Not My Canon!

WTF: The Dudes

I've gone on tangents throughout this analysis and retrospective (Really, Mike? You don't say...), so some of the issues we have with these dudes has already been covered. I'm not going to go repeating myself because I think I've complained enough. Well, almost enough.

Albus

I had a lot of hope for Albus at the start of this play. He chose Scorpius to befriend, despite his name and family history. He was Sorted into Slytherin (not a surprise based on how the Epilogue set him up as a character), affirming the theme from the books that blood doesn't define you. Still positive. Having to grow up in your father's shadow and not be able to ever attain that level of greatness, also a plus. It would have been more impactful if it were James we were talking about. The eldest son of Harry Potter already had to face this challenge, which should have taken a significant amount of that "legacy pressure" off of the younger siblings. But every family is different. I'm still on board.

Then Albus starts to change, showing that he's selfish, tormented, and destructive. This could have been handled much better. This character can certainly be going through a phase like this, but the problem I have is with how the writers tried to pull it off.

Albus ends up being generally unlikable. He is annoying, unreasonable, and, at times, uninteresting to read. Especially with all the complaining. He has a victim complex when nothing bad has ever happened to him and dislikes going to Hogwarts, which is almost impossible to believe. First off, what kid wouldn't want to learn magic? Especially in their world, where it's a necessity. Secondly, that's the only way he gets to see his best friend. He would be eager to return to school, even if he didn't fit in.

And what I really don't like is the broader dickishness he has toward his dad. He mocks him for every good thing we read about in the seven books. But then, when Amos argues that two teenage boys can't really do anything to help him, Albus proudly states that his father proved teenagers can change the world... So, which is it? Is this kid ashamed of Harry, is he proud, or does he hate him?

Back to those pesky inconsistencies in your own story... eh, Jack?

James seems like such a well-adjusted brother. And yet the only discernable difference between them from the outset, since they were raised by the same parents, is that Albus was Sorted into Slytherin. Not enough character development supports Albus' departure from the other Potters. And one thing that has bothered me this entire time is that James is still at Hogwarts. Even if Albus and James weren't the closest, James would be the first person he would run to in the alternate universes to find out what had happened, and someone he would look to for guidance. That's what families do. When the proverbial shit hits the proverbial fan, families unite to face the crisis head-on. The fact that James is basically non-existent makes the narrative difficult to accept.

Scorpius

I've already gotten into most of my issues with how the play handled Scorpius, who had the most potential as a character. Like a lot of other fans, I think he should have been Sorted into Ravenclaw. He seems like a stereotypical Ravenclaw. In fact, Scorpius never appears to show a single characteristic of a Slytherin.

ALBUS: As I calculate it we should be approaching the viaduct soon and then it'll be a short hike to St. Oswald's Home for Old Witches and Wizards...

SCORPIUS: The what? The where? Look, I am as excited as you are to be a rebel for the first time in my life - yay - train roof - fun - but now - oh.

Rebelling for the first time, you say? I thought you were a fourth year. See what I mean? Not a Slytherin. Their inherent attribute of ambitiousness alone leads to rebellion. By not reinforcing in Scorpius a trait that characterizes the house in which he was Sorted, it results in, yet another moment of confusion. They are telling the audience, once again, that what we are reading and watching does not make total sense.