Harry Potter fans finally learn why his scar is shaped like a lightning bolt

The Harry Potter series is rich with lore, and despite most questions having received an answer since the first book was published in 1997, there is still one mystery for which the conclusion eludes us.

It is hard to believe that Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was first released way back in 1997 with its movie adaptation following in 2001.

In related news, check out the trailer for Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions below!

Since then, multiple books, movies, and games have stemmed from the magical series - and its fanbase is as dedicated today as they were almost 30 years ago.

However, there is one important feature of the story that has never officially received an explanation.

Harry’s scar.

Being one of the most iconic scars in fiction, it is no wonder that fans are eager to learn why exactly it is shaped like a lightning bolt.

Although J.K. Rowling has previously said it is because she thought the shape was “cool”, some fans believe it is to do with the killing curse itself.

The discussion previously kicked off over on r/harrypotter, with one user asking: “Why does Harry Potter have a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead?"

They continued, “I understand that it’s because he’s the 'boy that lived', but there must be some kind of real world reason that J.K. Rowling made it lightning bolt shaped and on his forehead? Something to do with the third eye possibly?”

Comments soon started to roll in with some fans believing it isn’t a lightning bolt but just jagged and others thinking it could be linked to the ancient rune meaning “victory”.

However, the most common belief is that it was caused by the wand movement during the killing curse.

“In-world, it's the wand movement for Avada Kedavra,” one user explained.

Although this is not a canon explanation, it does make sense and definitely sounds a lot better than choosing a lightning bolt just because it was “cool”.