Talk:Nagini

Gender
Is Nagini a he or a she? I don't have a book handy. MadMuggle 06:56, 19 Dec 2005 (UTC)
 * Nagini is a female. Her name means "female naga". The naga are a fictional race of snake-people in South Asian mythologies. They are most known in the MMORPG World of Warcraft.--K ) (talk)

Pronunciation
is it Na-Jee-nee or Na-gee-nee? -snoops619
 * The only guide we have is from the films, where its pronounced Na-Gee-Nee. To be fair, though, I was pronouncing it that way in my head before the film came out. - Cavalier One 16:09, 29 September 2007 (UTC)
 * That's also how Jim Dale says it in the audiobooks. Hufflepuff Half-Giant 18:00, 2 October 2007 (UTC)
 * As far as i know in hindi( a language) nagini(pronounced as naa-gee-nee)means a snakeNishant77 05:39, September 26, 2010 (UTC)
 * Emma Watson pronounced it as Na-jee-nee in an interview, though Voldemort pronounced it as Na-gee-nee while speaking to her in Deathly Hallows: Part 2. --AlastorMoody 03:17, November 24, 2011 (UTC)


 * It's Na-Gee-Nee, folks! The word is sanskrit. A nagini, in eastern myths, is a half-snake, half-woman creature. It comes from the word "naga," which means snake. Would you say "Na-jaa?" Clearly, it's Na-Gaa, so you'd go on to say it Na-Gee-Nee. Brush up on your sanskrit and eastern fables, kids! J.K. Rowling is using stories and legends from outside of our limited, European Comfort Zone!! Quills and parchment at the ready, I hope you're taking notes.


 * Take it easy, not everybody knows the details of Sanskrit phonetics! In fact, the Sanskrit word nāgá is cognate with the English snake (by way of PIE *(s)nēg-o -).  The presumably-related Naja--with-a-j is the name of the taxonomic genus that includes most species of cobras (the Indian cobra, Naja naja, the Egyptian cobra, Naja haje, the Thai cobra, Naja siamensis, etc.), even though most biological names are derived from Latin or Greek (there are several other genera, such as Ahaetulla ("eye picker," the Asian whipsnakes or vine snakes; also the specific name of Leptophis ahaetulla, the South American parrot snake) and Daboia ("that lies hid," the monotypic Russell's viper), from Indic languages (I believe that the former is Sinhala and the latter is Hindi)).  I am assuming that naja is a cognate of naga from some other Indo-Iranian language, but I don't know which one.  Anybody know?  (At least in English, the "j" is usually pronounced [dƷ] (the usual English "j," as in "jam"), although I think it was originally [j] (English "y" as in "you").)


 * I think it's great that Rowling uses words from different languages and creatures, characters, and stories from non-Western myths and legends. Too bad she didn't feel comfortable enough outside the modern-Western "Comfort Zone" to portray snakes more positively in the HP books, rather than just reinforcing the usual irrational fears by making both the snake motif and the actual snake character evil.  (If nothing else, Hagrid, at the very least, ought to have been keen on snakes as well as dragons, thestrals, acromantulas, and other creatures that most people fear (with or without reason) and hate.)  Notice that unlike Harry, Nagini (as the other living Horcrux) didn't get the choice to sacrifice herself to kill Voldemort, or return to life, no longer under V's control, after the Horcrux had been vanquished.  Maybe she was secretly angry that Voldemort had turned her into a Horcrux and was able to control her.  Yet in the book, Neville — otherwise one of the nicest characters — murders her.  (At least in the movie he's portrayed as defending Ron and Hermione.)  Snakes seem to be more intelligent than other animals in the HP world — they have their own complex language; they are capable of reasoning, strategy, decision-making, etc. (as when Nagini goes on missions).  Voldemort's control over Nagini is likely the result of her being a Horcrux (we don't see much of her before she becomes a Horcrux), although there may be other reasons for her loyalty to him.


 * Many cultures, Western and non-Western, have legends and myths about these shy, secretive reptiles, associating them with magic, the creation of the world, a protective or guardian role, healing, fertility and agriculture (particularly in non-tropical regions, where snakes are associated with springtime), the cycle of death and rebirth or reincarnation, etc., due to their seemingly magical powers and quirky lifestyles.  Often, illustrations of these cosmic serpents portray them as familiar local species — like the adder (Vipera berus) in Europe, rattlesnakes (Crotalus) or lanceheads (Bothrops) in the Americas, cobras (Naja (common cobras), Ophiophagus hannah (king cobra), Hemachatus haemachatus (the rinkhals or ring-necked spitting cobra), Boulengerina (water cobras), and others) in Africa and Asia, sidewinders (Cerastes, Pseudocerastes persicus, Crotalus cerastes , Eristicophis macmahonii, etc.) in desert regions, and the like.  Only very rarely are snakes or serpents portrayed as villainous (even in Australia, where — unlike the rest of the world where most snakes are harmless to humans — 80% of all snakes are venomous enough that their bite is medically dangerous). 174.111.234.195 07:03, March 10, 2012 (UTC)

Bubble image
Where's the image of Nagini in the bubble from? I've never seen it before. Hufflepuff Half-Giant 18:01, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

It was from the inside of the dust-jacket of the U.K edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I liked it, and it also gave a good indication of how big Nagini is supposed to be - Snoops619

HBP film
According to the Appearances section, Nagini appears in the film for HBP. I really don't remember this at all, when does she appear? Christophee (talk) 01:55, 24 July 2009 (UTC)
 * I think, it was placed since the trailer show her. She appears quickly so most of the viewers can't recognize. Her appearance is when Harry attempt to touch the Horcrux ring in Dumbledore's office. A very quick flashback scene. --ÈnŔîčö DC [[Image:Ravenclawcrest.jpg|25px]](Send me an Owl! ) 05:12, 24 July 2009 (UTC)


 * Right, I remember that scene but it all flashed so quickly that I didn't make out Nagini. Thanks. Christophee (talk) 15:37, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Frank Bryce could not have been used to create Nagini's Horcurx. first, he never even meant to make harry a horcurx, so that was his last one. second, Voldemort had nagini with him right before he killed Frank.


 * Rowling sayed that Bertha Jorkins's murder was used to make Nagini a Horcrux. However, in the films, it could be entirely possible that Bryce's murder was used for that same purpose (this isn't considered canon, of course). --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 22:13, October 14, 2009 (UTC)

Etymology
Kipling's she-cobra in "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" is named "Nag a ina", not "Nagina"; the "gai" is pronounced like "guy". I'm not registered here, but I'm thnidu on Wikipedia. 17:23, February 3, 2010 (UTC)

god that snake freaks me out! but in deathly hallows how the heck did she turn into that old lady? I mean she did disguise herself with what polyjuice potion?

I think it was more that the snake was wearing her, like a second skin. --BachLynn (Accio! ) 23:51, December 13, 2010 (UTC)

Pretty gross, eh? :) 174.111.234.195 06:06, March 10, 2012 (UTC)

Snake from Zoo in Sorcerer's / Philosopher's Stone = Nagini?
How true is this? I've encountered from Tumblr this post of JK Rowling saying:
 * “Yes, it’s rather funny, really, that next to no-one realised the snake that Harry set free in Philosopher’s Stone turned out to be Voldemort’s final Horcrux, Nagini.” — J.K. Rowling

This is false. The rumor started on Tumblr as a joke. I just took the time to find the original post. When you click on the source, it brings you to Youtube to Rick Astely's "Never Gonna Give You Up." AKA, it's a RickRoll. Here's the original Tumblr post. http://familyorbreakfast.tumblr.com/post/7610399192/yes-its-rather-funny-really-that-next-to


 * However, both the zoo snake and Nagini were played by pythons in the movies. It is very possible that J. K. Rowling did say this, but that she was referring to the snake actors in the movies, not the characters.

But I tried to google the very same quote but all of the links are from tumblr. Could someone confirm this? 125.212.25.96 01:22, July 21, 2011 (UTC)


 * Well I myself didn't believe what you said at first but then I googled it and I found a dozen of different sites stating the quote by Rowling and saying that the Snake is infact Nagini. This is no 100% proof, however, unless there is a video or some more reliable proofs that confirm it. My personal belief is that Nagini is not the same Snake as the Boa Constrictor from the first book simply because I think Nagini was picked up in Albania while the Boa Constrictor was going to Brazil. It is possible however. 24.188.19.19 16:09, July 22, 2011 (UTC)


 * This is NOT true. The quote was started as a joke on tumblr. Besides, Nagini is a viper (a venomous snake), and the snake Harry set free was a boa (a constrictor, not a venomous snake).


 * Nagini is a female, and the snake from PS is a male...


 * If you need further proof that Nagini is not in fact the snake from PS, there is the fact that boa constrictors do no have fangs, while Nagini most certianlly does as she used them to bite Arthur Weasley.


 * Actually, Nagini is a fictional species of snake. The largest venomous snake in the world is the King Cobra, which Nagini is clearly not described as. She is more visually and literally described as a python, but seeing as pythons are not venomous, she is a made up species. Perhaps a cross between a viper and a python? 142.55.21.6 01:03, November 17, 2011 (UTC)VF


 * A Vipon!


 * Nagini is indeed fiction as she was probably an ordinary Viper which once made into a horcrux gave her magical properties, increased intelligence, larger form, more powerful venom. Also it's quite clear that all the Horcrux were made BEFORE Harry was even born, it was part of Voldermorts rise to power, he split his soul into a symbolic number and he felt that made him more powerful, and concidering his success we can assume his magic theory is quite accurate.


 * Actually, JK herself has said Nagini became a horcrux with the death of Bertha Jorkins, after his first downfall. So not all the horcruxes were created before he killed Harry. I've always thouhgt, that since he had planned to use Harry's death to make his last horcrux, but failed, he had to make another one to reach his ideal number (unaware that Harry was also a horcrux).


 * Anonymous:
 * The fact that the two snakes are different on each film doesn't say anything. For example, in the first movie, Voldemort has a nose. Also, Harry is supposed to have the eyes of his mother. Did you notice that their eyes are different colors in the films?


 * HP Obsessed person:
 * It's impossible that snake is Nagani, for several reasons, most of which have been recounted above. However one important, not yet mentioned reason would be the sign outside the Boa Constrictors cage. It reads, in both the movie and the book "This specimen was bred at the zoo". Because Voldemort put a Horcrux in her prior to his downfall, it follows she must have been with him prior to his downfall, therefore to end up in a zoo she would have to be captured and therefore, would not, in fact, be "bred at the zoo".96.48.69.121 07:42, January 25, 2012 (UTC)HP Obssessed Person


 * The Harry Potter (The Sorcerer's Stone), during the scene where he is at the Boa Exibit, has proof that the Nagini is not the first snake Harry meets. When Harry realizing he could communicate with the snake, he asks if the snake knows about it's parents. The snake shakes it's head no and hints to the sign "Born in Captivity". That is when Harry says that he also never met his parents.

GI Joe: Renegades
I just noticed this. Is it just me or does Cobra Commander/Serpentor/Baroness remind you guys a lot of Voldemort/Nagini/Bellatrix? Ty 05:53, July 21, 2011 (UTC)

Ha! That's funny^^^

Nagini and English?
Can Nagini understand any parts of English? Because in the beginning of both Deathly Hallows and Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Voldemort tells Nagini "dinner" in English. Could Nagini have understood what he said, or just knew what he wanted to have done? In Part 2, Voldemort tells Nagini to "Kill" in English (he says it in Parseltongue in the book), and she just goes and kills Snape. Can snakes even learn English? I wouldn't be surprised if she knew what "kill" meant, what with having an owner like Voldemort. AlastorMoody 19:29, August 5, 2011 (UTC)

Could Nagini's ability to understand English - and to reason in humanlike fashion - be explained by the fact that she was a Horcrux? Harry,after all, could speak parseltongue for the same reason. 98.249.28.37 23:35, September 27, 2011 (UTC)

It is also probably that the filmmakers intended to portray Voldemort's Parselmouth as English, for the sake of the non-HP obsessed people, who would not understand what Voldemort was saying.

As to the person below me (I can't seem to post below him because of that stupid box he's made with his text...), the only dreams in the films in which Nagini has appeared, she either spoke Parseltongue, or did not speak at all. In Deathly Hallows: Part 1, the meeting at Malfoy Manor scene was not a dream, it a separate scene altogether. In Deathly Hallows: Part 2, there are no dreams whatsoever. In the vision involving Voldemort and Nagini in Malfoy Manor, there are subtitles so you know what they are talking about. During Snape's death, Harry was right there watching through a window outside the boathouse, so it was certainly not a dream. And for the rest of the film, there is no Parseltongue whatsoever, because there was no Parseltongue spoken after Snape's death in the book. AlastorMoody 03:16, November 24, 2011 (UTC) Also that scene is a dream sequence of Harry's and so he just may hear parseltounge as English.

She spees PARESLTOUNG! I think she knows a handful of english words, too. Like for example, many dogs know the word "walk", and she might know the word "dinner" because most pets like to eat.

Mastery of the Elder Wand
Is it necessary to put a piece in the Behind the Scenes section about how if Snape had been the master of the elder wand Nagini would have taken it from Snape as she killed him? M4rius 20:21, August 24, 2011 (UTC)

Snape was never the master of the Elder Wand. Draco disarmed Dumbledore, gaining mastery which was later given to Harry when Harry disarmed Draco in book 7.

That's not what he's asking. He is asking that IF Snape had been the master, wouldn't the mastery transfer to Nagini being as she was the one who disabled Snape. Yes, and we can be sure that her being a Horcrux would not give Voldermort power over the wand either, as Harry is a Horcrux and him having mastery of the wand did nothing for Voldermort. This would actually have put Voldermort in a tough possition, because it's hard to imagine him killing Nagini for control of the Elder Wand.

But Nagini isn't a wizard or wand-carrier, I'm not sure the wand can even transfer mastery to a snake.

No it was not necessary to put a peice about it in the behind the scenes if people were paying attention, but some people don't pay that close attention and that's probably why it was put in there. SRC

Well the wand passes to whoever overpowers the last owner so I would in this instance Nagini would just be considered a tool with which Voldy killed Snape. So the ownership would go to Voldy as he 'caused' Snape's death.

In the family?
Could Nagini have belonged to Merope Gaunt before her death? It would explain why Voldemort is fond of her. If she was his mother's then it would be for sentimental reasons, and it would also explain why Voldemort made her a Horcrux; to remember his mother. Withstanding death is something that he believes wizards and witches should be able to do, and he believed, for many years, that his mother died because of his father. It would also mean that he is gloating to his father that, through making Nagini a Horcrux, he is withstanding death.

What do you think?HarryPotterRules1 04:01, October 1, 2011 (UTC)

Voldemort hated his mother. All he cared about was his magical lineage, and he saw his mother as weak.

Read the books. He found her in Albania. 92.30.189.202 18:05, November 16, 2011 (UTC)

Nagini was originally the snake in the first book and movie that harry freed from the glass window at the zoo.76.19.168.57 23:49, November 16, 2011 (UTC)

NO SHE WASN'T!!! I'm surprised people still believe this. Rowlings herself has said they are NOT the same snake! They are completely different types of snake anyway. -Shorty1982 23:56, November 16, 2011 (UTC)


 * Do you have a source that Rowlings said this? Though I understand I haven't seen a source where she said it WAS the same snake, but a source would solve a lot of the arguments I see about this. 76.113.36.157 01:19, November 17, 2011 (UTC)


 * Not offhand but I swear I read somewhere on this wiki she said specifically it wasn't the same snake. I'll look for it. -Shorty1982 01:39, November 17, 2011 (UTC)


 * Ok, Looks like I was mistaken. AFAIK (after some checking) Rowlings hasn't said anything about Nagini and the Boa from Philosopher's Stone. Though if one really thinks about it there's no way they can be the same snake, Nagini is an extremely large, venomous snake of some kind while boa constrictors are non-venomous and don't grow nearly so large. They are also completely different colors. -Shorty1982 01:50, November 17, 2011 (UTC)

Why the hell would it be his mother's? There is NOTHING in the books to suggest such a notion.

Nagini = Philosopher's Snake
Hello, love the wiki, you've done a great job. :) Anyway, down to business. I don't have a source, but Jo Rowling has been quoted as saying:


 * "Yes, it's rather funny, really, that next to no one realized the snake Harry set free in Philosopher's Stone turned out to be Voldemort's final Horcrux, Nagini." - J.K. Rowling

It kind of blew my mind, but then, when doesn't Jo tie up every loose end? There's a sort-of-source here... Anyway, thought you'd like to know. Rassilon of Old (talk) 03:27, November 20, 2011 (UTC)

"You can't believe everything you read on the internet" - Abraham Lincoln

Ending the Nagini/Zoo Snake debate.
This has been discussed up and down the talk page, so I'm consolidating everything here in hopes that it will never be brought up again.


 * The Tumblr account that is the original source for the quote (which, while it isn't NSFW in itself, it has a link on the sidebar that says "[CENSORED]! THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF PORN!", so I shouldn't really link to it) links to a video of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" for its "source".
 * The zoo snake is male, Nagini is female.
 * The zoo snake is a boa constrictor from Brazil, Nagini is a viper Voldemort found in Albania.
 * Even if Nagini wasn't referred to as a viper, she's most certainly venomous, which boa constrictors are not.

-- 1337star (talk) 04:10, November 20, 2011 (UTC)

Really? He got her an Albania? I always thought she was a some ordinary British snake that Little Vodly met on a trip to the countryside with the orphanage. I thought he just found her and they liked each other, so Voldy took her home with him and it was magic he did on her that make her huge and poisonous. Eievie 22:56, December 9, 2011 (UTC)

Her Early Life
I think I heard that J. K. Rowling announced that Nagini was the same snake as the Brazilian snake appearing in the Sorcerer's stone, whom Harry freed. Is this true?


 * Look up. -- 1337star (Owl Post) 03:28, December 21, 2011 (UTC)


 * Stop making new threads about this. It has been explained over and over that she isnt!

When he used Nagini
You state "He used Nagini to help him regain strength and a basic physical form after living in a weak, spectral state, following his attempt to kill an infant Harry Potter, during which he was struck by his own rebounding Killing Curse. He had Peter Pettigrew milk her venom, and with it, create a potion that sustained him until he could regain a body."

The first sentence implies that he had her in Albania in the 1981-1991 exile. Is there canon on this?

The second sentence sounds as if it relates to the first when it is really referring to the second exile 1992-1994

Diary horcruxe
In Harry Potter and the PS (the movie and technically the book also) when harry destroyed the diary in the chamber, even though Voldemort didnt have a human body, Harry was still destroying part of his soul and therefore, shouldnt it have looked like how Ron and Hermione destroyed the cup in the eighth movie? When horcruxes are destroyed, they usually go crazy?67.87.22.249 15:29, January 29, 2012 (UTC)Michael67.87.22.249 15:29, January 29, 2012 (UTC)


 * Actually, despite what is depicted in the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 film, when a Horcrux is destroyed, nothing much happens. In all the Horcrux destructions described in the books (and sadly, the cup is not one of them), the Horcrux simply breaks; not even Voldemort can feel it (the most spectacular thing an Horcrux does upon destruction in the books is the "bloodlike substance" that leaks from Ravenclaw's Diadem, along with a faint scream of pain). Things only "go crazy" when a Horcrux deploys defensive/offensive strategies (i.e. Tom Riddle's diary in COS; the locket in DH, etc.) --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 16:12, January 29, 2012 (UTC)


 * The Deathly Hallows movies did a lot of things that messed with canon in the books and in the previous films. Blame David Yates. TheMattMan095 17:32, February 1, 2012 (UTC)

CGI
In an additional scene in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, it shows Nagini as Computer Generated. Does this mean that there was actually no snake and that she was computer generated throughout the entire series? (I can provide and image if you wish). -- KhanWiz - Guardian ~ (talk) ~ (email)  17:09, February 1, 2012 (UTC)

Nagini was CG throughout the films. TheMattMan095 17:14, February 1, 2012 (UTC)

Yes, she was CG in every film. I doubt they'd risk the safety of the actors by placing a live snake on the set, whether or not it's docile. Plus, I'm not so sure how good of actors snakes are in general :P AlastorMoody 03:08, March 11, 2012 (UTC)

Snake Species
Can anyone explain what kind of snake she is portrayed as throughout the series, Plus LEGO games? --Danniesen 17:17, March 12, 2012 (Denmark)

And by this, i mean all appearances: all book appearances, all film appearances, all video game adaptions, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, LEGO Harry Poter: Years 5-7, LEGO Creator, Pottermore. ALL appearances. --Danniesen 18:20, March 12, (Denmark)