What happened at the end of Fantastic Beasts with Queenie and Jacob?

Question

At the end of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,

Newt send up the Thunderbird with the short-term memory eraser.

After they do that,

Jacob Kowalski goes out into the rain to forget what happened.

But then

Queenie goes out and conjures up an umbrella, in addition to the fact that he was under cover for most of the time.

Then Jacob goes and wanders off, bumping into Newt along the way.

But when

Queenie goes into his new bakery, he appears to recognize her.

This is in addition to that

His confections are magical-beasts shaped.

This would imply that he still remembers things.

So, the question is:

Did Jacob not lose all of his memories? If he did, what happened at the end with Queenie?

Answer 1

As I understand it, there's a chance that Jacob will actually remember Queenie. The memory eraser potion made from Swooping Evil venom erases bad memories - but despite all else that happened, Jacob's experiences with and of Queenie are unlikely to be considered "bad". Thus I think there's a more-than-good chance that when his memory is suitably jarred by Queenie entering his new bakery, his memories of Queenie would come flooding back. I sure hope so - Jake deserves a break and some love in his life, and Queenie deserves someone who cares about her for more than her obvious charms. And I'd like to see her intelligence come through in future episodes. She seems to be good at playing the ditzy broad, but I have a feeling that under that air-headed exterior there's a spine of tempered steel.

Answer 2

He (sorta) remembered her, at least according to the film's official screenplay.

The bell tinkles again.

JACOB looks up and is thunderstruck all over again: it’s QUEENIE. They stare at each other – QUEENIE beams, radiant. JACOB, quizzical and totally enchanted, touches his neck – a flicker of memory. He smiles back.

_{^{Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay}}

And the actor seems pretty convinced that his memory was returned when he saw her.

Alison: It’s the best. So that actually brings us, though… If they’re having a complex relationship, does Jacob remember what happened [in the] last film? It’s kind of hinted at at the end, but it was never confirmed, so…

Dan: I think he does have… yeah. It’s not explained exactly why, but he does have some recollection for sure, yeah.

Alison: Okay. So there’s not a period where he has to relearn everything.

Dan: Relearn everything! And he’s reading this scroll before…

[Alison and Cat laugh]

Dan: “Ahh, okay, I’m back [unintelligible].” No, I think you see at the end of the first one. It comes flooding back to him

_{^{EXCLUSIVE: Dan Fogler Talks Queenie and Jacob and More in “Crimes of Grindelwald” at Comic-Con!}}

---

We also now have an update relating to Fantastic Beasts 2: The Crimes of Grindlewald. Evidently his memories of the Wizarding world were confirmed by Queenie's presence. Before that they were dreamlike.

Felicia Grady: What parts from the first film did Queenie have to catch Jacob up on? Did Jacob remember the Erumpent incident?

Alison: That’s a good question.

Felicia: Because he forgot all the bad memories.

Dan: Yeah, I think he remembered a lot of it.

Alison: Weren’t there Erumpent puffs?

Dan: Erumpent puffs, Niffler muffins… It’s like Midsummer Night’s Dream. Have you ever seen Midsummer Night’s Dream, where Bottom wakes up and he’s like, “I think I had a dream,” but he’s not sure? That’s what I think happens to him. You guys all saw it. The poison, the Thunderbird shower, the Obliviation spell… It erases bad memories and he didn’t have any bad memories.

Felicia: Even the Erumpent was a good memory?

Dan: Even the Erumpent was a good memory, yes.

Alison: She was good. She liked you so much.

Dan: Exactly. He may not remember the scary parts of it, but he definitely remembers being in the case. And looking over it and he just being like, “Hey?” It became familiar. So he retains it. Puts it in his heart. It seeps into his art form with the muffins and everything. And he had his Titania, his dream girl, and then she walks into the bakery. I think he’s got the scar in his neck. I think that’s the one thing where it’s like, “Where the hell did I get that crazy scar in my neck?” Then it all comes flooding back when she’s smiling at him. Or a lot of it.

_{^{Alison Sudol and Dan Fogler “Crimes of Grindelwald” Roundtable Interview}}

This is confirmed in the dialogue for Fantastic Beasts 2

NEWT: But you were supposed to have been Obliviated!

JACOB: I know!

NEWT: So . . . But . . .

JACOB: It didn’t work, pal. I mean, you said it, the potion only erases bad memories. I didn’t have any. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I had some weird ones. But this angel . . . this angel over here, she filled me in on all the bad parts, and here we are, I guess, huh?

_{^{Fantastic Beasts 2: Original Screenplay}}

Answer 3

Jacob did not lose all his memories because he was bitten by a Murtlap.

Another answer that just occured to me after watching the movie again is that Jacob was resistant to the spell of the Sweeping Evil because he was previously bitten by a Murtlap:

Murtlap

M.O.M. Classification: XXX

The Murtlap is a ratlike creature found in coastal areas of Britain. It has a growth upon its back resembling a sea anemone. When pickled and eaten, these Murtlap growths promote resistance to curses and jinxes, though an overdose may cause unsightly purple ear hair. Murtlaps eat crustaceans and the feet of anyone foolish enough to step on them.

^{Fantastic Beasts, Murtlap}

Though here Jacob did not eat the Murtlap, its likely a bite provides similar resistance.

There is evidence to support this from the screenplay:

JACOB looks up and is thunderstruck all over again: it’s QUEENIE. They stare at each other – QUEENIE beams, radiant. JACOB, quizzical and totally enchanted, touches his neck – a flicker of memory. He smiles back.

^{Fantastic Beasts Screenplay, Final Scene}

The neck being where the murtlap bit him.

Answer 4

I believe that Queenie erased Jacob's memories (!), not the rain. Thus, I think some memories were retained as Queenie left behind those memories of her.

Why do I believe Queenie erased the memories?

The rain erases memories of all nomajes both indoors and outdoors, as can be clearly seen in the movie. Thus, if the rain erased Jacob's memory, it would have happened immediately. Even if you say the rain does not work underground, there was a point were they're standing under the glass - almost outdoors - and yet Jacob's memories are not yet erased. Furthermore, while they're standing outside in the rain (!) Jacob's memory is not yet erased. Not until Queenie hugs and kisses him does he lose his memories.

The President clearly orders Newt and Tina to obliviate Jacob's memories. If the rain would do it automatically, there would be no need for such an order.

The rain erases negative memories. These are positive.

If you look closely, you'll see Queenie doing something with her wand, only after which Jacob loses his memories. Again seemingly it looks like its Queenie who erases the memories, no the rain.

Why would Queenie erase Jacob's Memories?

Because she wants to marry him. In New York at the time, it was forbidden for nomajes to marry wizards, lest they reveal the magical community. I'm going to assume that this prohibition exists only when the wizard reveals her or himself as such, but should the wizard choose to not practice magic and not reveal herself, it would be permitted. Queenie erased Jacob's memory, except for some choice portions of it (as a legilimens it would probably be easier for her than others to choose which memories to discard and keep) and intends to give up being a witch and thus be allowed to legally marry him without breaking the statute of magical secrecy.