The Dumbledore Line In Fantastic Beasts 3 That's More Important Than You Think
Contains spoilers for "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore"
One of the best parts of "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" is how much screen time is allotted to the dreamy, young Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law). The iconic Hogwarts professor is one of the pivotal figures in J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World and the only main character to appear in both the "Fantastic Beasts" movies and the original "Harry Potter" series. While audiences meet Dumbledore as an adult teaching at Hogwarts by the time "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" rolls around, the series dishes on significant amounts of his backstory — specifically, his little-explored (so far) relationship with Gellert Grindelwald. Dumbledore remains — even in his "earlier" years — a charming, affable wizard who holds his cards close to his chest, never revealing the entirety of his plans to any other character before they need to know it.
In the new "Fantastic Beasts" movie, Dumbledore recruits Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), his brother Theseus (Callum Turner), Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), Eulalie Hicks (Jessica Williams), and Yusuf Kama (William Nadylam) to help prevent Grindelwald's rise to power; so long as Dumbledore himself is constrained by a blood pact he made with his old flame, he and Grindelwald cannot fight directly. In classic Dumbledore fashion, he issues each member of this group specific instructions — or gifts — meant to help them along the way.
When they set out on their mission, Newt carries a message across Europe from Dumbledore — and with it, a "Harry Potter" Easter egg that means more than you might realize.
Dumbledore's message for the German Minister of Magic calls back to one of his best Harry Potter lines
In the first act of the new "Fantastic Beasts" film, Albus Dumbledore sends Newt, Theseus, Jacob, and Eulalie to Berlin to a meeting of the International Confederation of Wizards. Newt is tasked with getting a specific message to the German Minister of Magic, Anton Vogel (Oliver Masucci). When Newt finally comes face to face with Vogel at the meeting, he tells Vogel that Dumbledore wants him to "do what is right, not what is easy." "Harry Potter" fans will no doubt recognize the maxim.
Moments later, Vogel announces that the confederation finds Gellert Grindelwald innocent of all alleged crimes, and declares that he should no longer be considered an international fugitive. This determination clears the way for Grindelwald to run for the leadership position of the ICW. Obviously, this wouldn't be a great result. Unfortunately, Vogel chooses what is easy over what is right in succumbing to Grindelwald's pressure.
This dark moment must have remained with Dumbledore, as he repeats this advice under similar circumstances decades later. When Lord Voldemort returns to power in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Dumbledore tells Harry that soon everyone will face that familiar dilemma. Sadly, the wizarding bureaucracy is once again seduced by the easier path. History is cyclical, after all. Not even magic can change that.