The bruises vs. cruciatus is a bit inconsistent, yes. The only explanation I can think of is that he doesn't want people to think he had to resort to physical violence because he lost his temper, but as far as I can tell it's not alluded to as a motivation in the story, just my own reasoning.

He bows to political pressure because he wants to goodwill of his people, not just dominion over them.

 

To answer Sree, I think it was said that his aims are not to murder all muggles, merely to remove wizarding society from their influence. Voldemort's solution was to make the society totally removed from muggles.

Voldemort's position is unique in government because he is nominally in charge of the country, but was not elected or inherited to the title, as well as not likely to lose his position any time soon (immortality etc). I see him in a position much like Stalin, in total control using methods like propaganda and icons like Harry to control the populace, while still engaging in the petty acts of violence that define his character.

 

Voldemort doesn't have his horcruxes anymore, at some point in the story(I can't remember which book) Harry does a ritual or something and somehow puts Voldemort's soul back together.

 

Was that what that was? I was under the impression that Harry asked for Voldemort to regain the ability to empathise. It's book 4 btw.

 

That ritual does something (its not made that explicit) to Voldemort's horcruxes and his empathy.

 

Voldemort is still an evil murdering heartless bastard. He's just slightly less heartless now.

 

I wouldn't call Voldemort stable at all. He's charasmatic and a superb leader but he also has his moments where he comes off as utterly inhuman. See the end of book two and this latest chapter in particular.

I think a fight between Harry and Voldemort is inevitable. Harry knows Voldemort is capable of practically anything, but Voldemort has been careful to hide his more depraved activities.

 

It hasn't happened yet, but the prophecy definitely exists in some form or another, so chances are they're going to have a smackdown.

Spoiler

Voldemort went after Neville and killed him, so believes the prophecy is null and void. Snape knows better

.

 

Harry's ritual was to force Voldemort to have the ability to empathise, but had the effect of shoving all his soul pieces back into his body (as I understand it). So, this makes him more stable, and able to experience emotions, but he is still a cold-hearted evil motherfucker is is willing to wheel, deal, and kill anyone who gets in his way. I definitely see a point where, Voldemort does something unforgivable (massacre, assassination of someone Harry knows, or others) that he thinks is fine but Harry doesn't. There will definitely still be a confrontation there.

 

From the snippets we've seen this voldemort, especially after the ritual, seems more interested in ruling the world than in being the terrorist murdering bastard of Rowling's world. This is the cold-blooded despot who really doesn't care upon how many corpses he builds his castle, so long as he has one person he respects to show off that castle to.

 

I remember a pm I got from the author that hinted towards Harry going against Voldemort in a far future. Granted, it was years ago but if the author planned the story and didn't change his mind, it will still happen.

The prophecy is still at work, is it not? Besides, didn't Bob scare Voldemort saying Harry would turn on him, just as Voldemort did with his mentor?

 

I've been kind of interested in this whole Tom angle of late. He is moving around in the shadows trying to overthrow Voldermort or something and get Harry to himself. Right now he seems to me to be developing more into an evil overlord type than Voldermort himself. After all he seems to think that Voldermort has been too slack or something in dealing with certain "problems" like the werewolves for example. I think he is going to play an important role in how the whole thing turns out especially since we seem to already be about half way through book six and nobody is even aware of his presence.

 

Maybe, but he seems a bit too background to me. He was set up as a minor villain, all creepy and sneaky, but not as menacing as other characters. I think he'll turn up at the endgame and massively complicate things, but he will not be a Littlefinger type who plays everyone and comes out on top.

 

The whole reason Voldemort hasn't already killed him is because of Ron, really.

 

I'm waiting for the inevitable Harry Viktor meeting.