It's no secret that Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them was a huge box office success, and reinvigorated the imaginations and passion of Harry Potter fans around the world. Yet what I'll be talking about today isn't just how great the film was, but how truly phenomenal the protagonist, Newt Scamander, really is.
Where I begin is with the fact that he is a Hufflepuff. Now, you may be thinking, "why is that so significant? It's just his House." Yet consider the way many of us Potterheads view Hufflepuffs. A lot of us think of it as the worst house because it doesn't really stand out the way the others do. Gryffindors are powerful and charismatic. Slytherins are elite and ambitious. Ravenclaws are cunning and sharp. Compared to that, being loyal and kindhearted as Hufflepuffs tend to be isn't terribly cool. Yet I feel that that's wrong.
In movies, our heroes are almost always Gryffindor type characters. These are who we worship the most. Harry was a Gryffindor, and so were almost all of the brave heroes of the series. Dumbledore, Neville, even Molly Weasley and Remus Lupin. They are bold, assertive characters, and most others from other houses are quite sidelined. Cho Chang disappeared early after her flirtation with Harry had ended. Cedric Digory, the only really cool Hufflepuff to speak of in the story, was murdered in the fourth book. Even Luna Lovegood was just a support to keep Harry on track. (For the record, I think Harry and Luna would have made a fantastic couple.)
This extends past Harry Potter as well. Captain America is clearly a Gryffindor, even though he should have been someone fighting for the little guy. James Bond, Batman. Selina from Underworld. They are all more or less the same trope. Chris Pratt in Jurassic World or Guardians of The Galaxy. They're all the same, bold, strong, athletic characters. They're skilled, assertive, and direct. They're good looking, sometimes rebellious, and they use their bodies to power through most situations.
Even I try to be more like that. I try to be as assertive as I can be, I try to be a leader, and I work hard to hone my body and athletics. I enjoy getting closer to being like the alpha heroes in film.
Yet, the way it's portrayed, it almost seems like we relegate all other people to absolutely no importance. Rarely are Ravenclaws or Slytherins the protagonist. It's not often you see someone win the day by being studious and quick minded. The message of what a protagonist should be in most films is seldom linked to ambition or dedication, though it does seem that in many fantasy movies it's always a King or Prince who gets the special role, and rarely a commoner.
And Hufflepuff trails dead last. Virtually no movie talks about how loyalty and kindness are things to also strive for. Most movies want people to solve things with their external virtues, rarely delving into truly internal ones.
Newt Scamander defies all of that. He isn't a very powerful wizard. Nor is he especially good looking, nor is he especially charismatic or charming. He is clumsy, bumbling, and other wizards have little respect for him. Yet what he has in abundance is empathy. Love. He is a character defined by passion for the animals he protects. He loves them passionately.
He fights against this toxic alpha trope and shows us that you don't have to be some big strong leader to get things done. He is a voice for the regular, common people. Because that's all he is. He's not some destined Chosen One. He's not some big action hero. He's just a common guy who loves what he does and adores his partners, the creatures he looks after.
We need more protagonists like Newt Scamander. Protagonists that show us that you don't have to be powerful to be courageous. Protagonists that show us that you can be strong with virtues like good will and empathy, and not just in body or tenacity.
Because Newt Scamander has shown us that Hufflepuffs can be heroes too.
And Gryffindors do not have a monopoly on bravery.
No matter who you are, you can be brave.
