Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore's plot is set up in 6 ways during Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – here's how. Although the movies remain centered around Newt Scamander and his friends, the overarching thrust of the narrative is clear: this is the story of the rise and fall of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will skip forward in time by almost a decade, giving the evil wizard plenty of time to gather a loyal following. Based on the Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer, Dumbledore has acquired a whole new team to fight against Grindelwald. In addition, it seems like the movie will also be returning to Hogwarts once again.
Although Grindelwald attempts to present himself in a sympathetic light, deploying his silver tongue to effortlessly manipulate Queenie Goldstein, he's presented as a straightforward villain. When Grindelwald and his followers arrive in Paris, they choose a house as their base and slaughter the Muggle inhabitants without any qualms; they even murder a toddler. By Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald's ending, Grindelwald has achieved everything he wanted, essentially igniting a war between his followers and the rest of the wizarding world. It's reasonable to assume he's going to return to Germany and continue to build his power base there, but the global reach of Grindelwald's vision shouldn't be underestimated. With all of the excitement and secrecy surrounding the plot, Fantastic Beasts 3 is generating excitement about tying up these loose ends despite Crimes of Grindelwald's lukewarm reception.
On April 6th, 2022, audiences will get to see Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore in theaters. According to director David Yates, each Fantastic Beasts movie will be set in a different city. Given that Grindelwald is strongly associated with the rise of Nazism, it's entirely possible that one of the Fantastic Beasts movies will be in Berlin, and will reveal the nature of the relationship between Grindelwald and Adolf Hitler himself. Going by its trailer, however, Fantastic Beasts 3 is set both in Rio de Janeiro and Hogwarts. Whatever Rowling's plans may be for the future, though, here are all the major plot beats and character arcs that Fantastic Beasts 2 sets up for Fantastic Beasts 3.
What The Fantastic Beasts 3 Trailer Confirms About Where The Plot Picks Up From Crimes Of Grindelwald
At the end of The Crimes of Grindelwald, the status of the dark Wizard's movement hangs in the balance, though it's certainly growing (and fast, at that). Queenie had made the jump over to Grindelwald's side, as he finds her skills useful. Dumbledore tasks Newt with his help in defeating Grindelwald, while Jacob hitches on for the ride. Finally, Credence's true identity is revealed to be Aurelius Dumbledore (maybe). Based on the Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer, certain crucial plot points can be ascertained. Credence is still on Grindelwald's side, and it seems like the dark wizard is using his Obscurial as a weapon. There's no telling as of yet if Credence is actually related to Albus, but given the title, it seems highly likely. There's a near 10-year gap between The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore, so Grindelwald has had ample time to continue his fascist movement. The Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer reveals exactly that, and the movement he started during Fantastic Beasts 2 is only growing stronger.
The Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer also shows that Queenie remains on the dark side, and Jacob is still in love with her. Dumbledore asked Newt to help him with Grindelwald's defeat, as he's bound by a blood curse. It seems that Newt will make good on that promise in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, along with his brother Theseus and a few other friends. Jacob is tagging along too, though not as willingly this time around. All of this and more will be explored when Fantastic Beasts 3 comes out, but expectations have now been set.
1. Credence Is Back And Seems To Be Fighting Dumbledore
The Fantastic Beasts movies are very much the story of Credence Barebone. The first movie asked a simple question; "What is Credence?" The second followed it up with another, "Who is Credence?" In a recent interview, Ezra Miller suggested that he expects Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore to ask another key question; "Why is Credence?" J.K. Rowling knows full well that she's stirred up a hornet's nest of fan speculation by rewriting (and arguably improving) the Harry Potter canon and revealing that Credence is actually Aurelius Dumbledore. It's safe to assume that Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will explain the circumstances of Credence's birth, and why he wound up being sent on a ship to New York. Presumably, it will also resolve a few other mysteries: does Albus Dumbledore know who Credence really is? Did Grindelwald have any idea he was looking for a Dumbledore when he headed to New York in the first Fantastic Beasts movie? And if not, how did he learn the truth?
It's important to remember that Grindelwald recruited Credence for a reason. He believes that Credence will be a powerful weapon against Albus Dumbledore, the one wizard he cannot defeat. A master manipulator, Grindelwald will tell as many lies and half-truths as possible to get Credence on his side - as proven at the end of Fantastic Beasts 2, when he claimed that Albus Dumbledore wants Credence dead. Viewers already know the truth, that Albus has been deliberately sending a man filled with compassion in an attempt to save him from Grindelwald's influence. Meanwhile, it's interesting to note that the maledictus Nagini – Credence's one friend – did not choose to side with Grindelwald in the end. Nagini's relationship with Credence could potentially divide Credence's loyalties, and give Albus a chance to rescue his relative. Although Nagini only played a minor role in Fantastic Beasts 2, she's sure to be far more important to the plot of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
2. The Blood Pact Is Back And Working Against Dumbledore
It seems Albus Dumbledore has been working against Gellert Grindelwald for quite some time: he was the one who manipulated Newt Scamander into going to New York in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, conveniently equipped with all the creatures he needed to capture Grindelwald and Obliviate an entire city's worth of No-Majs. But the Blood Pact has restricted Dumbledore from acting openly, preventing him from going one-on-one against Grindelwald in a Wizard's Duel. No doubt Grindelwald was happy to leave the Blood Pact in place, content to work around its limitations. Dumbledore, however, will want to break the bond between the two old friends. But that process is going to take time; after all, it's an established fact in Harry Potter lore that Albus Dumbledore won't defeat Grindelwald in battle until 1945. So it's safe to assume that the Blood Pact will continue to limit Dumbledore's influence in the war for at least Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Hopefully, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will at least explain how the Blood Pact works. It's a brand new idea in J.K. Rowling's canon, and at the moment it's unclear how comfortably it sits with the established story. If the Blood Pact was forged while Dumbledore and Grindelwald were still close friends, how could the two get caught up in the three-way Wizard's Duel that killed Albus's sister Ariana? Or was it created afterward, with a grief-stricken Albus manipulated into agreeing to a hasty Blood Pact before Grindelwald finally left Godric's Hollow? The Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer reveals nothing else about the Blood Pact but it's certain to play a key role in driving the story.
3. Dumbledore's New Group Is The Order Of The Phoenix's Origins
Albus Dumbledore has always been a secretive man. By the time of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, he's already built up a reputation for having a network of agents who he works with under the radar. The film introduced one key member of that group, the French alchemist Nicolas Flamel. In one key scene, Flamel opened a Rolodex with a Phoenix insignia emblazoned upon it and used it to discuss matters with a witch. Given the close association between the Dumbledores and the Phoenix, it's safe to say this Rolodex is how Dumbledore's agents and allies communicate with one another. The insignia suggests they're a proto-Order of the Phoenix – they may even already operate under that name.
The witch Flamel spoke to is Professor Eulalie "Lally" Hicks, a Professor at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the United States. While viewers only see a hint of Professor Hicks in Fantastic Beasts 2, over on Twitter Rowling has stated that "her true glory is revealed in FB3." That may hint that the Fantastic Beasts franchise returns to America at some point. Given the Stock Market Crash of 1929 caused the Great Depression and enabled the rise of Nazism in Germany, it's possible that Grindelwald will return to the US to wreak havoc, and that the eventual plot will even explore Ilvermorny. The Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer only shows the Ilvermorny Professor, Rio de Janeiro, and Hogwarts, so it's doubtful that America is coming back into the picture soon.
4. Queenie’s Back And Seems To Be Fully Team Grindelwald
The greatest shock in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald was undoubtedly Queenie's betrayal. The sweet-natured witch was one of the targets of Grindelwald's manipulation throughout the sequel. He saw the potential of having such a powerful Legilimens at his side, and carefully shaped his message to appeal to the pain in her heart. There's a tragic irony in the fact that the love of a No-Maj led Queenie to side with the man whose followers happily slaughter Muggles. It will be interesting to see how Queenie is portrayed in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, but based on the Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer, she's still on Grindelwald's side. She may be presented as naive, with Grindelwald avoiding circumstances in which she'd realize the true nature of his cause. Or Grindelwald might instead gradually expose her to the truth, slowly desensitizing her, corrupting and twisting the powerful young witch.
There's no way Jacob and Tina will simply stand by and leave Queenie at Grindelwald's side. Indeed, as much as Queenie's betrayal in being criticized by many viewers, it's a smart move in narrative terms; it gives Jacob a powerful arc for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, as he attempts to reach the woman he loves. The Fantastic Beasts story is heading in a direction never seen before in the Harry Potter world, with lovers and even sisters standing on different sides of the battle. It's a fascinating new approach for Rowling. Note that the No-Maj Queenie loves, Jacob Kowalski, has a surname that's traditionally associated with Polish Jews. The association between Grindelwald and Adolf Hitler means that Jacob's family would be in the firing line – there's no guarantee they all emigrated to the United States. Fantastic Beasts 3 should show how Queenie reacts to the storms of prejudice and bigotry that Grindelwald will whip up.
5. Newt Scamander Has Chosen To Fight With Dumbledore
That brings us neatly to Newt Scamander himself. Newt has always considered himself something of an outsider, more comfortable with his creatures than with people. As a result, Newt has always tried to stay on the sidelines in times of conflict. During WWI, he was happy to serve on the Eastern Front in a program that worked with dragons, while his brother Theseus became a decorated war hero. But Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald ultimately led Newt to choose a side. The death of Leta Lestrange has united Newt and his brother in grief and even rage. The Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer has shown that Newt chose his side wisely: he's fighting alongside Albus Dumbledore.
It's important not to underestimate Newt Scamander. He does seem to be a fairly competent duelist - no doubt quick spellwork has saved his life when he's gotten too close to a dangerous beast on occasion. But his true skill is that he understands the creatures that the wizards don't. The first Fantastic Beasts film revealed just how potent Newt could be: he's able to restrain Grindelwald himself with the Swooping Evil, and then use other beasts to effectively Obliviate an entire No-Maj city. In Fantastic Beasts 2, it is Newt's Niffler who steals the Blood Troth, completely unnoticed by Grindelwald himself. Meanwhile, Newt is still the one man who has shown compassion to Credence, and he could potentially reach the young wizard.
The relationship between Newt and Tina will also surely develop in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, despite her lack of presence in the Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer. There's a tremendously entertaining, albeit hilariously awkward, chemistry between the two characters: they care deeply for one another, and they're on the verge of admitting it too. Hopefully, Rowling won't jump ahead in time too far so viewers miss their first faltering steps as a couple.
6. Theseus Proves The Ministry Is Working With Dumbledore
J.K. Rowling has never seemed particularly fond of the establishment, and Harry Potter's Ministry of Magic has frequently been portrayed as fools at best, villains at worst. In the Harry Potter stories, the Ministry went to great lengths to persuade themselves the threat of Voldemort wasn't real at all. Thankfully, it doesn't look as though Rowling is repeating that plot point in the Fantastic Beasts saga. The wizarding authorities are united in their opposition to Grindelwald – although there are no doubt many traitors who'd be tempted to side with him, the full might of the various Ministries of Magic is already set against the dark wizard. Interestingly, high-ranking members of the Ministry of Magic also seem to know every one of Albus Dumbledore's secrets; they're aware of Dumbledore's personal history with Grindelwald, and Theseus Scamander is even standing nearby when Newt gives Dumbledore the Blood Troth.
As evidenced by the Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer, Theseus is sure to be an important figure in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. He's Head of the British Auror Office, and has already been liaising with the Auror Offices of New York and Paris in his efforts to defeat Grindelwald once and for all. The death of his beloved Leta Lestrange in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald will give him a very personal reason indeed to want Grindelwald brought to justice. Now, he's a part of the team that will go on to fight Grindelwald- proving that for once the Ministry is on Dumbledore's side.
Fantastic Beasts 3 Theory: How Dumbledore Breaks The Blood Pact
