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Come Fan with UsSaturday, June 20, 2026

Inflatable Voldemort Is Here To Give You Balloon Nightmares

Bill Hanstock
Bill Hanstock is a writer, author and Emmy Award-winning producer. He began writing for SB Nation in 2011.

There were rumors going around before the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony that Mary Poppins would fight Voldemort. That sounded ridiculous, stupid and way too awesome than what usually happens, so no one really thought it would happen.

Then, an hour into the tape-delayed NBC show, sure enough: GIANT INFLATABLE VOLDEMORT!

Voldemort_medium

Straight up just avada kedavra’d a whole section of the stadium there. It’s okay, that’s where they sat all the plucky London street urchins, who are really starting to become a problem. No one ever talks about that, though.

Loving the breakdancing nightmare henchmen down below, too. Just B-boying it up like gangbusters, as though there’s not a massive balloon dark lord shooting fireworks out of his death-staff.

For more on the Olympics, visit our dedicated 2012 London Olympics hub.

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