Harry: Sir, when you look into the mirror, what do you see?
Dumbledore: I see my little sister, alive and well, not having died at the hand of my choices that I made when I fell in love with a man so evil he made Voldemort look like a walk in the park. I see Grindelwald facing the dichotomy of his views and choosing me over them. I see-
I saw the movie, and I agree with many, it’s got more than a few issues. However, we all need to take a few steps back and look at the whole picture:
This movie is part 2 out of 5. We are used to JK’s stories being in book form, where it is easier to drop hints and foreshadow surprises. In a film, those attempts are seen as “plot holes” or “mistakes.” We need to remember one crucial thing: SHE IS BRILLIANT!!! Her stories are detailed, complex, and full of multiple twists and turns. Let’s please give her some time to be the mind we know she is.
In terms of casting (Depp in particular) I think the movie did a fabulous job. No matter what you believe about his personal life, which is his business and we have NO idea what went down, he is one of the best character actors of all time! He played this character beautifully and brought wonderful depth and life to his story.
I understand where people are coming from when they are angry about the burial of Dumbledore and Grindlewald’s relationship. We all know Dumbledore is gay and, whether Grindelwald reciprocated or not, was desperatly in love with Gellert. Maybe they could have done more and been more open with Dumbledore being gay and that relationship, but again it’s only the second movie!!
Let’s all take a few moments to be happy about all the amazing things Rowling has given us and the world she has shared. We have three more movies, and everything can change!
I feel like a lot of times people forget Dumbledore is a super private person. He wouldn’t even tell the ministry about the blood needle thing. He’s not going to go around telling people how gay he is for Grindelwald, a literal fanatic. Especially when he’s a teacher and probably doesn’t want his kids finding any reason to side with awful people.
There’s also three more movies. And a lot of people online forget that there are a lot of people who are anti gay. Who don’t want to see that and won’t pay for it. There were people blowing up after Beauty and the Beast over Lafou, imagine if they had a kiss in harry potter. I thought this movie was obvious enough about Albus’ feelings while respecting his privacy. But we still have 3 more movies!
I wonder if Dumbledore ever reads news about badass shit Grindelwald has done like his latest prison break and thinks to himself “God that’s hot” before he catches himself.
Albus is sitting in his study, unable to focus on his work. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious man in the graveyard, but the man hasn’t shown up that day and it is all Albus can think about when he hears a knock on his door.
He tries to ignore it, but the visitor knocks again, a bit more impatiently.
Annoyed and not wanting to be disturbed, Albus opens the door, but any word of refusal instantly dies on his tongue as he sees who the insistent visitor is.
Albus: *tries to compose himself*
Gellert: -Here I am.
Gellert: *eyes light up in recognition*
Gellert: Albus. May I call you Albus? I’ve recently read your latest article in Transfiguration Today-
Albus: *is surprised that anyone actually read his article*
Gellert: *launches into a one sided discussion of the article at hand*
Gellert: *realizes that Albus is still looking slightly confused and far from sharing his excitement*
Albus: I’m just surprised that someone found it interesting…
Gellert: The didn’t? Well…
Gellert: *fastens his eyes on Albus for a second too long*
Albus: *fidgets nervously under Gellert’s gaze*
[[ Gellert Grindelwald played by the incredible @kapitan5o ]]
One thing I did like about Crimes of Grindelwald was Jude Law’s expression when Dumbledore was looking into the mirror of Erised. I had expected it to be sad, maybe disgusted, angry, confused. Instead there was this profound sadness and pain, but the hint of a smile & to me it just really seemed as if he was fully aware of this weakness of his (the former love for Grindelwald, even the remnants of it that he continued to feel to this day) and he was able to forgive himself for it. So, so nuanced and bittersweet.
In the cave, Dumbledore relives his worst memory. He pleads with Grindelwald to “stop hurting them, hurt me instead” which always seemed out of character for him. He is Albus Dumbledore. He could have fought Grindelwald to save his siblings.
We know from King’s Cross that at the end of Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s summer together, Aberforth confronts Albus about his neglect of the family. Albus is defensive. Grindelwald and the Dumbledores start to argue, and a fight breaks out. Eventually, Ariana Dumbledore lies dead, and Dumbledore does not know if he or Grindelwald was the one to cast the spell that killed her.
With the information from Crimes of Grindelwald, it all makes sense!!!
Dumbledore and Grindelwald make a blood pact that prevents them from fighting each other. When the fight breaks out between them, they cannot harm each other, but Grindelwald can hurt Aberforth (and Ariana) all he wants, and BINGO! Dumbledore is helpless, and can only plead with Grindelwald to stop (hence, his worst memory). In despiration to stop his siblings’ torture, Dumbledore ignores the blood pact, and shoots a spell at Grindelwald, who coutners with one of his own. But neither can attack the other. The blood pact deflects the spells into poor Ariana, who is killed by one of the curses. Dumbledore does not know who fired the spell that killed his sister.
Beyond that, here’s some speculation: Ariana was sweet and, I imagine, did not start conflict. So if Aberforth confronted Dumbledore, why was Grindelwald torturing both Aberforth AND Ariana (”don’t hurt them, hurt me instead”)? I think Dumbledore confided in him that she was an obscurial. Grindelwald tortured her by calling out the obscurus, and possibly even trying to rip it from her. If he succeeded, he could have preserved it like Newt did with the one from the girl he met before the first movie. Grindelwald unleashes it in a second-salem orphanage in New York, hoping that it finds another host because “it’s useless without a host,” as Grindel-Graves tells Newt. He then manipulates the obscurial he created into believing they are a Dumbledore. The Dumbledore magic coursing through them and their own tortured soul calls a phoenix, convincing them of the ruse. He tells them they were abandoned by Albus, and he creates the perfect assassin who can kill the one person he cannot.
Stop talking and start doing: My Fallout Shelter for my Tumblr blog 