The Fantastic Beasts franchise is a set of prequels to Harry Potter’s world. We investigate what the magical world was like when their universe was on the verge of a conflict between two types of people: those who had magic and those who didn’t. There would be those who are pure at heart and accept both realities in each of these communities, while evil lurks in the shadows in both worlds.
When the world is on the verge of collapse, two characters rise to the challenge and engage in one of the most legendary magical battles in the history of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The antagonist, Gellert Grindelwald, who is passionate about annihilating the muggles and living free, opposes our protagonist, Albus Dumbledore, who treads carefully because of his past with Grindelwald, which overshadows his next move and in turn, will determine whether peace can genuinely reign.
While Dumbledore’s humble conviction in the coexistence of Muggles and magical folk is based on his humble beliefs, the Order of Merlin joins him in establishing a new global order following the war with Grindelwald. Let’s take a look at who these characters are in this sprawling story of Harry Potter’s forerunners.
Albus Dumbledore: The Most Powerful Wizard After Merlin.
In this film, we see Albus in a new light. It’s 1926 in New York City. A younger Dumbledore meant greater dexterity and easier access to the shadows. Because of the tragedy and controversy surrounding his name, this lineage nevertheless retained significance and grandeur on the verge of glory. However, while Albus was attempting to save the world, his incessant ruminating on the past prevented him from making decisions in the present. He was still a man with a strategy, in any event, or circumstance.
Newt’s ability to follow Albus without question was the source of his strength. He changed the world by being able to have other people’s confidence in him as a commander. He acquired the faith and confidence to stick to his principles and beliefs. When he entrusted Newt with particular responsibilities, he always had the greater good in mind. Albus had a vision of what the world could be if he put his mind to it. That magic could be employed for good, preserving both worlds in such a way that they could thrive without a doubt. He was using the three-card Monte Muggle strategy.
His flaw was that his previous acts were coming back to haunt him in the present. A surge of emotions associated with the loss of his parents and sister would occasionally obstruct his ability to look farther. He was always plagued by death. But he never showed it to anyone. By looking into the fire, he pondered deeply over these thoughts. It would appear that he desired the Phoenix to come to him and relieve him of the responsibilities he was carrying. The irony of this would suggest that he was a soul destined to perform great things in the future, changing the world for the better. He was just unaware of this at the time. He still had a purpose to fulfill.
See More: Character Arc Of Albus Dumbledore In ‘Fantastic Beasts: Secrets of Dumbledore,’ Explained
Gellert Grindelwald: The Lone Destructive Dictator of the Magical World.
We encounter the first destructive dictator of the magical world before Voldemort. With his ability to see into the future, Gellert understood how to use power. Blood was not only a source of strength for him but also a vehicle for his commanding presence in the magical realm. He felt that both witches and wizards should be able to rule the world without the assistance and existence of non-magical people.
Due to his capacity to gain adherents at a rapid speed by whatever means required, Grindelwald is the main adversary in a world that was weak or never had a chance to question him. His method of operation was straightforward. To eliminate Dumbledore, the only obstacle in his path to real power and eventual rule over the magical world.
His vulnerability was scaring his supporters, which would eventually lead to his demise or gradual breakdown of authority. An autocratic tyrant has little chance unless he has a strong enough staff behind him, which he lacked, and he did exactly the opposite. He thought he had nothing to lose, but the truth was that he stood to lose even more if his “weapon,” Credence, turned against him and voted him out in front of the entire confederation during the election in Bhutan.
Credence Barebone: An Obscurial Who Was Fated
With great power comes even greater responsibility. Credence’s childhood was marred by tragedy. He was a small baby who was accidentally swapped by Leta Lestrange when she was a child. Leta unwittingly saved him from drowning in a sea storm, but she was also responsible for the death of her brother, who drowned in the same sea storm.
Credence grew up knowing he was different, but he was unable to manage his abilities. His actual nature was that of an Obscurial (an extraordinarily powerful elemental entity that can shapeshift through molecular matter), and his power sprang from wrath. Anger, a powerful emotion, proved to be damaging to his inner self, shortening his life. His tale is a bit convoluted. His bloodline, on the other hand, proved to be his greatest asset.
Credence discovers his power is now his weakness, and he is dying, when Grindelwald tells him he is a Dumbledore. He pleads with the mirror in Dumbledore’s house that he wants to return home because he can no longer sustain himself. Albus recognizes it and responds by showing him mercy while informing him that they were unaware of his pain and that he must not believe the lies that Grindelwald tells him. Credence begins to see Dumbledore’s true nature and gradually turns his attention to Grindelwald, bringing about his demise.
Newt Scamander: The Only Magizoologist That Saved the World.
Newt Scamander has always been the hero of the magical world’s helpless creatures. He may appear as an orphan, but he has more followers than he thinks or wants to believe. He acknowledges them, but there is no sense of intimacy between them. He is haunted by the fear of being an attaché in the magical world, which is made up of humans who only want to harm the creatures he loves.
Newt’s strength came from his knowledge of creatures and his magical expertise with them. He would gladly immerse himself in this world and consider this type of service to be his life’s vocation. He never doubted Bunty’s talents, but he was concerned about his case when Dumbledore gave Bunty explicit instructions about the luggage. In the future of the magical world, magic was made up of elements that were significantly more complicated than magical creatures.
His flaw, though, was pride. From the first to the third picture, we observe his attitude toward collaborating with others gradually shift. Humans, he claimed, were “just blinkered people.” As time passes, Dumbledore teaches him to see the world in a new light, emphasizing the importance of seeing both sides of the coin in order to do what is right. Once you throw the coin, it doesn’t matter which side lands on your palm, as long as you acknowledge both sides. This reminds us of Harvey Dent’s lucky coin. He always had his luck.
Porpentina and Queenie Goldstein: The Magical Sisters that Chose Different Sides.
Tina Goldstein’s inner desire for justice propelled her mission when she began her career as an Auror in the MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America). She is deeply misunderstood and stands alone until she meets Newt, a remarkable woman of candor and sheer willpower. Her reality shifts fast and unpredictably. Her strength comes from her determination to do what is right, which strangely aligns her with Newt, who finds someone with whom he can share a profound love connection with.
Queenie Goldstein is a beautiful redhead witch who falls in love with Jacob Kowalski, a non-magical American man who wants to be a baker. Queenie is aware of American regulations prohibiting them from marrying a non-maj (non-magical folk), but this goes against her values. By happenstance, she enters the living room of Gellert Grindelwald, who senses her desire to be free and walk among the powerful because she is a Leglimens (one who can read people’s minds). Her strength was to be The Lover and become Jacob’s best friend, but her weakness was her desire for the life she desired, which led her to choose the dark side.
Jacob Kowalski: The Most Precious Ray of Hope in this franchise.
After meeting Newt, Jacob Kowalski, an ambitious American baker, falls in love with Queenie Goldstein. Jacob is an ordinary, non-magical man who is drawn into a chaotic, magical world. Dumbledore drags him into his world because he realizes what is required for the greater good, he believes in a simple way of life.
Jacob’s core strength is in his capacity to help the weak ascend to the top. As Dumbledore correctly points out, it rests in his heart, which is so full of goodness that it overflows, and the world can always do more with that. When his heart is in the right place, occurrences occur to establish schemes with no specific goal other than to confuse Grindelwald and allow the good to work behind the curtain of chaos.
His weakness is his passion for Queenie, which causes him to place himself in perilous circumstances. Grindelwald declares war on Muggles the moment he gains power and inflicts one of the unforgivable curses on him, the Cruciatus Curse. After the combat, Dumbledore expresses his sincerest remorse and fully acknowledges his level of responsibility.
Final Words
We witness a universe that has reached its apex and is nearing the completion of its journey in one magical age. With this film, the Fantastic Beasts franchise completes a circle by revealing that the universe will now see the establishment of a New World Magical Order. This duel ushers in a new era in which Muggles will never know about the other side, and the magical folk will continue to be powerful in their quest to tell us a whole new story. A new generation will unveil a new universe.
See More: ‘Fantastic Beasts: Secrets Of Dumbledore’ Ending, Explained: What Happens To Grindelwald?
