Harry Potter remake should include a missing character from the film (and commit to a controversial story)

THE Harry Potter The HBO adaptation promised to be more in-depth than the Harry Potter films. To do this, it has plenty of content from Harry Potter books to choose from. The original films understandably cut main characters and changed the plot to fit into a two-hour film, but the HBO show could further develop the magical world and provide viewers with a deeper experience into the characters and creatures found in the novels.

One notably absent character is Winky, a house-elf first seen in the fourth novel, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Winky’s tragic story was cut from the original films and, with it, much of the plot was changed – including the decision to eliminate a controversial film. Harry Potter plot. The addition of Winky to the new Harry Potter The HBO remake will be keep the TV series true to the story and help set up an important subplot for the House Elves in the coming seasons.

Harry Potter remake set to include Winky the house elf after films cut her

His role in the books significantly impacts the plot

One of many beloved Harry Potter Characters absent from the films, Winky is introduced to the book series during the Quidditch World Cup, where it is revealed that she is hired as Barty Crouch’s house elf – who is really there to protect Barty Crouch Jr.’s dark mark. Winky is not present in any of these incidents in the films, and its absence directly affects the main plot details of the fourth book, including Barty Crouch Jr. and his involvement with Voldemort.

In the films, there is little to no backstory given to Barty, and if the character of Winky had been included, her character arc would have been explored in more depth. By removing Winky’s character, the film left serious plot holes surrounding Barty’s death and Voldemort’s reincarnation, and they missed the chance to further explore the issues surrounding House-Elf slavery.

In the books, Winky’s dismissal from Crouch’s job also begins her tragic spiral into depression and alcoholism while working at Hogwarts. These scenes start a critical subplot within the books this leads to more interactions between the main trio, Dobby, and Winky – while also painting a broader understanding of the inner workings of Hogwarts and the many house-elves who serve there. Winky’s inclusion in the HBO adaptation will help clarify the class system found in the Harry Potter series and started Hermione’s SPEW campaign.

Introducing Winky means the Harry Potter show must cover a controversial book story

Hermione’s SPEW campaign cannot be ignored

After witnessing Winky’s mistreatment at the Quidditch World Cup, Hermione organizes the Society for the Promotion of Elf Welfare (SPEW) – her attempt to defend the rights of House Elves. All over Goblet of FireHermione is the only character who thinks house-elf slavery is wrong, with others arguing that house-elves themselves embraced slavery – which proved to be true in the case of Winky’s depression after her dismissal. Winky’s struggle to find freedom alone highlights the need for a change in the way these characters were treated throughout the series.

Instead of trying to address this controversial storyline, the films eliminated it completely – losing the important social commentary it provided the books. Although the book issue was never resolved in the films, HBO Harry Potter The TV show has the opportunity to get this storyline right and give voice to the class systems established in books. Since Winky isn’t the only house elf that readers love, this critical issue could also establish the perfect approach to introducing Kreacher and highlighting his own mistreatment by the Blacks, including Sirius.

HBO’s Harry Potter reboot could make the books’ house-elf subplot even better

This could further develop Harry Potter’s world-building

While the Harry Potter the films attempted to show the mistreatment of house elves through the Malfoys and Dobby – or even Kreacher and Sirius – lacked substance and failed to really resolve the problems these behaviors presented. Although we know that Dobby found liberation through Harry’s clever scheming, the films failed to build any more backstory for his character and made Dobby’s reappearance in The Deathly Hallows film seems somewhat random. The show can remedy this creating a greater focus on the house-elf subplot and including the pivotal early scenes with Dobby and Winky throughout the entire series.

Additionally, HBO Harry Potter the reboot could make this subplot even better, resolving the issue of the house-elves’ slavery – like their liberation – that the books didn’t resolve. As the books progress and become more action-packed, they fail to complete the house-elf storyline, leaving readers to question what happened to their species. If the HBO adaptation decides to build a larger story around Dobby, Winky and Kreacher, it will ultimately build a better world-building experience for viewers and give book lovers a story they missed more than 20 years ago.