The HIDDEN Meanings Behind Spell Colours - Harry Potter Theory 

Funny how in Star Wars the colors of the light sabers represent the opposite.

I wonder if J.K Rowling might have taken a bit of inspiration from Star Wars when color coding her spells at least for the good guys and bad guys? Because in the Star Wars movies, blaster shots also come in different colors but they are generally red. While both the Rebel and Empire soldiery tend to use blaster that fire red lasers, generally the Empire's warships and star-fighters such as their Star Destroyers, Tie Fighters and the Death Star all shoot bright green lasers, whereas the Rebel ships have crimson colored shots by contrast.

I like the idea of the color depending on the caster. Maybe Sectumsempra would be more green if a truly evil wizard casts it? The only person we've seen cast Sectumsempra is Harry and he's, of course, not evil. He didn't even know what it was when he cast it on Malfoy, he simply wanted a powerful spell to protect him against Malfoy's Cruciatus curse.

I like to think that Snape's Avanda Kedavra was blue, due the fact that he was willing to kill but out of mercy, not hate.

I think part of why it's difficult to make "rules" for spell color is that the colors themselves have so many possible meanings

Even though I’m late, you should do a video about the advantages on nonverbal spells vs spells you say out loud during a duel

Sectumsempra being white could be explained as that it actually was intended to be a defensive spell, so to speak. Snape intended it for enemies, and he was bullied a lot as a child, so his enemies were his bullies. He created it as a means to protect himself. Over time it was seen as an offensive spell, and even used by Harry as an offensive spell, but every time it was used by its creator (that we had seen at least), it was used defensively, even when it was used on George, as Snape used it to protect his cover, and to, in a sense, protect George from being killed. What better way to protect yourself than to incapacitate your opponent completely, and if used correctly, it doesn't kill.

I think Snape's Avada Kedavra is the same color as anyone else's, but the cinematographer made some very interesting choices with the lighting and color grading in the Half-Blood Prince film, particularly towards the end of the film. I think you're just seeing the result of that aesthetic choice when the curse appears blue.

6:37 You are wrong. Crucio is not red. It's never described as red in the books. Only in the movies when Harry used it. In Goblet of Fire it had no color, the same is in the books.

My favorite green spell was in the GBA version of the Prisoner of Azkaban game. It was Verdimillious. It shot green sparks at lower power and green lightning at high power.

7:34-7:46 Something similar occurred with the Stunning Spell (Stupefy). As previously stated at 4:00, the spell is red. However, subsequent films depict it with a blue color instead.

Even though Snape didn't want to see Dumbledore die, it was still his intent to kill Dumbledore for at least two reasons. The main reason I believe was that Dumbledore asked him to. Sort of like when Harry and Dumbledore went to the cave, Dumbledore said only under the condition that Harry do whatever Dumbledore asked with no hesitations. It was similar here with Snape killing Dumbledore so Snape didn't kill out of hate, revenge, etc. He killed out of mercy. Also as we know Dumbledore wanted Snape to be the one to kill him to prevent Draco from killing Dumbledore. So I think it was still Snape's intent to kill Dumbledore, but not for the typical reasons and may be the reason for color of his killing curse.

I have in interesting question no one can give a good answer to: why did Dumbledore never talk to moaning myrtle and find the chamber? Issues I have with the normal answers are 1 she didn’t only tell harry about her death because she has a crush on him since she only speaks nicely to him after he asks about her death and also she says “no one’s asked me that before”. And 2 this is Dumbledore I doubt he would miss the connection of her coming back to that bathroom on top of her being such a nuisance the ministry had to get involved to keep her from haunting olive Hornby.

In OotP, Bellatrix teaches Harry that an unforgivable curse works best if the caster really enjoys producing the result (crucio, in her case). This might explain how Snape saves his own soul. He clearly didn't want to kill Dumbledore, so perhaps he pulled his AK's punch a bit so it only knocked the headmaster off the tower. While the films often get things wrong, this could explain why Dumbledore still appeared to be alive as he fell-that what actually killed him was hitting the ground.

I think these colors has certain connotations with **chakra system** of from **eastern philosophy**. In eastern philosophy it is believed that human body has seven main chakras each having their own meaning and properties associated with them. They also have very specific colors association. These are chakras and their colors mostly accepted in general: - 7th - The Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) - Violet Color - 6th - The Third Eye Chakra (Ajna) - Indigo Color - 5th - The Throat Chakra (Vishuddha) - Blue Color - 4th - The Heart Chakra (Anahata) - Green Color - 3rd - The Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura) - Yellow Color - 2nd - The Sacral Chakra (Svadhishthana) - Orange Color - First - The Root Chakra (Muladhara) - Red Color The order of chakra in the body start from base of the spine to the crown of the head. Thats why first chakra is Root and seventh is Crown. Now the question is how these colors are can relate with spell colors from harry potter universe. This is my theory: **Green Color** Lets start from green color as this is mostly considered as evil and death related on the contrary in eastern philosophy its the opposite. Green is the color of life, love and empathy. Yes, its the color of the 4th chakra the heart chakra which regulates the life force throughout the body. Heart is the center for emotions, love, empathy and compassion. So when **avada kedavra** hit the body it actually take that life force out of the body from this chakra and stop the heart instantly and removes the soul out of the body. Thats why victim of this killing curse has no sign of physical harm or damage thats because its just takes away the life force or soul like dementor's kiss. **RED COLOR** Now what about red ones. Crutiatus curse has red effect. Its main intention is to harm physical body by torturing it and damages the nervous system and in extreme usecase can drive the victim mad. Root chakra or base chakra is assigned the color red its mostly deals with instincts of survival and all physical nature emotions. Its concern with saftey, security, survival, energy and stability. When **Crutiatus curse** has invoken its intended to harm that saftey of the victim and make them loose their confidence. So red color directly relate with physical nature or materialism. **stupify** is also has to do with stunning the whole body so that makes sense. **EMOTIONS HAVE COLORS** The most important thing to notice is that these spells which are something to do with emotions has colors and others are not. like **wingardium leviosa** dont seem to have any as its loosely relates with air or say gravity and neither of them have any visible colors. **EVERY ELEMENT HAS ASSIGNED WITH THEIR COLOR** There are certain spells has reflected their own color like when fire shooting out of wands **(incendio)** its actually look like fire dropping from the wand. and spells manipulating Air **(Windgardium Leviosa)** has air comming out of them, **lumous** has light coming out from tip of wand while **nox** has drawing it in effect. Spells affecing the materiality has red color and emotions has emotion specific colors like **expecto patronum** has imagination shown in whitish blue which is third eye or say 6th chakra related color. ** Yellow color of passion of solar plexus i.e. 3rd chakra** all the spells has connection with strong use of will power, passion and making change has yellow or golden color in it. like in second movie snape cast expelliarmus with golden color later in the movie they changed it to bluish idk why. This is the basic idea of how jk rowling must have assigned the colors to the spells. This is just my theory. I might be wrong or right. I leave it here so people get some material for basis.

I think Sectumsempra might be white because it's effect is described like a slash of an invisible sword. So it pretty physical in nature. Or if you imagine it as elemental it could be like a wind cut.

JKR put a lot of thought into her selection of names, Etc. I imagine that extends to the colors chosen for the various spells.

Magic: the Gathering (a card game) has established the "color pie" as they call it. With simple words, the colors and their meanings in their spells are like this: White: Peace, law, structure, selflessness, equality Blue: Knowledge, deceit, caution, deliberation, perfection Black: Power, self-interest, death, sacrifice, uninhibitedness Red: Freedom, emotion, action, impulse, destruction Green: Nature, wildlife, connection, spirituality, tradition Of course Mtg and Harry Potter is not the same by any stretch, but what MTG has done with the colors and their meanings is very interesting and maybe some of you would like to check it out further.

We have white spells. Are there also black spells? And how about invisible spells? As a side note, it is interesting that green is paired with envy in your language, but in my neck of the woods, it is the color of hope, yellow being considered the color of envy.

Thank you for helping me educate my Ilvermorny Themed campers with your amazingly informative videos. They have been a huge help for teaching my kiddos.

My thought on Snapes seemingly blueish Avada Kedavra is, that, because he didn't kill Dumbledor out of hatred and evilness, but something along the lines of friendship and because Dubledore had asked him to do it, the intention behind the curse was more kind of pure than normal. And thats why they chose it to be blue and not green.

I would also like to bring up Protégé Diabolica which is a major dark natured spell. It wasn't green or red. So I would like to bring up the idea that more darker intended spells are in a dark shade with a flashier look. Like an explosion vs a spell with lighter intention suchs as healing or disarming is more of a warm light in the way a candle flame burns.

I was under the impression blue/silver are for protection. Yellow is for transforming. Red is for offensive attacks, for maim or stun. Green is instant death.

Video idea for you to do: What additional effects do spells have that are not seen in the movies? For instance, what else can the patronus charm do besides ward off dementors?

I thought it was the wand that determined the color of the spell 🤔 like my wand English Oak with a unicorn hair core 10 1/2 inch unbending flexibility casts smokey green with yellow lightning but maybe that just adds to the spells color mixing the two and that's wy we get different colors

I do not think that there are strict categories of spells divided by colours. I think each spell and its meaning and its colour have a unique relationship, sometimes underlined by casters intent. The spells and their effects are not simple incantations but manifestations of the magic itself and it is quite fitting that sometimes there are also some light effects. Sectumsempra for example could be white because it causes sharp cuts and white light can be quite sharp and strong. Also any colour can have more meanings, usually similar, but not exactly the same - for example red can mean "hot", "passionate", "angry", "bloody" etc. Green is also associated with plants, life (interesting when thinking about Avada Kedavra), allowing something but also sometimes danger...

I think green fits Avada Kedavra very well because green also represents rot and decay, which is what happens to bodies after death. Crucio I believe is red because it requires a level of anger and aggression mixed in with malice in order for the spell to work, and those are emotions normally associated with the color red. Expelliamus is also a spell that involves a high degree of passion and aggression as its purpose is to disarm or knock an opponent back, hence why its fitting to be red as well.

This has always seemed out of place to me. I don't consider green to be an evil color. It's often used as a symbol of nature. As in growth, healing, and life. As you said though it is also used as a representation of envy, toxicity, and spirits. Red is more of an evil color in my opinion. Sometimes representing the devil, demons, danger, and blood but it is also used as a symbol of love and passion. Red is actually my favorite color but I still consider it to be more evil than green. I think the killing curse should have been black or red. Or have the spells be similar to how they are in The Dresden Files where a person's spell color and look would vary between the casters. My fire spell might be red but a different wizard using a fire spell might have blue fire instead.

An interesting exception to the spell colors is Floo Powder, which produces a green flame despite being a completely harmless transportation spell. I think this means we could be thinking about the green color entirely wrong, because the more typical green spells can also be thought of as transporting something, even if it's a stretch. Floo powder transports the person, Imperius transports bodily control away, Avada Kedavara transports the soul into the afterlife. Thought like this, Snape's bluish Avada Kedavara on Dumbledore could be seen as reluctance.

Without scrolling to the base of 123 comments, I can't know if I'm being repetitive by asking, but, in terms of the movie, those golden-yellow flaming bolts Minerva throws at Severus...from what spell did those derive? And the death-dealing elephant in the room, those (presumably) curses that Molly threw at Bellatrix?

One could go down so many different roads with this subject. Well done on your theory of choice! I agree that spell colors are not random, and I'm glad you addressed the potential that the spell caster's intent may dilute the resulting color. Also, considering that the wand and the spell caster are connected, perhaps the wand type plays a role in spell color? Or not. Either way, do we know if Rowling has spoken about spell color?

I always figured the spell colors were based on what type of spell it was. Base spell, hex, jinx, charm, curse, Etc.

Your voice sounds extra comforting in this video, I love it

I think snape was feeling “blue” when he killed dumbledore and thus the color was a blue green to reflect. Maybe the original purpose of the spell was to put someone out of their misery (painlessly)

You could even go the "energy" route. We know that in the light spectrum, each color has a different energy with red having the least and violet having the most. This fact should factor somewhere in this discussion. But maybe (and most likely) I'm reaching.

Another green spell is Verdimillious And it's visuals are green sparks or green lightning This was the green spell molly used while killing bellatrix Most people think molly used avada kadavra but no she didnt because avada kadavra isnt green sparks or lightning , avada kadavra is a continuous green *BEAM*

Definitely need to go more with this

The shade of green that of snape's when he used it on dumbledore is this same shade of green voldemort used to kill professor charity Burbage, so I don't think that snape's avada kedavra was blue at all or actually that it killed dumbledore, I think snape did cast the curse on dumbledore but he didn't mean it so the curse didn't affect him and that dumbledore died from the fall not the curse it self.

I was always puzzled by Dolohov's purple curse or spell.

Dude how did you find a way to milk harry potter and still makes interesting videos. I would guess it's because every unaddressed question in harry potter is really interesting. Keep going!

First of all, thank you for all the thought you put into these awesome videos. Secondly, I think that it's really cool that depending on the person and also that particular persons actual intentions/heart, it plays a part in the color of the spells. Very interesting subject and I've always wondered what it takes to even create your own spell. Do you give your own spells their own colors. When you create a spell does it take on the color that the creator places on it or do they just not have control. Very difficult to break down. You did good here.

Hey there, I absolutely adore Harry Potter, fanfics, and all the in between! Can you please, please do Weasley's ranked based on power and magical prowess, not their accomplishments. Purely your opinion! I would love to see it

It makes sense to me that the color of a spell changes depending on the casters intentions, Bellatrix said regarding the unforgivable curses “you got to mean it”. So like… yeah.

Imagine your spell color be black. That's be a total nightmare for any night fight. Justs hope it doesn't work like that with Lumos

Video Idea!!! : Do you think Harry could have been an obscurial? Just saying, his magic was repressed for quite some time, and there was little love given to him at the Dursleys’. I also know that there were a few instances in which his magic was expressed, but that was not often. Do you think Hagrid ultimately saved Harry because he was the one that helped Harry make a stand in the Wizarding World?

my theorie is that the killing spell was intended as dying aid in the first place So in the history there sure was illnes and sickness that where cause by spells potions or magical viruses that where not treatable there was not a cure for them at some point and if the process of passing was painfull suffering every day then it might have been better to just end the life in the eyes of a fiew i personaly think like this too if its inevitable and painfull to a degree where u regulary pass out why suffering? so the spell actualy is is a sad one (blue) or even ment for suicide the ill intend is what it let apear to become green the more ill the intend the greener it is dumbledore was cursed and about to die anyway but the curse was not only used to end his suffering it was used to trick someone else so the use of it was not entirely pure

Can you do a video on all the wizardry laws

This is fascinating, colors have energy. And what is a spell, magical energy so of course they have a color. I like the explanation of why they are each the color they are

Snape's Avada Kedavra was only blue in the movies. In the books, it specifically says that a jet of green light shot from Snape's wand

Even Snape when he did the killing cruse on Dumbledore was not green more blue/white. The books say so much more than the movies.

I was wondering if the spell caster could affect the color, as was mentioned about feelings while casting the spells.

What if the trio allowed Lupin to accompany them in the deathly hallows? I think that would make a cool what if.

I don‘t think Crucio is really a exception to thr general rule. As it was written in Goblet of Fire, in the graveyard-scene „It was pain beyond anything Harry had ever experienced; his very bones on fire;…“ So Crucio beeing red like fire makes sense

Alternative theory: in places where the colour was not already canonised by the books, the filmmakers chose a colour they thought looked cool and/or wouldn't confuse the audience. i.e. in Goblet of Fire, a green spell (avada kedavra) had just been used to kill Cedric (as well as in other scenes) when crucio was cast on Harry; if both were represented by a green flash, an audience member not altogether very sharp might just see the green flash and wonder 'why didn't Harry die?'

Interesting point on the color of Snape's Avada Kadavra, being bluish because of the fact he didn't want to kill Dumbledore. But it is one of the Unforgivable Curses, intent is required for the spell to even work. We learn that Harry couldn't cast Crucio correctly because he lacked the intent. If Snape was truly lacking the intent I would think that it wouldn't work. Unless that stipulation doesn't apply to Avada Kadavra.

Personally I don't think there is any correlation between the colors in the books, but that's just my conjecture!!! The Cruciatus Curse was only red in the movies, it was never given a color in the books. Also the Sectumsempra was clear, not a colored spell

The Killing Curse has 3 "modes" depending on the intent of how it is used. (Theoretically 4 by my own head-canon) Emerald for Malice, Blue for Melancholy, and Yellow for Apathy. I suspect that if one for some reason used it to save someone or to prevent greater loss of life it would be Red, though I never saw or read of an example used yet of this circumstance

Most awesome vid!!!!!

I think spell colours are complicated. Voldermort's killing curse is green snapes was blue. I think if we kept to the categorical description of the spell then it shud remain green regardless of whether u wanna kill someone or not with even intent or not. A spell is a spell. However I feel the spell colour fluctuations are also caused by the wands. Just my Opinion. Voldermort's wand had a phoenix feather so did snapes. But snapes wand was quite rare it had triple core's phoenix, kelpie and dragon heart string as stated below. Snapes wand - Crafted from ebony from the Connemara mountains and a hardly-ever seen triple core: a phoenix tailfeather and the heartstrings of a Romanian ridgeback and a kelpie, it was an extremely powerful combination, temperamental with any other wizard who might have tried it, even Tom Riddle himself. Due to the complexity of the wand itself I believe these factors can influence wand colour magic. Perhaps cores play a deeper part? I also feel that wand Woods are important to consider. For example it says that Yew wood (Voldermorts wand) - "The wand of yew is reputed to endow its possessor with the power of life and death, which might, of course, be said of all wands; and yet yew retains a particularly dark and fearsome reputation in the spheres of duelling and all curses." - could it be that the soul of Tom Riddle is so evil that the yew wood in his wand is an amplifier of that evil that his Avada Kedavra is the brightest green colour in the whole francise. Could his wand even be the elder wand version of dark magic. Snapes wand is made of Ebony - "This jet-black wand wood has an impressive appearance and reputation, being highly suited to all manner of combative magic, and to Transfiguration. Ebony is happiest in the hand of those with the courage to be themselves." Yes snape used an unforgiveable curse on dumbledore it makes him look evil. But he had the courage to remain true to himself which was deep down a good guy and perhaps intent is a factor but the triple core and wood type I believe just reflects that Snapes soul is not evil. I think the blue is a representation in the movies to show he is not truly on the side of the death eaters. It's to make him stand out. Belatrix was evil and her curse was green. I wonder if some spells are connected with, core, wood, and casters soul? If not... Then I believe a killing spell shud be green whether you are evil or good inside.

I think the colors fall in the category’s of the spells but based off of jinx vs hex. Curse vs charms. Ect

What if the colors of the spells are based off the caster's emotions at the time they cast the spell. Even evil witches and wizards have emotion but they are negative and dark emotions. Such as anger hatred and racism. I have always thought the color of the spells were tied to the emotions of the casters, And this would make sense when there are so many variations of colors just in one spell itself such as avada cadavera. And a funny theory about avada cadavera you know the 2nd part of the words, cadavera, Reminds me of the word, cadaver meaning a dead body .

It’s all to do with the type of Kyber at the core of the weapon and the purity of the Tibana Gas used in its gas cartridge.

Interesting. I never put a lot of thought in but just assumed different schools of magic.Magix.. curse. Hex. Conjuring. Destructive etc

Well, color me skeptic!

Odd..Green represents healing magic in role playing games.

I'll bite back a little on the idea of green spells being primarily dark in nature. I agree with red spells being representative of fire, love, heat, power and passion, but if you were to invert that for green spells, you would get calm and serenity. Imperio is green because it's a nonviolent way to end a conflict. Even its sensation is described as near complete calm, peace and a 'floating' sensation. Avada Kedavra follows the same principle. It kills, but not violently, and it's described more than once as painless. "Quicker than falling asleep". Both of these spells - although dark - are ways to decisively and painlessly end any conflict as quickly as possible, preventing further bloodshed and further supporting the idea of serenity and peace. This is in stark contrast to Crucio which fits its red colour due to its more tortuous and violent nature when compared to the other two

Based on the person writing these books the colors likely don't have a deep meaning but she likely added a meaning to it half way through. So we all basically have to wait for the writer to make of her mind honestly as to what if anything the colors of the spells mean. Could just by a nod to the house founders red green blue gold/yellow and purple for all we know is a founder that was not mentioned in the books but she had planned to add but never did. Who knows.

What about snapes yellow version of expelliarmus in chamber of secrets

the colors are pleasing lol nice cgi too in the movies for the spells

"Red is warm and not hateful" crucio be like : oh boy you're in the wrong x)

I'm not much of a fan so I don't remember much of anything, so don't take this question like I'm suggesting a known fact. Rather, I'm genuinely unsure if it might be the answer. Could it be more like Spell School? As in, Necromancy = green. Avada Kedavra is a spell of death, which would fall under Necromancy in Dungeons & Dragons typically. Such as Finger Of Death which I think might be green? Actually, it doesn't say. Oddly, Disintegrate does, and is green... but that's Transmutation. Still, maybe HP uses green for Necromancy?

this sounds a lot like chemistry, exceptions everywhere!

You can only cast Killing curse with the intent to kill, any other purpose will just not launch the spell

I think they missed out on an opportunity in the movies. The yin and Yang of Harry’s and Voldemorts eye colour matching the spell colour of the opposite person. Green eyes, green killing curse. Red eyes, Red…. Why can’t I think of Harry’s spells. …I’m just going to replace Harry’s spell with scorpions “get over here” from mortal kombat.

What do you know about blue bell flames

I learn spells = to what house your in. So your most likely to used spells that’s best suited to you house

How fascinating

All spells: Avada Kedavra Expelliarmus Imperio Morsmordre Stupefy Incendio Reducto Auguamenti Immobulus Sectumsempra Crucio

I actually think expelliarmus can be quite evil, imagine you are on the dark side and you have the power to disarm your opponent and make an advantage

This blue my mind

And don't forget, green is the color of TIE Fighter Turbo Lasers

Nice

Interesting for sure.

how about the spell credic diggory used yellow

I think the colors were just stolen to from the same concept of Star Wars' light saber colors.

But isn't crucio red? Which is purely to cause suffering?

It's interesting since star wars has some parallels but green is good and red is bad.

Do a video if wands have a sister just like they have a brother

What if Harry Potter could use Legilimency?

Why cant it be red and green cuz jk rowling wanted it to represent gryfindor vs slytherin ;D

Harry : Sirius is- Ministry: No. Harry: Voldem- Ministry: No. The Ministry has Press Censorship, nothing else to be honest.

Interestingly, in Ancient Egyptian beliefs/mythology Red was considered the color of Chaos/Deadliness while Black was the color of Life/Goodness. Additionally I mostly enjoy your content but you take a bit too much from the films compared to the actual books. Also in real life history Purple was the color of Wealth & Royalty.

I’d say the hue of Snape’s was absolutely just because of the production and has nothing to do with anything else. Seems like a lot of reaching to me.

Avadaaa

Why not the color depends on who invented it?

RED Spells are favorite spells and harry Potter house at Hogwarts is my favorite house and also I'm also in harry same Hogwarts house

okay, but why is it not the complete opposite because in most of the movies like star wars red just means evil and darkness and green means the light side and peace! why is it the complete opposite in the harry potter movies😧😧😧😧

I honestly dont think that james potter would have grown out of being a bully, as the dont it would have gotten worse as he got older, and like anakin, padme and lilly should have left them both, anakin after he admitted to whacking the sand people..

Hi ho silver

Green is also Slytherin.