them.
So how does a ghost become a ghost?
Nick explains this to Harry briefly
in "Order of the Phoenix".
"I was afraid of death. I chose to remain behind.
I sometimes wonder whether I oughtn't to have.
Well, that is neither here or there. In fact,
I am neither here nor there.
I know nothing of the secrets of death, Harry,
for I chose my feeble limitation of life instead."
And boy, I got to tell you, Nick, that is confusing at best.
And unfortunately is the best explanation
of how ghosts work we get in the books.
Not that there aren't other inferences, we can make though.
For example, despite their near non-existence at all,
they are still capable of interacting
with the physical world in an extremely limited way.
Like they definitely can't pick things up,
but they can move water or air or fire around a little.
(Moaning Myrtle screams) (water splashes)
- [Hermione] She's a little sensitive.
- [J] Plus, we know if a ghost passes through you,
it feels as though you were just doused in cold water.
So whilst you maybe can't physically touch them.
You can still physically experience them.
Plus, then, in "Chamber of Secrets",
Nick gets petrified by the Basilisk,
meaning there's absolutely something there to be petrified
and that physical consequences can still befall a ghost.
But, so, then what even is a ghost really?
Well, fortunately, there is an article deep
in the Pottermore Archives that tells us a little bit more.
"A ghost is the transparent, three-dimensional imprint
of a deceased witch or wizard,
which continues to exist in the mortal world.
Muggles can not come back as ghosts,
and the wisest witches and wizards choose not to.
It is those with 'unfinished business',
whether in the form of fear, guilt, regrets,
or overt attachment to the material world
who refuse to move on to the next dimension."
It also goes on to explain that the knowledge
and outlook of the ghost in question remains
at the same level as the person as when they died,
which I suppose if you're Professor Binns is great.
You'd never have to make sure you're up to date
on all of your history
because you literally can't forget it.
Although I'm kind of curious
what his unfinished business is. Teaching?
On the other hand,
it also explains why most ghosts are real bummers
and it's not necessarily because they died.
It's because they were the kind of person who would choose
to come back as a ghost to begin with.
- [Moaning Myrtle] Cause Olive Hornsby was teasing me
about my glasses.
- [J] Like, not only do you have to be pretty petty
to begin with, but then you're like stuck in that mindset.
Although I have to say the line
about their knowledge remaining the same is confusing,
because like, obviously they can still learn things.
Like Harry wasn't alive when Nick died.
And if he's able to like learn who he is
and remember his name and have a relationship with him.
The real way ghosts can continue to have an effect
on the world though is with the knowledge they did possess.
For example, the Grey Lady knows where the diadem is hidden.
And she reveals this information to both Tom and Harry,
which, you know, like not for nothing.
Changes the course of history. It's casual.
But with all that said, it brings us back
to our question from earlier, which is what would happen
if a ghost passed through the Veil?
Would this be some final way for them
to escape the living world?
Because the Veil is an immensely mysterious artifact,
which I guess kind of goes without saying,
because it's located in the Department of Mysteries.
Or really, I think what I should say is
that the Department of Mysteries is located around the Veil.
Because the Veil definitely predates the Ministry
and the entire Ministry itself was built around the Veil.
Our main experience with it though comes
in the "Order of the Phoenix" when Sirius falls
through the Veil and it claims his entire body
and soul through its one way arch.
Just prior to that, however,
we also get to see our main six stumble
into the Death Chamber where both Harry
and Luna can hear voices from the other side.
Luna and Harry are curiously the only two members
of the group who can also see Thestrals
and are definitely the two members of the group
who are most at peace with death in general.
On top of that,
it's literally referred to as the Death Chamber.
And the clear indication is that this archway is the passage
from mortal world to the great beyond.
And that it's a very one-way ticket.
Unless they are Lily and James
who are just exploiting all kinds of loopholes.
So what happens when a ghost goes through the Veil?
Would they die? I think the answer is a definite yes.
And don't worry. I can show my work.
I left space in the margins.
Let's go back to that original quote from Nick.
"I sometimes wonder whether I oughtn't to have.
Well, that is neither here nor there.
In fact, I am neither here nor there"
(record scratch) (audience cheering)
"Neither here nor there" is very interesting phrasing
because it describes a place between life and death
and believe it or not, we actually get to visit
that place in "Harry Potter"
after Harry dies and wakes up in King's Cross.
Dumbledore describes a situation to Harry as such,
"We are in King's Cross, you say?
I think that if you decided not to go back,
you'd be able to, let's say, board a train."
He also tells Harry that he's not really dead.
"Then, I'm dead too?"
"Ah, that is the question, isn't it?
On the whole, dear boy, I think not.",
Of course, we also know that, at that moment,
he's not really alive either. He's "neither here nor there."
This matches up exactly with how we know ghost
to work. Like despite being killed, they're not truly dead.
Again, "I know nothing of the secrets of death, Harry,
for I chose my feeble limitation of life instead."
"Feeble imitation of life", "neither here nor there",
Harry can board a train and decide which way to go.
It seems to me that this is the choice offered
to basically every witch or wizard upon death.
That they get a brief stop in limbo
and must decide ultimately where to go.
And the vast majority of them choose to go on.
Except for ghosts. They go back.
But so then why isn't Harry a ghost when he returns,
you might be wondering.
Well, you see, Harry is very special.
- [Harry] But I'm the Chosen One.
(smack)
Harry is particularly unique for many reasons,
but in this particular situation,
his life is anchored to the mortal realm
by his blood in Voldemort's body.
But honestly, that's a whole different video.
That is Harry's unique advantage in this situation,
which we've always sort of called a love crux.
But most people aren't Harry Potter
and don't have this choice.
So when they choose to go back,
they are only just barely able to do it,
which is why they come back as ghosts.
And unless I missed my mark here,
it rips their soul to do this.
It's like you put a piece of paper through the shredder
and then on the other side, you're like,
"Hey paper, you want to go back?"
And most of the time the paper is like, "Ah, no thanks."
But imagine you're the piece of paper
that does decide to go back.
What does that look like on the other side?
Yeah, the most feeble imitation of the original sheet
of paper imaginable. Except it's not paper,
it's your body and soul.
So in a way it's kind of like ghosts
are really terrible Horcruxes.
Like, yes, they do still have a container
and it is still their body.
It's just that their body is now translucent
and can't eat or touch anything
or change their opinion or do magic.
But it can talk and exist in the moral realm
and flood the bathrooms on the third floor.
Why is that last one important?
It really, really isn't, Myrtle.
It's like when Hermione describing Horcruxes,
and it says how the soul inside depends
on its container for its existence.
She could run you through with a sword
and your body, of course, would perish,
but your soul would be fine.
Ghosts are in a really unique position
because whilst they have a soul,
the container itself can't be damaged
because nothing can touch it.
Like imagine Harry was trying to destroy a Horcrux,
but the Horcrux was a ghost
and he couldn't even hold onto it.
And I really think Horcruxes are a great analogy
for how ghosts work, because like, think about it.
How do you make a Horcrux?
By killing someone to rip your soul.
Well, guess what? In this situation someone's still died.
You, and in choosing to remain behind, you rip your soul.
Horcruxes are made to prevent you from dying
at horrible cost to yourself.
And ghosts are kind of the same thing.
People who prevented themselves from dying at horrible cost.
Voldemort even describes his form after failing
to kill Harry as a baby, as "less than the meanest ghost".
And again, this adds up.
Voldemort wouldn't be less than a ghost
because he would have ripped his soul seven times
and a ghost just once.
Either way, what it comes down to is this,
even though you must die to become a ghost,
ghosts are not dead.
The article on Pottermore describes it best when it says,
"they have chosen an impoverished version of life instead."
Impoverished? Yes. But dead? No.
And not dead means alive,
which means ghosts are subject to die,
which means the Veil should and would kill them once
and for all.
On that note though,
if you were just like a regular living witch or wizard
and you pass through the Veil, much like Sirius did,
I don't think you'd be offered the option
to become a ghost at all.
Like, I like to picture it as if most doors upon dying lead
to the limbo waiting room where you then make the decision
to become a ghost or go on.
But the archway is like the door off to the side
that just goes directly into the great beyond.
And as such,
I don't think Sirius would have even had the option
to choose to become a ghost. Although even if he did,
I definitely don't think he would have.
On top of all that, "Harry Potter" is just a story,
in general, about accepting the inevitability of death.
And if it's truly inevitable,
then even ghosts shouldn't be protected permanently,
even if they're unsure how to go about finally dying.
But since I do think they have a body and soul,
I also think they are subject to death by Veil.
But here's where things get really interesting, Ben,
because my question for you and everyone else is
what do you think would happen
if you threw a Barty Crouch Jr's body through the Veil?
Because of course he doesn't have a soul.
Let me know of your thoughts
in the towel section down below.
Guys, thanks as always for watching today's video.
Don't forget to leave a Like on it if you haven't already.
And subscribe so you don't miss any future
"Harry Potter" action from us.
If you want to know if the Veil could destroy a Horcrux,
you can check out this video right here, but Ben,
until next time, I will see you in another life brother.