It's where he keeps his things, and where he can live. He's not with Tina, but her photo is pasted on the case lid, so his heart is very much there. There are drawings that he does when he's out on the road. The case is like a character in itself.
- Eddie Redmayne in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore: Movie Magic
“under the surface” from encanto is such a theseus and/or tina song. trying to hold everything together, taking on significant responsibility. “give it to your sister, your sister’s older, give her all the heavy things we can’t shoulder”. so tina. “i’m pretty sure i’m worthless if i can’t be of service”. so theseus.
Most people see Jacob Kowalski as just another side character in the big magical world of HP. Just comic relief. I disagree. Not only does his character have many deep layers to unravel, but he is also the most fit to be the main character. Lemme explain:
When he is introduced in the movie, Jacob seems like a regular, everyday dude but we quickly find out that he's just... not. He is pulled into a world full of danger and strange creatures where he has little to no power but he doesn't react quite like a regular person would react. In the beginning of the first movie when he takes the case to his house, he is assulted by creatures that he had never seen before and knocked unconcious and what is his reaction? Does he fear them and doesn't want to be near them again? No. He wants more. He wants to pet them, and feed them, and know them. All of them, and befriends the funny english guy raising them. He is repeatedly almost killed by said creatures multiple times and still comes back for more. When he is arrested by a magical government and his friends are sentened to die, what does he do? He breaks into said prison full of wizards fo free his friends. At the beginning of the third movie when Lalo pulls the facade to convince him and he comes out to help her, he is outnumbered 3 to 1 by bigger men than him and you know what he does? Does he show any sign of fear? Or try to give a speech about morals? No. He looks left and right to see if anyone else is watching and then is like "lol I'll let you have the first shot". Near the end of the third movie when he is hit with the crucio curse by Grindelwald, he takes it like a champ and doesn't scream in pain like most people do. He's a fighter. He's not afraid to throw or take a punch.
Most people also think he lives a regular life but that's not the case. We see his situation very briefly before we are thrown into the action. He works at a factory but wants to start his own bakery so he goes to the bank to take a loan but fails due to lack of collateral. He's not doing well financially. When he takes Newt's case back home we see that he lives alone in a small apartment and that he had a portrait of his grandmother on the wall, and he says in the bank that this is her recipe. He apologies to the picture as if it was her. Baking connects him to his grandmother who is most likely dead. We also learn that he works in a canning factory. And these are things that we have seen of Jacob's life or are alluded to. But you know what we don't see? People. Friends. Family. We only know his grandmother is dead. We don't see any family or friends or anyone who has any sort of aquiantance with Jacob Kowalski at all. He is alone. Completely and truly alone. Jacob doesn't have a regular life. Jacob doesn't have a life. He's trying to build one.
In the beginning of the second movie, Queenie enchants and basically almost roofies Jacob and he instantly forgives her. He goes along with whatever dangerous stuff he is put through. Is it just because he doesn't want to work in a factory and wants a life of wonder? Even after he opens the bakery, he still goes along with magical stuff, and at the beginning of the third movie his bakery is like a desert. He doesn't feel like it anymore, and it only takes a little bit of convincing for him to go back. No. Here's the reason:
Jacob Kowalski fears being alone.
He will do or give or endure whatever it takes to be with these people. Even if he is heartbroken or hurt, he will always come back, because he has nothing else.
Jacob barely thinks anything of himself. At the end of first movie he says: "We all know Newt only keeps me around cus..." only to be surprised that Newt actually likes him and acknowledges his help and is grateful for it. In the beginning of the third movie when Lalo comes, all he keeps saying is "I'm this pan. I'm all dented. A dime a dozen. Just a shmuck" We Later learn in his conversation with Newt we learn that he doesn't like his life right now. That working in a factory like this is killing him from the inside. Jacob isn't just "okay" or "going along" with what's happening in the movies. He wants this. He loves this. He was completely alone, living a dull, meaningless life and suddenly he is pulled into an exciting adventure with wonderus creatures, magic, action, friendship and even love.
For the first time in years, Jacob Kowalski was truly alive.
And yet he gives that up, and agrees to be obliviated and return to his old situation where he, in his own words, is dying from the inside. For the good or for the bad, Jacob will always put himself last.
Then we learn something in the conversation between Newt and Jacob that makes it all make sense: We learn that Jacob actually fought in WW1. Jacob Kowalski isn't just a regular muggle.
He's a solider.
The reason Jacob is so strangely okay and adapting with whatever happens to him in the franchise is because this isn't the first time this happens to him. This isn't the first time he is thrown into a dangerous, unfamiliar situation, with new machines and gimmicks fo operate, people that he doesn't know and a conflict that is arising between powers outside of him.
He will forgive Queenie instantly for abducting him and treating him like an object because he doesn't want her to leave him. He would put himself in danger with strange beasts because he gets to be with his timid but funny comrade best friend. He will risk getting killed and put through the crucio curse so he could save the country world and be a war hero with his battalion group.
Jacob Kowalski is a solider discharged from the most traumatic conflict in history. He has no living family and all his friends from the army are dead. He has lost everyone and everything. No one loves him. No one even knows him. He is at the lowest of lows physically, mentally and financially and lives a life that's killing him from the inside. He wants to live. Truly live, and this franchise is all about him grasping the first opportunity to do so. He would rather be treated like an object than left alone. Get killed spending time with friend than not spend time with him at all. Die in public humiliation and excruciating pain fighting another war with his friends than die alone.
Worrying means you suffer twice – Bold of you to assume that I didn’t perfectionate the Art of Worrying to a point where I am in a state of constant sorrow, so technically I only suffer once.
It’s the way that JK R*wling and Steve Kl*ves don’t give a shit about Newt and Tina + the fact that Eddie and Katherine improvised most of that one scene - the best scene in the whole damn movie - for me
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