The Series We All Loved: Rest In Peace, Robbie

Big as a mountain with a bushy beard, Robbie Coltrane, who played the role of Hagrid, made a strong first impression due to his character’s warmth and reliability in the  Harry Potter movie series. He sadly passed away on October 14, 2022. The news of his death brought me back to the time when I was obsessed with the Harry Potter movies as a child.

The Harry Potter book series, first published in 1997, has gained worldwide popularity. Its first movie adaptation in 2001, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, was a worldwide box office hit and was followed by eight other movies over the next ten years. The Harry Potter series also remains the best-selling book series of all time, and its author J.K. Rowling also has the title of being the first—and only—billionaire author. Harry Potter has indeed captivated everyone from children and adults. The novels broke the frame of imagination that had existed and transcended our limits of imagination, pioneering a new path of fantasy. The novel themes of magic, a multi-dimensional universe, their unforgettable tension, and their surprising plot twists and perfect narratives slowly meld together into an incredible series. The real downside of the Harry Potter series is that it's so much fun that you can't stop.

It is very interesting to see the growth of the three main characters in the Harry Potter series. The readers grew alongside the novels’ protagonists, both physically and mentally. Daniel Radcliffe, for example, took on the role of Harry Potter at the age of 11 and finished his last movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, at the age of 36. The lessons from the series also enabled great inner growth for those who watched the movies or read the books alongside the movies’ releases. For example, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone teaches a very valuable lesson as soon as the characters arrive at the magic school Hogwarts. First-year students must have the Sorting Hat decide which House they will belong to. When it's Harry Potter's turn, the magic hat puts him in the Slytherin House. However, the protagonist rejects this assignment because he clearly knows that he wants to belong to Gryffindor. The lesson here is that people have the power to make their own decisions. It is not fate that determines the future, but rather, it is one’s own self. Courage is one of the greatest values of the Harry Potter series. From the beginning of the series, Harry encounters all kinds of hardships and terrifying monsters like dementors, but he never crumbles in front of his fear. And when he meets Voldemort, his most feared enemy, he doesn't hesitate at all. Harry Potter never stopped moving forward despite the ups and downs of his life.

When I first watched the series, I remember asking my parents to travel to England because the London Harry Potter Studio was the number one attraction site on my bucket list. In the past, when I watched the Harry Potter movies, it felt like I was in an amusement park; now, I have a different feeling about the series. Recently, the original cast for the movie series had a documentary reunion to mark its 20th anniversary. When I watched this documentary and the actors’ gathering and talking, I felt my heart ache and craved to be back in time to my childhood moments. Knowing that one of the most integral characters, Hagrid, and his actor would no longer appear onscreen made my heart ache more. Harry Potter has grown with many people and will remain a cornerstone of my childhood. It is one of the best series of all time, and you will never regret recommending it to future generations.

Robbie Coltrane will always be in our hearts. Robbie, thanks for taking care of our childhoods.

From Harry Potter: The Chamber of Secrets:

“There's no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid.”