Now, supposedly the Elder Wand makes the wielder unbeatable, but it can only be inherited through victory over it's previous master (even if that wand is somehow not physically present) - but for a wand that grants is owner what is essentially absolute power, those masters are still defeated one after another; it's an absolute paradox and it's totally understandable why people get confused. Fortunately, I have an answer for y'all 😉
Traditionally, killing the owner of the Elder Wand was the primary method of transferring ownership but JK Rowling has proven that that isn't the only way to inherit its loyalty. Disarming the owner, and apparently beating the owner in wrestling also officially count as methods to force the wand's loyalty change...which is basically how Harry Potter himself supposedly gained the wand's loyalty. But why? What is the single unifying concept behind every instance where the Elder Wand has supposedly changed loyalty without murder? *Emotional Surrender*.
Grindelwald stole the Elder Wand from Gregorovitch, saddening the older wand maker who gave up because he believed he'd never see that wand again.
Draco inherited the Wand from Dumbledore because the great wizard felt dismayed for the plight Draco was put into by Voldemort and his family, as well as being afraid for the boy's future. Also Dumbledore completely surrendered to Draco without a fight.
Harry inherited the Wand from Draco when the two fought physically, leaving Draco afraid of Harry Potter and seemingly believe Harry was superior or stronger than him.
Whenever the Wand detects fear or surrender in its master is when it changes allegiance. In some ways, the Elder Wand works like a placebo - it only protects you and makes you victorious so long as you believe it will work for you (if you actually do own it). There's no doubt that the Wand is exceptionally powerful, but you can only rely on that power so long as you are confident in your strength and the strength of the wand itself. Once you start to doubt yourself or it, you have lost the wands' full power.
Now, the reason Voldemort did not inherit the Elder Wand when Harry surrendered himself, expecting to die, is because Harry never actually surrendered to Voldemort, nor did he believe Voldemort was his superior. Harry didn't give up and allowed himself to die, he willingly sacrificed himself so his allies could finish winning. This means Harry's surrender was a chess-like strategy towards' victory, not a White-Flag surrender to a superior opponent. Harry never believed Voldemort was unbeatable and Harry never really doubted that either he or his allies would defeat Voldemort. Because of that mindset and belief in himself, his strategy, and his allies, there was no "Emotional Surrender" for the Elder Wand to interpret as a signal to change loyalty.
However, if Voldemort indeed had become the master of the Elder Wand at some point, he would not have been able to keep its loyalty. Because Voldemort feared Harry Potter and eventually recognized that Harry could ultimately defeat him, the Wand would have sensed this extensive fear and panic and would have relinquished its loyalty to Voldemort in favor of the only wizard left alive that Voldemort feared. In fact, it's even possible that with Voldemort's intense fear of death itself he was completely incapable of ever earning the loyalty of the Elder Wand in the first place as it cannot properly serve a master that is consumed by fear.
I hope you all enjoy Fantastic Beasts this November!
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