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Warning!
At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film). As such, spoilers will be present within the article. |
Modesty Barebone[2] (born 1918[1]) was the youngest of Mary Lou Barebone's three adoptive children.
Biography
Modesty was born in 1918 in the United States.[1] She lived in a tenement in the Bronx with her mother, father, and nine siblings.[3] However, she was adopted by No-Maj anti-witchcraft activist Mary Lou Barebone, perhaps because her parents had more children than they could care for or because they were magical.[3] Afterward, she missed her brothers and sisters, and would talk about them to her older adoptive brother Credence.[3] The fact she remembered her original family suggests she was at least two or three when Mary Lou adopted her.
A precocious child, Modesty learned to hide disobedient behaviour from her strict mother, as she was aware of the abusive treatment that her older brother, Credence, received. She sung anti-witchcraft rhymes while playing hopscotch, but out of sight of her mother (and her similarly zealous older adoptive sister, Chastity), she rebelliously threw away New Salem Philanthropic Society leaflets.[2]
One night, Credence goes to her room and finds a toy wand under her bed. Just as Modesty is about to say that the wand is just a toy, Mary Lou enters, disgusted. Once more it appears that Credence is to be harmed, Modesty speaks up to her mother, saying the wand was hers. Suddenly, the belt whips out of Mary Lou's hand like a snake, injuring her hand. When she tried to grasp it, it slithered away. This can be assumed that this was evidence that Modesty was a witch and that the wand was real
Terrified of the incident, Modesty runs away to her old childhood home to hide. With the help of Credence, Graves finds her, assuming that she is the Obscurial. Graves finds Modesty hiding in a corner, shanking, terrified, confused and whimpers at the sound of Credences name. But just as she is about to come towards Graves, Credence breaks the walls But Crededce uses his uncontrollable power to burst the walls open, and to reveal his feeling of betrayal to Graves. His power then bursts and he flies away with Graves following, leaving Modesty all alone once more.
Personality and traits
Modesty was described as a "haunted" girl with "inner strength and stillness." She also possessed an ability to see into people's psyches and understand them.[4]
Behind the scenes
- Modesty Barebone is portrayed by Faith Wood-Blagrove in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.[5]
- She is possibly a witch as she possessed a wand, probably inherited from her deceased family, and because she was adopted by Mary Lou who was actively looking for orphans with magical powers through her "philanthropic activities".
Appearances
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay, Scene 7 - She is described as being 8-years-old in 1926.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Full Character Descriptions" from FantasticBeastsMovies.com
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay, Scene 96
- ↑ "Casting call for 'Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them' " from Warner Brothers UK
- ↑ "Fantastic Beasts actress chosen from open auditions" from CBBC