What does Avada Kedavra mean in Hogwarts Legacy?

Warner Bros. has confirmed Avada Kedavra as a usable spell in the new Hogwarts Legacy game, but why is this particular curse so controversial and what does it even mean?

Hogwarts Legacy is still in development, but fans are fired up to know more about the game. The upcoming open-world game’s 14-minute State of Play video was a crowd puller, but it has also ruffled many feathers. The action-packed teaser features the mention of an unforgivable curse that many had expected Warner Bros. would avoid using. 

The popular and sinister spell from the original Harry Potter books will be castable in Hogwarts Legacy, but it may not work like other spells. Here’s what Avada Kedavra means in Hogwarts Legacy and why it is controversial. 

What does Avada Kedavra mean? 

Avada Kedavra is the killing curse in Hogwarts Legacy and across all Harry Potter-related media. It’s a tool of dark arts and one of the three unforgivable curses. When cast successfully on a living person or creature, the curse causes instant death. 

Hogwarts Legacy is a mostly non-violent mystery game. Instead of destructive weapons, players will be equipped with wands that can only hurt armed enemies. So, when the State of Play video teased the killing curse, it dropped the jaws of many.

The developer discussed the subject, confirming that Avada Kedavra is a part of the game. Players will be allowed to mix various spells and charms to gain an edge over dark forces and even kill them if needed.

Why is Avada Kedavra bad in Hogwarts Legacy? 

In Hogwarts, Avada Kedavra was looked down upon as one of the unforgivable curses. There’s no textbook explanation for why it’s so controversial, but there could be many reasons.

“Not nice, Not pleasant. And there’s no counter-curse. There’s no blocking it,” Barty Crouch Jr. said about the killing curse in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”

First of all, no other magical spell causes instant death. Secondly, all curses can be countered except for Avada Kedavra, making it an extremely deadly and unfair tactic. Finally, it’s the intent behind this curse that’s considered dark. A caster only employs Avada Kedavra when there’s pure intent of killing the target as it can not be blocked by most magical means. 

For all these and more reasons, it was deemed unforgivable in 1717. While dark wizards still used it, students were discouraged from casting it under any circumstance. So, the mention of the killing curse in the trailer came as a shock for many. Though heroic characters are shown killing people using other spells, Avada Kedavra is exclusively used by villains.

There may be strict limitations on the use of Avada Kedavra in Hogwarts Legacy. Players may have to reach a certain skill level by mastering dark arts in order to cast the unforgivable curses. Casting Avada Kedavra may also cause some sort of damage to inventory or energy. Generally, casting this spell causes extreme mental stress. The developer may add a form of this mechanic in the game as well.