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At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery & Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. |
- "Stunning is one of the most useful spells in your arsenal. It's sort of a wizard's bread and butter, really."
- — Harry Potter regarding the usefulness of the spell[src]
The Stunning Spell (Stupefy), also known as the Stupefying Charm,[4] or Stunner for short, is a charm[2] that stuns the target, rendering them unconscious. This charm is a fundamental duelling spell, as it can quickly end a duel without causing lasting damage.[1] The spell also has the ability to halt moving objects.[5] The counter-charm to the Stunning Spell is the Reviving Spell.[3]
History
In 1927, Leta Lestrange used a Stunning spell on the Matagots security guards in the French Ministry of Magic to try to subdue it, but instead it multiplied itself and attacked her, Newt, and Tina.[6]
Flavius Belby tried to use a Stunning Spell against a Lethifold, but only succeeded in blasting a hole through his bedroom door. The spell is also effective against Pogrebins.[7]
This spell was used by Ministry wizards to try to stop whomever cast the Dark Mark during the 1994 Quidditch World Cup Campsite riots, and was used in the Forbidden Forest that same year by multiple dragon keepers at the same time to manage dragons for the Triwizard Tournament. In 1995, Harry Potter learned this spell in preparation for the third task of the very same tournament. He practised it on Ron Weasley who complained about it not being easy to aim where you fall when you are stunned.
Harry also taught this spell to Dumbledore's Army during the 1995-1996 school year, during one of the meetings.[8] The spell was used numerous times during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, by both the D.A. and the Order of the Phoenix; it was also used during many other battles of the Second Wizarding War, such as the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, the Battle of the Seven Potters, the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor, the 1998 Break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, and the Battle of Hogwarts.
It may be assumed that this spell was also used frequently during the First Wizarding War as well, by the wizarding community at large.
Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Potter, discuss whether to use this spell to destroy the Experimental Time-Turner that they stole from Hermione Granger's desk at the Ministry.
Effect
The Stunning Spell is used to instantly render a target unconscious without causing lasting damage. The use of multiple Stunning Spells simultaneously will amplify the effect. This is particularly useful towards creatures with Spell resistance, such as dragons, trolls, giants and half-giants, but may result in injury for ordinary individuals.[9] For example, Professor McGonagall had to be moved to St Mungo's after being hit with the spell by multiple Ministry of Magic employees in 1996, and Madam Pomfrey expressed surprise that it did not kill her.[3]
Defence against stunning
- "The effects of the Stunning Spell may be counteracted by 'Rennervate', but will also wear off with time on their own. Another method of avoiding the spell is to deflect it with a Shield Charm."
- — Defence against the spell[src]
The effects of a Stunning Spell may be counteracted with the Reviving Spell, but will also wear over time. It can also be deflected by a Shield Charm. Species known to be naturally resistant to the spell include dragons, trolls, giants and half-giants. Rubeus Hagrid was unaffected by this spell when, in 1996, several Ministry of Magic employees attempted to remove him from Hogwarts grounds.
It is also possible to bewitch objects to be resistant to the spell. Fred and George Weasley bewitched their fireworks to explode when hit by Stunning Spells.[9]
Known uses
Successful uses
Caster(s) | Victim(s) | Date | Note |
---|---|---|---|
Gellert Grindelwald | Mykew Gregorovitch | 1900s | Used in order to steal the Elder Wand. |
Gellert Grindelwald (under disguise of Percival Graves) | Newt Scamander | 8 December, 1926 | Used it nonverbally in the New York Subway, when Newt was approaching Credence Barebone. |
Leta Lestrange | Matagot | September, 1927 | Attempted to subdue a Matagot in the French Ministry of Magic, but instead it multiplied and attacked her, Newt, and Tina. |
Vinda Rosier | Used it nonverbally during battle in the Lestrange Mausoleum, which caused in destroying Gellert Grindelwald's skull-hookah. | ||
Peter Pettigrew | Ron Weasley | 6 June, 1994 | Cast non-verbally with the wand of Remus Lupin, in order to make his escape.[10] |
Crookshanks | |||
Twenty Ministry employees (including Bartemius Crouch Snr and Amos Diggory) | Winky | August, 1994 | During the chaos after Morsmordre was cast following the 422nd Quidditch World Cup.[3] |
Bartemius Crouch Jr | |||
8-30 of Charlie Weasley's colleagues | Hungarian Horntail | 1994 | Multiple wizards had to cast the spell at the same time for it to work.[3] |
Harry Potter | Ron Weasley | Late May, 1995 | Harry learned this spell to use in the third task of the Triwizard Tournament.[3] |
Acromantula | 24 June, 1995 | Used it several times during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament. | |
Viktor Krum | During the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament to save Cedric Diggory from the Cruciatus Curse Krum was casting under the influence of the Imperius Curse.[3] | ||
Crabbe | 18 June, 1996 | Used it in the Time Room, while hiding under the desk during the Battle in the Department of Mysteries. | |
Walden Macnair | Used it in the Death Chamber, after Neville Longbottom put Hermione Granger's wand in Macnair's eye during the Battle in the Department of Mysteries. | ||
Death Eater | 27 July, 1997 | Battle of the Seven Potters | |
Thorfinn Rowle | 1 August, 1997 | During a skirmish at the Luchino Caffe in 1997.[11] | |
Muggle waitress | While aiming for Antonin Dolohov during a skirmish at Tottenham Court Road.[11] | ||
Dolores Umbridge | 2 September, 1997 | While infiltrating the Ministry.[11] | |
Corban Yaxley | |||
Lucius Malfoy | March, 1998 | Battle of Malfoy Manor | |
Fenrir Greyback | |||
Gringotts Goblins | 1 May, 1998 | During their escape from the bank after robbing it in 1998.[11] | |
Death Eater | 2 May, 1998 | During the early stages of the Battle of Hogwarts Harry used this spell on an unknown Death Eater. | |
Bartemius Crouch Jr (disguised as Alastor Moody) | Viktor Krum | 24 May, 1995 | Used discretely in the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest to let himself kill his father Bartemius Crouch Snr. |
Fleur Delacour | 24 June, 1995 | Used discretely during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament in an effort to ensure that Harry won.[3] | |
Albus Dumbledore | Bartemius Crouch Jr (disguised as Alastor Moody) | After Harry's return from the Little Hangleton graveyard, Dumbledore used the spell to subdue the disguised Bartemius Crouch Jr after he had attempted to attack Harry.[3] | |
Molly Weasley | 12 Grimmauld Place portraits | 1995 | After Tonks knocked over an umbrella stand and the portrait of Sirius Black's mother started shouting, Molly abandoned an attempt to close its curtains and began shooting Stunning Spells at other shouting portraits to shut them up.[12] |
Dolores Umbridge | Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs | 1996 | At the start of Umbridge's reign as Headmistress at Hogwarts, she attempted to stun the Weasley twins fireworks in order to prevent them from spreading around the school[9] |
Four Ministry employees (including John Dawlish) | Minerva McGonagall | 18 June, 1996 | The Ministry employees were trying to remove Rubeus Hagrid from Hogwarts, but attacked McGonagall when she offered him protection.[9] The concentrated effects were devastating enough to have her hospitalised, and was considered a miracle that she did not die. |
Fang | The Ministry employees were trying to remove Rubeus Hagrid from Hogwarts, but attacked Fang when she tried to protect his owner. | ||
Nigel Wolpert | Harry Potter | 1995-1996 | Used in the Room of Requirement during a D.A. practise.[13] |
Hermione Granger | Nott | 18 June, 1996 | During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in defence of Harry Potter.[9] |
Rabastan Lestrange | Used in the Time Room during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in defence of Harry Potter. Rabastan's head fell into the Bell Jar.[9] | ||
Mafalda Hopkirk | 2 September, 1997 | As part of the Infiltration of the Ministry of Magic.[11] | |
Gringotts Goblins | 1 May, 1998 | During their escape from the bank after robbing it in 1998.[11] | |
Gregory Goyle | 2 May, 1998 | During a skirmish in the Room of Requirement during the Battle of Hogwarts.[11] | |
Ron Weasley | Death Eaters | 27 July, 1997 | During a Battle of the Seven Potters |
A beggar | 1 May, 1998 | The beggar lunged at Hermione while she was disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange with Polyjuice Potion.[11] | |
Gringotts Goblins | During their escape from the bank after robbing it in 1998.[11] | ||
Death Eater | Ginny Weasley | 18 June, 1996 | Battle of the Department of Mysteries |
Luna Lovegood | |||
Nymphadora Tonks | Lucius Malfoy | In the Death Chamber during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries[9] | |
Death Eaters | 27 July, 1997 | Battle of the Seven Potters | |
Bellatrix Lestrange | Scabior | March, 1998 | After they defied her authority at Malfoy Manor.[11] |
Snatchers | |||
Luna Lovegood | Alecto Carrow | 1 May, 1998 | While searching for information on Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem with Harry Potter during the Battle of Hogwarts.[11] |
Fred Weasley | Death Eaters | 2 May, 1998 | Battle of Hogwarts |
Dean Thomas | |||
Parvati Patil | Travers | ||
Aberforth Dumbledore | Augustus Rookwood |
Unsuccessful
Caster(s) | Victim(s) | Date | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Leta Lestrange | Gellert Grindelwald | September, 1927 | Used it nonverbally during the Battle in the Lestrange Mausoleum, but he spared her charm. |
Death Eaters | Harry Potter | 24 June, 1995 | Tried to hit Harry on Voldemort's orders when he was running to Triwizard Cup in the Little Hangleton graveyard, but unsuccessful. |
Bellatrix Lestrange | 18 June, 1996 | Tried to hit Harry in the Hall of Prophecy during the Battle in the Department of Mysteries to get the prophecy, but her spell was reflected by Lucius Malfoy's spell, so that it caused the destruction of several prophecies on the shelf. | |
Rabastan Lestrange | Tried to hit Harry in the Time Room during the Battle in the Department of Mysteries, but he was stunned by Hermione Granger and his head fell into the Bell jar. | ||
Harry Potter | Blast-Ended Skrewt | 24 June, 1995 | Used it during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament, but unsuccessful. |
Bellatrix Lestrange | 18 June, 1996 | Tried to hit her in the Atrium during the Battle in the Department of Mysteries, but she used Shield Charm to reflect his spell, causing in destroying goblin statue's ear. | |
Severus Snape | 30 June, 1997 | He attempted to stun him, when the latter was trying to flee school grounds after killing Albus Dumbledore. | |
Neville Longbottom | Rabastan Lestrange | 18 June, 1996 | After disarming him and also accidentally disarming Harry Potter, Neville attempted to stun him, but he hit a rack full of time-turners. |
Death Eaters | Neville attempted to stun them in the Brain Room, but due the nose broken by Antonin Dolohov he didn't tell incantation correctly. | ||
Neville attempted to stun them in the Death Chamber, but due the nose broken by Antonin Dolohov he didn't tell incantation correctly. | |||
Dolores Umbridge | Rubeus Hagrid | Dolores attempted to stun him, while he was escaping, but she missed. | |
Centaur | Dolores attempted to stun one of them during skirmish in the Forbidden Forest. | ||
Xenophilius Lovegood | Harry Potter | March, 1998 | As Death Eaters were arriving at his house, it hit his Erumpent horn instead, causing a colossal explosion.[11] |
Ron Weasley | |||
Hermione Granger |
Etymology
"Stupefy" comes from the English stupefy, which means "to stun" or "to amaze". It may also come from the Latin stupere, meaning "to be stunned".
Behind the scenes
- Another variation of the spell is Stupefy Duo.
- The Stunning Spell has been identified as a jet, a flash or a burst of red, blue, white or green light in the film adaptions.
- In the books, it is described as a "jet of red light," and appears as such at the beginning of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when Ministry of Magic Officials apparate near the trio and attempt to stun them after the destruction of the Quidditch World Cup fair grounds. However, from the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on, it is shown as blue light that often just knocks people off their feet, as well as leaving them unable to think or react.
- Harry counters unidentified green curses cast by Death Eaters with the Stunning Spell, causing the spells to collide and explode in midair. If these green curses were Killing Curses, this would serve as a demonstration of the Killing Curse being parried and blocked by another spell.
- In the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Stupefy is shown as a ball of red light, but when cast by opponents, it is green, like the Killing Curse. Also at the end after Harry defeats Bellatrix Lestrange outside Hagrid's hut he casts Stupefy but instead of the red light it came out as a green ball of light.
- In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hermione attempts to use a Stunning Spell on one of the enemy giants, but is prevented from doing so by Ron as it would "crush half the castle." However, it was Hermione herself who pointed out in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that Stunning Spells are almost completely ineffective against Giants, even when cast by multiple wizards.
- In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, it can be bought at Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment in Diagon Alley.
- Flavius Belby tried to use this spell against a lethifold, however it had no effect as lethifolds can only be repelled by the Patronus Charm like with Dementors.
- In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Hermione casts Stupefy at Blaise in the Room of Requirement instead of Gregory Goyle. This is due to Crabbe's part being replaced by Blaise and thus is Goyle is the one to conjure the Fiendfyre.
- It has been implied that Dobby does this to Wormtail in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. However, when Harry does this to Umbridge and Mafalda, they are instantly knocked out, while Wormtail stands for a few seconds, says "Ow" (hinting that the spell was quite painful) and collapses. This, as well as his unintended non-reappearance in Part 2, suggests that he may be dead, or that Dobby used a different spell to knock him out.
- Also in Deathly Hallows: Part 1, When Ron (disguised as Reginald Cattermole) hits Yaxley with a non-verbal Stunning Spell, it seems to strike his chest rather hard, causing him to groan in pain and leaving him incapacitated for several minutes before he catches up with the trio and attempts to stop their escape.
- In Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Voldemort casts Stupefy at Neville Longbottom out of anger, after Harry Potter seemingly came back to life. Neville was blown backward into the Great Hall, and remained unconscious until he woke to slay Nagini.
- In Harry Potter for Kinect Harry and Voldemort can use this spell against each other in the final battle during Voldemort's Last Stand as they engage in a normal duel.
- In the video game adaption of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2, the player's stunning spells are blue, while enemy stunning spells are red, bosses such as Snape and Bellatrix cast green stunning spells.
- In the Deathly Hallows, Harry uses the combined power of the wands of Draco Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange and Peter Pettigrew to cast a stunning spell on Fenrir Greyback, causing him to be lifted up, smash into the ceiling and them slammed onto the ground, it can be implied here that spells can be more powerful when being cast by multiple wands at once. In the Film adaption, Harry uses it against Lucius Malfoy and it causes him to be launched to the other side of the room just as he is about to touch his Dark Mark.
Stupefy in different languages
Language | Incantation |
---|---|
Bulgarian (Български) | Вцепени се (literally - "be numb") |
Lithuanian | Sustink |
Catalan | Animo Linqui |
Croatian | Omami |
German | Stupor |
Dutch | Paralitis |
Hungarian | Stupor |
Icelandic | Rænulaus |
Italian | Stupeficium |
Spanish | Desmaius / Desmaio |
Swedish | Lamslå |
Finnish | Tainnutu |
Danish | Lammer (Stunner) |
French | Stupéfix |
Romanian | Stupefy |
Norwegian | Lamstivosløvus |
Polish | Drętwota |
Greek | Αποχαυνώσιους - (Apochavnosius) |
Hebrew | שתק |
Hindi | जर्व्तम (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1) or बिसमित भव (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)) |
Turkish | Sersemlet |
Estonian | Juhmista |
Portuguese (Portugal) | Atordoar/Stupefy (Books); Estupidificar (VideoGames) |
Portuguese (Brasil) | Estupefaça; Estupore (in the movie of Goblet of Fire) |
Serbian | Ošamuti |
Thai | สตูเปฟาย |
Russian | Окаменей (in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire); Остолбеней (in later books) |
Ukrainian | Закляктус |
Czech | Mdloby na tebe! |
Slovak | Nehýb sa! |
Slovenian | Hromi! |
Vietnamese | Điểm huyệt! |
Japanese | Suchu-pifai! 「麻痺せよ!」, pronounced "Mahi seyo!!" literally means, "Be paralysed!" in Japanese. |
Chinese (Mandarin - Taiwan) | 咄咄失 - (duò duò shī) |
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play) (Mentioned only)
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- Harry Potter: Spells
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Motorbike Escape (Possibly)
- Harry Potter Trading Card Game
- Wonderbook: Book of Spells
- Wonderbook: Book of Potions
- Harry Potter for Kinect
- Pottermore
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Stupefy fact file - Pottermore
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 JK's official site (text only), accessed 28/7/2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (companion book)
- ↑ Pottermore - From the Story: Stunning Spell
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 4 (Number Twelve Grimmauld Place)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)