10 Deadliest Spells In The Harry Potter Universe

1. Avada Kedavra

Voldemort Avada Kedavra
Warner Bros.

What does it do? Kills you. Unless you're Harry Potter. Which you aren't.

It's no surprise to see Avada Kedavra top the list, really. By sheer definition, it's literally the deadliest spell in the Harry Potter universe and its potency has been displayed many, many times across the series of wizarding books and movies.

It's one of three 'Unforgivable Curses' - spells that if used, will instantly land the perpetrator in a whole heap of trouble, which usually involves a lengthy stint in Azkaban prison. That's rather fair, too. Avada Kedavra can't be blocked or deflected in any way, and leaves its victim helpless, blasted by a ray of green light and swiftly met with an instant death.

We've seen powerful wizards like Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore and the Potters meet their maker at the hands of Avada Kedavra, along with Hedwig the owl, Cedric Diggory and even Frank Bryce, the caretaker of the Riddle household who we saw at the start of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

It's all-consuming, terrifying and definitely deadly - the only positive here is that the death is painless. Which, unfortunately, won't really be any consolation to the deceased.

What's your favourite spell in the Harry Potter universe? Let us know in the comments below!

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Danny has been with WhatCulture for almost nine years, and is currently Doctor Who Editor and WhoCulture Channel Manager, overseeing all of WhatCulture's Whoniverse coverage. He has been writing and video editing for 10+ years, and first got a taste for content creation after making his own Doctor Who trailers and uploading them to YouTube (they're admittedly a bit rusty by today's standards). If you need someone to recite every Doctor Who episode in order or to tell you about the making of 1988's Remembrance of the Daleks, Danny is the person to ask.