Of all the Harry Potter characters that fought alongside Harry to defend Hogwarts in The Deathly Hallows, some are praised for their heroism while some are simply lost in the chaos. The Battle of Hogwarts had been brewing for seven books, finally unavoidable after Harry and his friends destroyed enough Horcruxes to cause an upset. However, once the battle began, it is no secret that plenty of beloved characters were lost forever including Remus Lupin and Fred Weasley. There are also many notable characters who fought valiantly with Harry without recognition after the war.
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J.K. Rowling faced the challenge of tying up every loose end in Harry Potter, leaving some characters without proper closure. One such character is Cho Chang, who played a significant role in Harry’s development. While it’s confirmed she survived the Battle of Hogwarts, neither the books nor the films explicitly detail what happened to her afterward. Cho’s story was largely sidelined after her romantic storyline with Harry fizzled out, but her importance to the narrative makes the lack of resolution frustrating. Knowing more about her life after the series’ conclusion would have added depth that her character desperately needed.
Cho Chang Survives The Battle Of Hogwarts In Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows
J.K. Rowling Says This Without Saying It
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Cho proved her relevance in the series when she joined Dumbledore's Army in The Order of the Phoenix; an interesting detail for her character that revealed how much bravery and courage could be buried behind such a timid personality. This bravery Cho displayed set her apart from other students at Hogwarts, marking her early as a loyal supporter of Harry and defender of her school. As the story progresses, Cho is a presence in The Deathly Hallows, defending Hogwarts from Voldemort's forces. The eighth film implies that Cho lived through the war, but never goes into detail about her ending.
Cho trained her Defense Against The Dark Arts skills thoroughly, and it would have been ideal to see her use these skills against real threats.
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J.K. Rowling never mentions Cho among the casualties of war, strongly suggesting she made it through the battle. While this is a win for the DA and Cho herself, J.K. Rowling really missed an opportunity to give Cho a moment of resolution, such as a scene showing her actions during or after the battle. Cho trained her Defense Against The Dark Arts skills thoroughly, and it would have made sense to see her use these skills against real threats. This kind of scene could have provided satisfying closure and solidified her as more than a plot device, showing she experienced her own hardships and chose to stand with Hogwarts anyway.
Cho Chang Found New Love After The Harry Potter Series
Cho's Love Story Extends Far Beyond The Walls Of Hogwarts
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When first introduced into the narrative during Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, Cho was merely a romantic interest of Cedric Diggory that added tension to an already intense plot. Later, after Cedric’s death, Cho finds herself in the midst of grief and confusion when her brief romance with Harry begins. Instead of her growth becoming a storyline in the books, her romance with the Chosen One ends abruptly and her narrative fades into the background. However, supplementary materials from the franchise, like Pottermore, reveal new Harry Potter lore, that Cho found love again and married a Muggle post-graduation.
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Cho finding love after her story at Hogwarts came to a close symbolizes what likely happened to a lot of smaller characters, like Seamus Finnigan or Dean Thomas. Cho and these other characters from the Harry Potter series are assumed to have moved on after the war. Even one scene showing Cho moving on with her life would have made her arc feel much more complete. However, Cho’s assumed ending does speak to her character and proves that she had a unique aptitude for peace, and an ability to bridge the magical and non-magical worlds.
The Harry Potter Books & Movies Don't Do Cho Chang's Character Or Fate Justice
Cho Chang Deserves A Better Ending Than What She Got
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While scenes of Cho, post-war would definitely give her character a better sense of closure, she arguably deserves even more detail. Towards the end of the series, it becomes clear that Rowling didn’t really prioritize giving her a developed story after her relationship with Harry ended. This has led to criticisms of Cho’s treatment in the story altogether. As a notoriously underdeveloped character, even after she had a significant impact on Harry’s journey, she still never had any arc of her own, despite being very interesting; this leads to criticism that she’s only a plot device to advance Harry’s story.
Cho always deserved a more fleshed-out arc in the Harry Potter series. For example, after Cedric’s death and her romance with Harry, Cho’s reduced to a minor supporting role, despite her emotional complexity and ties to pivotal events throughout the story. Cho’s always close to the main storyline, but never fully made it in, making her missed potential feel even more glaring. Way more could have been revealed about how Cedric’s death shaped the rest of her life, but with these questions left unanswered, Cho is stripped of her individuality, impact on the narrative, and relatability.
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Harry Potter
- Created by
- J.K. Rowling
- First Film
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
- First TV Show
- Harry Potter
- TV Show(s)
- Harry Potter
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