In addition to a surprise cameo from Nicolas Flamel in the newest Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald trailer, fans finally learned what Albus Dumbledore really sees in the Mirror of Erised.
In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Dumbledore told Harry that the magical artifact revealed the “deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts,” saying that he only saw himself holding woolen socks while Harry saw his parents alive. We always assumed it was a coy lie to hide the truth, which is revealed in The Crimes of Grindelwald: Dumbledore’s deepest desire — at least in 1927 — was Gellert Grindelwald.
On Saturday, Warner Bros. debuted the latest trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, in which Dumbledore requests magizoologist Newt Scamander’s help in taking down Grindelwald. But along the way, the trailer reveals Dumbledore gazing upon the mirror, and in it, he sees his former friend staring back at him:
Dumbledore sees Grindelwald in the Mirror of Erised in 'The Crimes of Grindelwald'.
The first trailer released in March only tangentially addressed Dumbledore’s relationship with Gellert Grindelwald, but readers learned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that the two wizards were close friends in their youth when they were around 18 years old. Their violent falling out was due to a conflict of interests regarding wizarding supremacy that claimed the life of Dumbledore’s younger sister.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling canonically confirmed years ago that Dumbledore was gay, and in January, Crimes of Grindelwald director David Yates claimed that the new movie would not explicitly communicate this. But this new trailer could change all that.
Dumbledore says that he can’t make a move on Grindelwald, which is why he recruits Newt Scamander.
Does he see Grindelwald in the Mirror of Erised because the deepest desire of his heart is to be with the man that he loves? And he can’t possibly move against Grindelwald because he’s in love with him? Or does him seeing Grindelwald in the Mirror of Erised only communicate the desire of a fierce rival to put a stop to his former friend’s tyranny?
Either way, finally showing what Albus Dumbledore sees in the Mirror of Erised is a huge reveal for fans that have always wanted a canonical answer. Maybe we’ll get an even better clarification when The Crimes of Grindelwald is released in theaters November 16.
