10 Most Shocking Moments From Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is now out in theaters worldwide and fans everywhere are flocking to the theater to dive back into the beloved wizarding world.
Not much was known about the film prior to its release as the only information fans knew about Newt Scamander was that he was a magizoologist that wrote Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a book required by all students who attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
From trailers and clips, fans pieced together that the film would revolve around the accidental release of several beasts by a No-Maj (American word for muggle). But fans are in for a surprise as the films plot twists and turns in many unexpected ways.
This post will contain spoilers for the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, so proceed with caution.
How the Niffler Stole the Show
What many people were most excited about with the film was the magical creatures themselves. The Harry Potter had its fair share of beasts, but many of the magical creatures in the books were cut for plot points. Not in Fantastic Beasts, though. From bowtruckles to the Occamy, the film has no shortage of wonderful creatures. But the beast that stole the show was definitely the niffler. A platypus-looking creature with an affinity for shiny things, the niffler was by far the cutest creature that will have the audience in tears from laughing so hard at its mischievous antics to get its paws on as much gold and silver as possible.
Credence Barebone is the Obscurus
Fantastic Beasts has both human and non-human villains alike. The Obscurus is a parasitic creature that attaches itself to a host, often a young child around the age of 10. Many probably suspected that the Obscurus was Modesty Barebone, adoptive daughter of Mary Lou Barebone, founder of the New Salem Philanthropic Society. The film certainly makes you think that with an ominous feeling of magic surrounding the child. So it came as quite the shock when it is revealed the Credence is the Obscurus. Of course it makes sense as Credence is a squib and seems to have internalized his magic as a result of the abuse he faces from his adoptive mother. Credence’s age makes him a very powerful Obscurus as most die by the age of 10 and Credence has immense control over his powers so much that Graves never even suspects him.
Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Image: Warner Bros.
Obliviating Jacob
Jacob Kowalski’s character is nothing we have ever before seen in the wizarding world. While Harry Potter has muggle-borns and occasionally introduces a few muggle characters, there is no muggle character that aids the the characters in the way that Kowalski does. Jacob, a No-Maj, accidentally finds himself in the midst of the wizarding world where the wizards need his help despite his lack of magical abilities. But when the adventure is over, the wizards are quick to make sure Jacob has no memory of his time in the wizarding world. The tear-filled goodbye was hard to swallow as viewers come to love Jacob throughout the film, and it is clear that so do the wizards. But the final scene with Queenie suggests that this will not be the end of Jacob’s role in the wizarding world.
Dumbledore and Newt’s Relationship
There is a brief scene, which you can watch here, in which Graves questions why Dumbledore would fight so hard to keep Newt at Hogwarts after one of Newt’s creatures endangered students at the school. Dumbledore has a history of protecting those who are often misunderstood at Hogwarts and his defense of Newt reminds us of Dumbledore’s fight to keep Hagrid at Hogwarts even after his expulsion. While that is all we hear of Dumbledore in the film, we can expect to see Albus in the sequel and perhaps we will see how his and Newt’s friendship grows and how they might possibly work together to bring an end to Grindelwald.
Grindelwald
While fans already knew that Grindelwald would have a short cameo in the film, many will not be prepared to find out that Grindelwald was Graves all along. (Unless of course you already read about Ezra Miller accidentally revealing this huge spoiler) At the end of the film, Newt seems to discover something is off about Graves and performs a revealing spell on the wizard who promptly turns into Grindelwald. It is not clear if Grindelwald was using polyjuice potion to pose as Graves for the whole film, or just part. Either way, fans will definitely not see that transformation coming!
Newt’s Fierce Love and Loyalty
Newt Scamander is the protagonist of the film and he is not quite what we expect of Harry Potter heroes. He is quiet and quirky, often awkward and rarely makes eye contact with whoever he is talking to. But like the Harry Potter trio, the viewer will come to love Newt for his fierce love and loyalty to his creatures and his determination to do what’s right. When Newt is arrested by MCUSA, his concern is not for himself but rather for his magical creatures to not be harmed. Newt may remind viewers a bit of Hagrid as they both share an immense love for magical beasts and fight for the often misunderstood creatures. It will be impossible to leave the movie without loving every little thing about Newt.
American Wizards and No-Maj’s
In Harry Potter, the relationship between the wizarding and non-magical world is cordial. The Ministry of Magic works with the muggle government to protect the non-magical world and while many wizards live in their own wizarding communities, it is more out of a desire for community than hiding. But in 1920’s America the relationship between wizards and no-maj’s is tense and dangerous. While the wizards seek to remain secret, groups such as the New Salem Philanthropic Society seek to expose witches and persecute them for the dangers they pose to society. This is quite the turn from the wizarding world, and Fantastic Beasts deals with not only fighting magical villains but non-magical ones as well.
Next: Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them: Is Credence Barebone Dead?
How Wizards Live in America
Also different than the wizarding world we know in Harry Potter, wizards live in very close proximity to their non-magical counterparts. While we don’t know what is typical of rural wizards in America, the urban dwelling seems to offer little refuge from No-Maj’s. While the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MCUSA) and the magical jazz bar seem to offer a glimpse into the American magical world, it appears that wizards and muggles in America have little distance between their very different lifestyles.