Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory.
In today’s video, we’re going to be taking another look at the trailer for the latest
installment of the Fantastic Beasts films.
While I know many of us were anxiously awaiting a new trailer on the 24th of February, for
now, we’ll have to make do with more theories built around the one that dropped back in
December!
So, let’s get to it!
Okay, so, today’s topic is going to focus on Queenie Goldstein, the beautiful and charismatic
younger sister of American Auror, Tina Goldstein, and what exactly her role will be in The Secrets
of Dumbledore.
As I’m sure most of you can recall, at the end of the last Fantastic Beasts film, The
Crimes of Grindelwald, Queenie quite abruptly alters her allegiances within the Wizarding
World, betraying her loyalty to her friends and sister, in favour of supporting the dark
wizard, Gellert Grindelwald.
Now, I say that Queenie switches sides “quite abruptly” because, in my opinion, it really
didn’t seem like her interests were all that aligned with Grindelwald and the beliefs
of his other followers – or “acolytes” as they’re commonly known.
In fact, when she first comes face-to-face with Grindelwald half-way through the second
film, she seems extremely terrified.
So, how did she go from the somewhat ditzy – albeit incredibly charming – Queenie
that we meet in the first film, to the – dare I say – dangerous and empowered woman we
see presented in the Secrets of Dumbledore trailer?
And what will this new portrayal of Queenie mean for her character arc and overall role
in the film?
I think to answer these questions, we must first start at the beginning of Queenie’s
story within the films.
When we first met Queenie in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, she is a low-level
employee working in the Wand Permit Office for the Magical Congress of the United States
of America – otherwise known as MACUSA.
And although, we discover almost immediately after being introduced to her that Queenie
is an incredibly gifted Legilimens, born with the innate ability to enter another witch
or wizard’s mind and interpret their thoughts, she doesn’t seem all that confident in her
abilities or position as a witch.
She seems insistent that Tina – or “Teenie” as she affectionately refers to her sister
– is the career woman out of the two of them, and that all she does is get coffee
or fix the toilets.
To me, this suggests that Queenie doesn’t put too much emphasis on pursuing higher achievements
within a more traditional wizarding career path – say, that of becoming an Auror or
professor, that kind of thing.
Perhaps she simply wasn’t interested, or maybe she thought putting her magical abilities
into a “career” was a waste of time.
Whatever the reason, it’s pretty clear that Queenie doesn’t put all that much thought
into her magic.
Another example of this is in the way that she “reads people,” apologizing to Newt
Scamander after looking into his mind without his permission: “I know, I'm sorry.
I can't help it.
People are easiest to read when they're hurting,” she says.
In this instance, it’s clear that she doesn’t even have to try when practising Legilimency
– rather, it just comes to her.
So, in my opinion, it’s her lack of interest in magical pursuits that make her so open
to her attraction to Jacob Kawalski, the American No-Maj she meets alongside Newt.
In fact, not only does she seem accepting of his presence, she seems utterly fascinated.
A real-life No-Maj in her brownstone!
So, when the movie ends with her visiting Jacob in his bakery, it’s really not all
that surprising.
Of course, the next film picks up with the two of them wrapped up in a magically-induced
engagement – courtesy of Queenie.
To me, it all seems a bit odd, but I guess the logic behind it makes sense.
As the audience, we’re left to deduce that between the two movies, Jacob and Queenie
became romantically involved – however, not in any formal way due to the MACUSA laws,
which at the time forbade witches and wizards from having any form of relationship with
No-Majs in the United States.
Because of this, it would seem that Jacob refused to officially commit to Queenie for
fear of her being arrested for the “crime” of being with him.
So, Queenie decided to take matters into her own hands, and put an enchantment on Jacob
to coerce him into marrying her.
Of course, upon catching up with Newt, he’s able to see what Queenie’s done and breaks
the enchantment.
This leads to Queenie and Jacob having quite a large argument, which ends with Queenie
disapparating to Paris in search of her sister.
Unable to find Tina upon her arrival in France, Queenie is approached by an acolyte and then
meets Grindelwald.
As mentioned previously, this is the interaction in which Queenie seems incredibly frightened
of Grindelwald and his followers.
But I guess, after hearing what he has to say – which is basically that he’s fighting
for a wizarding world in which everyone is free to love whomever they choose – which
is, of course, total bs – she comes round to the idea that maybe this guy isn’t so
bad after all.
In any case, I really do feel like it happens quite abruptly.
Of course, the film ends with her choosing to leave Jacob, Tina and Newt to join Grindelwald
– so that she can help create a future in which she can BE with Jacob…Honestly, if
that doesn’t sound misguided, I don’t know what does!
In any case, now we’re left to wonder where her allegiance with this dark wizard will
take her.
It seems quite obvious why Grindelwald wanted to lure her to his side – for her Legilimency
abilities.
Afterall, we see her use this valuable skill at the very end of The Crimes of Grindelwald
as she shares Credence Barebone’s feelings with Gellert, saying: “You need to be careful.
He’s not sure he made the right choice.
Be very gentle with him.”
Now, I find the way she words this to be quite interesting.
To me, it suggests that she doesn’t have similar feelings.
When she tells Grindelwald of Credence’s emotions, she doesn’t seem to empathize
with them at all.
She simply presents them matter-of-factly.
It would seem that Grindelwald – despite terrifying her earlier in the movie – doesn’t
need to be careful with Queenie.
She seems to feel that she’s made the right choice.
Which brings us to The Secrets of Dumbledore trailer.
Here we are presented with a very confident, less colourful version of the Queenie we have
come to know and love.
She’s present in just a couple scenes, one of which looks to be a flashback – Queenie
and Jacob are embracing in his bakery back in New York.
Here, her hair is the rich gold colour it used to be and she’s wearing the same pink
outfit that she wore at the end of the first film when she shows up at the bakery.
The second scene, though, is the only “current” depiction we get of Queenie in the trailer.
Dressed all in black, with slicked back, platinum-blonde hair, she carries herself with a certain strength
and purpose we haven’t seen from Queenie before.
Gone is the happy-go-lucky charm that she used to bounce around with.
So, what could this mean for Queenie in The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Well, I think it’s pretty clear that she’s gotten a bit lost in her pursuit of being
free to love whomever she wants.
I would wager that – even though she tells herself that her love of Jacob is why she’s
fighting alongside Grindelwald – she barely even thinks about him anymore.
Instead, she’s motivated by the power she’s assuming.
She’s finally found a reason to invest in her magical abilities for a greater purpose
– something more than being just another MACUSA employee or an Ilvermorny professor.
“For the greater good.”
I think that in this upcoming film, we’re going to see a whole new side of Queenie.
A powerful woman, who, thanks to her talents as a Legilimens, has perhaps become one of
Grindelwald’s most trusted acolytes.
I believe we’ll see her present for many meetings of importance in the movie, so that
she can share the thoughts and desires of those Grindelwald is meeting with.
Sadly, I think in her misguided attempt to secure a future in which she thinks she’ll
have the freedom to love Jacob, she will actually come up against Jacob and the others.
I think she’ll believe she’s doing it for the greater good.
And, unfortunately, I think this will mean that more tragedy is on the way for our protagonists,
Newt, Jacob, and Tina.
I’m hopeful that by the end of The Secrets of Dumbledore, Queenie will recognize that
she’s taken an unwise turn down a dark path, and that she’ll return to her old self once
more.
I don’t think we’ll ever get the overly bubbly Queenie that we first met in Fantastic
Beasts – but perhaps that’s not all together a bad thing.
Hopefully, the Queenie that emerges will be a more confident witch, who values her abilities
and her purpose, but with some of her old charm left intact.
Well, that’s it for today’s video!
As always, I’d love to know what you think.
What do you believe will be Queenie’s role in the new movie?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
And, if you enjoyed this video, don’t forget to like it and subscribe to the channel!
Until next time…
“FOR THE GREATER GOOD.”