In the hands of creative geniuses, fantasy worlds can be built to be as sophisticated as the real ones on which they’re based, and at times can be so much better. However, the Harry Potter series missed the mark when it comes to worldbuilding as fans are pointing out on Twitter.
The fun of creating a totally realistic fantasy world is that not everything has to make sense. After all, it is fantasy, but it’s best when it can make sense within its own set of rules. Inconsistencies can throw an entire story off, and fans are taking aim at Harry Potter, which has been in the headlines thanks to J.K. Rowling’s numerous controversies.
Over the years, it’s become something of a hobby to pick out the inconsistencies in Harry Potter, but it does make for valid points.
Hogwarts didn't always have bathrooms. Before adopting Muggle plumbing methods in the eighteenth century, witches and wizards simply relieved themselves wherever they stood, and vanished the evidence. #NationalTriviaDay
— Wizarding World (@wizardingworld) January 4, 2019
Of course a hiding spell would be an awesome solution for just such an occasion, but it does raise further questions. In fact, why don’t hiding spells get used way more often?
The fact that a spell exists which can irrevocably hide absolutely anything, but is never used on any items that need to be permanently hidden to prevent ultimate evil.
— Oli White (@horrolivia) February 1, 2023
A question about Christmas at first seems pretty deep, but the fact remains that it’s celebrated all around the world by many people who don’t necessarily have Christian beliefs. Still, it does leave questions about witches and wizards’ religious beliefs.
Harry takes loads of classes on magic and spells, but there’s not one course on basic skills, like math and reading. It makes even a detail like how characters purchase items an interesting factoid in a worldbuilding exercise.
For a school that doesn’t teach math, the currency denominations are just wild: pic.twitter.com/ZljGU2Pq13
— Michael Drake (@mikedrake178) February 1, 2023
How magical can a magical world be if things can be easily done with spells, but there are enslaved elves forced to work for the wizards?
“I have an elf slave to do my chores”
— Bang Bang Bart (@Cormac_McCafe) February 2, 2023
Can’t you do that? In 3 seconds? With some Latin? What????
In a world with magic, they couldn’t find a better banking system?
The wizard economy is absolute nonsense. The bank keeps individual vaults full of coins that you have to physically go to to get your money. It’s like how 6 year olds imagine banks work
— Christian Chiakulas (@ChrisChiakulas) February 2, 2023
Some details hit like a ton of bricks when two plus two stops making four.
They can regrow all the bones in your arm in 24 hours but half the wizards have glasses bc there’s no wizard lasik
— Katie MacBride (@msmacb) February 2, 2023
Literally, the entire world that exists in Harry Potter can be brought into question. Fans can overlook the parts that don’t make sense simply because they love the stories, but that isn’t stopping critics from pointing them out.