Credence Barebone

Credence Barebone is an American half-blood wizard and a powerful Obscurial who is a central character in the Fantastic Beasts film series. He was adopted by Mary Lou Barebone, the leader of the anti-witchcraft group, the New Salem Philanthropic Society. His repressed magic, born from years of abuse, manifested as a uniquely powerful and destructive Obscurus. His desperate search for his true identity becomes a major driving force of the Global wizarding war, as he is manipulated and used as a potential weapon by Gellert Grindelwald. It is important to note that Credence Barebone and his family do not appear in the original seven Harry Potter novels; all information about them is derived from the Fantastic Beasts film series and its supplementary materials.

Born Aurelius Dumbledore, he was separated from his family as an infant and sent to America. He was adopted by Mary Lou Barebone, a fanatical No-Maj who ran an orphanage and led the New Salem Philanthropic Society (also known as the Second-Salemers). Under her cruel and abusive rule, Credence was forced to suppress his magical abilities. This suppression caused him to develop an Obscurus, a dark, parasitic manifestation of his magic. Unlike most Obscurial children who died before the age of ten, Credence survived into adulthood, and his Obscurus grew to an unprecedented level of power (film).

In 1926, Credence was secretly approached by Percival Graves, who was in fact Gellert Grindelwald in disguise. Grindelwald offered Credence affection and a path to freedom, manipulating him into helping locate the Obscurial causing destruction throughout New York City, whom Grindelwald believed to be a young girl. After being betrayed and dismissed by Grindelwald, Credence's pain and rage caused him to lose control. He fully transformed into his Obscurus and went on a rampage. Newt Scamander attempted to calm him, but Credence was seemingly destroyed by a barrage of spells from MACUSA Aurors. However, a small shred of his Obscurus escaped and survived (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them).

Credence re-formed his physical body and fled to Europe, joining the Circus Arcanus where he befriended a Maledictus named Nagini. Together, they escaped and traveled to Paris in search of Credence's birth mother. His search led him to believe he was Corvus Lestrange, but this proved to be a dead end. Ultimately, he chose to join Gellert Grindelwald, who had been tracking him. At Nurmengard Castle, Grindelwald presented him with a wand and revealed his supposed true name: Aurelius Dumbledore, the only person with the power to defeat Albus Dumbledore (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald). Now serving Grindelwald, a sickly Credence struggled with the Obscurus consuming him. He was sent on missions for Grindelwald but was plagued by doubt. After receiving a cryptic message from Albus Dumbledore, he discovered his true heritage: he was the illegitimate son of Aberforth Dumbledore. During a climactic confrontation in Bhutan, Credence turned against Grindelwald and helped foil his plot. Fatally weakened by his condition, he reconciled with his father, Aberforth, who took him home (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore).

Credence is depicted as a tall, gaunt young man with a pale complexion, dark eyes, and a short, black haircut. He typically wears dark, ill-fitting suits that reflect his oppressed and somber existence (film). Due to the extreme abuse he suffered, Credence is painfully shy, withdrawn, and emotionally vulnerable. He is socially awkward and speaks very little, often with a stammer. His deep-seated desire for love and belonging makes him susceptible to manipulation by figures like Gellert Grindelwald. Beneath his timid exterior lies immense rage and pain, which fuel the destructive power of his Obscurus (film).

• Obscurial: Credence is the most powerful Obscurial known to exist. He is the only known case to have survived into adulthood while housing an Obscurus, and he could exert a degree of conscious control over it, which was previously considered impossible (film).
• Obscurus: His Obscurus was a force of immense destructive power, capable of tearing down buildings and absorbing spell-fire with no visible effect (film).
• Wand Magic: Upon receiving a wand from Grindelwald, Credence demonstrated a natural, if raw, talent for magic. He was capable of powerful, destructive spells, such as blasting away a mountainside with a single curse (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald).
• Dueling: Credence was a formidable duelist, skilled enough to engage Albus Dumbledore in a fierce duel and hold his own for a significant amount of time (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore).

• Wand: A wand of unknown length, wood, and core material given to him by Gellert Grindelwald. It allowed him to channel his innate magical abilities in a more controlled manner (film).

• Mary Lou Barebone: His abusive adoptive mother and the source of his trauma. Credence's Obscurus killed her in a moment of rage when she threatened to beat him again (film).
• Gellert Grindelwald: A manipulative figure who feigned affection to exploit Credence's power. Credence was initially a loyal follower but ultimately recognized Grindelwald's cruelty and betrayed him (film).
• Aberforth Dumbledore: His biological father. Their relationship was initially non-existent, but Aberforth felt deep remorse for his son's fate. They reconciled at the end of Credence's life (film).
• Albus Dumbledore: His biological uncle. Albus showed Credence compassion and worked to save him from Grindelwald's influence and from the Obscurus that was killing him (film).
• Nagini: A fellow outcast at the Circus Arcanus, she became Credence's closest friend and companion. She tried to warn him against joining Grindelwald (film).
• Newt Scamander: One of the first wizards to show Credence kindness and empathy, attempting to save him from MACUSA rather than destroy him (film).

• Credence: The name means “belief” or “acceptance that something is true.” This directly reflects his central motivation: the search for a truth he can believe in regarding his identity and origins.
• Barebone: A surname that literally means “emaciated” or “reduced to the most essential elements.” This describes both his gaunt physical appearance and the stark, loveless environment in which he was raised.

• Credence Barebone is portrayed by American actor Ezra Miller in the Fantastic Beasts film series (film).
• The character was created by J.K. Rowling for her screenplay of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
• The name of the anti-witchcraft league, the New Salem Philanthropic Society, and by extension the Barebone name, may be a historical allusion to the “Barebone's Parliament” of 1653 England, a legislative body during the Puritanical rule of Oliver Cromwell, which was named after one of its members, Praise-God Barebone. This links the Barebones to real-world religious fanaticism.