<body><div>It's no secret that the Harry Potter films had to cut out many moments from the popular books. But one time-saving omission is particularly odd because it detracts from the understanding of the title. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friend question the intentions of the self-proclaimed prince who once owned the potions book Harry found. With simplified potion recipes written in the margins, Harry slowly becomes enthralled by the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. But when he discovers dark spells written into the book, there are even more questions about the previous owner. Of course, the movie reveals the Half-Blood Prince to be Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) when Harry tries to use one of the dubious spells against the Death Eaters that killed Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), and Snape stops him, blocking Harry's sectumsempra spell and confirming his identity. But that is all the explanation given.The reveal comes at a tense moment, right after Snape casts the curse that kills Dumbledore, and though it answers the identity of the Half-Blood Prince, it brings up several questions. How did Harry not recognize the handwriting of his teacher after six years of class? And, more to the point, why was Snape called the Half-Blood Prince? The film doesn't explain the nickname that inspired the title, but the books use the name to reveal a little about Snape's past.<h2>Why Did Snape Choose the Name 'Half-Blood Prince'? </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1Ng6r6_0vnPsRhB00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1Ng6r6_0vnPsRhB00" width="1650" height="825" ><figcaption>Image via Warner Bros.</figcaption></figure>As Hermione (Emma Watson) points out, there is no Wizarding royalty, so the so-called Prince is a difficult clue to crack until Hermione discovers a record of a witch named Eileen Prince, thanks to her time in the Hogwarts library. She believes that Eileen could be the Half-Blood Prince, and if not, it could be someone in her family, making Prince a name rather than a title, as the trio first assumed. And, as usual, Hermione is on the right track. After Snape claims the name, Hermione does her research, learning that Eileen Prince is Snape's mother, which explains the name, at least in part. Snape calls himself a Prince in tribute to his mother and her family, but that is only half his chosen name.The first part of the name is slightly more obvious because of the prevalence of blood status throughout the series. Eileen married a muggle man named Tobias Snape, making Severus a half-blood wizard. Though his father was a muggle, Snape showed himself to be prejudiced against the non-magical people by calling Lily Potter (Geraldine Somerville) a "mudblood." That prejudice and his difficult home life (implied by the flashbacks in the final book) give Snape a reason to want to distance himself from his father and his muggle name, inspiring him to come up with something else to call himself. As a half-blood wizard and, through his mother, half a Prince, Snape chose to call himself the Half-Blood Prince, writing it in his potions book for Harry to later find.<h2>Why Did 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' Cut the Explanation? </h2>This omission isn't the most grievous of the cuts the films made. Several elements from the book were not included in the movie, and the brief explanation simply doesn't fit. The ending of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is understandably preoccupied with Dumbledore's death, and adding a scene in the midst of that to explain this detail would have interrupted the emotional impact of Harry losing his professor and mentor. In the end, the information changes little of the story, justifying the cut.However, the explanation of the choice provides an early window into Snape's past, setting up his complex arc. While, at this point, Harry and the audience are led to believe that Snape is evil, the context of his past helps to show him as more than that. Snape's past becomes more significant in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 when his dying memories reveal his love for Lily Potter and his role as Dumbledore's spy. But the inclusion of his mother in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince lays the groundwork for that history, setting him up to live in a muggle area where he meets Lily and hinting there is more to the character.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0qSLRR_0vnPsRhB00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0qSLRR_0vnPsRhB00" width="960" height="1480" ></figure>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince PGAdventureFamilyFantasyMysteryAs Harry Potter begins his sixth year at Hogwarts, he discovers an old book marked as "the property of the Half-Blood Prince" and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort's dark past.Release DateJuly 7, 2009 DirectorCastDaniel Radcliffe , Michael Gambon , Dave Legeno , Elarica Gallacher , Jim Broadbent , Geraldine Somerville Runtime153 minutes Main GenreWritersSteve Kloves , J.K. Rowling The Harry Potter series is available for streaming on Max in the U.S.</div></body>

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Why Does Snape Call Himself the Half-Blood Prince?

It's no secret that the Harry Potter films had to cut out many moments from the popular books. But one time-saving omission is particularly odd because it detracts from the understanding of the title. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friend question the intentions of the self-proclaimed prince who once owned the potions book Harry found. With simplified potion recipes written in the margins, Harry slowly becomes enthralled by the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. But when he discovers dark spells written into the book, there are even more questions about the previous owner. Of course, the movie reveals the Half-Blood Prince to be Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) when Harry tries to use one of the dubious spells against the Death Eaters that killed Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), and Snape stops him, blocking Harry's sectumsempra spell and confirming his identity. But that is all the explanation given.