The Harry Potter franchise is undoubtedly the reigning champ of magical mayhem. From Wingardium Leviosa to Expecto Patronum, the spells are world-famous, and we can all recite them by heart. However, if you’re looking for a little enchantment in-between the new Fantastic Beasts installments, Netflix’s The Order might just fit the bill. The show features a magical cult instead of a magical school, but it has plenty of hexes that would make even Voldemort jealous. Here are ten spells from The Order that rival the Potterverse. Oh, and if you happen to be a young witch or wizard in training, we legally have to warn you not to try (most) of these at home.
Door Opening
Okay, yes, this might seem like a fairly underwhelming way to start off a list of magic spells but just hang tight for a second. The fact that characters in The Order can open doors with a flick of their wrist is notable because it emphasizes just how convenient magic would be. Say goodbye to boring chores and everyday annoyances. Harry Potter touches briefly on that aspect here and there, but it’s primarily focused on showcasing grandiose spells with plot relevance. The Order really drives home how even mundane types of magic would irrevocably change our lives at the most fundamental level. Also, while most spells in The Order come with a price (ranging anywhere from drops of blood to human life) door opening is a complete freebie.
Werewolf Magic Senses
This might be more of an innate ability than true sorcery, but the Werewolves of The Knights of Saint Christopher are able to sense evil magic. Whenever a villainous wizard starts getting up to mischief, The Knights hear a high-pitched ringing. It’s basically a mental Amber Alert for the dark arts.
In the Potterverse, Werewolves are closer to their original, folkloric incarnations: mindless animals with a craving for human flesh (no offense to Professor Lupin, RIP). The Knights on the other hand, are magical cops. They even refer to themselves as that in the show. Their otherworldly senses make it possible to pursue truth, justice, and the lycan-American way.
Mirroring Spell
There’s an old schoolyard comeback that goes: “I’m rubber, you’re glue. Your words bounce off me and stick to you.” That’s essentially how the mirroring spell works. The downside is that it doesn’t keep the person you’ve linked with from hurting you. It just ensures that they’ll also get hurt if they try anything. The mirroring spell is quite useful for brokering a truce between two hostile parties.
In a way, Harry Potter’s life was saved as a baby by a superior version of this spell. However, that variant seems to need the pure, sacrificial love of a mother to work properly and Harry burned through his mom-quota fairly quickly.
Golem Creation
No, not Gollum, the half-naked ring coveter, a golem. They’ve started to appear more frequently in pop-culture, but in case you don’t know, a golem is a magically animated person made from clay or some other material. In The Order, it’s actually shockingly easy to create one. All you need is a lot of Super Sculpey and a hatred for our feathered friends. Kill a bird, write the magic word on your golem’s forehead with its beak and you’ll have yourself a new henchman in seconds. Use it to bring you groceries or annihilate your enemies. After all, golems don’t have morals. The bird death is non-negotiable though, because, as previously mentioned, most magic in The Order requires a sacrifice. This isn’t the Potterverse. You can’t just whip out an Expelliarmus every time you feel like it.
Final Sight Projection
Known by its more technical/mystical name: Mala revelentur, this spell allows you to use a dead person’s eye as a film projector and view their final moments on earth. Can you imagine how Final Sight Projection would affect the crime rate? It would be almost impossible to get away with murder.
All the police would have to do is pop out an eyeball and see who the culprit is. Poor forensic scientists would be forced to dust for fingerprints on the side of the road to make a living.
Lethal Body Possession
The Marand twins are two of the deadliest and most reviled witches in The Order. The second Marand sister’s unique ability no doubt plays a huge part in that notorious reputation. She can possess people magically and turn them into vicious, brain-dead slaves. Mind-control is a staple of both sci-fi and fantasy, but this alternative is even more diabolical than usual. Once Marand #2 withdraws her control over someone they simply drop dead.
Efficient? No. Scary? Absolutely!
Changing Lead into Gold
Grand Magus Edward Coventry, the big baddie of the show, does this as a party trick to impress a bunch of new recruits. That should give you an indication of his skill. He clutches the chunk of lead, sets his fist on fire, whispers the magic phrase “Fiats aurum” and voila, student loans be gone!
If Coventry really created gold, (and it’s not merely a trick) this explains how wizarding organizations can fund their massive libraries or exotic bestiaries. Someone should have told the Weasleys about this spell. Maybe then poor Ron could have gotten more than ugly sweaters for Christmas.
Glamour Charms
Speaking of magical monetary advancement, a glamour charm is your ticket to easy living. By drawing a special rune on some paper and saying “Quidquid requirtur, fiat,” people will see that paper as whatever you want them to see. It’s not just limited to creating money either. The Order’s protagonist, Jack Morton, succumbs to peer pressure and uses the spell to avoid writing an essay; ironically one on ethics.
His teacher automatically believes he’s written A+ work. Although Jack soon regrets his actions, the glamour charm turns out to be more than just immoral. It can potentially be fatal. If you employ the charm without a blood sacrifice your hapless target will pay the price instead.
Obliteration Wave
This probably isn’t a “normal” spell in The Order’s universe since Coventry can only use it once he’s bonded with an ultra-powerful book known as the Vade Maecum. Still, it’s pretty spectacular. It makes Avada Kedavra look downright peaceful by comparison. First, Coventry causes someone to explode in a Scanners-style blood fountain, then lowers the wave’s intensity to blast our heroes off their feet.
So, in summary, the Maecum gives you all the abilities of a video game boss.
Cancer Removal
One of the most memorable moments of The Order season one, is an elaborate incantation that happens in episode 5. In return for her necrophone, Edward Coventry makes a deal with Marand sister #1, Renee, and promises to cure her terminal cancer. It sounds really cool, but as always there’s a massive caveat. You can’t just get rid of the cancer, it has to be magically extracted and channeled into the mouths of five other people. Yummy! Any volunteers? However, if the new hosts die from something other than the cancer, then the incantation fails, and it returns to the person who had it originally. The Potterverse didn’t get this dark until, like, book four!
