Friday one of the most famous franchises in entertainment and literary history will come to a conclusion as “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” is released in theaters nationwide.

For those who may not follow the adventures of the bespectacled wizard, the film is the eighth depiction of the fantasy world created by British author J.K. Rowling. With the release of the final movie, an era of sorts comes to an end.

Since 1998, the American public has been entranced, angered, and captivated by Harry Potter, and has experienced a depiction of his world on film since 2001. The effort by the ensemble cast who have appeared in all eight films is hardly unnoticeable, as each character has been immortalized on the screen and in the minds of millions of fans.

Who will likely forget Alan Rickman’s legendary depiction of potions teacher Severus Snape, or Michael Gambon’s portrayal as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore? And of course there is the famous depiction of Harry, Ron, and Hermione by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson.

Never before have three actors almost literally grown up on screen before the eyes of an audience, and it is doubtful if such a feat will be seen very soon.

Now, before I am accused of pandering to Potter-mania, allow me to explain why I think this is important. Of all of the things in our world that might bring people together, Harry Potter stands out as one that has affected an entire generation of young people and adults alike.

As of right now, I would venture to say that many of the fans who grew up loving Harry Potter are mostly in college or have graduated within the past five years. Harry Potter is the piece of the millennial generation’s culture that captured its imagination and gave many common ground amongst each other.

Where else would millions of people gather for a common undisputed reason besides a religious gathering than a Harry Potter book or film release?

To be clear, I am not equating Harry Potter’s importance to a holy event. I am looking at this in pure terms of literature, film, entertainment, and pop culture. Essentially, Harry Potter provided the outlet for the millennial generation to use its collective imagination and escape the real world together for small spaces of time.

One of my favorite authors, J.R.R. Tolkien, perhaps described fantasy works like Harry Potter best when he said, “Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape?…If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”

So if you are a fan, feel free to revel this weekend in the final chapter of Harry Potter and enjoy one last journey to Hogwarts. Expelliarmus!

Greg Sainer is a senior communication studies major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.