“SpeakBeasty” Episode 142: “It’s Fine”

In this episode of SpeakBeasty, hosts Amy, Ann, Lizzie, and Marjolaine discuss the important role a new creature could play in the Fantastic Beasts saga. This episode is all about the qirin, or qilin, of Chinese folklore. 

The qirin, nicknamed the Chinese unicorn, appears throughout the trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. The creature shows up on a banner hanging on the side of a building, in the artwork on the prayer wheel in the Room of Requirement, and in the flesh next to the pool Grindelwald is submerged in. We also see the creature in the teaser footage released prior to the full-length trailer. In that footage, Newt is seen running through a bamboo forest, cradling the qirin in his arms. 

According to Chinese mythology, the qirin appears during the reign of a good leader. Since the events of The Secrets of Dumbledore unfold around an election for the Supreme Mugwump, it makes sense that a qirin might be involved, but what is it doing with Grindelwald? Our hosts speculate that Grindelwald may have captured the creature in order to convince the wizarding community that he is the most worthy of winning the election. 

This week’s podcast question is “What role do you think the qirin will play in Secrets of Dumbledore?” Send us your thoughts and theories at SpeakBeasty@gmail.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

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