The Harry Potter HBO adaptation has promised to go more in-depth than the Harry Potter movies. To that end, it has plenty of content from the Harry Potter books to choose from. The original movies understandably cut key characters and changed plot lines to fit into a two-hour film, but the HBO show can further develop the wizarding world and provide viewers with a deeper background to characters and creatures found in the novels.
One notably missing character is Winky, a female House-Elf first seen in the fourth novel, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Winky’s tragic story is cut from the original films, and with it, much of the plot was changed — including the decision to eliminate a controversial Harry Potter storyline. The addition of Winky to the new Harry Potter HBO remake will keep the TV series faithful to the story and help set up an important sub-plot for the House-Elves in seasons to come.
The Harry Potter Remake Should Include Winky The House-Elf After The Movies Cut Her
Her Role In The Books Significantly Impacts The Plot
One of many beloved Harry Potter characters missing from the movies, Winky is introduced to the book series during the Quidditch World Cup, where it is revealed she is employed as Barty Crouch’s House-Elf — who’s really there to guard Barty Crouch Jr. — and is later dismissed for allegedly casting the dark mark. Winky is not present for any of these incidents in the films, and her absence directly affects key plot details from the fourth book, including Barty Crouch Jr. and his involvement with Voldemort.
In the movies, there is little to no backstory given to Barty and, had Winky’s character been included, his character’s arc would have been explored in more depth. By removing Winky’s character, the movie left behind serious plot holes around Barty’s death and Voldemort’s re-embodiment, and they missed a chance to further explore the issues surrounding the House-Elves’ enslavement.
The HBO adaptation will help to shed light on the class system found in the
Harry Potter
series and set Hermione’s S.P.E.W. campaign in motion.
In the books, Winky’s dismissal from Crouch’s employment also begins her tragic spiral into depression and alcoholism while employed at Hogwarts. These scenes kick off a critical sub-plot within the books that leads to more interactions between the main trio, Dobby, and Winky—while also painting a larger understanding of the inner workings at Hogwarts and the many House-Elves who serve there. Winky’s inclusion in the HBO adaptation will help to shed light on the class system found in the Harry Potter series and set Hermione’s S.P.E.W. campaign in motion.
Introducing Winky Means The Harry Potter Show Must Cover A Controversial Book Story
Hermione’s S.P.E.W. Campaign Can’t Be Ignored
After witnessing the gross mistreatment of Winky at the Quidditch World Cup, Hermione organizes The Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare (S.P.E.W.)—her attempt to champion the rights of House-Elves. Throughout Goblet of Fire, Hermione is the only character who thinks House-Elf enslavement is wrong, with others arguing that the House-Elves themselves had embraced enslavement—which proved to be true in the case of Winky’s depression after her dismissal. Winky’s struggle to find freedom on her own highlights the need for a change in how these characters have been treated throughout the series.
Instead of attempting to tackle this controversial plot, the movies eliminated it completely – losing the important social commentary it provided to the books. While the book issue was never resolved in the movies, HBO’s Harry Potter TV show has the opportunity to do right by this storyline and give voice to the class systems set up in the books. As Winky is not the only House-Elf readers come to love, this critical issue could also set up the perfect approach to introduce Kreacher and highlight his own mistreatment by the Black’s, including Sirius.
HBO’s Harry Potter Reboot Can Make The Books’ House-Elf Subplot Even Better
This Could Further Develop Harry Potter’s World-Building
While the Harry Potter movies attempted to showcase the mistreatment of House-Elves through the Malfoy’s and Dobby—or even Kreacher and Sirius—it was lacking substance and fell flat in actually solving the issues these behaviors presented. While we know Dobby found liberation through Harry’s clever scheming, the movies failed to build out any further story for his character and made Dobby’s reappearance in The Deathly Hallows movie appear somewhat random. The show can remedy this by creating a larger focus on the House-Elf subplot and including early foundational scenes with Dobby and Winky throughout the entire series.
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Additionally, the HBO Harry Potter reboot could make this subplot even better by solving the issue of House-Elf enslavement – such as their liberation – that the books did not. As the books progress and become more action-packed, it fails to round out the House-Elf storyline, leaving readers to question what happened to their kind. If the HBO adaptation chooses to build a larger story around Dobby, Winky, and Kreacher it will ultimately construct a better world-building experience for viewers and give book-lovers a storyline they’ve been missing for over 20 years.
- Directors
- Mark Mylod
- Showrunner
- Francisca Gardiner
- Main Genre
- Adventure