Wowza. Wow. Wowza. That is our instant reaction to the latest trailer for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2," which just hit the Interwebs Thursday (June 16). Man oh man, is it a doozy. Even for those of us who've read the books over and over again and are fully prepared for what's going to unfold when the film hits theaters on July 17, this latest trailer is so action-packed, so full of intensity and emotion, it's almost too much to handle.
The trailer opens with a distraught Lily Potter (Harry's mom) speaking to her infant son. "Harry, be safe," she says in a strained whisper. "Be strong." Cut to the words "Every moment he's lived has led to this," before an eerie voice-over by evil Dark Lord Voldemort comes in over flashback scenes of key moments in several of the previous seven films.
"Harry Potter, you have fought valiantly," Voldemort sneers. "Now join me, and confront your fate."
From here on out, much like the action in the second half of J.K. Rowling's seventh Potter book, things get very intense. There are flashes of Voldemort in several states of mind and presence, all of them ferocious and teeming with dark force.
"You've kept him alive so he can die at the proper moment," Snape says to him at one point.
Cut to Harry, Ron and Hermione riding a dragon, continuing their dangerous quest for the final horcruxes that will help bring an end to the Dark Lord.
This is followed by the beginning shots, or so it seems, of the epic battle royale at Hogwarts. Death eaters are surrounding the school, and Professor McGonagall orders the magical protectors of the school to come to life and protect them. What looks like the Dark Lord's army is shown assembled outside the gates, ready to attack, while our favorite Potter protagonists are shown waiting anxiously inside the school.
Suddenly the final battle is in full swing, wands slinging, wizards clashing, all of which can be very briefly summarized by these words: death and destruction.
In the midst of all the madness, there are emotional moments that seem to show favorite characters preparing to meet certain death. One poignant moment occurs in a brief exchange between Harry and Snape, a character who has always mysteriously walked the line between good and evil.
"Tell them how it happened that night," Harry says angrily to Snape, before a flashback of Dumbledore's death appears onscreen. "How you looked him in the eye, a man who trusted you, and killed him!"
There is also a brief moment where Harry is surrounded by the ghostly presences of his loved ones, people like his mother and godfather Sirius Black.
"You'll stay with me?" Harry asks his illusory supporters.
"Always," answers his mother.
"Until the end," Black adds.
The remaining seconds are all about action, action, action — specifically, the fight between Harry and Voldemort.
"Come on, Tom, let's finish this the way we started," Harry says to Voldemort as they stand on the precipice of a cliff. "Together!"
This is followed by more quick cuts of wand-wielding and explosions. And then Voldemort and Harry are shown battling once more, this time crawling toward one wand.
"Only I can live forever," Voldemort says with finality.
