3 Ways Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them Opens At The Close

Harry Potter's journey is bookended with an iconic phrase: I Open at the Close. Author J.K. Rowling plotted the series with a specific arc in mind: for the young wizard's life to come full circle with events from the beginning of his journey mirroring the ending.  Even though Newt's adventures in New York City is vastly different from young Mr. Potter's life, and we still have four more movies to go, it's no surprise Rowling imbued that special tradition from Harry Potter into the extraordinary spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Here are three ways Newt's adventures in his first movie opens at the close!

Grindelwald's Wand Battle & Capture

OPEN: Blink and you might miss Gellert Grindelwald's epic battle during the film's opening sequence. After witnessing the dark wizard battling against other wizards trying to take him into custody and vanishing into the night, a variety of headlines across the wizarding world question where Grindelwald is and what he is up to lately. In New York City, Percival Graves, who is later shown to be Gellert Grindelwald in disguise, starts investigating the remnants of a demolished building where one tenant claims a mysterious creature or gust of wind tore through the apartment.

CLOSE: At the end of the movie, a tortured teenage orphan Credence Barebone has turned into an Obscurus - one of the most dangerous magical creatures in the wizarding world. After being attacked by MACUSA wizards and disappearing into a hail of smoky debris in a subway platform, Graves stands among the rubble Barebone inadvertently created. Graves sparks another wand battle against the MACUSA wizards for seemingly destroying Credence before he is overpowered by Tina and Newt and taken into custody. His real form as Gellert Grindelwald is revealed and he's imprisoned.

Kowalski

OPEN: Newt Scamander is winding his way through the city and is incidentally caught in a small crowd forming outside. New Salem Philanthropic Society Mary Lou Barebone, who wants to expose the wizarding community and its evil intentions, causes him to pause and talk to her for a moment. When No-Maj Jacob Kowalski makes his way to the bank too, he and Scamander accidentally cross paths and end up mixing up their suitcases. Kowalski's meeting to open his bakery goes awry when he doesn't have anything of importance for insurance to offer the bank.

CLOSE: Kowalski experiences a whole new world alongside Scamander and his friends, only for him to have his memory wiped. Our beloved No-Maj returns to his regular life at the canning factory, until a special friend once again bumps into him. An admirer (Newt) replaces Kowalski's suitcase with another; it's full of occamy eggs he can use as a collateral with the bank and open his bakery.

Newt's adventures in NYC

OPEN: In the beginning of the movie, the famous magizoologist arrives on his own to 'The Big Apple' with the intention of returning one of his magical creatures to Arizona. In his case is a collection of his most beloved magical creatures, however, the American wizarding world has a different take on what they don't understand. American wizards are more interested in extermination guides than caring for these misunderstood animals. When they are accidentally set loose, he's in a smidge of trouble trouble with Madam President of MACUSA Seraphina Picquery.

CLOSE: After Newt's wild escapades across the city, his care for a Thunderbird helps him disperse a rainfall to erase memories of No-Majs in the city. After earning a slightly distrustful reputation from the U.S. magical government, his nurturing nature for magical creatures is the key to the American wizarding world shielding itself in secrecy from non-magical folk. The film ends with Scamander and his fantastic case returning to Europe; this time he is no longer entirely on his own and promises to return to Tina Goldstein once his book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is published.