Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Newt was arrested by Tina Goldstein, a demoted Auror working for MACUSA (the American wizarding governing body). He was charged with being an unregistered wizard in the United States and for failing to wipe Jacob Kowalski's memory after Jacob witnessed magical activity. Under American wizarding law, magic must be strictly concealed from No-Majs (non-magical people), and Jacob had seen too much to be left unchecked.

• Newt Scamander arrested
• Tina Goldstein
• MACUSA
• Jacob Kowalski memory
• unregistered wizard

An Obscurus is a dark, parasitic force that develops inside magically gifted children who suppress their own magical abilities due to fear or trauma. In the film, Newt discovers an Obscurus inside his suitcase, and this dark force becomes central to the plot as it's linked to Credence Barebone, a troubled young man being manipulated by the villain.

Foreshadowing: Newt mentions he travels to help creatures in need, hinting at his interest in dangerous magical entities.

• Obscurus
• Credence Barebone
• dark force
• magical child
• Newt Scamander creatures

Percival Graves, the Director of Magical Security for MACUSA and lead Auror hunting Grindelwald, was secretly the dark wizard himself. Grindelwald had assumed Graves' identity to infiltrate MACUSA from within, using his position to search for the Obscurus and manipulate events to his advantage.

Foreshadowing: Graves' intense interest in Credence and his unusual knowledge of dark magic raise suspicion earlier in the film.

• Percival Graves
• Grindelwald disguise
• MACUSA infiltration
• dark wizard
• Credence Barebone

Newt released the Thunderbird to cast a massive memory-wiping rain over New York City. After the magical creatures caused chaos and exposed magic to the public, Newt needed to erase everyone's memories to protect the wizarding world's existence. The Thunderbird's tears, combined with a potion, created rain that forced all New Yorkers to forget the magical events they witnessed.

Foreshadowing: Newt explains earlier that the Thunderbird's tears have powerful magical properties, foreshadowing this use.

• Thunderbird
• memory rain
• Newt Scamander
• New York memory wipe
• wizarding world secret

Jacob Kowalski had his memory wiped of all his magical experiences with Newt and Tina. While the Thunderbird's rain restored memories for most New Yorkers, Jacob specifically had his magical memories erased due to the extent of what he witnessed. However, he retains subconscious inspiration from the adventure, leading him to open a bakery with the magical creatures' nest eggs that remained in his suitcase.

• Jacob Kowalski memory wipe
• bakery dream
• No-Maj
• magical memories
• Newt Tina Jacob

Credence Barebone is the adopted son of Mary Lou Barebone, who runs the anti-magic New Salem Philanthropic Society. Credence is a powerful wizard who has suppressed his magic for years, making him host to a dangerous Obscurus. Grindelwald manipulates Credence throughout the film, promising to help him if he locates the Obscurus. Credence represents the tragic consequences of forcing magical children to suppress their abilities.

Foreshadowing: Credence appears early in the film as a quiet, abused member of the Barebone family, visibly struggling with inner turmoil.

• Credence Barebone
• Obscurus host
• Mary Lou Barebone
• Grindelwald manipulation
• abused wizard

MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America) is the American wizarding governing body, similar to Britain's Ministry of Magic. However, its rules are much stricter regarding No-Maj relations due to the Salem Witch Trials history. In America, wizards cannot marry No-Majs, memory wiping is mandatory after accidental exposure, and unregistered wizards can be punished severely. This explains why Newt's creature-smuggling and failure to wipe Jacob's memory were such serious offenses.

• MACUSA
• American wizarding law
• No-Maj relations
• Salem Witch Trials
• magical secrecy

The briefcase swap was crucial because Jacob accidentally took Newt's magically expanded suitcase full of magical creatures while Newt took Jacob's ordinary baker's briefcase. This mix-up led to creatures escaping into New York, caused confusion and chaos, and ultimately forced Newt, Jacob, and Tina to work together to recapture them. The swap also directly led to Jacob witnessing magical activity that required memory wiping.

• briefcase swap
• magical suitcase
• Jacob Kowalski
• Newt Scamander
• escaped creatures

Newt and his companions were accused of being responsible for Senator Henry Shaw Sr.'s death because one of Newt's escaped creatures was found at the scene. The attack on the senator created a major incident that heightened tensions between the magical and non-magical worlds, and MACUSA used this as justification to pursue Newt more aggressively. However, the true culprit was actually the Obscurus controlled by Credence.

• senator death
• creature attack
• Newt accused
• Henry Shaw
• magical exposure

Mary Lou Barebone leads the New Salem Philanthropic Society, an organization dedicated to exposing and eliminating magic. Her extreme anti-magic stance stems from historical trauma, the Salem Witch Trials created deep prejudice against witches in America. She adopted magical children (including Credence) specifically to suppress and expose potentially their abilities, making her a parallel to the historical witch hunters.

• Mary Lou Barebone
• New Salem Philanthropic Society
• anti-magic
• Salem Witch Trials
• magical prejudice

Newt's stated mission was to travel to Arizona to release a Thunderbird, a rare and sacred creature, back to its natural habitat. However, his journey also involved collecting and caring for magical creatures from around the world, some of which he rescues from captivity or dangerous situations. The Thunderbird was severely ill and needed to be returned home.

• Newt mission
• Thunderbird Arizona
• magical creature rescue
• Magizoologist
• beast collection

Grindelwald was interested in Credence because Credence hosts a powerful Obscurus, a dark parasitic force born from suppressed magic. Grindelwald recognized the potential weapon in Credence's suppressed power and manipulated the young man throughout the film, promising to help him if he would use the Obscurus to find other magical children for Grindelwald's growing dark army.

Foreshadowing: Graves (Grindelwald in disguise) shows unusual interest in the Barebone family from early in the film.

• Grindelwald Credence
• Obscurus weapon
• dark wizard
• magical child
• manipulation

Under MACUSA law, romantic or marital relationships between wizards and No-Majs are strictly forbidden, which is why Queenie Goldstein (a Legilimens who can read minds) cannot openly pursue a relationship with Jacob Kowalski. This law was established after the Salem Witch Trials created lasting fear and hostility toward magic in America. The restriction is much harsher than in British wizarding society.

• wizard No-Maj relationship
• MACUSA law
• Queenie Jacob
• forbidden love
• magical prejudice