For starters, we should probably get out of the way one of the most enduring and bafflingly popular theories people like to try and apply to every piece of childhood fiction they can get their grubby paws on. People have done it for everything from The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air to Courage The Cowardly Dog, but at least the Harry Potter version has a little more evidence behind it: the idea is that, rather than escaping the abusive, neglectful childhood where he's locked in the cupboard under the stairs of his uncaring Aunt and Uncle Dursley to attend Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry, all of Harry's high-flying adventures are happening in his head, as an escape from the depressing reality of his life as an orphaned prisoner. This variation on the theme manages to be a little more detailed. The starting point is definitely more convincing than "Will Smith imagined going to live in Bel Air after being left brain damaged by bullies on a basketball court", because what troubled and abused kid wouldn't retreat into a far-off fantasy world full of spells and owls? As if that wasn't morbid enough, however, this theory goes on to suggest that all the injuries Harry suffers whilst at Hogwarts are actually the result of the physical abuse enacted on him by the Dursleys, and the reason he's not allowed to use magic outside of the school is because IT'S NOT REAL. Then the only reason rules like that get broken - and the general inconsistencies that appear as the series continues, along with the darkening tone - are because he's slowly starving to death in his cupboard, and his mind's starting to go. Fun!
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
