Luna Lovegood is an iconic character in Harry Potter, but her Deathly Hallows storyline should have been given to someone else. Luna’s importance in the Harry Potter movies and books can’t be overstated. Harry even gave his daughter, Lily, the middle name Luna in Deathly Hallows‘ epilogue. Luna played a significant role in Voldemort’s defeat, ensuring Harry’s success in the Second Wizarding War. But the story as a whole would have made a lot more sense if her role was downplayed throughout Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows saw the Golden Trio contending with Voldemort’s forces. Meanwhile, they had to learn about the Deathly Hallows so that they could destroy the villain once and for all. Luna Lovegood was kidnapped by Death Eaters, giving way to a thrilling storyline in which she was rescued by the Golden Trio. However enjoyable these scenes were, Deathly Hallows would have been better off giving this arc to another character who didn’t get enough attention in the final Harry Potter installment.

Luna Lovegood’s Deathly Hallows Story Should Have Been Ginny Weasley’s

The Story Would Have Been Better With More Time For Ginny

Ginny Weasley was one of the most important Harry Potter characters, and Luna Lovegood’s kidnapping story should have fallen to her. Luna was an important character too, but Ginny was ultimately more consequential to the overarching narrative. Ginny was Harry’s love interest and ended up becoming his wife and the mother of his children, providing an essential window into the soul of the series’ title character. She also represented strength in her own right, growing from Tom Riddle’s victim to a fierce fighter.

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In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Ginny was the core of the narrative, necessitating Harry to rescue her from Tom Riddle’s clutches. Ginny’s communication with Voldemort through the diary had put her in real danger, and Harry saving her proved a strong foundation for their relationship. Ginny Weasley’s intelligence and maturation shone through in later books and movies, proving her capacity to lead her own storylines. And Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince set her up to be a bigger character in the finale than she actually was.

Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince Set Up A Bigger Ginny Story (But Didn’t Follow Through)

Ginny Deserved A Bigger Arc

Harry Potter wasted one Ginny Weasley story in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. In this sequel, Ginny and Harry finally admitted they had mutual feelings for each other. This had been building for a long time, and the resolution to this setup was satisfying. However, at the end of the movie, Harry decided to break things off with Ginny. He did this to protect her, knowing the threat that Voldemort presented was growing — and that Voldemort would target Ginny if he thought that she was special to him.

This exciting setup made it seem as if Ginny was about to be targeted in some way by Voldemort. This would have made sense, as Voldemort really did have eyes and ears in many places. J.K. Rowling could have easily fit this into the story, with Voldemort using Harry’s feelings for Ginny against him. However, Harry left Ginny, and his plan worked; Voldemort didn’t go after Ginny during Deathly Hallows. This was a little disappointing because Ginny and Harry’s relationship was unable to develop throughout the final installment.

Swapping Ginny & Luna’s Roles Would Have Made Deathly Hallows More Emotional

Harry And Ginny Were A Core Relationship

Harry and Ginny were one of the key relationships of the Potterverse movies, and if Ginny had been kidnapped instead of Luna, it would have made the story more emotional overall. Luna was an important character, and her father’s role in the Wizarding War was a key reason Voldemort targeted them. However, this element of the Lovegoods’ role in the story — their integral importance to and knowledge of Voldemort — could have been preserved without Luna being kidnapped.

The story could still have showed how Luna helped Harry find the diadem, and it could have kept Xenophilius’ scene explaining the legend of the Deathly Hallows. Through all of this, the book and movie could have positioned Ginny as the target of Voldemort’s kidnapping. This would have made just as much sense in the context of Voldemort’s motives. It also would have reunited Harry and Ginny in a more exciting way. It would have been a more emotional journey for Harry, and it wouldn’t just have affected him.

Given the importance of the Weasleys throughout Harry Potter, seeing them grapple with the temporary loss of Ginny would have been heartbreaking. Ron would have been just as devastated as Harry to learn of Ginny’s plight, and their efforts to get her back would have hit harder. Seeing the other Weasleys’ reactions would have been equally stirring, adding real weight to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. And this approach to Ginny’s narrative wouldn’t have taken that much away from Luna’s character arc, as she played a pivotal role even without her kidnapping.

Luna Lovegood Could Still Have Played A Pivotal Role In The Harry Potter Finale

Luna Is An Important Character

Luna needed a big role to justify the fact that Harry eventually named his daughter after her — and, of course, because she was an incredibly popular character. There was no reason for either the books or movies to cut Luna’s heroism or struggle. However, both of these things could have played out in a far more logical way. Luna could have faced a different challenge; she didn’t need to be the victim of the kidnapping that the Golden Trio tackled.

This turn of events would have made the stakes for the Golden Trio much higher.

If Ginny was the victim of this kidnapping instead of Luna, Harry, Ron, and Hermione would all have been personally motivated to rescue the victim in a far bigger way. This turn of events would have made the stakes for the Golden Trio much higher. Fans would have felt their fear and determination far more powerfully throughout Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, resulting in an even more satisfying rescue.

Meanwhile, Luna still could have played an important role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — and even undergone her own terrible fate. Sad as it seems, the novel and movie could have killed off Luna’s father, courtesy of the Death Eaters. This would have left Luna with an exceptional amount of motivation to fight Voldemort in the Second Wizarding War. While dark, it would have been a fitting alignment for both Ginny and Luna in Harry Potter.