First, my deepest apologies for the lengthy delay. You may be aware that I managed to get distracted my new-to-me fandoms last year. There are still some projects connected with those that I need to work on, but I am really going to try to finish the How to Train Your Dragon portion this year. I do thank everyone who has been reading these posts in the meantime. I am…astounded.
Anyways, on with the show!
Season Four: Race to the Edge
The second part of Defenders of the Wing opens the season with Hiccup managing to convince Mala that Viggo has used the Dragon Riders. They were all tricked. Mala agrees to go with Hiccup to save the Eruptadon, though she also threatens to kill him if anything goes wrong. She starts to realize how well Hiccup and Toothless works together and marvels at their harmony in flying; it’s rather magical. They find Viggo’s ship and attack. But there’s no Viggo and no dragon; another misdirection.
No, Viggo is at Dragon’s Edge, with the intention of using the Eruptadon to destroy the Riders’ base going through the crust of the dormant volcano. (Apparently a classic Maces and Talons move.) Hiccup and Mala make it to the Edge to attack Viggo there, Mala having great fun taking out several of the Hunters. She now understands that Hiccup and his friends are not enemies to dragons and that he recognizes the good of the many outweighs the good of the few.
With some help from Gronkles on the island, the lava is stopped from getting to their headquarters. The Dragon Riders and the Defenders of the Wing are now officially allies. The village even puts up with the twins’ antics, though undoubtedly pleased when the Riders head back to the Edge. Viggo is displeased with the outcome; he had been expecting a victory. Hiccup keeps interfering with his plans.
We then find out that Ruffnut and Tuffnut have a cousin named Gruffnut, who comes to visit the Edge. Tuff is excited. Ruff sees Gruff for who he really is and is not happy of the influence he has on her twin brother. Gruff tends to tell tall tales, that Tuff falls for. The others make him come clean that he’s trying to take one of their dragons in order to pay off a debt.
The Riders think they’ve seen the last of Gruffnut, but he pretends to be Tuff and takes his dragon. But Chicken knows the difference and warns the dragons. Tuff manages to escape from being tied up by his cousin and goes with Hiccup to rescue Barf and Belch (Gruff is also now stuck with Ruffnut). Tuff even makes use of Hiccup’s Dragon Fly suit and fights Gruff. Gruff is sent packing and Ruff and Tuff continue to happily annoy everyone else on the island.
Midnight Scrum is one of my favorite episodes; I oddly love my heroes in a bit of peril. The episode opens with Hiccup running from bounty hunters. Turns out, Viggo has put a price on his head. But Hiccup doesn’t want to tell his father right away, partly due to the fact that a big anniversary celebration is coming up on Berk. He doesn’t want to distract the chief. Astrid urges Hiccup to share the burden. That idea gets knocked on its head when Stoick tells Hiccup upon their arrival on Berk that the “needs of the many outweigh the need of the few.” [Yes, Dragons is now quoting Star Trek.]
During the celebration, Gobber praises the youth as “some of the youngest Berkians had the guts to step up and take a stand. The time has come to look towards the future, Hiccup and the Dragon Riders!” They then put on a dragon show, but the stress of the bounty starts getting to Hiccup and he overreacts to some strangers. Astrid advises him again to tell Stoick, yes he’s the chief, but he’s also your dad.
The next morning Stoick goes looking for Hiccup and cannot find him. That’s because during the night a few bounty hunters were lucky enough to catch Hiccup unawares, knock him out, and get him on a boat. Those two indeed got lucky, because otherwise, they’re incompetent. Hiccup makes a break for it, but does not find his friends above deck. Instead, it’s Savage, Alvin’s old second in command. He’ll be glad to deliver Hiccup to Viggo. Hiccup fights smart against Savage, but he’s saved when Throk arrives.
In the meantime, Stoick has gathered the Riders and is riding Toothless, searching for his son. Astrid talks to him about the bounty. Why would Hiccup not share this information with Stoick? “He’s Hiccup. Sometimes, his pride’s bigger than his brain.”
Throk is overpowered by a mystery cloaked man who chains Hiccup up to take him to Viggo. But they find Ryker instead and the sack of gold is actually a sack of rocks. The mystery man won’t release Hiccup for that. The man must now fight the Hunters and Hiccup gets a chance to escape and use his flaming sword. The man and Hiccup get knocked off a cliff and the man clings to Hiccup’s leg. Hiccup is able to knock his prosthetic leg off and the man goes tumbling. But when Hiccup slips, he’s saved…by Ryker. “Viggo wants to kill you himself”. [Getting a bit grim for a children’s show, though this may be geared more for teenagers and young adults.] Stoick and Toothless have been tracking Hiccup and find him just in time. Stoick faces off against Ryker; “you put a bounty on one of us, you get all of us.” He knocks out Ryker, but the man wakes up in time to throw a knife at a retreating Hiccup (helped by Astrid.) It doesn’t land because he’s knocked out by Hiccup’s leg, thrown by the mystery man, who then jumps off the cliff to remain mysterious.
On their way back to Berk, Stoick counsels his son; they are allies, peers. The people of Berk depend on them to keep them safe. To do that, they cannot keep secrets.
Snotlout has his own issues with his father’s teachings in Not Lout. Snotlout is desperate to prove himself to his father, maybe not overtake Hiccup (though I’m sure Spitelout would enjoy that), but be a stand-out second. He messes up an attack, but still tells Hiccup he wants to lead the Dragon Riders when Stoick makes Hiccup chief. The teens are indeed looking to the future and making their own plans. Hiccup warns Snotlout that he cannot force his way into a leadership position; everyone has their own strengths. Snotlout should look for his.
Hiccup also shows his strength as a leader and gives Snotlout the lead on a practice mission. He still messes up and decides to ground himself. However, when he’s on the ground, he realizes that the mission the rest of the Riders are flying into is a trap and takes off after them. He swoops in, messing up their plan, but revealing the trap. Snotlout then takes charge and they accomplish a better mission. Afterwards, Hiccup tells Snotlout that he’s proud of him and asks what Snotlout wants to do. Snotlout decides he doesn’t want to be exactly like his dad. But that makes him not so different after all.
The Riders return to the Defenders of the Wing island in Saving Shattermaster. They find out that Mala and Throk were saved from Hunters by a mysterious figure. On a fun note, it’s time for Snotlout to face a serious of trials to become Mala’s king, after he saved her life earlier. Snotlout is not pleased with the trials, but Hiccup leaves most of the Riders there with him to keep him safe, and takes Heather to investigate whoever saved Mala and Throk.
That new mysterious man is actually Dagur (note: not the same mysterious man who kidnapped Hiccup; he had been at Viggo’s auction, so definitely not a friend). Dagur also does not initially appear to be a friend; he seems to be with the Hunters. Heather attacks him, and Dagur has to reveal that he’s trying to work with the Hunters because he’s trying to save his dragon, Shattermaster. Thus, Hiccup has to remark to Heather at one point: “shall we rescue our brother?” Heather’s not so keen. “I’m going to kill him,” is her response. She ends up saving him and makes her big brother be the distraction so they can get his dragon. He tells Heather that once everything has settled, he will return and answer any of her questions.
Dire Straits is another of my favorite episodes. The trade routes are getting disrupted to Berk, a giant whirlpool is claiming ships. Berk needs trade in order to survive, especially since they lost their stockpile of gold to Viggo at the dragon auction. Stoick has the Riders investigate. It’s a Submaripper dragon, very large, and very territorial. Hiccup makes use of his Deathsong amber goggles to investigate under the water. There are dragon-proof chains holding the Submaripper dragon in place. But Hiccup can’t hold his breath long enough to free him. They have to come up with another solution.
He makes a diving cauldron and uses Deathsong amber as a lens. Hiccup takes the risk himself, though Fishlegs is on standby. When they make their final attempt, Viggo starts an attack to rile the Submaripper up. The Riders don’t want to hurt the dragon, since it’s not it’s fault. Under the water, Hiccup manages to free the dragon, but the winch to bring up the diving cauldron is damaged in the attack. Toothless dives down to save his rider. Hiccup tries to send Toothless away, but his friend refuses. Hiccup admits he’d do the same.
The Submaripper helps out the one who helped him, and brings the cauldron to the surface. Hiccup is eerily still for a minute once they get him out, but he eventually coughs up the water. He’s weakened and can’t fly after Viggo, but the other Riders are more than pleased to do it for him. Except they’re foiled again, because Ryker is using Seashocker dragons to escape.
Trade does return to Berk and the village is saved, thanks to Hiccup. He still feels at fault, since it was his plan that lost Berk it’s gold and it’s his enemy who is doing this to Berk. Stoick gives wise words to his son. Viggo has shown his true colors now; “only a coward endangers innocent women and children as a means of intimidation.” Bravery will triumph over cowardice.
We get a bit of a breather with The Longest Day. It’s the time of the Midnight Sun, when Berk experiences two weeks full of days of sunlight [it is an actual phenomenon that that part of the world experiences, which, kudos to the team for putting that detail in]. Stoick is pleased because Berkians become very productive. But that long of a time awake, makes people a little loopy, being so sleep deprived.
Hiccup gave his Riders a very easy task for the day: wash their dragons. Well, Fishlegs ends up paranoid, Snotlout has mood swings, Ruffnut and Tuffnut hallucinate, Heather can’t balance, and Astrid is giddy. Hiccup, meanwhile, is on Berk with Stoick, discussing plans to deal with Viggo. Hiccup’s first plan is “wipe the psychopath off the map, kaboom!” Eh, kaboom is not exactly a full plan. Okay, he wants revenge. He wants the Dragon Eye back. Stoick insists that Hiccup needs a plan.
The teen does manage to find a new dragon, well, one large dragon that has a squadron of smaller dragons that cling to its wings to provide firepower [reminds me a bit of guns on a warplane]. He ends up quoting Dagur while he figures out how to deal with the dragons: “trappers trap can trap the trapper.” That’s when he knows he’s losing it. When he returns to the Edge, he finds that the dragons have dumped their riders into a hole to get some sleep. Toothless follows suit.
Hiccup starts trying new moves with Toothless during Gold Rush, telling himself he’ll rest when Viggo’s gone. His plans are derailed when Dagur returns, searching for his father. The tales that Dagur killed his father to take over the Berserker tribe were lies. Oswald had gone on a trip and never returned. Dagur wants his sister to join the search, and he has news for his “brother,” Dagur knows where Viggo hides his gold. It will be the perfect strike against Viggo.
Hiccup, Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Snotlout end up captured and discover that Viggo’s new ships are metal underneath the wood, essentially making them dragon-proof. Until Shattermaster shows up (to the theme played on bagpipes, very cool). The Riders get free, Hiccup quickly jumping on Toothless.
Later, he realizes that the gold was hidden in Viking ruins on the island. The hint had been there were no ruins on the map. Heather decides to accompany Dagur on his trip to find their father, but manages to give Fishlegs a kiss before they leave.
Mala returns again in Out of the Frying Pan; the Eruptadon has laid an egg, but it needs transported to its ancient hatching site inside the volcano. But the Eruptadon is very old and spent a lot of energy bringing about the egg. So Hiccup volunteers to help Mala with the egg. As does Fishlegs. But the two, who usually work on the same wavelength, are now disagreeing. Time is running out. Mala tries to run off with the egg, dodging small dragons that attack her. Fishlegs and Hiccup realize that the smaller dragons are actually guardians of the eggs and are meant to take the egg to its site.
Throk and Astrid descend into the volcano as the lava rises, hoping to rescue Mala, Hiccup, and Fishlegs. But Meatlug can’t carry them all. Luckily, the Eruptadon comes to their rescue.
It starts with a broken Macey in Twintuition. Hiccup won’t fix her/it in the middle of the night. But Tuffnut doesn’t want to fly all the way back to Berk either. Instead, Tuff and Ruff head to the Northern Markets and encounter lots of Hunters. And decide it’s a good idea to claim they took out Hiccup. Through their escapades, Macey gets stolen, the twins find Viggo and discover he’s working on a Project Shellfire. Then Viggo sees Macey and is smart enough to recognize the Gronkle Iron mace and knows that the twins are on his island. Tuff is actually brave and goes for the project plans instead of his mace, but he gets Macey back in the end (after Viggo tries to drown the Riders.)
The Triple Stryke dragon returns in Blindsided, with Hiccup now trying to train Sleuther. Their training is interrupted by storms rolling in (not that it was going well to begin with). Astrid checks on the dragon pens and lightning strikes, causing a fire. She’s knocked out in the commotion and the dragons fly off. Hiccup rescues Astrid and they find out when Astrid wakes up that she is blinded. Hiccup promises to stay with Astrid. But, Astrid being Astrid, she wants to help find Stormfly and the other dragons and will not take ‘no’ as an answer. “I’m putting my foot down,” Hiccup tells Astrid. Two seconds later, they are both on Toothless.
Hiccup is also desperate to protect Astrid, particularly since she is vulnerable without sight at the moment. “Of course she’s not going to hide, what was I thinking, she’s Astrid,” he grumbles. At one point, he does get Astrid behind a rock because the Triple Stryke is all riled up now. “You, stay,” he orders. Astrid obeys, for now. Then she catches on to a sound Sleuther makes before making a strike. She uses that sound to distract Sleuther and they get all the dragons calmed down…and back with their proper owners. Now, they have a way to train the Triple Stryke and Astrid does get her sight back. She gives Hiccup a hug and they go sit together.
Earlier, Hiccup assured Astrid “you have me. Okay, whatever that mean, whatever you want it mean. I am with you. There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid. Always.” And Hiccup had been ready to kiss Astrid, but it wasn’t quite the right time. Astrid brings it up as they sit, watching the sunset. Hiccup wanted it to be the perfect moment. Well, now seems pretty perfect. Indeed it does, and the two young adults share a kiss. (So romantic!)
The two-parters Shell Shocked finishes the season. The Riders are on Berk, preparing for Hiccup’s plan to attack the Hunters. They’re joined by Berk’s A-Team as well as Heather and Dagur. Hiccup and Astrid share a secret kiss; they haven’t told their friends yet. All the dragon riders carry out Hiccup’s plan, but find the Hunters’ camp destroyed and Viggo in a hole, happy to see Hiccup. Stoick would rather punch the man who has threatened his people and his son, but Hiccup holds him back. Viggo says that Ryker has turned on him and betrayed him. He plans to wipe out the Riders and their allies using Project Shellfire. Viggo offers to give Hiccup more information if they will help him take out Ryker.
Hiccup has to act. He brings Viggo with him and sends others to check on their allies. Fishlegs gets to see the hatched Eruptadon baby and knows to keep the baby safe. Viggo then manages to escape during an attack at the Edge. Hiccup and Astrid have to learn how to balance their care for each other and being in danger. Ryker runs up a white flag and talks to Hiccup, spinning the same story as his brother, that Viggo betrayed him. Ryker is willing to give Hiccup the Dragon Eye in exchange for Viggo. Now Hiccup is a bit confused on who to believe.
Meanwhile, the twins and Snotlout realize something is going on between Hiccup and Astrid. The twins believe Hiccup is dying, but Snotlout thinks he has a gambling problem…so no one correctly guesses. They do find out what Project Shellfire is. It’s a ship on a dragon. And Hiccup of course, goes after it, but it swims too fast and dives too deep.
Viggo shows back up, with the Dragon Eye, and Hiccup happily locks the man up. Ryker uses the Shellfire to attack the Edge’s volcano, again. Fishlegs brings the baby Eruptadon to help eat the lava. Hiccup is a noble hero and won’t let Viggo die in a fire, hoping he’s not making the biggest mistake of his life. Viggo, trying to be Hiccup’s friend and advisor, notes the conundrum Hiccup is in, to be in love with a girl who is his partner in battle. It looks like Viggo is going to stab Hiccup, but the knife is dropped in the water to bring up the Submaripper, who attacks the Shellfire. The two dragons are natural enemies. Viggo continues to sweettalk Hiccup: “we may be adversaries, but my respect for you is beyond what I can put into words.” [And I kind of respect Viggo, as a villain, for respecting Hiccup as a worthy adversary, for not simply dismissing him as a young kid with no brains.]
Dagur now bonds with the Triple Stryke, and Hiccup continues to call the crazy man his brother [a bit sweet.] Ryker goes down with the ship and for a moment, we think all is well. Until Viggo shows up with a captured Astrid, demanding Hiccup return the Dragon Eye. Is the young man willing to “sacrifice your future, all the wonderful years ahead” for the Dragon Eye? Hiccup throws the Eye into the volcano. Viggo falls and Hiccup is ready to grab him, but it’s too late. Now, it’s over. Finally. Definitely.
Hiccup and Astrid share a sweet moment, and then a kiss, witnessed by everyone. Fishlegs remarks, “this changes everything,” (which is the catchphrase of the show, used in the opening).
And nope. Not over. The volcano erupts. End of season.
Another season full of adventures, and the storyline is getting tighter. There are still side excursions, but the focus is on the battle going on between Viggo and Hiccup. Hiccup is gaining allies. Dagur is firmly on his side, as is Heather, even if we don’t see them every episode. There are now the Defenders of the Wing and we learn a lot about them this season.
I like how Stoick is dealing with Hiccup now. Hiccup and Stoick are both leaders; Hiccup has proven himself as a leader of the Dragon Riders, is keeping an outpost going. Has made allies of his own, as well as enemies. But he’s holding those enemies at bay. However, Hiccup is still young and needs to learn when to depend upon all his allies and recognize that he can go to his father for advice, as a leader, not simply father and son. And Hiccup is shaping up to be a worthy heir to the chiefdom of Berk. While he lives away from the main island, he is still worried about the people.
Viggo is ramping up his actions against Hiccup because Hiccup keeps thwarting him. Again, he takes Hiccup as a serious threat. Not like Alvin the first time; oh, Hiccup is small and skinny, he’s such a disappointment. No. Hiccup was brave enough to face a dragon and befriend it. Hiccup has grown as a character and his opponents grow as well. Viggo tends to come off as classy; he has multi-faceted plans, he treats this as a game of Maces and Talons (kind of like chess), and he tries to teach Hiccup lessons. Now those lessons have bigger consequences. Hiccup has a bounty put on him, Viggo goes after Berk. Stoick is now involved in this fight.
Not surprised that Ryker and Viggo seem to turn on each other. There has always been a power struggle between the two. Ryker is the older brother, but Viggo is the one in charge, supposedly brains versus brawn. But both want Hiccup dead. Ryker was fine with taking Hiccup from the mysterious man because Viggo wanted to kill him. When their plans no longer align, Ryker still attacks the Edge.
The twins still have their moments of brilliance. Snotlout is maturing, a bit, but really just trying to figure out what his role is in the Riders. Fishlegs becomes sweet with Heather and it’s reciprocated. And Astrid and Hiccup finally, officially get together!
Next Time: I have a schedule I’m going to try to keep this year, to finish the How to Train Your Dragon section by the end of the year. But I’m also going to try to work on completely a full draft of two major stories I’m working on (all to feed into the larger fantasy series I have planned). Hopefully, a schedule will work. After Dragons, there will be Chronicles of Narnia, and then finish it off with Lord of the Rings. I do actually have some further plans after that, but we will see how everything works out.
Thank you again, for hanging with this blog series, it has grown larger than I first imagined and I am simply grateful for every view I get.
So, I have finished Reign, which has kept me from several other projects (such as Season Four of Race to the Edge), but mainly because it’s lead me to writing my longest story yet and the greatest interest I’ve had in writing something in years.
So here are some of my thoughts and reactions to the show:
First, what many people argue and what kept me from watching it for several years (the show is older than I originally thought; but I wasn’t really watching CW as a channel when it was on), is the historical inaccuracy. They’re right. A great many liberties are taken. There’s an age lift (though they might be portraying them at the correct age, but since the actors are older, I tend to read it as the characters are older…and considering some of the scenes shown, the network should believe the characters are older). I’m personally fine with the age lift.
The costumes…I tried watching the show once about a year ago and couldn’t get past the first episode because the dresses were so wrong. I’ve since read that the budget was tight the first season, so they literally used prom dresses…we can tell. The men’s costumes are fairly typical for a historical series, lots of leather, but female viewers tend to like that (guilty). Costumes did get better as the series went. I do rather like some of Lola’s dresses. Catherine has some gorgeous dresses and Mary’s get better in season four.
In addition to historical inaccuracy, they forget about geography some times. They never actually name what castle the French court is residing in; I think the fandom has named it Fontainebleau. It’s often commented to be about two or three days from Paris. Fine. Then, in season four, the writers claim that men can make it from Edinburgh in Scotland to London in England in a single night. Even more, they can get there, kidnap someone, and return to Edinburgh by morning. Then return him the same day. Nope. Not possible. (And we are expected it’s supposed to be a single night because Elizabeth is not more concerned, nor sent search parties after the man.)
As for characters, Francis and Sebastian quickly became my favorite. I quickly loved their brotherly relationship; they’re close despite one being legitimate and the other illegitimate (they will certainly make it into my brothers in fiction essay). And Bash never truly wants to usurp Francis’s place. (As noted below, I disliked the love triangles.) They’re best when they’re working together and supporting each other. That hug at the end of Season 1! Loved by all!
I have mixed feelings about Catherine. The actress did a superb job, because you root for her, even though she does absolutely terrible things. Her love for her children triumphs over all. As with many other relationships in this show; I like it when the characters work together. She’s a nicer character when she supports Mary. Still does horrible things because she thinks it’s helping, but they often come back to bite her.
Clarissa is not my favorite character and it’s more the working in the shadows. I’m not sure how she’s motivated; I don’t think you can trust her. Mary seems to, but that’s not a smart idea; don’t trust someone you don’t know or can’t see. Of course, she tries to hurt her younger brothers after gaining their trust. I also don’t always trust Nostradamus. He has good intentions, but relying so heavily on visions and prophecies brings chaos. I certainly don’t trust Diane, especially when she’s trying to get Bash legitimized.
There are times I like Mary; she’s a strong queen and someone who doesn’t take what is thrown at her lying down. However, she also makes some dumb choices. I am not fond of any of the love triangles that pop up throughout this show. Mary can’t seem to make up her mind on whom she wants to love. She and Francis work well together, when they actually decide to work together. I would have been happy to watch just their love story; and once Francis was crowned, there’s plenty of political drama that they did not need to add personal drama. King and queen can disagree about how they want things done and that’s suspense.
An argument I have between Mary and Francis; Mary doesn’t like that Francis wants to put the needs of France first. However, she does the same thing for Scotland. Honey, you can’t have it both ways. You’re each the sovereign of a different country, so your priorities are going to differ. As with Bash, Francis makes a great team with Mary when they settle down, but the show is determined to throw hurdles in their way constantly. The scene in the field where Francis proposes is utterly romantic. Several of their scenes get hot and heavy. And then it all goes to pot shortly after that.
The plotline with Lola and Francis comes out of nowhere and is a monumentally dumb idea. They both know things are out of whack at the moment, but let’s do this thing that has potential consequences. And now they have to deal with those consequences.
The first episode feels off from the rest of the show at times. They had Bash give odd looks to the camera that made one wonder if he was plotting something as well. That luckily went away. I was utterly taken by the show by the fourth episode, when Bash came back wounded (don’t ask). I was intrigued by the pagan plotline and think they could have done more with it, but the show had too many storylines they were trying to juggle. (However, gives me lots of ideas for stories of my own.)
Henry going mad was an interesting plotline because it brings added danger to everyone. He tries to kill Bash, more than once. He oddly ends up working well with Catherine, which is nice, but still odd because we don’t know what’s going on. And there are dead girls to contend with. He’s so consumed with glory and gaining control of England. Then he wants to kill Francis, his heir, and marry Mary. So Catherine and Mary want to put an end to him. Franics argues, until he realizes how dangerous his father is and takes the responsibility himself and rides against his father.
I have mixed feelings about the pairing of Bash and Kenna. They seem good for each other, because Bash comes to care for her, even though he’s also focused on defeating the Darkness. Some of their scenes are steamy. And Kenna encourages Bash that he is enough, just himself; he doesn’t always have to prove himself. Having Pascal around humanizes her, because she’s typically selfish. Then…that plotline gets destroyed in the second season.
I never trust Narcisse, even when he tries to do something good. I almost want the relationship between him and Lola to work out, because maybe she’ll bring the good out in him. Nope. Still is a complete jerk. Yet, he oddly pairs with Catherine well. Except they can’t trust each other enough to go far.
The triangle with Louis of Conde was unneeded. A love triangle almost destroyed Francis and Mary before, so what do they do? Bring in another one. I mean, at first, I thought he was a nice guy, helping out his cousin. But then I want to hit him as the season goes on.
The rape scene and plotline in the second season was unnecessary. Yes, it brings drama, but all it does it throw Mary towards Louis. She already has the mindset that if Francis won’t do what she wants, she’ll go to Louis to get it. Not a good idea. The only decent thing out of that scene was Catherine’s support of Mary. I don’t know if it could have been avoided if Francis had told Mary the truth about his father’s death earlier; he was on the cusp of it at the end of season one when Mary sent him to Lola. And he was on the cusp of it when he broke her heart by telling her he was upset she wasn’t pregnant.
I expected Mary’s pregnancy to Francis to last longer than one episode. Even though I knew, historically, Mary and Francis never had children, I was still happy that Mary was pregnant. And to have her miscarry so suddenly and so soon after it’s introduced was a bit heartbreaking. Catherine’s response was a bit funny, barging into their room with things for Mary.
Claude was genuinely affectionate with Francis and I wish we saw more of that. And not the weird previous relationship between her and Bash. However, her storyline with her mother was interesting, and played into the ghosts Catherine started seeing, same as Henry. Once Claude settled down from trying to make Bash uncomfortable, they worked well together uncovering the truth of her sisters’ death. And Diane’s back, and still making a mess of things. Am I surprised that Catherine took the opportunity to kill her? No. I do like that we start seeing Bash and Catherine work together and be nice to each other. (Diane’s death will surely become a problem later.)
Louis has a brother Antoine, who also needs hit. The whole issue with their oldest brother being killed, they think by Bash, is never fully solved. They think it’s Bash. Bash admits it may have been him, but I’m not wholly convinced. Antoine also tries to break up Bash’s marriage. So it’s not wholly Kenna’s fault, but she’s still fairly selfish and is more concerned with nice things. She also did not trust Bash enough at the end to be honest with him and instead tries to trick him. Like, she had to have known it wouldn’t work well. I had wanted the marriage to go well for Bash, for his sake. For something happy and good in his life.
Which leaves the door open for Delphine. Who I also don’t trust. I am grateful for her powers when she saves Bash; which that scene was a total shock and I just sat silently for a few minutes when it went to commercial (and wished my mother would stop talking. I have not recovered emotionally yet, leave me be). But she strongly claims she is not a witch. Honey, you can mystically heal people; yes it has a price, but magic often does. You have visions. You can bind yourself to someone, which was just a bit creepy. I have no problem with you being a witch, just, admit it. Don’t be frightened of it, but take advantage of the power. You can’t have it both ways. Is she a better match for Bash than Kenna? Maybe. That plotline needed better developed just the two of them. But Bash is so often investigating things for Francis.
Odd as it sounds, Catherine kidnapping Lola and John and making Francis think John is dead goes a long way in bringing Mary and Francis back together. Mary doesn’t attempt to take to Louis’ side and is instantly by her husband’s side and quite willing to help in whatever way she can. Thankfully, John is safe, and Narcisse finds Lola and her child. Though I do think the reveal that Franics is still not wholly well goes far in Francis’s desire to easily reconcile with Mary. And a pairing between Catherine and Elizabeth I is not for anyone.
Catherine gets her comeuppance for that in the beginning of season three, easily getting captured and taken back to France to be thrown in the dungeon. But Francis’s lingering illness makes that beginning of the season heartbreaking. Charles has certainly grown up in the few intervening years and then grows up with the events of the season. Hurrah for Narcisse doing the decent thing and helping Charles and Claude. Now he has Francis’s permission to pursue Lola.
I like that England began to play more of a role in the politics and drama of the series. There are still some historical inaccuracies, but Elizabeth I did have a very well-known affair with Robert Dudley. (I don’t think it resulted in a child, miscarried or not.)
That dance in episode three is utterly beautiful and utterly heartbreaking. The tune is Stay with Me, which suits the mood, and is so pretty played on violin. The choreography is perfection. I wish we had more scenes like that throughout the show.
Delphine saving Francis, even at the possible expense of Marie de Guise, gives us a spot of hope. We’re happy; Bash has a love interest, Francis and Mary can plan a future. Even Greer is happy with her new career, and having favor at court again. Francis plans to whisk Mary away to Paris for a romantic getaway, then they stop to be a happy couple. And it’s utterly ruined by the attack. Even though I knew it was coming, I cried when Francis died. The heartbreak that everyone plays; gosh, look at Bash’s face, and having to carry his brother away. Placing the sword and crown on his casket. Mary kissing the casket farewell, after her screams. Not a dry eye at the end of that episode. Then a few episodes later for Catherine and Bash to bring his casket back in order to clear Catherine’s name. The audience knows that Catherine would never kill Francis. And Catherine telling Mary not to look. We’re not so happy with Narcisse after that.
Now Mary has to marry again, for the sake of her crown and country. Most of the French court is still nice to her, even Catherine. A pox on Narcisse for trying to force her out. Don Carlos is kind for a moment, then manipulative. I didn’t initially trust Gideon Blackburn, but he turns out so kind, and Mary is so sweet to his daughter. Mary even saves Elizabeth’s life from a Vatican plot and gives Robert Dudley back to Elizabeth, even at the expense of sending Gideon. Mary just needs a hug at the end.
It’s a tangled mess when Catherine takes a lover who turns out to be a killer, but being blackmailed into nonaction. Her actions against Claude are terrible, but at least Charles is behind Claude (and Claude using what she learned from Leith was great). Christophe was creepy from the moment he came on screen. He attacks Delphine and later kills her. I may not have trusted Delphine, but I didn’t want her dead; poor Bash. Then he has to confront her killer. And then confront Catherine. Gosh, the heartbreak for him. He’s already confessed he still has feelings for Mary, and will follow her to Scotland to continue to be in her service and protect her.
They’re shipwrecked on the shores of Scotland and Narcisse is not impressed and leaves Mary as soon as he honorably can. Bash is almost killed, but we get to meet the Druids. (Though that bit with the snakes was…gross and a bit weird.) And find out that Bash may have a connection to them as well. Mary gets revenge for Francis by killing the clan leader (John Barrowman, who is Scottish and is Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who). Except, now she has to deal with John Knox, who dislikes female monarchs (not something I knew about the man) and even tries to get James to disband the monarchy.
James Stuart is probably portrayed nicer than he was in life. I was fine that; I’m familiar with the actor from Good Witch and several other Hallmark movies where he tends to play royalty. Actually, the number of Hallmark men who are in this show is just shy of absurd. Torrance Coombs (Bash) is in Royally Ever After, Jonathan Keltz (Leith) is in Once Upon a Prince. Will Kemp (Darnley) is in three movies with Lacey Chabert: Love, Romance, & Chocolate, The Christmas Waltz, and The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango, amongst others. Steven Lund (Luc Narcisse) is in three of the Heart Around the Table movies [fairly new, and Torrance Coombs is the male lead in the fourth] and at least three other Hallmark Christmas movies.
It’s Knox who arranges word to get to Lola that Mary wants Elizabeth assassinated. Mary gave no such word, but Knox doesn’t care; he just wants both women off their thrones and Protestant men put in their places. Lola is caught and her friendship with the queen does not save her from being executed. Narcisse was there, hoping to rescue his wife, and is forced to watch her beheading. Mary is devastated. Her only companion left is Greer, who returns to Scotland after Lola’s death. She brings her young daughter (from a fling with a privateer. Her husband is rescued from prison, but ultimately finds other companionship.)
I was terribly sad when Bash left. I understand the actor left to pursue another show, but story wise it seems so odd for him to travel all the way to Scotland to be by Mary’s side, then leave her. I mean, at least, they try to explain it with him pursuing his own supernatural talents. Then, he’s mentioned in the fourth season that he’s had a vision, which he passes on to David Rizzio that Mary may have love, or an heir that will unite Scotland and England, but not both. David oddly comments that it’s Bash’s spirit that leads him to Mary. Uh, does that mean Bash is already dead?
This news just affirms that Mary will marry Darnley, who has a claim to the English throne himself. Elizabeth fears this and even allows Gideon to return to Mary and propose marriage. Again, they’re so sweet together and happy. But Mary is afraid that the match will make her a prisoner in England. So she breaks Gideon’s heart. In England, Gideon ends up close to Elizabeth and the queen is kind to his daughter, particularly her last few days before she passes.
I want to smack Darnley on a constant basis. He’s arrogant and flippant and a jerk. He’s only concerned with his position and not helping Mary as the current monarch. He has a few charming moments, which is how Mary is able to conceive a child, but then the man goes along with a plot to rid the court of Bothwell, whom Mary has grown close to (admittedly, the man is handsome, and a right spot kinder than Darnley). When the council can’t get their hands on Bothwell, they stab Rizzio in front of a pregnant Mary (that is historically accurate). Mary does help Darnley escape the castle because she figures the other members won’t stand behind him long. Then, the man, after several pledges to protect her, leaves his pregnant wife in the woods, alone.
Meanwhile, in France, Catherine’s eldest daughter, Leeza (actually Elizabeth, but goes by a nickname so as not to be confused with Elizabeth Tudor) visits from Spain. Yet, she wants Spain to have more influence in France and since Charles has been traumatized by an attack from the Red Knights, he’s not a strong king. He gets better, with a bit of help from Claude’s new husband, Luc Narcisse. Luc is actually a decent guy, unlike his father. He tries to be understanding of Claude’s state of mind after Leith was killed. Though, Leith returns, briefly. He survived, but can’t stand that Claude is now married, so he leaves, hoping they all might find new happiness. (Nothing can be straightforward, can it?)
Catherine is not happy that Leeza is home, or what changes she tries to make. Catherine is trying to keep hold of the regency, though that too slips from her grasp. Leeza eventually leaves, but also has instructions that Charles’ younger brother, Henry (who oddly looks older than Charles now), should take the throne. That pits the two brothers against each other. Further complicated by Charles’ female companion, Nicole. Nicole is fairly kind, but wants more out of life than her humble beginnings. She pursues Narcisse, who goes along with the affair so she’ll help control Charles. Then, Henry arrives and is interested in Nicole, who is interested in return. Then…Charles wants to marry her.
Catherine arranges for her death so the boys will unite against Spain. Which involves making a deal with a witch…you know, for someone who spouts that France must remain Catholic, Cathreine sure makes use of magic a lot. That whole deal, and Narcisse’s involvement just becomes last episode weirdness. We finally see Catherine’s other daughter, Margot. They almost seemed to be setting up another season, but the show definitely ended.
Narcisse briefly returns to Scotland to exact his revenge on those responsible for Lola’s death. He castrates Knox, especially angry that Mary is not able to legally capture him for his wrongdoing. He also arranges for Gideon Blackburn to die in Elizabeth’s arms, so the queen will know the loss of love. Elizabeth is still not keen on marrying, so she makes use of Francis Drake (that is partially historically accurate; they mess with timelines again). Then she has to prepare for the Spanish Armada.
Mary continues to have problems in Scotland; she almost dies in childbirth, but Bothwell calls her back. That tender scene with Bothwell, Mary, and her newborn son is sweet. And interrupted by Darnley doing something stupid. A little later, what do we expect from the man who abandoned his pregnant wife in the woods? He leaves his newborn son in the woods, on the word of the vision of his dead lover. Darnley was killed and history points to Bothwell, possibly with Mary’s knowledge. Just, not only a few days after her son’s birth. Hurrah for seeing her brother again, for about ten minutes. Mary asks for Elizabeth’s help and the time skip of two decades shows that that did not end well. Yes, Mary was prisoner in England for many years before she was ultimately executed.
I do love the final scene, reuniting Mary and Francis. Since this show portrays their love story, as up and down as they wrote it, I was happy to see Francis again. Maybe their time in the afterlife will be better. There’s a montage of bits through the seasons while Mary smiles to be back with her love.
In general, I liked the show. I have to suspend my knowledge of history for a bit. But the characters are compelling. And I wanted to know how the twists and turns worked out. I agree with a comment I read that the show might have done better if they had tossed the historical connection out and just placed it all in a fantasy universe. Will I watch it again? Yes.
There are some YouTube mixes that I keep going back to, that mainly deal with the brotherly relationship between Bash and Francis; they do tend to be a bit bittersweet, considering how their stories end.
Say Something by Ariana moreau
See You Again by LongMayYouReign
Brother (Kodaline) by Julia Defávari is wonderful. The music has been used in other videos for other brotherly relationships [which leads to more videos and all influence the essay I will someday write]
Hey Brother by Dragon Wishes is also in that category. [Side note: there’s an excellent version of this song done by D’Artagnan]
Some of the fanfiction stories I keep going back to:
The Favourite Son by Beserk
I really like It takes a boy to live but it takes a man to pretend he was there by lorarawr
I’ve Got You, Brother by MarieBloom is rather nice
My Brother’s Keeper by OUATLovr is good as well, there are more chapters in the version on fanfiction.net. The author has several other stories for Reign as well.
I have read several of MissWhitneyBex’s stories, which are modern takes and they’ve honestly given me ideas for modern takes on my story, but I usually end up wanting to hit her characters for being making consistently stupid choices.
First, another apology for the delay in posting Season Three of Race to the Edge. It will actually be posted imminently. However, as stated in the last Random Fandom Update, I’ve been distracted by Reign. About halfway through the series at this point (I’m aware of most of the highlights.) However, it sparked a massive amount of inspiration and creativity with certain elements. Love several of the characters and some of the fantasy elements play well with ideas in my head. And thus is born the longest piece of fiction I have ever written (actually, longest anything I’ve written). At the time of this posting it is 37,000 words. Making it officially novella length. And it’s not complete. It’s shaping up to be the sequel to the book that I should be working on, which itself is the fourth in a series. – I cannot explain how my brain works, I just go with it. It’s a continuing saga.
As with some other fandoms, I came a little late to this one. I vaguely recall the commercials advertising this film first coming to theatres and ignored them. Then, I was bored on a break from college and decided to give it a shot…and instantly fell in love. And, really, should we be surprised? It involves dragons (fantasy) and Vikings (history). I also utterly fell in love with the soundtrack. I can listen to it on repeat for weeks. [There will be a separate post about the soundtracks for all three movies.]
I have actually already notated this movie [and not sure where the notecards presently are], because I have started an essay on this film following the hero’s path as laid out by Jospeh Campbell. Still need to finish the essay…
The film is actually based on a series of children’s books by Cressida Cowell, inspired by her summers spent on an uninhabited island in Scotland. I have not read the books and considering that the films have deviated from the books and how desperately I love the movies, I don’t think I will go back and read the books at this time. The movie features the voices of Jay Baruchel (he was in Sorcerer’s Apprentice with Nicholas Cage) as Hiccup, America Ferrera (known now for Ugly Betty and the Barbie movie [neither of which I’ve watched, but I have seen her speech from the Barbie movie] as Astrid, Gerard Butler (starred in 300 and Phantom of the Opera [see my post on that movie for my opinion]) as Stoick, and Craig Ferguson (the late night comedian of Scottish descent, who also voiced Lord MacIntosh in Brave) as Gobber. The cast is rounded out with Jonah Hill as Snotlout, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (he makes a brief appearance in Pitch Perfect, as well as other comedy movies that I am not going to watch) as Fishlegs, and David Tennant (the beloved Tenth Doctor, Barty Crouch Jr in Harry Potter, Crowley in Good Omens, he voices Scrooge McDuck in the new DuckTales cartoon, and other countless roles) as Spitelout [Snotlout’s father]. This also means that the Viking adults are Scottish [Vikings did settle in Scotland and some clans could trace their ancestry to the Norse] and the teens are American.
Toothless actually makes an appearance in the DreamWorks intro; if you look closely, the shape of a Night Fury blocks out some stars for a second. Then Hiccup starts narrating that “This is Berk…” We learn that their pests are not like other places; they have dragons, who are in the middle of raiding their village. This is why the Viking tribe has been on Berk for generations, but every house is new. “We’re Vikings, we have stubbornness issues.” Hiccup rushes outside to help, but keeps getting told by the villagers to get back inside. Even the chief, Stoick the Vast picks up the scrawny teenager and orders him away from the action. Gobber, the village blacksmith, takes the lad to the forge, where Hiccup is his apprentice. Again, the teen is desperate to go out and attempt to kill a dragon so his life will get better, just like the other teens: Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, and Astrid (note the romantic swell in the music when Hiccup sees her in front of a fireball). As Gobber puts it, the lad has already made an impression, in all the wrong places. Hiccup uses mechanical inventions to make up for what he lacks in typical Viking toughness, but they end up backfiring. Gobber tells his apprentice, “you need to stop all this.” “You just gestured to all of me,” Hiccup bemoans. He’s then ordered to stay put while Gobber helps the village.
Once Gobber leaves, Hiccup sneaks out the back with his bola catapult and starts searching for the elusive Night Fury to shoot down. Hiccup is actually able to track the outline of the dragon in the fireball that the dragon sets off, pulls the trigger, and actually hits his target! But the only one to see him is a Monstrous Nightmare. Stoick has to rescue him from the large dragon, and once the beast has used up his shot limit, takes it on barehanded. But Hiccup has already caused enough damage and the chief is not impressed. Oh, and Stoick happens to also be Hiccup’s father. Gobber once again takes hold of the lad and leads him back to his house so the other Vikings can clean up. Hiccup is aware that he is a disappointment to his father (mimicked in a hilarious accent); all Hiccup wants to be is one of the Vikings.
Stoick plans to take several other adults to search for the dragon’s nest, to put an end to the raids once and for all. When they hesitate about joining their chief, he states that those who stay behind will have to look after Hiccup; then everyone joins in. Stoick asks his friend Gobber to remain behind and start training the teenagers. Gobber also insists that Stoick finally give in and allow Hiccup to train as well. Stoick points out that since the boy could crawl, he’s been different. Gobber comes back with the fact that Stoick can’t stop the boy, only prepare him. Hiccup’s probably already out there now, into mischief.
And in fact, Hiccup is out there, searching for the downed Night Fury. (Notice that the boy is left-handed.) What’s more, he finds the dark dragon. With his little dagger, he’s ready to kill the dragon and present its heart to his father, finally earning respect and acclaim. But the dragon’s green eyes pin on Hiccup for a minute, before closing and accepting its fate. After that, Hiccup can’t go through with it. He cuts the ropes that have entangled the Night Fury. The beast quickly pins him, once again glaring at the small lad. With a roar, he scares him, then takes off.
At home that evening, Stoick informs Hiccup that he is leading another expedition and Hiccup will finally get his wish to be put in dragon training. Only now, Hiccup knows for sure that he can’t kill a dragon. Stoick doesn’t listen to Hiccup, insisting that his son “walk like us, talk like us, and think like us (meaning the other Vikings). No more of this.” “You just gestured to all of me.” Stoick wheedles a deal out of his son and leaves.
Hiccup is not terribly enthused to enter training and the other teens aren’t enthused to have him, but Gobber attempts to put knowledge in their head. The twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, are a few yaks shy of a herd; Snotlout is boastful and keeps trying to impress Astrid; Fishlegs is knowledgeable, but frightened; and Astrid just wants to complete training and join the fight. She even points this out to Hiccup; it is time he decides what side he’s on. But now Hiccup starts thinking. Gobber told them that dragons always go for the kill. So, why didn’t the Night Fury? Hiccup goes searching for the dragon again and finds him in a cove. The dragon is having trouble flying and Hiccup realizes, when he goes to sketch the beast, that he’s missing part of his tail. When Hiccup reads the dragon manual that evening, the only information on the Night Fury is that it’s believed to be the “unholy offspring of lightning and death itself,” and never engage this dragon. Your only chance is hide and pray it doesn’t find you. Meanwhile, all other dragons are termed extremely dangerous, kill on sight.
Hiccup goes back to the cove again, with a peace offering of fish. The black dragon is imposing as it approaches the Viking teen and growls until Hiccup tosses away his dagger. Then sits there like an adorable black cat waiting for its treat. Hiccup notes the dragon appears to be “toothless” when it approaches, then teeth appear as it swallows the fish. When the dragon notices that Hiccup has nothing, it regurgitates half the fish and stares at Hiccup until he eats it, then even attempts to mimic Hiccup’s lopsided smile. But he scampers off when Hiccup attempts to touch him. So Hiccup patiently follows him, hoping to wear him down. Then Hiccup starts sketching again and the dragon is interested, again, mimicking the human. Hiccup carefully backs up over the large squiggle and ends up right in front of the Night Fury. Hiccup holds out his hand again, and turns his head away, hoping that the dragon will trust him. He hesitates for a second, but bumps his nose against the human’s hand. Then scampers away again. [All over the wonderful Forbidden Friendship track]
Training continues and Hiccup continues to get more ideas. When he’s told that a downed dragon is a dead dragon, he knows he needs to help Toothless fly out, so he designs a new tail for his new friend. More fish helps calm the dragon down on his first attempt to put on a tail fin. It works…sort of. It won’t stay open and they eventually crash. This does nothing to dampen Hiccup’s spirit; it’s just back to the drawing board. While he’s with Toothless, Hiccup learns more about dragons, which helps him in the training ring. They don’t like eel. They have a spot they loved to be scratched. There is grass that is like cat nip to them [it’s called dragon nip in the subsequent series]. The other teens are happy to hang out with him now, though Astrid is suspicious. Even the rest of the villagers are starting to pay attention to Hiccup, so he has to sneak off in order to work with Toothless. He eventually devises a rigging system, saddle, and vest so he can use foot movements on peddles to help Toothless’ tail.
Stoick returns with the other adults, unsuccessful. The villagers are pleased to tell him they don’t miss the nuisance Hiccup was. Stoick asks Gobber if Hiccup is gone. His friend eventually tells him that yes, Hiccup is gone most afternoons, but it’s to get away from his fans and his parenting troubles are over (because yes, Stoick probably wonders for a minute if Hiccup ended up dying).
Meanwhile, Hiccup is going on a test flight with Toothless [again, the soundtrack is amazing!] He’s got a little cheat sheet, which works until the wind tears it away. The two become separated, but Hiccup manages to get back in the saddle and now it’s up to instinct to fly together. And it works. They make a great team. Hiccup remarks to his friend when they take a break, “everything we know about you guys is wrong.” Stoick surprises his son in his workshop that evening, pleased that with Hiccup doing so well in the ring they finally have something to talk about. Except not really. So Stoick gifts his son his first Viking helmet [yes, they have horns, which historically they didn’t, but this is a fantasy world with dragons interacting with humans and a young lad creates a catapult, so we’ll forgive them], which had been half of his mother’s breastplate. That’s of course, after Stoick claimed that Hiccup had been the worst Viking for years and he’d almost given up on him.
Exam day comes for the teens and it’s down to Hiccup and Astrid. Hiccup really rather not win the competition because the prize is to kill a dragon in front of everyone. But he also won’t let Astrid hurt the other dragon, so he accidentally wins. Afterwards, Astrid comes across Hiccup, who is getting ready to leave Berk forever with Toothless. Astrid and Toothless frighten each other and Astrid gets ready to run back to Berk and tell everyone: “da-da-duh, we’re dead.” Toothless picks up Astrid and drops her on a tree while Hiccup attempts to explain. She’ll listen to him only if he gets her down. So she climbs aboard and instead of taking the Viking girl down gently, Toothless teaches her a lesson. Hiccup’s not pleased, at one point dryly commenting, “and now the spinning. Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile” [that part is my text notification on my phone]. Once Astrid apologizes, Toothless slows down and takes the pair up into the clouds (the soundtrack changes to Romantic Flight, and the artwork is stunning.)
Toothless hears something and they soon find themselves in a herd of dragons all flying somewhere…their nest. Which is ruled over by a gigantic queen that eats all the food that the dragons bring back to her. And the occasional dragon as well. She’s as large as a mountain and almost captures our heroes, who manage to fly away in the nick of time. This complicates matters. Hiccup manages to stand up to Astrid and tells her he’ll come up with an idea because he won’t kill a dragon, but he’s also got to protect the other villagers from the gigantic dragon at the nest. Astrid punches Hiccup first for kidnapping her, then gives him a quick kiss on the cheek “for everything else.” (This echoes her finding Hiccup earlier and twisting his arm for the lies and then dropping her axe handle on him for everything else.) She stands by Hiccup’s side when he gets ready to enter the ring the next morning. He pleads that she keep Toothless safe in case the worst should happen to Hiccup.
Stoick jokes to the crowd how Hiccup was a hiccup, though he’s the most surprised and most proud of his son. “Today, my boy becomes a Viking. Today, he becomes one of us!” Hiccup then enters the ring with his large shield, helmet, and pulls out a small dagger. But he soon sets them aside once the dragon is released and slowly approaches the Monstrous Nightmare, telling the dragon he is not one of the Vikings and trying to show everyone, including his father that these beasts are not what they think they are. But Stoick is worried for his son and shouts for the fight to be stopped. The loud bang sets off the dragon and Hiccup has to try to run away. Astrid manages to get in and distract the dragon. Stoick gets her out, but Hiccup is always a step behind. In the cove, Toothless hears Hiccup’s shouts and claws his way out, running to the rescue of his friend. He blasts his way into the ring and takes on the Monstrous Nightmare (remember, Toothless can’t properly fly without Hiccup to help with his tail). Eventually, the other dragon backs off and Toothless protects Hiccup. Then the Vikings start descending in and Hiccup begs Toothless to leave. Stoick runs towards the dragon and his son, armed and ready to kill the black beast, but Toothless takes him on. Hiccup shouts “no!” to his friend, and the dragon swallows his blast, but is soon pinned. Astrid holds Hiccup back from going after Toothless. Stoick throws his son into the great hall to have a talk.
Again, it’s one where they don’t really listen to each other, though Hiccup admits he should have told his father the truth earlier. He begs for his father to be angry at him, but spare Toothless. Stoick is more concerned about the Vikings who could have been hurt. Hiccup finally yells at his father that while dragons have killed hundreds of Vikings, Vikings in turn have killed thousands of dragons; they defend themselves. He also lets slip the knowledge of the nest and the queen, and that only a dragon can find it, but pleads with his father that this is not a dragon he can win against. “For once in your life will you please listen to me!” Stoick shoves his son aside and declares “you’ve thrown your lot in with them. You’re not a Viking. You’re not my son.” Both are shocked at the way the conversation went, but Stoick presses on, chaining Toothless and gathering the ships so they can wage war on the dragons’ island.
Astrid approaches Hiccup, not exactly giving him a pep talk, but demanding an answer on why Hiccup was the first Viking in three hundred years who wouldn’t kill a dragon. She points out he’s the first to ride one [some of this will actually play into the second movie]. Hiccup admits that when he looked at Toothless, he saw himself; the dragon was just as scared as the Viking. She asks what will Hiccup do now. “Probably something stupid.” He’s done that. Then something crazy. And crazy being getting one of the other dragons out. Astrid brings the rest of the teens who agree to follow Hiccup.
Stoick soon finds out, once the mountain is cracked open on the island and the other dragons have dispersed, that Hiccup might have been right about this dragon. Everyone starts to run, but the large dragon (the Red Death according to other material) burns their ships. He sends Spitelout with the rest of the Vikings to the other side of the island while he distracts the dragon. Gobber joins him. Then there’s a flash at the dragon; Hiccup has arrived with the teens to save everyone. He gives orders like a leader [note how the animation takes into account the wind in Hiccup’s hair]; even Gobber admits to Stoick that his son is as stubborn as his father. Astrid drops Hiccup to free Toothless, but the pair are soon sent into the water. Stoick dives down to save his son, then goes back for Toothless. The two eye each other for a second, but Stoick is able to break the lock. Toothless pulls them both up and goes over to Hiccup, who quickly sets about mounting the Night Fury. Stoick apologizes to his son and tells him he doesn’t have to go fight the dragon. “We’re Vikings, it’s an occupational hazard” (calling back to a line Stoick said earlier in the movie). Stoick admits he’s proud to call Hiccup his son, and lets him go.
They save Astrid from falling (the other teens are rather funny at this point) and set her down, then race into the sky, drawing the Red Death up. Toothless’ blasts in the dark clouds look like lighting down below. One of the Red Death’s blasts begins to take out Toothless’ new tail. Hiccup settles on diving down, tearing up the Red Death’s wings, then blasting into her open mouth at the last second. Which works…until they’re trying to escape the aftermath. Her large tail knocks Hiccup out of the saddle and Toothless’ tail isn’t working properly. We see Toothless dive after an unconscious Hiccup as he falls into the fire. [This sequence is all-around brilliant, including the soundtrack.]
When the ash settles, Stoick goes looking for Hiccup. He comes upon Toothless, eyeing the damaged rigging. With tears in his eyes, Stoick apologizes to Toothless in place of his son, admitting what has happened is his fault. Toothless opens his wings to reveal Hiccup wrapped in his legs. The boy is alive! Stoick is grateful and Gobber makes a comment about Hiccup being mostly there. We next see Hiccup waking up, with Toothless bounding around the house. When he goes to rise, something makes him pause. The bottom of his left leg is now a metal foot. Toothless helps his friend to the door (and there’s a poignant scene for a second showing that Hiccup’s loss now mirror’s Toothless’). He opens it to discover dragons have made Berk their home alongside Vikings. Everyone joyfully greets Hiccup. Turns out they just needed a bit of this, Stoick gestures to his son. Astrid even hits him again for scaring her, then a longer kiss. Gobber gifts his apprentice with a new saddle and tail for Toothless so Hiccup can continue flying. His new foot, which Hiccup may tweak a bit, hooks into the pedals to control the rig. The other teens cheerfully join Hiccup in flying around Berk (even mimicking the flyby scene from Top Gun with an adult Viking spilling his mug as they go by). Hiccup’s narration bookends the movie, recalling that “this is Berk,” though now it’s their pets that are different. “We have…dragons.”
Overall, this film is beautifully written and beautifully animated. The characters are very lifelike, particularly with the way they speak. I adore Hiccup because he’s utterly sarcastic. There are also so many depths to this film. It’s a film about family, about friendship, about discovering one’s self and accepting it. It’s an underdog story; the least Viking-like kid saves the day. His inventions are actually good; he just needed the chance to prove it.
There is the poignant friendship between Toothless and Hiccup. Just think about that; a dragon befriends a human. Befriends the human that shot him down. Then spared him. Then saved him. No wonder Toothless dives in to save Hiccup. And Toothless is utterly adorable. He has a lot of cat qualities. And by the end, you just want to hug him. A little tidbit…the hesitation Toothless shows in the “touch” scene was actually an animation error. But it looked so perfect, it was kept in the film.
There are other little shorts that follow the first movie, like “Legend of the Boneknapper,” where the teens go on an adventure with Gobber to save him from the scary and possibly mythological Boneknapper dragon. It ends well, with Gobber’s belt buckle being the missing bone for the dragon. There’s the “Book of Dragons” feature that explains how the Book of Dragons came to be written. The dragons they name will be shown in the subsequent series. There’s even a feature on “How to Find Your Dragon,” where the host shows that there is evidence that dragons are not as far-fetched as many people fear. Elements exist in nature and many cultures spanning the globe have myths and legends about dragons. [It’s a topic I want to research at some point.]
Then there is “Gift of the Night Fury,” which was actually released on DVD. It’s a cute Christmas-type special, with the Vikings celebrating “Snoggletogg.” It’s the first year with dragons around and everyone is excited. Until the dragons leave. Hiccup decides to make a tail for Toothless that doesn’t require Hiccup around. Toothless takes off and all Hiccup can do is hope his friend will return. Fishlegs hid Meatlug, but Hiccup discovers the dragon and is taken to a crescent-shaped island where the dragons have gone to lay and hatch their eggs. Back on Berk, the teens discover that Meatlug also laid eggs. Astrid decides to distribute the eggs to cheer everyone up. Then discovers that eggs explode (her just repeating “the eggs explode” several times is hilarious). Everyone is disheartened until Hiccup arrives with their dragons and the new babies. But Toothless wasn’t among them. Toothless sneaks in during the celebration and pukes up Hiccup’s helmet, that had been lost to the ocean. The next morning, Toothless also smashes his new tail and wants Hiccup back with the old style. Very heartwarming for the holidays.
Up Next: Cartoon Network started a series Riders of Berk (oh yes, we’re covering the whole fandom here)
I always manage to lose track of how many posts I’ve made and how long I’ve been blogging. I’m now over two hundred and twenty posts and coming up on my six-year anniversary and it remains incredible to me. I recently had to look back through my posts for something and was shocked at how much I’ve actually covered. When I started, I didn’t really think I would be blogging for this long. I’ve got some topics I want to do deeper dives on because I’m really passionate about them, so those will take more time. But this is also a thank you to everyone who has joined on this journey.
In between blog posts, I’ve been working, of course, but I’ve also been reading and watching other shows.
I’ve been reading some mystery series, mostly book-centric. There’s the Secret, Book and Scone Society series by Ellery Adams, though I’ve only gotten through two so far. And A Scottish Bookshop Mystery by Paige Shelton (not surprised I’m liking those). And I’m almost caught up with the Bibliophile Mystery Series by Kate Carlisle. I’ve read some memoirs as well, but I still have a lengthy list of to-be-read books as well.
I recently finished the All Souls’ Trilogy by Deborah Harkness, which contains A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, and The Book of Life (gifted to be by a family member) and recommended by said family member and another friend (who got me started on the show). And I 10/10 would highly recommend these books [that is where this post’s title came from]! They are a wonderful tapestry of science, magic, and history. My cousin has lent me the next book about Marcus and the guide that Harkness has published; that will be fun to dive into. I’m sure I’ll get even more ideas and help for my series. I’m eager to get back to the show.
In the meantime, my thoughts on the most recent season of Bridgerton: SPOILERS for the book series!
Well, it’s certainly deviated from the book, which is the growing trend in Netflix’s adaptation. Colin and Penelope’s story is fourth in the series, but they’ve upstaged Benedict (also a consistency in the show). They increased the drama of the secret of Lady Whistledown’s identity. I’m obviously not opposed to the match between Colin and Penelope and I’m glad that someone appreciates Penelope for herself. I’m not opposed to her wardrobe this season, that was even part of the book. But the costumes became a bit much this season. Cressida is like a Regency Barbie. The shapes are shifting very far from Regency era (i.e. Kate’s dresses were not always flattering and yet she was stunning in what they put her in last season). I also don’t mind the arrangements of pop songs into string pieces.
As much as we find Lady Featherington annoying and blind to her youngest child, she did make points that were historically accurate. As harsh as the remark she made to Penelope that “ladies do not have dreams,” it’s not that outrageous for that period. A woman’s duty was to marry and care for her husband. Her husband has dreams and she supports them. We, as modern watchers, want Penelope to have her own dreams, and for her husband to care about them just as much and to support her. And I don’t mind that the family becomes more supportive and happier at the end. Lady Featherington admits she is proud of Penelope and Penelope even supports her sisters.
And sadly, Benedict keeps getting sidelined and they took away his art. I certainly hope his story is next (which we have to wait two years for). It was nice to visually see Francesca and John meet and I was looking forward to her tale with her second husband, but not sure how that will go with changing the gender (the sticking point is going to be, Francesca wanted children and John died young, so Michael was eventually able to give her children). Overall, I’m game for genderbending characters and the trio that Benedict ended up in worked. I’m a bit upset of how far the show is stepping away from the books. However, his talks with Eloise are adorable.
Dear Netflix, we like Jane Austen etc, so the formula works, why are you changing it?
For now, I am going to work on my fantasy series (hopefully aided by some ideas that have popped in my head recently), and then jump into How To Train Your Dragon (it’s hard for me to pick between this series and Lord of the Rings which series I love the best).
Imelda Staunton (she has recently played Elizabeth II in The Crown, Maud Bagshaw in the Downton Abbey films, one of the fairies in the Maleficent films, and years ago was the nurse in Shakespeare in Love) joins the cast as Dolores Umbridge, and Helena Bonham Carter (she was Elizabeth II’s sister, Princess Margaret in The Crown, Queen Elizabeth [that would be Elizabeth II’s mother, known as the Queen Mother when her daughter took the throne] in The King’s Speech, the mother, Eudoria Holmes in the Enola Holmes films, the Fairy Godmother in the live-action Cinderella, Madame Thénardier in the Les Misérables film from 2012; she is also a favorite in Tim Burton’s films [Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland to name a few], she was Morgan le Fey/Queen Mab in the 1998 Merlin movie, and one of her first movies was Lady Jane where she was Lady Jane Grey, the nine-day queen of England) as Bellatrix Lestrange, along with Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood.
This was another book that I purchased as soon as it came out. However, that summer, I was on vacation with a friend, and we stopped at a Wal-Mart shortly after midnight and there was a pallet full of the books. And then I was told off because I was reading the book in the car instead of taking in the scenery (in my defense, each mile looked about the same, so the book was far more interesting).
Harry is back at Privet Drive for the summer (note the progressively darker tinted openings in the films) and tries to keep up on the news as best he can, in case anything strange happens, though he has to hide because the Dursleys find it odd. He’s upset at the lack of information; Ron and Hermione can’t say anything in their letters. It’s past his birthday and no one has come to retrieve him. He’s chafing with the knowledge “hadn’t he proved himself capable of handling much more than they? Hadn’t it been he who had entered that graveyard and watched Cedric being murdered and been tied to that tombstone and nearly killed… (pg. 8)?” Even Sirius tells Harry in his letters “Be careful and don’t do anything rash… (pg. 9).” Overall, he’s frustrated and angry and has unsettling dreams about long corridors. So, aching for a fight, he takes the chance to poke fun at Dudley when his cousin is away from his gang. Dudley turns it back on Harry and calls him out for his nightmares, which has Harry drawing his wand. Which he needs because dementors turn up, and he’s forced to save Dudley.
Luckily, old Mrs. Figg witnessed it and turns out, she’s a Squib (non-magical child born to magical parents) and knows Dumbledore. But owls arrive at Privet Drive, first expelling Harry for using magic, but then he finds out Dumbledore goes to argue his case, so instead there will be a hearing to determine the consequences. But Harry almost wants to go on the run to avoid the Ministry. When he has to explain to the Dursleys what has been going on and the fact that Voldemort, the wizard that murdered his parents, is back, Vernon tries to throw him out. Petunia gets an owl that warns her “Remember my last, Petunia!” So she relents and says they have to keep him; the neighbors would question, but he’s confined to his room again. The only part shown in the film is one letter from the Ministry.
Harry also gets owls from Arthur Weasley and Sirius ordering him stay in the house. Harry’s not pleased with the lack of information (in the film, we get a shot of a photograph of James and Lily, which is nice to see). Four days later, when the Dursleys are out for the evening, Moody, Lupin, and several others, such as Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt come for Harry. Moody funnily calls Harry out for keeping his wand in his back pocket, so when Tonks helps Harry with his trunk, she checks “both buttocks still on?” They fly to London and Harry enters Number 12 Grimmauld Place; the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. The house magically appears between numbers 11 and 13 and Mrs. Weasley is the one to greet the crew. She sends the adults in to the meeting, while Harry is sent upstairs to wait with Ron and Hermione. Hermione babbles that Dumbledore kept them from writing anything of import to Harry. This doesn’t help Harry’s mood and he shouts; “every bitter and resentful thought that Harry had had in the past month was pouring out of him; his frustration at the lack of news, the hurt that they had all been together without him, his fury at being followed and not told about it: All the feelings he was half-ashamed of finally burst their boundaries (pgs. 65-66).” [Which is understandable and I totally agree Harry should feel this way; it’s just, it gets repeated over and over throughout the book, that part annoys me.]
Harry calms down and his friends are able to explain that the Order is a secret society made up of people who fought Voldemort the last time, and a few who are now old enough to join; but only those witches and wizards who are out of school. Ron fills in Harry on his family; Bill (who he met the previous year), is part of the Order and dating Fleur Delacour; Charlie is also part of the Order, but remained in Romania; Percy had an argument with Arthur and left the house, deciding to stand with the Ministry. The paper continues to run stories discrediting both Dumbledore and Harry, turning them into people no one will believe, which hampers some of the Order’s work.
When the meeting ends, Harry is able to greet his godfather [and we adore the hug they share], and find out that Grimmauld Place is Sirius’ parents’ house. He offered the house to Dumbledore for headquarters; “about the only useful thing I’ve been able to do (pg. 79).” Sirius admits that he is stuck inside because the Ministry is still after him; “There’s not much I can do for the Order of the Phoenix…or so Dumbledore feels (pg. 82).” He does offer that Harry can ask questions; he’s got a right to know. In the film, we hear Sirius arguing for action as Harry enters the house. Molly argues, and apparently Dumbledore agrees, that they are not to tell Harry more than he needs to know. Sirius argues back that it’s his decision as Harry’s godfather; he’s not a child. Molly counters that Harry is not an adult either, he’s not James. The way Sirius talks, he’s got his best friend back and Sirius has been known to act rashly, which is why Dumbledore has reminded him to stay home. Lupin jumps in and states that it is better for Harry to get the facts, not some garbled version (because he knows the teens are trying to listen in. And in the film, Crookshanks hilariously ate an Extendable Ear, to which one of the twins said “I hate your cat, Hermione”). Molly continues that Dumbledore must have his reasons to keep Harry in the dark, and Molly is someone who has Harry’s best interest at heart.
Sirius can’t let that lie and tells Molly, “he’s not your son.” “He’s as good as, who else has he got?” Molly counters. He has Sirius, his godfather quickly claims. Molly retorts, “it’s been rather difficult for you to look after him whole you’ve been locked up in Azkaban, hasn’t it?” Luckily, Lupin jumps back in and settles both adults; Molly is not the only person who cares about Harry and makes his friend sit down. Then he says “Harry ought to be allowed a say in his. He’s old enough to decide for himself (pg. 90).” Harry jumps for the opportunity for information. Mentally, he’s touched that Molly Weasley considers him as good as a son, but also sides with Sirius, that he’s not a child.
While Harry may be underage, he’s not a normal child. He is the one that Voldemort is out to kill; he’s the one who has met the villain face-to-face more than once. A lot of the events that must be going on affect Harry’s life. He should be aware, because being blind to it will not save him. And Sirius should be allowed the opportunity to live up to being named godfather. And yes, it’s very admirable that Molly Weasley wants to look after Harry and she treats him as her own son and Harry has needed that. But as Remus points out, she is not the only one who cares about Harry and she can’t make decisions for him.
We find out alongside Harry that there have not been suspicious deaths, yet. Voldemort doesn’t want to draw attention to himself at this point. His comeback was messed up by Harry surviving and getting word back to Dumbledore. Of course, he’s working behind the scenes and attempting to build an army, which is why the Order is also recruiting new members. They’re running into interference with the Ministry because Fudge is determined to not believe that Voldemort is back; it’s a bad mark on his political reign. Instead, he’s gotten paranoid that Dumbledore actually wants to rule and is out for the Minster’s job. There is something else; something that Voldemort is after that he didn’t have last time, a possible weapon. Molly puts an end to the discussion at that point.
Harry and the other teens spend the rest of the summer cleaning the house. The house resists being cleaned. They find a locket in a cabinet that Kreacher, the house elf, steals so they can’t throw it away. The writing desk has a boggart inside. Fred and George are secretly working on sweets for their joke shop, that will make students ill so they can miss class. They come across a tapestry with the family tree of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, whose motto is Toujours Pur. Sirius was blasted off when he ran away from home at the age of 16. He went to the Potters. Sirius had a younger brother, Regulus, who bought into the whole pureblood regime and joined the Death Eaters, and then was killed. “Anytime the family produced someone halfway decent, they were disowned (pg. 113).” Tonks’ mother, Andromeda, was a favorite cousin of Sirius. She was removed from the tapestry because she married a Muggle-born. Andromeda’s two sisters are Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy; meaning that Sirius is related to Draco Malfoy. Sirius points out that most of the pure-blood wizarding families are interrelated, though “if ever a family was a bunch of blood traitors, it’s the Weasleys (pg. 113).” Sirius is not proud of his family; he doesn’t like being back in the house. “I never thought I’d be stuck in this house again (pg. 114).” And Harry understands. He felt the same way being stuck in Privet Drive. He brings up the notion that if he would get expelled from Hogwarts for using magic against the dementors, could he come back and live with Sirius. A lot of this is left out of the film, though the tapestry bit is moved to a later point.
Arthur takes Harry to the Ministry of Magic for his hearing, using the visitor’s entrance, which is a telephone box where they dial 62442 [which spells out MAGIC]. When they get there, they get word that the time and location of his hearing has been changed. Harry is brought before a Wizengamot session, highly unusual (and a departure from Fudge’s previous joviality; just two years prior, he swept the matter under the rug that Harry blew up his aunt). Luckly, Dumbledore arrived at the Ministry extremely early [this was undoubtedly all a plot to catch Harry off his guard and give them another reason to rule against him; and Dumbledore probably understood that and made sure to be early to counteract] and acts as witness for the defense. Fudge talks over Harry, who only just gets out that he only used magic because of the dementors. We meet the Minister’s senior undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge. Harry is cleared of all charges, but Fudge is still not convinced. Dumbledore never looks at or speaks to Harry.
Back at Grimmauld Place, prefect badges come for Hermione and Ron. Molly is pleased and claims “that’s everyone in the family!” George points out, “What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?” [This is left out of the movie, thought I wish they had kept that plot point in just for that line.] As a reward, Molly and Arthur get Ron a new broom. Harry is briefly jealous, but talks himself out of it; he won’t ruin this for Ron, this that he has beaten Harry at something. He’s cheered by finding out that James wasn’t a prefect either; that was Remus. Moody brings around a photo of the original Order of the Phoenix, showing Harry his parents as well as Frank and Alice Longbottom. After dinner, Harry comes across Molly crying at the boggart from the writing desk. It shows her a dead Ron, then Bill, Arthur, the twins, Percy, and finally Harry. Lupin is able to calm her down and points out that should the worst happen, the order will of course take care of her children, does she think they’d let them starve?
Sirius as Padfoot accompanies Harry to King’s Cross, which cheers Harry up. He rides with Ginny and Neville, and he meets Luna Lovegood, who is a bit odd, and does not hit it off with Hermione. Unfortunately, he also finds out that Malfoy is a Slytherin prefect. The blonde’s comment is “you see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishment.” Harry’s comeback is “yeah, but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone (pg. 194).” [Another great bit that was left out of the film.]
At Hogwarts, Harry is taken aback to discover that the carriages do not actually pull themselves; they’re drawn by dark, scaly almost-horse winged creatures. Except his friends don’t see them. Luna does and assures him he’s not going mad. He doesn’t necessarily believe her. His mood does not improve when he discovers that Hagrid is not there, or that Umbridge will be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. The Sorting Hat attempts to warn the school “Hogwarts is in danger/From external, deadly foes/And we must unite inside her/Or we’ll crumble from within (pg. 207).” Umbridge them makes a speech that “progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what ought to be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practices that out to be prohibited.” And encourages the school to move forward with a new era of openness. Hermione (correctly) interprets the speech that the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts. The evening does not end well when Harry discovers that classmate, Seamus Finnegan almost did not return because he and his mother believe what the paper is saying about Harry and Dumbledore. An argument starts between the two boys, and Ron sides with Harry, as well as Neville.
Fred and George continue to work on their joke shop and start thinking about life outside Hogwarts, and point out that the fifth years will get career advice this year alongside their OWL exams. Anger continues to flare in Harry and he takes his temper out on Hermione and Ron. Their first class with Umbridge does not go well, discovering that they will not be practicing any magic. The Ministry has deemed that a theoretical knowledge will get them through exams, which is what school is all about. When it’s brought up that they would need magic outside of school and proper knowledge, Umbridge declares that Voldemort’s return is a lie and gives Harry detention. “So, according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord (pg. 245)!”
Umbridge sends Harry to McGonagall. “Have a biscuit, Potter,” the Scotswoman tells Harry when the teenager explains what happened. Then she warns him to be careful; he knows to whom Umbridge reports. It’s not about truth or lies, it about keeping his head down and temper under control. And at least he listens to Hermione about the Ministry’s interference (sadly, this was kept out of the movie).
At detention, Umbridge tells Harry it is his punishment for spreading evil, nasty attention-seeking stories. “You know deep down you deserve to be punished” [and that is a horrible thing to ever say to someone…I’m guessing in the wizarding world that no one questioned her teaching qualifications…obviously not since she’s a spy for Fudge.] He’s to write lines, and he’ll be using a special quill of Umbridge’s, that doesn’t require ink. No, it uses his blood and while he writes “I must not tell lies,” it carves into the back of his hand. Harry refuses to make a noise throughout his punishment and initially refuses to tell even Ron or Hermione. When they find out, he also refuses to tell Dumbledore. McGonagall finds out in the film and calls Umbridge out for her medieval methods, to which Umbridge attempts to claim McGonagall is disloyal. Umbridge may actually be a teacher that Harry hates even more than Snape. Percy sends Ron a letter to cut ties with Harry and instead, follow Umbridge. That’s because Umbridge is named by the Minister the new High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, giving the Ministry unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts and Umbridge powers to “inspect” teachers. If they’re not up to her snuff, she and the Ministry can appoint new teachers. There are still members of the Wizengamot who support Dumbledore and oppose the decrees, though the paper also tries to discredit them.
Sirius manages to make a fire call to Harry, responding to a note that Harry sent; he told his godfather “I feel more alone than ever” and knows Sirius will understand [and your heart breaks a little]. Sirius has heard about Umbridge through Remus; she dislikes half-breeds and pushes legislation through against werewolves. Though Sirius points out that the “world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters (pg. 302).” And Fudge continues to be paranoid about Dumbledore. The reason why the students won’t actually learn defensive spells is he’s afraid to have them “trained in combat;” he’s afraid that Dumbledore is building his own army to attack the Ministry. When Sirius suggests that he comes to visit Harry at Hogsmeade, Harry warns him away; the Malfoys possibly recognized Sirius as Padfoot at King’s Cross and Harry doesn’t want his godfather chucked back in Azkaban. Unfortunately, his godfather’s parting words are “you’re less like your father than I thought. The risk would’ve been what made it fun for James (pg. 305).” Luckily, those parting words are left out of the film, because it’s not fair to compare the son to the father. At that time and age, James could be reckless; Harry’s not in a position to be reckless. Instead, his parting words to the teens in the film are “looks like you’re on your own,” which does not bode well.
The first inspection the trio witness is Umbridge with Professor Trelawney. While they know Trelawney is a fake, it’s a bit hard to watch Umbridge demand a prediction. Then Umbridge inspects McGonagall, which does not go the way Umbridge expects. We cheer alongside the students as Minerva tells the toad “I wonder, how you expect to gain an idea of my usual teaching methods if you continue to interrupt me? You see, I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking (pg. 320).” Seriously, why did the filmmakers cut out the awesome McGonagall scenes? This would have been great on camera. Though they do pair Umbridge’s scenes where she exerts control throughout the school with chipper music, to make everything a little off-kilter.
It’s Hermione who brings up the idea of learning Defense Against the Dark Arts themselves. But they need a proper teacher, who’s actually fought the Dark Arts – like Harry. Harry insists his continued existence is based on luck; he didn’t know what he was doing half the time and never planned it. “The whole time you’re sure you know there’s nothing between you and dying except your own – your own brain or guts or whatever – like you can think straight when you know you’re about a second from being murdered, or tortured, or watching your friends die – they’ve never taught us that in their classes, what it’s like to deal with things like that (pg. 328).” This is why it should be Harry, Hermione insists. She gathers some other students and they meet at Hog’s Head during the next Hogsmeade weekend. There are a few more than Harry expected and some of them start by asking questions about what really happened with Cedric. Harry refuses to address that. The meeting settles down and Hermione demands that those who sign their names to the list agree not to tell anybody else. Gotta love the line in the movie where Hermione says, “it’s sort of exciting, isn’t it, breaking the rules?” This from the girl who told Ron and Harry off first year about “another idea to get us killed, or worse, expelled.” Which is why Ron replies, “who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?”
There are some passing comments about Harry’s interest in Cho, as well as Ginny dating another Gryffindor. In other news, Ron tried out and became the new Keeper for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He’s not terribly good when his confidence falters.
Shortly after the meeting, a new educational decree is put out that student groups are disbanded and have to be given permission by Umbridge to reform. McGonagall goes above her head when Umbridge almost refuses to let the Gryffindor team continue. Sirius manages another fire call and passes along that the Order knows about the student group. Molly prefers if they disband, but Sirius is all for it. Learning to defend themselves is a good idea.
Malfoy continues to make digs at Harry, advising there is a “special ward for people whose brains have been addled by magic.” It doesn’t bother Harry because he’s too busy pulling Neville away from Malfoy. We and Harry know that Neville’s parents were tortured to insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange and now reside in St. Mungo’s (again, left out of the film). Umbridge next inspects Snape and points out that he first applied for the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts and was unsuccessful. “Obviously.” [And Alan Rickman had such a talent to put so much nuance in one word.]
The secret defense meeting finds a meeting place in the Room of Requirement, which Harry finds out about from Dobby. Dobby does not appear in the film, most likely to keep the storyline streamlined. It’s Neville who comes across the room. One can only enter if they have a real need and the room is always equipped with the seeker’s need. Harry’s comment is “it’s like Hogwarts wants us to fight back.” They name themselves “Dumbledore’s Army,” because that’s what the Ministry is afraid of.” And Hermione figures out how to charm Galleons to transmit the next meeting date and time (which is a bit of advanced magic). Harry starts off with teaching them Expelliarmus first; it saved his life against Voldemort the previous year. As the other students begin to progress, it buoys Harry’s spirit (he still has issues with anger and temper flaring).
Gryffindor plays Slytherin in Quidditch and Malfoy has taught the Slytherins a ditty: “Weasley is our King” to get in Ron’s head. Harry manages to catch the Snitch early to win the game, so Malfoy insults the Weasleys and Lily Potter, so Harry and George pounce on the ponce. Umbridge, the little toad, puts a lifetime Quidditch ban on Harry, Fred, and George (because Fred would have hit the boy as well if the others weren’t holding him back); and of course, Malfoy gets off scot-free. She got Fudge to set a new educational decree after McGonagall went over her head. [I get a little angry about this because it is completely unjust, but there are entitled people who are like this, who have to have their way and figure out how to get it…and this is why we hate Umbridge.]
A little hope shines through: Hagrid is back. But injured. He admits to the trio that he was sent to parley with the giants. It did not go as well as he hoped, but he’s quiet as to why it took him so long to return or why he’s injured. They try to warn him about Umbridge and Hermione even begs for Hagrid to do boring lessons so he can’t get thrown out, but Hagrid bats them away. His first lesson is about thestrals, the strange creatures Harry can now see that pull the carriages. And the reason he can now see them is that only people who have seen death can see them. Umbridge comes to inspect the lesson and is purposefully horrid, making enough comments out loud that she views him as inferior and won’t listen to a good word about him, selecting the Slytherins to make horrible comments. [Grrr].
On a better note, Neville is improving in D.A. and Cho manages to kiss Harry, though she’s been crying about Cedric. Hermione interprets her feelings for the boys, commenting that Cho spends half her time anymore crying. When Ron comments that one person can’t feel all those emotions or they’ll burst, Hermione retorts “just because you’ve got the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn’t mean we all have (pg. 459)” [and I love that line.] Harry dreams about Cho, but it changes to a snake attacking Arthur Weasley. Ron runs for McGonagall, who takes Harry to Dumbledore. The headmaster sends other portraits to make sure Arthur is found and sends Harry and the Weasleys to Grimmauld Place. When Dumbledore looks at Harry, a feeling of hatred so powerful comes over Harry, he almost wants to bite Dumbledore like the snake. When Harry is ignored, the anger flares and he shouts “Look at me!” and demands “what’s happening to me?”
Arthur lives and Molly takes the children, joined by Hermione, to St. Mungo’s the next day to visit. The kids also overhear the adults talk about Voldemort possibly possessing Harry. So Harry pulls away from the others, and starts thinking he’ll need to leave the wizarding world in order to protect his friends. They finally track him down and Ginny points out she was once possessed by Voldemort and what Harry is going through is not an actual possession. They try to get across to Harry that he’s not alone. Sirius is also pleased to have guests for the holiday. On another visit to St. Mungo’s Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny come across Lockhart, who’s still missing memories due to his spell backfiring. They also find out about Neville’s parents, seeing him visit them. This is the first time, at the end of the holiday, that Harry doesn’t want to return to Hogwarts. If not for D.A., he’d beg to stay with Sirius.
And his mood doesn’t improve when Snape pays a visit to Grimmauld Place before they return to Hogwarts, informing Sirius and Harry that Dumbledore has asked Snape to give Harry lessons in Occlumency, a magical defense of the mind against external penetration. Sirius warns his old nemesis that if he gets word that Snape is using the lessons to give Harry a hard time, the Potions master will answer to him. Of course, Snape retorts with a crack about James and calls Sirius a coward [which would not help Sirius’ mental health.] When the teens finally leave, “Harry had an unpleasant constricted sensation in his chest; he did not want to say good-bye to Sirius. He had a bad feeling about this parting; he did not know when they would next see each other (pg. 523).” Sirius passes Harry a gift as he leaves, to use if he needed him. Harry vows to himself not to use it; he would not lure Sirius from a place of safety.
In his lessons with Snape, Harry finds out that the curse that left the scar on his head forged a connection with Voldemort. And he’s learning Occlumency so that the Dark Lord won’t use the connection going the other way. He’s gotten a view from inside the evil lord’s head, and hints of his feelings. Though Snape doesn’t actually tell Harry how to repel him with his brain. The man only tells Harry to clear his mind, let go of all emotion, master himself, and control your anger, discipline your mind. Those are not actual instructions. Harry’s forced to relieve bad memories, though he works out that the corridor he keeps dreaming about is in the Department of Mysteries. He also senses happiness from Voldemort. That’s because several Death Eaters made a mass breakout from Azkaban, including Bellatrix. Of course, the paper blames Sirius, but other students are starting to question which story is right.
Harry’s lessons with Occlumency are moved to right after Dumbledore’s office in the film, so Sirius can’t defend Harry against Snape. Dumbledore claims that it can’t wait, or else everyone will be vulnerable. And he still explains nothing to Harry, which frustrates the teen more. Snape explains that Voldemort is skilled in the art of breaking into someone’s mind, unhinging it, creating visions, and ultimately torturing his victims to madness. And still, his only notes to Harry to perform Occlumency are concentrate and focus.
We do see Harry at Grimmauld Place for Christmas; Arthur offers the teen a toast, for “without whom, I would not be here.” Harry spends some time with his godfather and it’s at this point in the movie that they come across the Black family tapestry. It’s now that Harry finds out this was Sirius’ childhood home. Sirius admits he hated his parents for their pureblood mania. His mother blasted him off the tree when he ran away from home at sixteen. He went to James’ home; he was always welcomed at the Potters. “I see him so much in you, Harry. You are so very much alike.” [This comes across better than some passages in the book, because it’s said with warmth, thanks to Gary Oldman, and with a longing that James isn’t around for Harry to see his similarities. Sirius is also trying to cheer up his godson, not just wallow in missing an old friend.]
Harry, in turn, admits that in his dream, he was the snake. What if the reason for this connection to Voldemort means Harry is becoming more like the Dark Lord? “I just feel so angry, all the time. And what if, after everything I’ve been through, something’s gone wrong inside me? What if I’m becoming bad?” (At least Harry admitted it to someone). Sirius comforts his godson, “you’re not a bad person. You’re a very good person, who bad things have happened to.” “Besides, the world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters; we’ve all got light and dark inside of us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.” As they leave, Sirius tells Harry, “when all of this is over, we’ll be a proper family, you’ll see.” He pulls his godson in for a hug (and paired with the melancholy music, our hearts break a bit again, especially if you’ve read the book).
More decrees come out, forbidding teachers to say anything to students that’s not related to their direct subject. The breakout intensifies Umbridge’s furious desire to bring every aspect of life at Hogwarts under her personal control. She puts Trelawney and Hagrid on probation and sits in on all their classes. Umbridge is slowly depriving Harry of everything that made his life at Hogwarts worth living. He gets his revenge with D.A. Neville is again the one to show the most improvement, fueled by the knowledge that the one who tortured his parents is now free. Though Harry’s lessons with Occlumency continue to go poorly.
Harry manages to ask Cho out for a date. It ends up falling apart because Harry is supposed to meet up with Hermione later and doesn’t know quite how to say it to Cho without hurting her feelings. Cho also only wants to talk about Cedric. When Harry shows up for his meeting with Hermione, he finds her with Rita Skeeter and Luna Lovegood. Harry is to give Rita an interview about what happened the previous summer, which will be printed in the Quibbler, the magazine that Luna’s father owns. The interview goes well and Harry receives letters from readers. Some still think he’s mad, but some are now turned to the truth. Umbridge finds out and bans Harry from further Hogsmeade trips, as well as taking points and giving Harry more detention. She puts through the decree that anyone caught reading the Quibbler will be expelled. As Hermione points out, “if she could have done one thing to make absolutely sure that every single person in this school will read your interview, it was banning it (pg. 582)!”
More people are swayed in their belief, students hide the magazine from Umbridge, teachers support Harry how they can. Trelawney pronounces that Harry will not suffer an early death. Cho apologizes to Harry, as well as Seamus.
Umbridge ultimately fires Trelawney and tries to send her from the castle. McGonagall of all people is the one to come forward to comfort Sybill. Dumbledore arrives and while the High Inquisitor has the right to dismiss any of the teachers, she does not have the power to send them from the castle; that power still resides with the headmaster. And he’s already found another Divination teacher, because the decree stated that the Ministry can put in a replacement only if the headmaster is unable to do so. His new professor is the centaur, Firenze.
His lessons differ from Trelawney’s. The wisdom of centaurs is impersonal and impartial. The observe the heavens for “here is written, for those who can see, the fortune of our races (pg. 602).” [Centaurs hold the ability to view the heavens and see the future in mythology; they do so in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.] “His priority did not seem to be to teach them what he knew, but rather to impress upon them that nothing, not even centaurs’ knowledge, was foolproof (pg. 604).” Firenze does not appear in the film.
D.A. starts working on Patronuses, but Dobby comes to warn them that Umbridge is coming. Everyone scatters and runs, but Harry is caught by Malfoy. Umbridge takes him to Dumbledore’s office, where Fudge, McGonagall, Percy, and Shacklebolt are already waiting. Harry doesn’t play along and tells her that no, he doesn’t know why he’s been brought in. Then Umbridge brings forward their informant, Cho’s friend. Except she’s got pimples across her face spelling out “Sneak;” that’d be the effect of Hermione’s hex. She told Umbridge about the meeting, but won’t say anything else. Umbridge had her own informant at Hog’s Head the day the group was formed, though McGonagall points out that her informant was never prosecuted for his other crimes, funny how “justice” works. When Umbridge starts shaking the girl to get answers, Dumbledore steps in, for he won’t allow her to manhandle his students. The list of names is brought forward, under the banner of “Dumbledore’s Army.” This is simplified in the movie to show that Cho was doused with Veritiserum to give them up.
Dumbledore “confesses” to the crime, that he’s been plotting against Fudge. However, he will not come quietly. “I have absolutely no intention of being sent to Azkaban. I could break out, of course – but what a waste of time, and frankly, I can think of a whole host of things I would rather be doing (pg. 620).” He warns one of the other men that if they try to take him by force, he will have to hurt them. He also won’t let Minerva help, Hogwarts needs her. Minerva shoves the two students to the floor as Dumbledore creates his escape. He took out the other adults, even the Order member so that it wouldn’t look suspicious. He won’t go into hiding, but “Fudge will soon wish he’d never dislodged me from Hogwarts.” The headmaster won’t let Harry apologize, though he insists that Harry studies Occlumency; it’s more important than ever that Harry closes his mind to dreams. He disappears into a phoenix flame in the film, and it’s remarked by Kingsley that “he’s got style.”
Umbridge is instated as the new headmistress and creates the Inquisitorial Squad, which has more power than prefects. [More like her minions and that can only spell trouble.] Fred and George start plotting; they no longer care about getting into trouble. Under Dumbledore, they knew what line to toe. Now, with Dumbledore gone, they “reckon a bit of mayhem is exactly what our dear new Head deserves (pg. 627).” Umbridge also brings Harry into her office (pink and full of kitten plates), and offers him a drink in order to find out what he knows about Dumbledore. And some of the knowledge and paranoia of Moody has stuck in Harry’s head for he realizes not to accept a drink handed to him by a known enemy and only pretends to sip his tea. Her interrogation session is interrupted by enchanted fireworks, which spread through the school all afternoon. None of the teachers offer to help, constantly calling Umbridge for assistance. Gryffindor tower, including Hermione, congratulate the twins. The fireworks are part of their new joke shop.
During Harry’s next Occlumency lesson, Snape has to leave for a moment and Harry listens to the reckless and daring side of his brain and examines Snape’s Pensieve. He’s dropped into Snape’s worst memory. Harry sees his father, the same age as himself, Sirius, and Remus, all taking the OWLs. When the exam finishes, everyone heads outside. Snape sits by himself and the Marauders sit together for a while, James showing off catching a Snitch. When they get bored, James and Sirius cast spells on Snape, bullying him. Lily steps in; “what’s he done to you?” “Well, it’s more the fact that he exists.” James asks Lily out, but she refuses. Snape hexes James, then calls Lily a Mudblood for trying to help. She snaps at Snape and tells James off. Then Harry is dragged out by Snape and thrown from his rooms.
In the film, Harry sees the memory when he manages to fight back against Snape. Snape has already taunted Harry that he’s just like his father, lazy, arrogant, and weak. Harry protests that he’s not weak. Snape tells him to prove it, “control your emotions, discipline your mind.” (Which is, admittedly, a tiny bit more instruction, but he doesn’t nothing to actually help Harry achieve the results.) When Harry asks for a break, Snape now makes a dig at Sirius, calling him and Harry “two of a kind, sentimental children, forever whining about how bitterly your lives have been [they technically have points]. Well, it may have escaped your notice, but life isn’t fair. Your blessed father knew that. In fact, he frequently saw to it that…” Harry cuts off the professor, “my father was a great man.” “Your father was a swine.” Harry gets into Snape’s mind and sees his worst memory, of James and Sirius taunting Snape. Rickman’s Snape quietly informs Harry, “your lessons are at an end.” So, it’s not as horrible as in the book. And Harry never gets a chance to ask about what he saw.
Harry’s horrified; from what he saw, “his father had been every bit as arrogant as Snape had always told him (pg. 650).” This contradicts what everyone has said about his parents. “For five years the thought of this father had been a source of comfort, of inspiration. Whenever someone had told him he was like James he had glowed with pride inside. And now…now he felt cold and miserable at the thought of him (pgs. 653-654).” Harry later admits to Ginny that he wishes he could talk to Sirius. Ginny’s up for it. Growing up with the twins, “anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve (pg. 655).”
First, Harry has Career Advice with McGonagall, sat in on by Umbridge. Harry admits he’s interested in being an Auror. McGonagall informs him he’d need top grades. When Umbridge attempts to interrupt McGonagall, our favorite professor remarks “he has achieved high marks in all Defense Against the Dark Arts tests set by a competent teacher (pg. 664).” Umbridge brings up that Harry has a criminal record and he’d never be accepted under the current administration. McGonagall retorts that there may well be a new Minister of Magic by the time Harry graduates and declares she will tutor Harry to achieve his goals. Again, this is all left out of the film, and again, it would have been wonderful to see McGonagall go against Umbridge.
Harry has everything set with Fred and George to create a diversion so he can talk to Sirius through Umbridge’s fire. The plan succeeds and Harry gets Remus and Sirius and explains what he saw. Sirius explains that Snape had always liked the Dark Arts and James very much hated the Dark Arts. He admits there were arrogant little berks. “Of course he was a bit of an idiot! We were all idiots (pg. 670)!” Lily started dating James their seventh years, once James had deflated his head a bit. “Look, your father was the best friend I ever had, and he was a good person. A lot of people are idiots at the age of fifteen. He grew out of it (pg. 671).” Both insist that Harry needs to continue to learn Occlumency.
When Harry leaves Umbridge’s office, he finds that the twins are caught for turning a school corridor into a swamp. “George, I think we’ve outgrown full time education (pg. 674).” They summon their brooms and fly out of Hogwarts, declaring their new joke shop will open in Diagon Alley, along with special discounts to students who vow to get rid of Umbridge. They ask Peeves to give her hell and the poltergeist follows suit. The other teachers won’t stop the students, or Peeves. Harry admits to Ron and Hermione that he gave the twins the prize money from the tournament so they won’t get in trouble with their mother for worrying about illegal activities. Once again, simplified for the film, where they set off the fireworks during an OWL exam and then fly off. Right after, Harry collapses with his next vision.
In the book, Hagrid comes along and Hermione and Harry away from the Quidditch cup to show them that he has his giant half-brother hidden in the forest, Grawp. We get the funny bit in the movie where Hermione tells Grawp, after he’s grabbed her, “put me down, now,” very firmly. And Grawp obeys. Hagrid wants them and Ron to come and keep him company in case Hagrid gets sacked and sent away. They come back to find that Gryffindor has won the cup. Then preparation begins in earnest for the fifth year OWL exams. When Ron finishes the Divination exam, he remarks to Harry “from now on, I don’t care if my tea leaves spell die, Ron, die – I’m just chucking them in the bin where they belong (pg. 718)” [this always makes me laugh.] Umbridge and her cronies go after Hagrid during the Astronomy test. McGonagall tries to intervene, but she’s caught with several spells and sent to St. Mungo’s. Hagrid runs off into the forest. Harry falls asleep during the History of Magic exam and has another dream. Voldemort has Sirius and is torturing him for information.
When he tells Hermione and Ron, Hermione tries to point out that Harry has a saving-people-thing and that Voldemort knows Harry, and is probably trying to trick him. But Harry can’t let go that Sirius may be in danger and will do anything to save him; in the film he protests to Hermione that Sirius is the only family he has left. Ginny and Luna come to help. Hermione urges Harry to verify if Sirius is still at home. Harry manages to get into Umbridge’s office again, but only Kreacher answers the fire call and declares that his master is never coming back from the Department of Mysteries. Umbridge doesn’t fall for the diversion again and catches Harry and his cohorts, including Neville. She sends for Snape and demands more Veritiserum, but she’s used the last trying to interrogate Harry earlier. Harry had forgotten there was one last Order member in Hogwarts, and shouts after Snape “He’d got Padfoot at the place where it’s hidden!” Snape of course, plays dumb. Umbridge is willing to use the Cruciatus Curse on Harry, despite it being illegal. What Fudge doesn’t know, won’t hurt. He didn’t know she was the one to set the dementors on Harry in order to discredit him in the summer. To save Harry, Hermione breaks down that she’ll tell Umbridge; Harry was trying to contact Dumbledore to let him know that the weapon is ready. She convinces the headmistress to follow her and Harry into the forest, alone, to get it. They’re set on by angry centaurs, who drag Umbridge away. She admits in the film, “you know, I really hate children,” and demands “I will have order!” (we see where her priorities lie). When the centuars turn on Harry and Hermione, Grawp stumbles along and saves them.
They meet up with Luna, Ron, Ginny, and Neville, who demand to come along with Harry to rescue Sirius. They’re all in D.A. together and all fighting Voldemort. Ron points out that maybe Harry doesn’t have to do this all by himself; Harry had earlier mentioned maybe it would be better for him to go about this war against Voldemort alone. Luna suggests they fly thestrals to the Ministry. When they make it to the spot in Harry’s dream, neither Voldemort nor Sirius are there. Instead, they find a glass orb with Harry’s name on it. Lucius Malfoy appears and asks Harry to hand over the prophecy. More Death Eaters appear, including Bellatrix. Lucius warns them that they can’t attack and risk breaking the prophecy. Harry “just wanted to get them all out of this alive, make sure that none of his friends paid a terrible price for his stupidity (pg. 783).” Lucius attempts another tactic, asking Harry if he had ever wondered why his parents were killed, why he bears a scar on his forehead.
It doesn’t work; the teens instead start smashing shelves and running. They sustain injuries, but fight off the Death Eaters as best they can. In the movie, they stay relatively whole and together until they reach the archway. Neville tries to face off with Bellatrix. The Death Eaters corner the teens and hold them hostage for Lucius to order Harry to give him the prophecy. Harry does so to save his friends, then pauses. Lucius turns around to see what Harry’s looking at. Sirius stands there and orders his cousin-by-marriage, “get away from my godson,” and punches the git in the face. [Huzzah!] The rest of the Order shows up: Remus, Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley. Spells start flying. Sirius tells Harry to get out; “you’ve done beautifully. Now, let me take it from here.” In the mayhem, the prophecy is smashed (in the film, Harry already heard it when he first picked it up). The film shows Harry stays alongside his godfather, helping him take on the Death Eaters. The rest of the teens stay down. Sirius does some wonderful work against Lucius Malfoy. Of course, in the film, they have Sirius make the comment “nice one, James!” when Harry disarms Lucius. As that duel finished, Bellatrix pops in and yells “Avada Kedavara!” Sirius slowly stumbles back into the veil and floats away. The sound drops away as Remus grabs Harry, who’s calling for his godfather.
In the book, it’s a duel between Sirius and Bellatrix. A red light hits Sirius in the chest, his laughter has not quite died as he falls back into a veil. Bellatrix gives a triumphant scream. Remus holds Harry back; some part of Harry realized that Sirius had never kept him waiting. “Sirius had risked everything, always, to see Harry, to help him (pg. 808),” the only possibly explanation was that he could not come back.
Harry takes off after Bellatrix. She runs, taunting “I killed Sirius Black!” He tries Crucio, but it barely stops her. Voldemort speaks into Harry’s head that he has to mean it, but doesn’t she deserve it? She killed Sirius. When Harry turns around, the dark wizard bats him away. Dumbledore steps out of a fire and warns Voldemort that authorities are on their way. Voldemort’s reply is that he’ll be gone and Dumbledore dead. Dumbledore pushes Harry out of the way and Bellatrix disappears into a fire. Then the duel begins between the two wizards. Dumbledore tells Voldemort his “failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness (pg. 814).” Harry’s Harry wants the pain to end, death is nothing compared to it and he’ll be with Sirius again.
At one point, Voldemort shatters the glass in the lobby of the Ministry, but Dumbledore turns it into sand. Voldemort disappears. But he’s not gone. Instead, Harry collapses to the ground; Voldemort is possessing him. He shows Harry the deaths he’s experienced. In the book, it is remarked that his scar begins to burn and then “they were fused together, bound by pain, and there was no escape (pg. 816).” Voldemort, through Harry, tells Dumbledore to kill the boy. Dumbledore tells the teen, “it is not how you are alike; it is how you are not.” Harry sees his friends and remembers the good times, the hugs and laughter. He remarks to Voldemort that the dark lord is the weak one. He will never know love, or friendship, and he feels sorry for him. He smashes the mirror Voldemort used to try to show them together. As he remembers Sirius again, Voldemort exits. But his parting words are, “you are a fool, Harry Potter. And you will lose everything.” The authorities arrive, led by Minister Fudge, and Voldemort escapes. All Fudge can say is “he’s back.”
Dumbledore sends Harry back to Hogwarts and promises the Minister half an hour of his time. Fudge is also to remove Umbridge from the school and leave Hagrid alone. Harry sits alone in the quiet of Dumbledore’s office (which Umbridge was never able to get into). He blames himself; if he had not been stupid enough to fall for Voldemort’s trick. “There was a terrible hollow inside him he did not want to feel or examine, a dark hole where Sirius had been, where Sirius had vanished (pg. 821).” Dumbledore returns and informs Harry that everyone will recover and attempts to soothe the teen: “the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength (pg. 823),” and there is no shame for it. It is part of being human. Then Harry doesn’t want to be human. He rages and throws the spindly little objects in the headmaster’s office. Dumbledore’s voice breaks through, “you care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it (pg. 824).”
However, Dumbledore will not let Harry out of his office until he has had a chance to speak. It is Dumbledore’s fault that Sirius died. “Sirius was a brave, clever, and energetic man, and such men are not usually content to sit at home in hiding while they believe others to be in danger (pg. 825).” Harry should have never believed that it was necessary to go to the Department of Mysteries. If Dumbledore had been open with Harry, he would have known Voldemort would try to lure him. “That blame lies with me, and with me alone (pg. 826).” Dumbledore owes Harry an explanation; he made mistakes. Dumbledore thought by avoiding Harry, it would make Voldemort less likely to attempt to possess Harry; he was protecting the boy. It was Kreacher, who seized the chance when Sirius ordered him out at one point to go to Narcissa Malfoy, the last Black he had any respect for. The house elf couldn’t betray the Order, but told Narcissa “that the person Sirius cared most about in the world was [Harry] (pg. 831).” The one person Harry would go to any lengths to rescue was Sirius. Dumbledore points out that Sirius should have been nicer to Kreacher, but alas, the elf was a reminder of the home that Sirius hated.
Dumbledore was trying to keep Sirius alive. “People don’t like being locked up!” Harry angrily retorts; the headmaster did it to Harry all summer. Dumbledore urges Harry for patience once more, he will tell the teen the truth. He knew he was condemning the boy to ten dark and difficult years, he would have to suffer, but the blood protection left to him by his mother was his strongest shield. Through the years, Dumbledore’s flaw was that he cared too much; he cared more for Harry’s happiness than knowing the truth, more for his peace of mind that for a plan. The weapon the Order spoke about, was the prophecy; the knowledge of how to destroy Harry.
Dumbledore knows the prophecy despite it being smashed; he was the one who heard it originally, said by Trelawney: “The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…and wither must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives (pg. 841).”
The other possible boy it meant is Neville Longbottom, but Dumbledore points out that when Voldemort chose the boy he thought most likely to be a danger, he chose a half-blood (like himself). However, Voldemort had incomplete information. While the prophecy was overheard, the eavesdropper was caught and pulled away after only the first half of the prophecy; the Dark Lord never head the part about the boy would have “power the Dark Lord knows not.” Thus, he cannot “bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests (pg. 844).” The fact still remains that one will have to kill the other in the end. He has nothing else to be saying about that subject at the moment. In parting, he tells Harry that he did not make him a prefect, since he had enough responsibility to be going on with.
A lot of the explanation is cut out. Kreacher is not mentioned, but then he’s barely in the movie anyway, and the movie portrays Sirius better overall. Admittedly, the way Rowling wrote about Harry’s grief is poignant. The fact remains that Dumbledore should have said something to Harry long before the events of this year, as he himself admits. And the ‘trying to protect you because I care too much,’ is not a suitable reason. All this year did to Harry was make him feel isolated. He didn’t know what was going on and didn’t feel like he could talk to anyone. One of the people who had answers withheld them and the person Harry felt like he could talk to, he had to be careful and also protect. This is when we start distrusting Dumbledore.
The following morning, Fudge releases a statement, confirming the return of Lord Voldemort. Harry visits his friends recovering in the Hospital Wing. Umbridge is also there, in shock, but she startles when she hears the sound of hooves clip-clopping. When Harry can’t stand being around his friends any longer, he starts to go see Hagrid. He’s stopped by Draco, angry that his father is in Azkaban. Harry pulls his wand and is caught by Snape. McGonagall returns to Hogwarts and awards Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna points for alerting the world to the return of You-Know-Who. This allows Snape to take a few points from Harry. Harry is still put out with Snape. But a visit with Hagrid doesn’t improve his mood, when Hagrid tries to comfort him by saying that Sirius would have wanted to go out with battle. So Harry leaves; he knows his desire to talk about Sirius varies with his mood. He avoids the end-of-year feast and runs into Luna. She’s searching for her missing items, which people steal and hide.
Harry is pleasantly surprised at King’s Cross station to find Moody, Tonks, and Remus waiting for him. They want to have a chat with his aunt and uncle before letting Harry go home with them. They have something to say about how he’s treated. Moody threatens Vernon, “if we get any hint that Potter’s been mistreated in any way, you’ll have us to answer to (pg. 869).” And yes, Vernon is the sort of man Moody can threaten and intimidate. They’ll send someone along if they haven’t heard from Harry three days in a row. Molly also promises Harry they will have him away as soon as possible. A little hope to end the year.
There’s a hopeful scene at the end of the film, with Harry talking to his friends. “Even though we have a fight ahead of us, we have one thing Voldemort doesn’t have. Something worth fighting for.”
This is not one of my favorites in the series. I’m not fond of teenage drama, particularly second-hand, and that pops up in this book. I agree with the community that Umbridge is horrid, and I hate that Rowling killed off Sirius. Like, come on! You introduce him two books ago, he’s barely in the last one, and then you kill him off! He was one of the few adults that Harry trusted and saw Harry as himself (and we are going to ignore the filmmakers’ decision for Sirius to mistake Harry for James for a minute). Ok, as a writer, I can understand killing a beloved character and fallout for the main character. But I don’t have to like it.
Apparently, Daniel Radcliffe was the one to suggest looking a bit like Professor Lupin while he was teaching Dumbledore’s Army. (Also, Stephen King has said that the character of Dolores Umbridge was the ‘greatest make-believe villain to come along since Hannibal Lecter.’) First movie of the series to not utilize any of Britain’s castles and cathedrals for filming locations; all of the interior Hogwarts scenes were filmed on studio sets.
And I will admit that I’m a little fascinated by Bellatrix Lestrange; she’s related to a beloved good character but is the polar opposite: crazy and evil. And I have dressed up as her for Halloween (and I would love to be able to fit back into that costume that my mother made for me)
This films brings further recognizable names to the cast; David Tennant (the Tenth Doctor, voices Scrooge McDuck in the updated DuckTales cartoon, and voices Spitelout [Snotlout’s father] in the How to Train Your Dragon series and currently stars opposite Michael Sheen in Good Omens [no, I have not watched it yet]) as Barty Crouch Jr, Robert Pattinson (before he starred as Edward Cullen in Twilight) as Cedric Diggory, Brenan Gleeson [he’s father to Domhnall Gleeson, who we will see in later films as Bill Weasley] as Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody, Miranda Richardson (she’s appeared in Young Victoria, was the queen in the first Prince and Me movie, Madam Giry in Phantom of the Opera and Queen Mab/Lady of the Lake in Merlin [with Sam Neill and Helena Bonham Carter]) as Rita Skeeter, and Ralph Fiennes (the new M in James Bond, the Duke in The Duchess, and voiced Rameses in Prince of Egypt) as Lord Voldemort.
This is one of the first books that I awaited the midnight release of the novel; I believe my mother pre-ordered it. We drove to the bookstore to get it and when we got home, I spent the next day and a half reading it. And was good for nothing else. When the movie came out, it also had a midnight release that I attended with one of my best friends. The story opens on the Riddle House, which is very creepy, partly due to something strange and horrible that happened fifty years prior, when the maid found the three Riddles dead. Now, they were unpopular and rude, and their son, Tom was the worst. But there wasn’t a mark on their bodies, so the police couldn’t convict anyone, namely the gardener, Frank Bryce, of the crime. Now, Frank ventures up to the house in the middle of the night, seeing lights on. He comes across intruders, who speak of “Wormtail,” “Quidditch World Cup,” and “Muggles.” Wormtail is arguing that something can be “done without Harry Potter.” His Lord responds, “I have my reasons for using the boy…and I will use no other. I have waited thirteen years. A few more months will make no difference. As for the protection surrounding the boy, I believe my plan will be effective (pg. 10).” “One more death and our path to Harry Potter is clear (pg.10).” A gigantic snake slithers into the room, which in the movie also contains Barty Crouch Jr, and Lord Voldemort is informed that Frank is outside the door. He calls the old Muggle in and soon the man is dead. “Two hundred miles away, the boy called Harry Potter woke with a start (pg. 15).”
We know that this is Voldemort and Wormtail planning Harry’s death and when Harry wakes his scar is burning. He’s understandably a bit upset and ponders who can speak to. The Dursleys are out. He debates if he should mention it to his friends, but dismisses the idea. He needs someone like a parent; “an adult wizard whose advice he could ask without feeling stupid, someone who cared about him, who had experience with Dark Magic (pg. 22).” The answer is simple and obvious: Sirius. He can be forgiven for not instantly thinking of his godfather, since he didn’t even know he existed until two months prior and is still on the run. Which made it “doubly hard to return to the Dursleys knowing that he had so nearly escaped them for ever (pg. 23).”
Don’t ask why, but I remembered that Harry hid snacks in his room in the book, after Dudley got placed on a diet, and all of Harry’s friends send food to ensure he didn’t starve. Harry is then invited by the Weasleys to attend the Quidditch World Cup. Molly sent a well-intention letter through the Muggle post, but the Dursleys did not appreciate the extra stamps or her familiar tone. Ron sends a note with his owl, and Harry manages to convince the Dursleys to allow him to attend. It was a battle for Vernon, between his two most fundamental instincts, to make Harry happy, which he has struggled against for thirteen years, and getting rid of Harry two weeks early and he hates having Harry in the house (pg. 31). Mentioning Sirius helps sway them. Arthur arrives, via the fireplace (which the Dursleys boarded up after the mass of acceptance letters arrived four years previously), with Ron and the twins. The very brief visit does not end well when Dudley tries one of the magical treats that the twins dropped, on purpose. This is all left out of the movie; Harry wakes at the Burrow
At the Burrow, Harry meets the eldest two Weasley boys; Bill and Charlie. Bill works for Gringotts, but looks extremely cool, and Charlie works in Romania with dragons (they do not appear in the movie). The twins are working on Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, a joke shop, though Molly does not approve. The Wizarding World receives some worldbuilding [which I take note of as an aspiring fantasy author] and we learn about Portkeys, Apparation, and other wizarding families, along with formally meeting Amos and Cedric Diggory. The Weasleys, along with Harry and Hermione, sleep in a tent that is larger on the inside. In the film, Harry remarks, “I love magic.” They are guests of the minister in his box, along with the Malfoys, and meet Winky, Barty Crouch’s house-elf. Percy works for Mr. Crouch at the Ministry. And Harry watches his first professional Quidditch match; Ireland, vs Bulgaria, with their star Seeker, Viktor Krum. Fred and George’s bet is correct, that Ireland wins the match, but Krum catches the Snitch. The Ireland has superior Chasers and run the score up, so Krum catches the Snitch before they’re completely embarrassed. Ron is impressed by Krum. In the film, they are not in the box, but rather the top level of the stadium, nor do they meet Winky. She’s cut completely from the film, as is Ludo Bagman (which honestly makes sense; he’s a side plot that doesn’t add much to the main plot).
The evening festivities are interrupted by screams and people fleeing with Death Eaters, followers of Voldemort, show up and Muggle bait, and cause mayhem. Arthur goes to help the Ministry and sends the kids into the forest. Harry, Ron, and Hermione get cut off from the rest and Harry loses his wand. In the film, Harry stumbles and gets knocked out in the chaos of people fleeing. Later, they hear a spell cast and a skull appears in the sky. The Ministry arrives quickly and discovers the trio at the scene, but they can’t find who cast it. Then, they come across Winky. Hermione is appalled when Crouch dismisses the elf. Arhtur fills Harry in on the meaning of what went on. The sign in the sky was the Dark Mark, and it was cast wherever Voldemort and his followers killed and it spread terror throughout the wizarding community.
The younger kids are sent back to Hogwarts. Hermione learns that the largest number of house elves in any dwelling in Britain work at Hogwarts, so she starts a campaign to get them wages and such, ignoring that the elves seem happy with their lot. Dumbledore introduces a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Alastor Moody, better known as “Mad-Eye” Moody, and announces that Hogwarts will host the Triwizard Tournament. It is a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry; Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang (which have already been mentioned in the story by other characters; further worldbuilding). It is also a way to establish ties between young witches and wizards of different nations; each school will have a champion chosen to compete. The delegations will arrive at Halloween. The prize is the Triwizard Cup, glory for the school, and a thousand Galleons. This year, they are putting in place an age restriction; one must be seventeen in order to compete. The twins are upset; they’re only a few months away from their birthday.
Moody makes an impression on Hogwarts. He turns Malfoy into a ferret for attacking Harry, to later be told off by Professor McGonagall that teachers are not supposed to use Transfiguration as punishment. Then he shows the fourth-year students the three Unforgivable Curses, which the Ministry of Magic would disapprove of. The first is the Imperius Curse, which allows a wizard or witch total control of their victim. The second is the Cruciatous Curse, or pain curse. Neville is shown to react badly to seeing this in the movie, Hermione calls out to Professor Moody to stop it. And the third is the killing curse, “Avada Kedavara.” Only one person is known to have survived the last curse, Harry. Moody promotes constant vigilance. Ron remarks in the movie that Moody is brilliant; a bit demented and terrifying to be in the same room as him. Their conversation trails off when they come across Neville. Moody comes along and leads the other boy to his office.
Harry gets a response from Sirius; he’s flying north immediately. This news is the latest in a series of strange rumors, and Dumbledore is reading signs. Harry worries his godfather will be caught. He tries to tell Sirius not to come, but Sirius persists. Harry discovers in Defenses Against the Dark Arts class that he can throw off the Imperius Curse.
Durmstrang and their headmaster, Igor Karkaroff arrives in a ship on the Black Lake and Beauxbatons arrives in a flying carriage with their headmistress, Madame Olympe Maxime. There is a welcoming feast and the tournament is explained further. There will be three tasks that test the champions’ magical prowess, their daring, powers of deduction, and ability to cope with danger. The Goblet of Fire is brought out; it will be the impartial selector. Students are warned again that entering into the tournament is a binding magical contract. Fred and George attempt to beat Dumbledore’s age line, and get beards for their troubles.
In the film, the schools are shown arriving at the start of the semester, not a couple months in. Beauxbatons is shown as all-female and Durmstrang is shown as all-male (I do like the music that plays behind their entrance), and they show off a bit of magic with their entrances.
Ultimately, Viktor Krum is chosen as the Durmstrang champion, Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons, and Cedric Diggory from Hogwarts. However, the Goblet of Fire spits out another name: Harry Potter. He tries to hide in the film when his name is called, but Hermione pushes him forward. And everyone calls out the difference between the book and the movie with how Dumbledore asks Harry if he put his name in the Goblet of Fire. In the book, it is stated he does so calmly. In the movie, he’s more aggressive, but honestly, it’s not as crazy as we remember it. It’s shown to be born of worry and he’s also trying to get to Harry before the other headmasters arrive. Harry’s pushed back into some items; but the scene doesn’t jar us out of watching to story progress. Harry did not put his name in the Goblet of Fire, he did not ask anyone else to put his name in and in both cases, Dumbledore readily believes him. But Crouch persists that it is a binding contract; Harry will have to compete. It is Moody in the film that points out whoever is behind it managed to hoodwink a very powerful magical artifact. Harry and the other champions learn that they will not be told what the first task will entail. It is to test their daring and courage in the face of the unknown. They will be armed only with their wand and they are not permitted to ask or accept any help.
There is an added scene in the film with McGonagall, Snape, and Moody in Dumbledore’s office. Minerva tells Dumbledore “don’t let Potter compete.” First the Dark Mark, now this. But Dumbledore abides by Crouch’s rules. Minerva shoots back, when has that ever stopped Dumbledore before? Snape agrees that this can be no mere coincidence, but they should let events unfold for the time being. McGonagall disapproves of offering Harry as bait; he’s a boy, not a piece of meat. Albus agrees with Severus, then asks Alastor to keep an eye on Harry.
The school turns on Harry, thinking he just wanted glory and to steal the spotlight from Cedric. Worse, Ron doesn’t even believe Harry. This is a major fight between the friends. Harry doesn’t want enteral glory. (And the movie audience is a bit shocked, at least the younger members of the audience, to hear Ron tell Harry to “Piss off.”) Luckily, Hermione stands beside Harry and urges him to write Sirius. Malfoy and Harry get into an argument and cast spells at each other, hitting Goyle and Hermione. Hermione has to go to the hospital wing to have her teeth put to right (this bit does not appear in the film).
We’re introduced to Rita Skeeter as a reporter for the Daily Prophet at the Weighing of the Wands, and she dedicates most of her article to made-up stuff about Harry, courtesy of her Quick Quotes Quill, which does nothing to endear him to his schoolmates. This must all stem from his traumatic past and may be a cry for attention, or a death wish. In the film, when Harry remarks that they are sitting in a broom cupboard, Rita bites back that he should feel right at home [ok, low blow lady.] Hagrid wants to meet up with Harry one evening, though in the film, this message passes through Ron to Hermione to Harry, amidst other people; it’s very confusing, and Hermione does not like being treated as an owl just because the boys refuse to speak to each other. Hagrid brings Madame Maxime along, Harry hidden under his cloak…and shows them dragons that have been brought in for the first task, still insisting they are misunderstood creatures. Harry races back to meet with Sirius in the fireplace of the Gryffindor Tower. He’s interrupted by Ron and they have another argument. Harry also decides to pull Cedric aside and tell him about the dragons.
It’s here in the film that Draco approaches Harry, saying his father and he have a bet on Harry not lasting long in the tournament. Harry retorts “I don’t give a damn what your father thinks. He’s vile and cruel, and you’re just pathetic.” When Draco pulls his wand, Moody turns him into a ferret, and yes, it’s hilarious. McGonagall doesn’t approve; “What are you doing?” “Teaching.” “Is that a student?” “Technically, it’s a ferret.” She returns Draco to his usual self. Draco pulls out the line “my father will hear about this!” but that doesn’t faze Moody. McGonagall steps in again and reprimands Moody for using Transfiguration. Harry and everyone else laughs, even Cedric and his buddies. Moody pulls Harry aside and advises him to play to his strengths in the competition, and use a simple spell to get what he needs. (In the film, he more directly pulls the answer from Harry to fly.) Harry turns to Hermione to teach him the Summoning Charm.
Harry summons his Firebolt to fly against the Hungarian Horntail and capture a golden egg (Hermione shouts “your wand, Harry! Your wand!” In the movie). There’s more to the flight in the movie, with the Hungarian Horntail breaking free from its chain and taking the confrontation to the rooftops of the castle. Harry takes a tumble near one of the bridges and the dragon falls, but he manages to make it back to the ring and get the egg. Ron finally comes around that someone must have put Harry’s name in the Goblet. The boys make up, and the rest of the school, after seeing what Harry had to face, finally side with Harry. Our protagonist is happy with Ron be his side, having survived the first task and he’s got three whole months before the second. When he goes to solve the clue in the egg, he finds out that it screeches.
On a fun side note, Hermione finds her way into the kitchen and shows Harry that Dobby is now working at Hogwarts. He’s a free elf and has Dumbledore paying him one Galleon a week and he has a one day off a month, and he’s happy. Unlike Winky, who misses Mr. Crouch. Again, none of this appears in the film.
McGonagall next announces the Yule Ball, where everyone can socialize with their foreign guests. Dress robes will be required and the champions and their partners are to open the ball with dancing. She even instructs the Gryffindors in the movies, stating that the Yule Ball is an evening of “well-mannered frivolity.” “The House of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizard world for nearly ten centuries. I will not have you, in the course of a single evening, besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons.” (Maggie Smith is great!) She calls Ron up to demonstrate and he’s nervous about putting his hand on her waist. Neville is the first lad to step forward to learn and we see him practicing later.
Harry and Ron struggle to ask a girl to the ball, bemoaning that they travel in packs. Though Harry gets asked by a few and is shocked and nervously says no. In the film, he remarks he’d rather face the dragon again. There’s also an incredible scene with Alan Rickman in the movie, taking place in study hall, where the boys are remarking their lack of dates. Snape picks on duo, ignoring the fact that others are talking, smacking Ron and Harry over the head with a notebook, then forcing their heads down. Actually, he’d really like to ask out Cho Chang, but hasn’t plucked up the courage. When he finally manages to talk to Cho, he finds out that she’s already doing with Cedric (which changes Harry’s opinion on his schoolmate a little). She’s very kind in the film, admitting that she is truthfully sorry she can’t go with Harry since she’s already agreed to someone else; she doesn’t who at this point in the film. Ron attempts to ask Fleur Delacour and finds out that Neville tried to ask out Hermione, but she’s already going with someone, though Ron does not believe it. He even asks Hermione and is told the same thing. “Just because it’s taken you three years to notice Ron, doesn’t mean no one else has spotted I’m a girl (pg. 400)!” And Ron still doesn’t believe her. Ginny ends up going with Neville, so Harry finds Parvati Patil, who arranges for her twin sister, Padma, to go with Ron. Harry feels that the ball is more trouble than it’s worth.
The night of the Yule Ball, Roger Davis accompanies Fleur, Cedric takes Cho, and Krum takes Hermione. Ron is not pleased. Hermione looks lovely in her gown (yes, it’s pink compared to blue in the film, but still pretty. I had my hair arranged like hers from prom.) Harry and Ron are rude and ignore their dates, who gleefully hang out with Beauxbatons boys. Neville impresses everyone with his waltzing. Harry is not great (admittedly, Daniel only had a few days to rehearse that bit compared to everyone else, but Harry isn’t supposed to be good anyway). And there is rock’n’roll in the wizarding world with Do the Hippogriff. In the book, the two boys wander outside and notice Karkaroff speaking to Snape, and Hagrid speaking to Madame Maxime and overhear him mention he’s a half-giant. The night ends with another argument between Ron and Hermione: “next time there’s a ball, ask me before someone else does and not as a last resort (pg.432)!” Hermione had been enjoying a nice evening with Krum, and now Ron has spoiled everything. She’s left crying on the stairs in the movie. Harry’s night doesn’t end well either, with another dream about the graveyard.
When classes start back up, another Skeeter article runs, revealing Hagrid as a half-giant and calling him out for his dangerous classes. Next time he sees Skeeter, he shouts at her, and Hermione manages to get riled up. Hermione’s worried about Harry and the next task, remarking that the “tasks are designed to test you, in the most brutal way, they’re almost cruel.”
Cedric repays Harry’s tip on the dragon by suggesting he take a bath with his egg in the prefect’s bathroom. Harry finally sets his pride aside and does so, only to be interrupted by Moaning Myrtle. Who does suggest he put the egg in the water, and flirt with him. He finally hears the clue and figures out that the voices that cannot be heard above ground means merepeople: “Come seek us where our voices sound. We cannot sing above the ground. An hour long you’ll have to look. To recover what we took.” On his way back to his dorm, Harry stumbles across Moody and Snape. Moody manages to help Harry, though discovers the map and asks to borrow it. Harry then has to find a way to breathe underwater. Dobby comes through at the last minute with gillyweed. Again, since Dobby is cut out of the film, Neville is brought in to help Harry. Each champion must retrieve someone from the bottom of the Black Lake within an hour. Ron is Harry’s hostage, Hermione is Krum’s, Cho for Cedric, and Fleur’s little sister. Harry actually is the first to get to the hostages and wants to make sure everyone is rescued. Krum, who partially transfigured into a shark, and Cedric, who used a Bubblehead Charm, arrive and leave. When Fleur does not, Harry grabs the young girl and kicks to the surface with both hostages. The judges score him well for his actions. Harry earns the respect of Fleur for saving her sister, and even Ron gets a kiss since he helped. The third task will take place at the end of June.
Another Skeeter article runs; this time calling Hermione out for being associated with both Harry and Viktor Krum. Sirius has arrived in Hogsmeade and is hiding out. Harry, Ron, and Hermione go to visit him. Sirius tells Harry he is fulfilling his duty as godfather and keeping an eye on him. He passes himself off as a loveable stray, Snuffles. He’s not fond of Crouch and says “if you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals (pg. 525).” Crouch was the one who sent Sirius to Azkaban without a trial. He fought violence with violence and authorized the use of Unforgivable Curses against suspects. “I would say he became as ruthless and cruel as many on the Dark Side (pg. 527).” Crouch’s rise to fame was derailed when his son, Barty Crouch Jr, was found with Death Eaters. He sent his son to Azkaban, where the boy died. They already know Karkaroff was a Death Eater; as for Snape, he was part of a group of Slytherins who turned out to be Death Eaters, though Sirius never heard of Snape being accused. Sadly, this face-to-face meeting was cut from the film. The only time that Sirius actually appears is as a face in the fireplace.
It’s a good thing there won’t be a Quidditch Cup this year, because they’ve taken over the field to grow a maze for the third task, which will be filled with obstacles for the champions. As the champions walk back to the castle, Krum pulls Harry aside to ask about Hermione. Harry is quick to assure the Bulgarian that he and Hermione are only friends. Then they’re set on by Crouch, who is very confused, managing to get across that he needs to see Dumbledore, something about Voldemort and Harry is his fault. When Harry gets back, Krum has been attacked and Moody has to go searching for Crouch. This happens a bit differently in the movie, but the same result. Harry now dreams of Voldemort and Wormtail in Divination class. He decides it’s time to go to Dumbledore, where he’s instructed to wait in Dumbledore’s office. He spies a stone basin with silver light. He prods the surface with his wand (magic has taught him that much at least), and falls into a memory, where the younger Dumbledore can’t hear him. There’s a trial, where Karkaroff names other Death Eaters, including Snape, whom Dumbledore has already testified turn spy for the Light Side. None of the other names do any good. Four more Death Eaters are led in, charged with torturing Frank and Alice Longbottom (Neville’s parents). One is Crouch’s son, whom shouts for his father, but he’s sent to Azkaban.
The trials are condensed into one in the film, with Karkaroff naming Barty Crouch Jr as a Death Eater. The young man is in attendance and is taken into custody. He’s already showing his madness here, yelling at his father, with a telltale flicker of his tongue.
Dumbledore pulls Harry out and they talk about the memories, warning “curiosity is not a crime, Harry. But you should exercise caution.” Harry explains that his scar has been hurting and Dumbledore theorizes that it hurts when Voldemort is near or feeling particularly hateful. The two are connected by the curse that failed. Leaving, Harry thinks that “it all came back to Voldemort…he was the one who had torn those families apart, who had ruined all these lives (pg. 607).” In the film, Harry asks Dumbledore whether his dreams are really happening. The old wizard’s response is to tell the teen, it is unwise to linger on them and best to cast them aside (not helpful).
In preparation for the third task, the trio practice hexes (even with McGonagall’s permission after she gets tired of walking in on them). Sirius sends along guidance; his primary concern is keeping Harry safe. Voldemort can’t touch him while under Dumbledore’s protection.
The champions are informed that professors will be patrolling the outside of the maze (with a fun little Hogwarts March tune), should any run into difficulty and wish to be recues, they are to send up red sparks. Once in the maze, the lack of obstacles unnerves Harry. He manages to save Cedric from Krum, then runs into a sphinx [which I was disappointed was not in the movie. And the phrasing makes me wonder if it was influenced at all by Tolkien’s cave scene]. Harry saves Cedric from a spider [luckily not in the film; I am not fond of spiders. Instead, the walls of the maze are more alive and will try to crush the champions], though Cedric is closer to the Cup. Cedric argues that Harry should take the Cup; he’s saved him twice in the maze. Harry compromises; they should both take it; it’ll still be a Hogwarts win.
The boys find out upon touching the Cup that it’s a Portkey and they’re brought to a graveyard. Harry’s scar explodes with pain; “it was agony such as he had never felt in all his life (pg. 637).” A voice calls out “kill the spare” and Cedric dies in a flash of green. Harry is tied to Tom Riddle’s headstone by Wormtail. There’s also a cauldron, in to which Wormtail dumps a diminutive form. Then he incants, “bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son! Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master. Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe.” The flesh of the servant in Wormtail’s hand, and the blood of the enemy is taken from Harry.
A man emerges with a “face that had haunted his [Harry’s] nightmares for three years. Whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes and a nose that was flat as a snake’s with slits for nostrils…Lord Voldemort had risen again (pg. 643).” [Ralph’s blue eyes are used in the film so his performance would not be impeded, and it was felt that the blue eyes actually made Voldemort creepier.] Voldemort touches Wormtail’s tattoo of the Dark Mark and Harry’s scar erupts in pain again. Death Eaters arrive. Voldemort ponders aloud how many will be brave enough to return. How many will be foolish enough to stay away. To his followers, he asks why none of them tried to seek their Lord out. Perhaps they believed that Dumbledore’s power was greater. He wants thirteen years’ worth of repayment from them. He rewards Wormtail with a silver hand. He points to an empty spot, where three Death Eaters are missing; one who is too cowardly to return; he will pay. One has left forever and will thus be killed, and one is his most faithful servant and has already reentered service to his lord.
With Harry’s blood in his body, it now negates the protection Lily’s sacrifice had on Harry. Voldemort can touch him now. Again, Harry’s scar feels like it will split in pain. Voldemort mocks those who believed this boy ever truly defeated him. “I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal – to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked…for I had not been killed (pg. 653).” In his resurrection ritual, he wanted Harry’s blood, the “blood of the one who had stripped me of power thirteen years ago…for the lingering protection his mother once gave him would then reside in my veins too (pg. 657).” Harry was better protected than even he knows. But Voldemort’s faithful servant entered Harry into the Triwizard Tournament.
Now he uses Crucio on Harry. Further pain than Harry’s ever felt. Voldemort continues speaking; Harry escaped the first time by luck and now the Dark Lord will prove his power by killing Harry. He will be allowed to fight, so no doubt will be left on who is stronger. “Bow to death, Harry,” he commands. “Harry did not bow. He was not going to let Voldemort play with him before killing him…he was not going to give him that satisfaction (pg.660).”
The speech is changed a little in movie, but it’s just as good: “I’m going to kill you, Harry Potter. I’m going to destroy you. After tonight, noe one will ever again question my powers. After tonight, if they speak of you, they’ll speak only of how you begged for death. And I, being a merciful Lord, obliged.” “I want you to look at me when I kill you! I want to see the light leave your eyes!”
“And now you face me, like a man…straight-backed and proud, the way your father died (pg. 660),” Voldemort taunts Harry. He shoots Crucio and Imperio at Harry, but the teen doges the next spell, with reflexes born of Quidditch training. Harry finally shoots Expelliarmus against Voldemort’s Avada Kedavara. Their red and green beams meet and connects. Harry instinctively knows he mustn’t break the connection. A bead of light floats between the two wands and Harry manages to force to Voldemort’s. Cedric’s form emerges from the wand, then an old man, finally Lily and James Potter. They can give Harry some time in order to get to the Portkey, and Cedric asks Harry to take his body back. At their command, Harry breaks away and runs, summoning the Cup to him, and grabs Cedric.
[I almost hate to admit it, but I like the…it’s not quite banter, because there’s no humor, but Voldemort is well written in this spot. Yes, he’s mocking Harry and he’s treating Harry like a teenager; he refers to him as a boy occasionally, but the dialogue would also work against an adult.]
When he lands in front of the maze at Hogwarts, he manages to inform Dumbledore that Voldemort is back, though he won’t let go of Cedric. Dumbledore manages to pick Harry up, there is screaming erupting in the stands, and sobs. People talk over each other and Harry is rather out of it. In the movie, it’s more heart-rending. Harry’s sobbing while he tells Dumbledore “he’s back, Voldemort’s back,” and he couldn’t leave Cedric, not there. Dumbledore calms Harry, “you’re both home.” Fleur screams when she sees Cedric’s dead and Fudge tells McGonagall and Snape to keep the crowd back. Snape even steps to Dumbledore’s side. Amos makes his way to the front and sobs when he sees it’s his son, his boy. Arthur Weasley is behind him and Ron and Hermione start to make their way forward to see Harry. And Harry hasn’t stopped crying.
Moody takes Harry back to the castle and Harry starts explaining. Moody knows there’s a Death Eater at Hogwarts and they put Harry’s name in the Goblet, though it wasn’t Karkaroff. He fled. Then, in his office, Moody admits that he was the one who did it and asks Harry if Voldemort forgave the Death Eaters who didn’t try to find the Dark Lord. It was Moody who cast the Dark Mark at the Quidditch World Cup and he hates the Death Eaters who walked free; he wants them punished and tortured. During the Tournament, Moody frightened off every person who might hurt or prevent Harry from winning, though he had to be careful not to tip his hand. He grouses he had to contend with Harry’s stupidity, such as planting the book on underwater plants with Longbottom early in the year. Harry has a “steak of pride and independence that might have ruined it all (pg. 677).” In the maze, Moody stunned Fleur and put the Imperius Curse on Krum to finish off Cedric.
None of this is making sense to Harry. Moody continues; the Dark Lord will reward him when he kills Harry. He will be honored beyond all other Death Eaters, Voldemort’s closest supporter, closer than a son. He and the Dark Lord have much in common; disappointing fathers that they were named for, and they both had to kill their fathers to ensure the rise of the Dark Order. At this point, Moody is stunned by Dumbledore, alongside Snape and McGonagall. Harry now understands why Dumbledore is the only wizard Voldemort fears. He looks more terrible than ever, with cold fury in every line of his ancient face. “A sense of power radiated from Dumbledore as though he were giving off burning heat (pg. 679).”
Dumbledore has Harry stay, so he will understand, which is the first step to acceptance, “and only with acceptance can there be recovery (pg.680).” Harry “needs to know who has put him through the ordeal he has suffered tonight, and why (pg. 680).” [This is when we still like and trust Dumbledore.] This man before Harry is not Alastor Moody; Harry has never known the real Moody. The real Moody “would not have removed you from my sight after what happened tonight (pg. 680).” [It’s good to know that there are good adults who would have looked after Harry in a traumatic situation.] With that action, Dumbledore knew something was wrong and followed ‘Moody.’ The headmaster has Snape use his truth potion (Veritaserum) on the man; he also sends McGonagall to fetch a black dock from Hagrid’s and take it to the headmaster’s office. In the film, the cut on Harry’s arm almost echoes the Dark Mark, though opposite arms, best seen when Dumbledore compares it to Crouch Jr’s tattoo.
Dumbledore continues his investigation; in the seventh compartment of the trunk is the real Alastor Moody. The flask that the man has been carrying is filled with Polyjuice Potion; it’s a well-known fact that the real Alastor only drinks from his flask. The imposter is really Barty Crouch Jr. His mother saved him from Azkaban and died in his place, but his father kept him hidden away at home, concealed and controlled, with only Winky to care for him. The secret got out to Bertha Jorkins, a Ministry employee, whom Crouch Sr put under a Memory Charm. When she wandered across Voldemort’s path, he broke that Charm, got his information, then killed her [this whole bit was left out of the movie; again, it would have dragged the story to put in all the side plots]. Crouch Jr was actually at the Quidditch World Cup, in the box with Harry and the Weasleys, under an Invisibility Cloak alongside Winky. He’d been growing stronger, fighting his father’s magical control, and saw the opportunity to steal a wizard’s wand – Harry’s. When Crouch Jr heard the Death Eaters, the ones who had escaped Azkaban, he used the stolen wand to cast the Dark Mark. When the Ministry sent stunners into the woods, he was caught and finding Winky at the scene, his father knew what happened. Voldemort comes to the Crouch home, frees Jr and puts Sr under the Imperius Curse. That is why Percy Weasley took on many of Crouch Sr’s responsibilities [also not seen in the movie]. Voldemort tasks Barty Crouch Jr as his servant at Hogwarts, impersonating Alastor Moody. When Harry met Crouch Sr acting oddly, it was after the old man had escaped; Crouch Jr had been hiding out, and killed his father while Harry went for help, then circled back around as Moody and pretended to look for Crouch Sr. It was also Crouch Jr who turned the Triwizard Cup into a Portkey.
Testimony over, Dumbledore takes Harry to his office, where Sirius is waiting. Harry would rather not think about the memories he has of this night. Dumbledore understands Harry’s feelings and if it would help to put them off in an enchanted sleep, he would do it. But “numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it (pg. 695).” Harry has already been brave beyond Dumbledore’s expectation; the old man is asking for a little more courage from the teen. Harry recounts the events in the graveyard. For a moment, when he mentions that his mother’s blood protection is over, Harry thinks he sees “a gleam of something like triumph in Dumbledore’s eyes (pg. 696).” Dumbledore explains that when Harry’s and Voldemort’s wands connected, it was Priori Incantatem, along with the fact that their wands share a core, a tailfeather from Fawkes. When a wand meets its brother, it will not work properly against each other when forced to battle. One will force the other wand to regurgitate spells in reverse order.
Now, Dumbledore will take Harry to the hospital wing to get some peaceful sleep; Sirius may stay with him as Padfoot. “You have shown bravery equal to those who died fighting Voldemort at the height of his powers. You have shouldered a grown wizard’s burden and found yourself equal to it (pg. 699).” Waiting for him in the hospital wing are the Weasleys and Hermione. Dumbledore informs them not to ask Harry any questions that night. Later, Harry is woken to angry voices. Fudge refuses to believe that Voldemort is back and took care of Crouch Jr before he could testify again. Fudge no longer believes Harry’s word, listening to Skeeter’s gossip that he’s mentally disturbed. He fears the news will start a panic that will destabilize everything. Dumbledore argues for the Minister to see sense; “you are blinded…by the love of the office you hold, Cornelius! You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be (pg. 708)!” [And this is why we liked Rowling, until recently.] If Fudge will take steps now, he will be remembered as brave and the greatest Minister of Magic. “Fail to act – and history will remember you as the man who stepped aside and allowed Voldemort a second chance to destroy the world we have tried to rebuild (pg. 708)!”
In response, Fudge calls Dumbledore man and insane. This is a parting of ways. Snape even shows his Dark Mark, that it’s grown darker all year, but Fudge refuses to see reason. He leaves. Dumbledore asks Molly and Arthur for help. Then he has Sirius resume his normal form and face Snape. He will ask for a lack of open hostility between the two rivals; they are on the same side. He tasks Sirius to gather Lupin and the old crowd. Harry already misses his godfather’s presence by his side. Snape in turn, is ready for what Dumbledore will asks. He leaves. Left alone with the Weasleys, Molly offers Harry a hug. And the poor boy has no memory of being hugged like by a mother.
This is all left out of the film, sadly.
When Harry awakes again, he meets with Cedric’s parents, who do not blame Harry. Harry tries offering them the winnings, but they won’t take it. Harry doesn’t want it. There is a memorial service for Cedric. “Cedric Diggory was…exceptionally hard-working, infinitely fair-minded, and most importantly, a fierce, fierce friend.” Dumbledore announces that Cedric was murdered by Voldemort; the Ministry of Magic does not want him to tell, but that would be an insult to Cedric’s memory. He advocates, “in light of Lord Voldemort’s return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort’s gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust (ph. 723).”
The movie puts it: “while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one” [which the world would do well to remember]. “In light of recent events, the bonds of friendship we made this year will be more important than ever.” Remember that, and Cedric Diggory will not have died in vain. And remember the young man that was brave, kind, honest, and true to the very end. After the service, Dumbledore visits Harry in his dorm. “O put you in terrible danger this year, Harry. I’m sorry” [it’s nice he apologized.] Harry does ask about seeing his parents, but Dumbledore doesn’t bring up the shared wand cores. Instead, Dumbledore says “dark and difficult times lay ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy. But remember this. You have friends here. You are not alone.”
Krum asks Hermione to write to him. Fleur and her sister kiss Ron farewell. Ron asks “do you ever think we’ll just have a quiet year at Hogwarts?” Both Hermione and Harry answer no. “Oh well, what’s life without a few dragons?”
There’s some good news on the train ride home. Rita Skeeter won’t be writing any more terrible articles for a while; Hermione figured out how she had been able to get private information. She’s an unregistered Animagus; a beetle. Hermione managed to catch her the night in the hospital wing and is keeping her in a jar. Malfoy and his cronies try to start a fight, but the twins join the trio in hexing the Slytherins, then tossing them in another compartment. Harry gives the twins his winnings as they exit the train, telling them to use it for their joke shop. Oh, and maybe get Ron some new dress robes. This is also left out of the film.
I have to admit, this book and movie were better than I remember them being. There are some excellently written passages, and the movie dialogue is just as good. Yes, the book drags on and the movie rightly cut side plots that didn’t really aid the main plot. I mean, I don’t like the teen drama, but I also didn’t like teen drama when I was a teenager. The plot has matured, alongside the characters. Events and happenings are getting darker.
I will say, there is a fanfiction story that I highly recommend that is an alternate universe following the end of Prisoner of Azkaban and follows the plotline of Goblet of Fire. It’s A Marauder’s Plan by CatsAreCool. It is one of the best written Harry Potter fanfictions I’ve read, and my favorite thing is Sirius is in it way more. So, I definitely recommend you read it (it’s one of those that you wish was actual canon).
Harry and his friends are back for another year at Hogwarts. Our main cast is still young and are joined by Mark Williams (he’s Rory Willaims’ father in Doctor Who, made other appearances in BBC shows, as well as Billy in Stardust, Wabash in Shakespeare in Love, and Horace in the live action 101 Dalmatians) as Mr. Arthur Weasley, Jason Isaacs (he voiced the Inquisitor in Star Wars Rebels and Zhao in Avatar: The Last Airbender) as Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and the voice of Toby Jones (most recently he was Basil Shaw in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Arnim Zola in the MCU, and voiced Owl in Christopher Robin. He was Culverton Smith in an episode of Sherlock, appeared in the Hunger Games movies, Doctor Who, Amazing Grace, and Snow White and the Huntsman, as well as the royal page in Ever After) as Dobby. Kenneth Branagh (he is now Hercule Poirot in the recent Agatha Christie movies [which he also directed]: A Haunting in Venice, Death on the Nile, and Murder on the Orient Express. He was Cherevin in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit with Chris Pine [he also directed], and is very famous for his acting and directing work in productions of Shakespeare, notably Hamlet and Henry V. We’ve also noted he’s directed the live action Cinderella film and the first Thor film of the MCU) is Gilderoy Lockhart and Miriam Margoyles (she was in an episode of Merlin, and was the voice of the Matchmaker in Disney’s animated Mulan, as well as the grandmother in Balto) is Professor Sprout.
A trend we will see throughout the series is that Harry starts each new adventure back at the Dursleys for summer break, missing Hogwarts. This year, so far he has not heard from any of his friends; his school things are locked away. The Dursleys are preparing for a dinner party and Harry is to “be in my bedroom, making no noise, pretending I’m not there (pg. 6).” Except, he has an unexpected guest in his bedroom, a creature he finds out is a house-elf, named Dobby, who warns Harry not to return to Hogwarts, there is a “plat to make most terrible things happen (pg. 16).” Harry insists he will return to the magic school. It comes out that Dobby has been stopping his mail and he won’t return the letters until Harry promises he won’t go back. The house-elf takes off running and floats dessert over the guests’ heads, getting Harry in trouble, both with the Ministry of Magic and the Dursleys; “Dobby must do it, for Harry Potter’s own good.” Vernon takes great delight in putting bars on the window of Harry’s room, ranting he’ll never go back to school or see his friends again.
Harry is luckily rescued by Ron, Fred, and George Weasley in their father’s flying car and we all get to witness our first magical home, where the dishes wash themselves and knitting needles turn out work by themselves. Molly is furious with her son, “beds empty, no note, car gone!” but pleased to see Harry. We meet Arthur Weasley when he returns home from work at the Ministry, the Office of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts; he only berates his sons when his wife glares at him. He turns to Harry and eagerly asks “what is the function of a rubber duck?” Dumbledore even sends Harry’s school list to the Burrow. Harry accompanies the Weasley family to Diagon Alley for school supplies. He’s introduced to Floo Powder as a method of travel; he ends up in Knockturn Alley and luckily Hagrid shows up to lead him where he wants to go. He, the Weasleys, and Hermione run into Draco Malfoy and his father, Lucius, in the bookstore, where they also meet their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart. There’s a scuffle between Lucius and Arthur, then Harry spends the rest of the summer at the Burrow, referring to it as the happiest in his life.
They take Arthur’s car to the train station, but are running late, so Ron and Harry will be the last through. Except, when they try to get on to the platform, the barrier is sealed. They reason they’ll wait by the car, then Ron suggests they fly the car to Hogwarts. There’s an Invisibility Booster, so they shouldn’t be seen, but it malfunctions. The film shows a more exciting ride, though the big finish is landing on the Whomping Willow at the school and the car getting pummeled. It ejects the two boys and their things, then drives off into the Forbidden Forest. Snape gets ahold of them first and informs them they were seen, and put the whole Magical World at risk of being discovered. If it was up to him, they’d both be on the train home that evening. However, their fate lies with Professor McGonagall. They won’t be expelled, yet, but their actions were very serious, so they will both serve detention.
Their first lesson as second years is Herbology, where they repot Mandrakes, which look like babies in the roots, and they scream very loudly. Neville faints at the sound. Harry also meets an eager first year, Colin Creevy, who is fascinated with Wizarding photographs and wants some of Harry. Which leads to Lockhart finding out and attempting to give Harry advice about fame; Harry would rather run away. Lockhart introduces his class: “be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm (pg. 101).” Then he sets loose Cornish Pixies and is ineffective and capturing them again, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione to finish the job.
Harry runs into Draco again on the way to Quidditch practice and finds out that Draco is the new Seeker for Slytherin, and his father donated new brooms to the team. Hermione remarks that all the players on Gryffindor got in on pure talent; no one had to buy their way onto the team. Draco retorts the no one asked for the opinion of a filthy Mudblood. Ron tries to stand up for Hermione and tells Draco to eat slugs, but his wand was damaged by the Willow and the spell backfires on Ron, causing him to belch up slugs. Harry is informed what a Mudblood means (dirty blood, magical child of Muggle parentage), then has to spend his detention with Lockhart.
As the hours wain on, he hears a strange voice. But Lockhart doesn’t. Harry hears it again as he heads to the common room and follows it to discover a pool of water and Mrs. Norris hanging on the wall with the ominous phrase “The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware” on the wall. (In the book, this is preceded by Nearly Headless Nick’s Deathday party, but that was omitted in the film). Harry is discovered at the scene, and Filch wants to condemn him, but Snape actually points out that Harry might just be in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, what brought him there? Harry does not admit that he heard a strange voice (Snape instead tries to get Harry off the Quidditch team in the book, but McGonagall sees through that).
Hermione speaks up in class (Transfiguration with McGonagall in the film, History of Magic with Professor Binns in the book) to ask about the Chamber of Secrets. The students learn a little more about the Founding of Hogwarts by Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, and Godric Gryffindor. Slytherin wanted to be more selective on who was taught at school, keeping it to pureblood families. The rest of the Founders disagreed and so legend states that Slytherin built a secret chamber and housed a monster that could rid the school of non-pureblood students. (Mrs. Norris’ owner, Argus Filch, is shown to be a Squib, a non-magical child of magical parents). The trio of course decide to investigate and reason that Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin, with his family history in Slytherin and stance on purebloods. Hermione figures the best way to question him would be to use Polyjuice Potion, so they could transform into other Slytherin students and find out. The film doesn’t show that they have to get Most Potente Potions from the Restricted Section; they trick Lockhart into signing a permission form (Hermione is one of the students who is in awe of Lockhart).
Harry faces Draco on the Quidditch field first, Wood telling him “get to that Snitch before Malfoy, or die trying (pg. 167).” Well, during the game, a Bludger goes rogue and only follows Harry. Draco calls out “training for the ballet, Potter?” while Harry tries to dodge the heavy ball. Then it’s a race between the two of them to catch the Snitch. The Bludger finds it mark and breaks Harry’s arm, but he manages to catch the Snith. Then Lockhart runs over to help Harry and instead of mending his broken bones, makes them disappear. Harry ends up in the Hospital Wing to regrow his bones. Dobby the house-elf appears again and Harry finds out it was the elf who stopped the barrier and set the Bludger to attack him. We do manage to feel bad alongside Harry when we find out how Dobby is treated, but their conversation is cut short by teachers arriving with a frozen Colin Creevey. Dumbledore is sure now that the Chamber is indeed open. But the question is who, not how. In the film, he admits to McGonagall that the students are in danger and Hogwarts is no longer safe. [But he doesn’t send them home yet.]
So, the Headmaster allows Lockhart to start a Dueling Club for the school and Snape somehow becomes Lockhart opponent [how did that happen? Did he volunteer? Was he asked? By whom?]. The opponents trade salutes like in a saber duel and Snape manages to teach the students a useful spell: Expelliarmus, and make a fool of Lockhart at the same time. Lockhart nominates Harry as the next student and Snape brings up Draco Malfoy. “Scared, Potter?” “You wish.” They attempt more than disarming and Draco fires a snake at Harry. But before the professors can banish it, Harry speaks to it and orders it away from another student. However, everyone is in shock and a little afraid (look at Snape’s expression in the movie; he was certainly not expecting that and probably brings up a whole host of questions). Ron questions Harry about the ability and reveals that Harry can speak another language: Parsletongue. It was an ability Slytherin himself prized. So now everyone is going to think Harry is the Heir of Slytherin, and many students do. The Weasley twins try to make a joke of it, but it wears on Harry. And as Hermione points out, Harry doesn’t know that much about his family in order to dispute it. Then, another student is attacked, through Nearly Headless Nick. Dumbledore finally asks Harry if there is anything he’d like to share with the older wizard. Harry keeps quiet, especially after questioning the Sorting Hat and finding out the Hat still thinks Slytherin would have been a good fit. He also meets Dumbledore’s phoenix, Fawkes, in the Headmaster’s office. [I notice a similarity between Fawkes’ theme and the love theme from Attack of the Clones, both written by John Williams and both films came out in 2002. That is also why a lot of the themes from the first film were reused in this film.]
There are some deleted scenes from the film that show the other students; mainly Hufflepuff, discuss Harry as the Heir of Slytherin. One surmises that maybe Voldemort went to kill Harry because he didn’t want another Dark Wizard competing against him. There’s also a beautiful scenic shot of Harry and Hedwig, sitting away from the castle and looking back at it. Harry asks his companion, “who am I, Hedwig? What am I?”
The Polyjuice Potion is ready at Christmas; Ron and Harry manage to transform into Crabbe and Goyle, but Hermione can’t join them. They find their way to Slytherin’s Common Room and talk to Draco. Luckily, Crabbe and Goyle are already a little dim, so Draco readily tells them again, he doesn’t know who the Heir is; his father won’t tell him. But the last time, someone died. Ron and Harry report back to Hermione and find out that the hair she used was cat hair. She goes to the Hospital Wing to get transformed back. Harry also finds a book thrown through Myrtle; when he examines it, it’s blank, but it belonged to a T.M. Riddle. Ron recognizes the name from an award he had to polish, from fifty years ago. They had discovered the last Chamber of Secrets attacks were fifty years ago. Harry examines the diary further and attempts writing in it: it writes back. Tom shows Harry his memory of catching the culprit; Hagrid. But Harry refuses to believe Hagrid is truly at fault. Before he can get more information, his room is trashed and the diary is gone.
Harry hears the voices again on the way to a Quidditch match and Hermione heads to the library; “because that’s what Hermione does, when in doubt, go to the library (pg. 255).” The match is canceled and McGonagall informs Ron and Harry that it was Hermione and another girl who were attacked, holding a mirror. New rules are set in place and everyone is under a curfew. Harry drags his dad’s Invisibility Cloak out again and he and Ron sneak down to Hagrid’s. But they’re not the only ones to show up. Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic show up to arrest Hagrid, even though Dumbledore vouches for him. Then Lucius Malfoy shows up with a letter from the school governors to suspend Dumbledore. Fudge even protests, but Dumbledore goes peacefully and says in parting “I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it (pg. 264).” Hagrid drops the loud hint that answers lie with following the spiders.
Ron’s not keen on following the spiders into the Forbidden Forest. And they run into a test of huge spiders [I refuse to watch the scenes in the movie; they creep me out]. But they find out, while this was the pet Hagrid kept in the school, it is not the monster from the Chamber. Hagrid was innocent. They still try to eat Harry and Ron, luckily, the old car comes to their rescue and drives them out of the forest. The two boys also deduce, that if the girl who died was found in the bathroom, it may be Moaning Myrtle. Their next clue comes from a piece of paper grasped in Hermione’s hand, a page detailing a basilisk; the King of Serpents “of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly (pg. 290).” Spiders flee from it and the cry of a rooster is fatal, which is why Hagrid has been finding the roosters dead. Hermione also wrote “pipes” on the page. Harry figures it out; it’s a snake, so that’s why only he is hearing it. It’s slithering through the pipes in the school and no one has died from its gaze because they only saw reflections.
Before they can act on their knowledge, the school goes into lockdown. They hide in the teachers’ lounge and discover that Ginny Weasley was taken into the Chamber. The other professors dispense with Lockhart, claiming he can use his experience he’s written about to rescue the girl (of course, not believing anything of the sort). Ron and Harry still go to him with their information and find him packing. They force him to Myrtle’s bathroom, where Harry asks about how she died. One of the sinks has a carved snake on the faucet and Harry uses Parsletongue to open the Chamber of Secrets. The boys force Lockhart down. The man faints at the sight of a snake skin, then tries to wipe their memories. That’s his actual expertise; he wrote about what other people did and took the credit, but wiped their memories so they couldn’t blab, all so he could become famous. And he’ll do the same again. Except, he took Ron’s wand and the spell backfires and also causes a cave in. Harry goes on alone.
He finds an unconscious Ginny and a very solid looking Tom Riddle, out of the diary. He reveals that Ginny had been writing in the diary all year, pouring her soul out to an invisible stranger. Which is exactly what he wanted; he has grown stronger while Ginny has grown weaker and soon, he’ll be alive again and Ginny will be dead. He also very much wants to talk to Harry; “how is it that you – a skinny boy with no extraordinary magical talent – manage to defeat the greatest wizard of all time (pg. 313)?” Harry wants to know why Tom is interested in Voldemort, he’s after his time. Voldemort is Tom’s past, present, and future. The letters in Tom Marvolo Riddle rearranged create I am Lord Voldemort. Tom refused to keep the name of his filthy Muggle father, when the blood of Salazar Slytherin runs in his veins. Dumbledore suspected him in school, so he locked his memories away in the dairy so someone later could finish his work. Harry corrects Tom that Dumbledore is the greatest wizard of all time. A strange tune comes to them and Fawkes appears, bringing the Sorting Hat. Tom is prepared to kill Harry, though notes there are similarities between them; both half-blood, both orphans, both Parslemouths, and they even look a bit alike. Still, Harry has to die. He calls forth the basilisk. Harry goes running, but Fawkes attacks the serpent, blinding it, which allows Harry to now see where the snake is. He begs the Hat for help, and pulls out a sword. When the basilisk strikes, Harry stabs it through it’s mouth, but he gets a fang in the arm. Before Harry can succumb to the wound, Fawkes sheds a few tears. Phoenix tears have healing properties. Harry decides to stab the diary with the fang in order to stop Tom. The memory disappears and Ginny wakes. Harry gets everyone together and Fawkes flies them out to McGonagall’s office.
Arthur and Molly Weasley are waiting for Ginny. Arthur tells her off; she should know better than to “trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain (pg. 329)” [and that is Arthur Weasley’s best line]. Dumbledore insists that Ginny will face no punishment; older and wiser wizards have been hoodwinked by Voldemort. Ron is sent with a letter to get Hagrid back. Dumbledore also explains that Tom Riddle disappeared after school and travelled far and wide. He “sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy (pg. 329).” Dumbledore thanks Harry for the loyalty he showed the Headmaster; that was why Fawkes came. Harry brings up the similarities Tom pointed out between the two boys. Dumbledore admits that there are similarities, but it is their choices that “show what we truly are, far more than abilities (pg. 333).” Also, Voldemort managed to transfer some of his powers to Harry the night he attempted to kill him. Though only a true Gryffindor could have pulled Godric Gryffindor’s sword from the Sorting Hat.
Lucius Malfoy shows up, with Dobby in tow, demanding why Dumbledore returned. The older wizard explains that the other governors wrote to him, asking him back, when they found out Arthur Weasley’s daughter was taken. Seems Lucius threatened to curse their families if they didn’t dismiss Dumbledore in the first place. Harry figures out that Lucius slipped Ginny the diary the day they ran into each other in Flourish and Blotts. Harry can’t prove it and Lucius warns him he’ll meet the same sticky end as his parents. “Let us hope Mr. Potter will always be around to save the day.” “Don’t worry, I will be.” He runs after Lucius to return the diary and when the man tosses the disgusting book to Dobby, he doesn’t realize it has one of Harry’s socks in it. He’s presented Dobby with clothes; Dobby is free! Lucius tries to attack Harry [possibly starting the Killing Curse], pulling his wand from his cane (like nobles used to with their swords…totally cool!) but Dobby protects Harry Potter. Harry is grateful, but asks the elf to never try to save his life again.
Everyone who was Petrified is revived. Hermione rushes to give Harry a hug, then awkwardly shakes hands with Ron. School exams are cancelled as a treat. And Hagrid returns to Hogwarts, stopping to thank the trio. Harry stands and tells the man, “there’s no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid.” [And I shed a tear watching this, remembering that Robbie Coltrane is no longer with us.] He hugs the man and Dumbledore is the next to stand and begins clapping [and that actor is no longer with us, either; he passed away before the film premiered]. McGonagall is the next to join in and soon most of the Great Hall is applauding Hagrid (accompanied with the sweeping theme from the ending of the first film).
Actually based on a book by Ian Fleming. Yes, that Ian Fleming, the one who wrote all the James Bond books that the movies are based on. Roald Dahl, the famous children’s author, was the screenwriter. Desmond Llewelyn, famous as Q in James Bond, appears as Coggins in the beginning. Gert Fröbe, aka Goldfinger, is antagonist Baron Bomburst. The film also stars Dick Van Dyke (Mary Poppins) as Caractacus Potts and Benny Hill appears as the Toymaker. The Sherman Brothers also wrote the music for this film, though it is not a Disney film (though we all kind of assume it is since it shares many elements). This was another of my brother’s and mine favorite movies as young children; our mother didn’t mind too much, aside from the repeated watches and the long run time.
The film actually begins in the dark, with just car engine sounds, then reveals Edwardian car races. The main car wins several Grand Prix races in Europe between 1907 and 1908, until it crashes and burns in its last race after swerving to avoid a child. Now it’s a wreck on a lot, though two children are happily playing in it. The junkman wants to buy it as scrap and seems to dislike children. But they race home to tell their father he can buy it, though they narrowly avoid being run over by a young woman. Truly reprimands them for running in the road, and not being in school, so she takes Jeremy and Jemima home. Their father is Caractacus Potts is an inventor and we first see him trying to propel into the air with rockets. His experiment doesn’t go quite according to plan and while the children laugh at their father’s antics, because they’re children and don’t quite realize the danger, Truly throws water on him to put him out. He’s annoyed and is not at all bothered by the fact that his children were not in school. Truly tries to reason with him, and is marginally impressed by his other inventions housed in his windmill workshop.
Potts uses a series of machines to cook sausage and eggs for dinner, sweetly telling his children that they are his reason for being. “Someone to care for/ to be there for/ I have You Two.” They’re joined by Caractacus’s father, who tries to bring his son’s head out of the clouds; though he is known to go out to a small shed and say he is off to India, or Antarctica. Caractacus decides to try to sell his whistle sweets (they make noise through the holes when you blow in them) to a local sweet factory, run by Lord Scrumptious. He’s aided by Truly, Scrumptious’s daughter. Caractacus calls in invention Toot Sweets, “the candy you whistle/ the whistle you eat” and soon the whole factory joins in dancing. But all that whistling has brought several dogs into the sweet factory.
Jeremy and Jemima are selfless children and offer their father their “treasures” as money for his inventions rather than their beloved car. Their father sings the lullaby Hushabye Mountain to them to encourage sweet dreams. Then he decides to try one of his inventions at the evening’s fair. The haircut machine unfortunately fails and Caractacus is chased through the fair. He hides amongst a dancing troupe and has to join in on Me Ol’ Bamboo (this is such a fun song). He does well and is surprised by the tips that are tossed into his hat. He surprises his children the next morning by bringing home their car. Then spends the next several days closed up in his workshop, fixing the car. And when it finally comes out, it is a sight to behold.
The trio go on a picnic and pick Truly up on the way when they accidentally run her car off the road into a pond. Caractacus offers to carry Truly in her pristine white dress out of the pond and she is even intrigued by the car. And the unusual sound its engine makes: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. “Oh you/ pretty Chitty Bang Bang/ Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we love you…near, far/ in our motorcar/ oh what a happy time we spend.” All four spend a happy day at the beach. The children are extremely fond of Truly and she seems fond of them as well. Jemima comments that Truly’s name fits her well, Truly Scrumptious, for she had to be called something lovely. Jeremy and Jemima wish together that their father would marry Truly.
Caractacus begins a story for his children about pirates, led by Baron Bomburst of Vulgaria, who has heard of the marvelous Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and wishes to have the car for himself. And the story comes to life. Chitty is in fact a magic car and air bags come out so Chitty can float away. They stow as it drives back onto dry land, after avoiding the Baron’s ship. The Baron sends spies ashore to capture the car, or Caractacus. The family takes Truly back home and she sings on her estate how she has fallen in love with a Lovely Lonely Man. (It’s a pretty song, but rather forgettable. I just remember the swing at the end for some reason). The spies do not do a good job of their mission, though they are rather funny. They manage to capture Truly’s father instead of the family. So the two spies pretend to be gentlemen to visit the Potts’ home and they come across the grandfather, thinking he’s the inventor. They call in the Baron’s zeppelin and lift the small shed, with Grandpa Potts inside. His family spot him and follow the zeppelin in Chitty. Except they drive off a cliff, almost into the sea.
And…Intermission! Of course, Chitty saves them, because Chitty is magic and can fly. Grandpa Potts is now not in immediate danger and rather enjoys traveling in Posh style. The zeppelin does lose altitude, which gets Grandpa Potts a bit wet until they toss out the two spies. It’s a long flight to Vulgaria, but Chitty knows the way. A castle greets the Potts family (Neuschwanstein). The Baron in turn is mainly a large child; he rides a toy horse to his meetings. He demands Potts makes a car float. Potts senior despairs, but the other tinkers locked in the basement cheer him up with The Roses of Success, “up from the ashes/ grow the roses of success…from the ashes of disaster/ grow the roses of success.”
When Chitty lands, the villagers are not terribly helpful and they stare at the foreigners. Truly realizes there are no other children about. A horn sounds and the villagers scatter. A toymaker begrudgingly takes the family inside and hides them. And explains there is a law in Vulgaria that children are not allowed; the baroness hates them. A creepy man, called the Child Catcher comes through the square, claiming he can smell children. The Potts and Truly disguise themselves as Jack-in-the-box in the toymaker’s basement. But Chitty is captured. The toymaker takes Caractacus to view the castle’s defenses. Truly is left in charge of the children, but she goes out to get food and orders Jeremy and Jemima to stay put. But the Child Catcher comes back, gaily bedecked and claiming he has lollipops and ice cream. And well, children are easily attracted to lollipops and ice cream; except his wagon is a cage. Some of the villagers try to warn the children, but he makes off back to the castle with them. That evening, the toymaker shows Caractacus and Truly where the villagers hide their own children underneath the castle. Caractacus tries to give the children hope by singing them Hushabye Mountain, though Truly has to finish. Now, he has a plan.
The next day is the baron’s birthday. He starts with a visit to his wife, whom he actually can’t stand. The previous day, he had gleefully aimed a shotgun at her full skirt when Chitty launched her into the air, only slightly claiming it as an attempt to get her down. He does hit the skirt and she falls into the lake, unharmed, to his disappointment. Today, she’s in some odd lingerie and very long braided pigtails. To a child, their funny nicknames of Cootchie Face are cute and the baron keeps trying to kill the baroness, though as a kid, didn’t fully realize that. His later celebration is full of elderly purple-wearing court members miserably dancing. The baroness orders the toymaker in with a surprise; two lifelike dolls. (Actually, Caractacus and Truly in disguise). Truly is a Doll on a Music Box, Caractacus is a clown doll. He eventually joins in with the harmony of Truly Scrumptious. They distract the baron and the children sneak in. A few drop a hook from the ceiling and lift up the baron. A net is dropped, trapping the court and the children get a bit of revenge, even trapping the Child Catcher in a net. Caractacus, Truly and the toymaker search for Jeremy and Jemima and get them out. The villagers also enter the castle to save their children. Baron Bomburst and his baroness try to escape, but are caught in the cage by the children. Grandpa Potts emerges from the cellars and Chitty drives itself in to rescue its family. The whole family flies out and Vulgaria is now a free country.
The family is on the beach again and Jemima and Jeremy eagerly finish the story that their father and Truly get married. Caractacus doesn’t say much, just drives Truly home. Then tries to pass his children’s notion off as silly and puts his foot in his mouth. They discover Lord Scrumptious at the Potts home, happily playing with Grandpa Potts, who was his batman most likely during the Zulu wars (a batman was a solider assigned to a commissioned officer as his personal servant). Lord Scrumptious offers Caractacus a contract to produce his “Toot Sweets” for dogs. It will make him rich. Before he signs the paperwork, Caractacus races out to find Truly, running her off the road again. It’s now no longer ridiculous for him to marry Truly and she readily agrees, so he kisses her. Grandpa Potts refers to his son as an eccentric, and has no idea where he could have gotten it from (hmm…). Caractacus and Truly fly off in Chitty, passing over the house where their family waves to them.
I adore the theme song for this movie. The car is magical and I just smile at it. I see a lot of my brother and I in the Potts children (though we diligently went to school), but playing together and making up stories together. They are sweet children and though Caractacus may not be the best father, he is kind and loving and is even potentially willing to put his own dreams on hold to take care of them. I think the part in Vulgaria is funny; still nostalgic.
And interesting note: Peter Jackson owns one of the Chitty cars. He showed it off on the set of the Hobbit when they were filming Old Took’s birthday scenes. The young children were not interested, but the adults clamored to see it. I would be one of them! It’s revealed during the behind the scenes appendices…I forget at the moment if it’s with the extended edition or the theatrical edition.
A Disney live-action film from 1971 that mixes in animation like Mary Poppins did. It is based on a book by Mary Norton and is a beloved movie from my childhood. It stars Angela Landsbury (the original Mrs. Potts and star of Murder, She Wrote) as Miss Eglantine Price, David Tomlinson (the father in Mary Poppins) as Professor Emelius Browne, and another Mary Poppins‘ alum is Reginale Owen; he played Admiral Boom in Poppins and General Teagler in Bedknobs. The Sherman brothers also wrote the music for this film. The 25th Anniversary Edition DVD release runs longer than the theatrical version; some songs had been cut and were now restored. Oddly, the most recent Blu-ray release goes back to the theatrical version. Sadly, there is no good soundtrack for the musical available; the most noticeable difference being in Portobello Road.
The opening credits run against a medieval tapestry backdrop, similar to the Bayeux Tapestry. It takes place in 1940, during WWII, near the White Cliffs of Dover. “Again – A time for valor. A time of whispered events. Now faded with the passing years.” A town stands in the shadow of an old castle; they are currently taking care of the children evacuated from London due to the bombings (similar to the main characters in C.S. Lewis The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). We’re briefly introduced to the Soldiers of the Old Home Guard, led by General Teagler. Miss Price shows up for her package and is forced to take three children. She’s very busy with important work and does not traditionally get on well with children, but she’ll do her duty until more suitable arrangements can be made. The local preacher fawns over Miss Price, though he flounces off when the postmistress points out he’s making moves because he admires Miss Price’s nice house and land.
Miss Price lives alone, aside from a black cat that came with the name Cosmic Creepers. When the children are asleep, she takes her package to her workshop and unwraps a broom, from Professor Emelius Browne’s Correspondence College of Witchcraft. She manages to successfully fly for a bit with a spell, until she topples over. The children see her when they attempt to sneak out back to London. Charlie thinks it is a wise idea to blackmail Miss Price, but he goes a little too far and she turns him into a white rabbit. But her spells never last very long and he quickly turns back, after being pursued by Cosmic Creepers. Miss Price lets them in on her secret; she plans to use magic to help the war effort. And to win over the children, she charms a bedknob with a traveling spell. Then persuades the children to go to London so she can get the last lesson from Professor Browne himself when he stops the course. Charlie initially doesn’t think the bed will work and Miss Price remarks he is at the Age of Not Believing.
But the bed works. Except they discover that Professor Browne is a street magician and self-admitted fraud and charlatan, though he does everything With a Flair. Miss Price ends up turning Professor Browne into a white rabbit when she confronts him. He is surprised that one of his spells worked; he simply put together words out of an old book. He then takes Miss Price and the children to the abandoned home he is squatting in (it’s abandoned because there is an unexploded bomb in the front yard). The children explore the nursery while he shows Miss Price the library. Except, instead of getting the desired book for Miss Price, he wants her to join him in a stage show. She’d be an assistant who could really do magic. But Miss Price, who reveals her first name is Eglantine is determined to find the book. She turns Browne into a rabbit again and he finally shows her the book, The Spells of Astoroth; of which he only has half. And the five magic words for the substitutiary locomotion spell; an “ancient and mystic art of causing objects to take on a life force of their own” are missing.
Miss Price demands they find the other half of the book and Browne takes them to Portobello Road, “street where the riches/ of ages are stowed.” This is one of my favorite parts of the film. An impromptu dance party breaks out and features several music and dance styles from around the British empire. They don’t have much luck finding the other half of the book until a slightly scary man leads them to the “Bookman.” He in fact has the other half of the book and is looking for the same spell. Except the book only states that the five words are written on the Star of Astoroth, worn by the sorcerer. The Star is now on the fabled Isle of Namboobu. The adults don’t believe such a place exists, but young Paul found a children’s book on it. So the children, Miss Price, and Professor Browne are able to use the bed to escape the Bookman and travel to the Isle of Namboombu. Well, the lagoon first and they are “bobbing along/ on the bottom/ of the Beautiful Briny sea.” This is where the animation comes in, for the animals dress and talk like humans. A bear catches the bed, but wants to throw the five humans back into the lagoon because the king has issued a “No Peopling Allowed” law. Well, they want to see the king.
Professor Browne manages to ingratiate himself to the king (a lion; in fact, the animation is very similar to Robin Hood) when he offers to referee the soccer match [note how they refer to is as “soccer,” rather than “football” as Europeans call it. You can tell it was produced by Americans despite most of the cast being English and the story taking place in England.] My brother and I loved the soccer match as kids, Browne getting trampled by the animals throughout the game. And they discover that the king wears the star. Browne manages to pocket the star and they’re chased off the island. Sadly, the star is of another world and cannot be brought back to ours; it simply disappears. But Paul saves the day again; his book has an illustration of the star and the words for the spell (technically, would have been helpful to know that before, but, kids love the animation). Browne suggests that Miss Price use the words “Tregura Mekoides Trecoru Satis Dee” with a flair. And she’s got it! She’s managed Substitutiary Locomotion! This is another beloved part of the film.
The little domestic scene is broken when news arrives that another family has offered to take the children. Miss Price has changed her mind and the children start to think of Professor Browne as a father figure. That scares him off a bit and he starts to head back to London, but the trains are finished for the day. Miss Price sings of Nobody’s Problems; she has it in her mind that she doesn’t want or need anyone else around, she’s quite comfortable with her life. But we all know she misses Browne [this part was cut from the theatrical release]. Except there are more important things to worry about now; the Germans have made a landing. They enter Miss Price’s house and stage their minor raid to induce panic and spread mischief. Miss Price’s memory fails her and she can’t turn the commander into a rabbit, but Browne manages to get away and sneaks into the house. He finds the spell and uses it on himself so he can get away again and find Miss Price and the children. They’re being held in the old castle.
Once he transforms back, he and the children convince Miss Price to use the substitutiary locomotion spell again. And this is my brother’s and mine absolute favorite part. The spell starts small, just the banners waving, but then a drums and horns start and the whole castle comes alive! The knights and Redcoats are reanimated and join together. Miss Price flies at the head of the army and they chant the spell. The Germans don’t know what to make of the phenomenon in front of them; Scotsmen and bagpipes stretching across the cliff. Their bullets only go through the empty suits of armor; they keep marching. A few minutes later, the Germans start retreating. The commotion has also woken the Home Guard and they rush to the coast. But the Germans manage to blow up Miss Price’s workshop as she flies over; the army falls, un-animated now. The Guard fires a few shots to warn the Germans and Miss Price is relatively unharmed. She’s pleased she did her part of the war effort, but has always known she could never be a proper witch with the way she feels about poisoned dragon’s liver.
They are now all a family; the children will remain with Miss Price and Professor Browne has decided to join the Army. The Soldiers of the Old Home Guard give him an escort to the station and he gives Miss Price a kiss farewell. The children at first fear that the rest of the time will be boring now, but Paul still has the bedknob.
This is the first film I ever saw Angela Landsbury in. I loved the children’s adventures and of course wanted to visit an island where the animals talk and play soccer. And even as a child, I was excited to see these reanimated knights face off against the Germans. And the budding dancer in me was fascinated by all the dancing in Portobello Road. I think the movie is now a forgotten gem; overshadowed by Mary Poppins (though I absolutely adore that movie as well).
Next Time: Another beloved childhood favorite of mine, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
money for his inventions rather than their beloved car. Their father sings the lullaby Hushabye Mountain to them to encourage sweet dreams. Then he decides to try one of his inventions at the evening’s fair. The haircut machine unfortunately fails and Caractacus is chased through the fair. He hides amongst a dancing troupe and has to join in on Me Ol’ Bamboo (this is such a fun song). He does well and is surprised by the tips that are tossed into his hat. He surprises his children the next morning by bringing home their car. Then spends the next several days closed up in his workshop, fixing the car. And when it finally comes out, it is a sight to behold.
Dreamer in the Mirror 