You can't say they didn't try ... and try ... and try.
The woke mob came after J.K. Rowling in 2020 after the liberal author said she didn't abide by every tenet of the trans agenda.
The horror, the horror.
The "Harry Potter" creator didn't lash out at trans people or target their community. She shared biological truths and addressed the need for women's only spaces.
Think opinions that put Rowling on the progressive Left for years. Not anymore.
We all know what happened next. The Left turned on the author, doing everything possible to cancel both her and her iconic "Harry Potter" franchise. Trans activists digitally stalked her. Death threats became her New Normal. Her name was removed from her own books as well as library displays.
Even young actors who became stars thanks to the "Harry Potter" films, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, turned on her.
Except Rowling possessed a stiffer spine than fellow superstars like Stephen King and Scarlett Johansson. The latter two quickly backpedaled when the woke mob came for them. King's collapse was shocking, since his wealth and fame span decades, and his "thought crime" proved innocent and obvious.
King said films should be judged on their quality, not any Identity Politics checklist. The woke mob attacked, and he fled to the pages of The Washington Post to "apologize."
Not Rowling. No apologies. No retreat. No surrender.
Ever.
So what happened next? She survived the most consistent Cancel Culture campaign in recent memory, one egged on in the media. And, thanks to the enduring power of the Potter universe, she just keeps winning.
All eight "Harry Potter" movies are back in theaters for a limited time. The films proved wildly successful on most fronts, from box office receipts to critical praise.
It's a perfect way to set up HBO Max's "Harry Potter" TV series, slated to bow sometime next year. Few shows are more eagerly awaited, and HBO Max has plans for the show to run a very long time.
The very existence of the HBO Max series, and its high-profile nature, captures the franchise's enduring appeal. And, yes, media Cancel Culture types have tried to turn the show's stars against Rowling along the way. No major players have quit, although two directors opted against working on the series.
That won't slow the saga by a millisecond, of course.
John Lithgow has had to face a series of withering questions about his involvement with the show. He plays Professor Dumbledore, and, at 80, he realizes a sweet gig like this is too good to pass up. He still laments he'll be pressed on Rowling's ties to the show for, well, until the show wraps.
Maybe longer.
Meanwhile, the one key "Harry Potter" star who hasn't trashed Rowling, Rupert Grint, is returning to the saga. He'll play the adult version of Ron Weasley, the character he brought to life in the original films.
Rowling's revenge couldn't be sweeter. She beat the woke mob at every turn, and she can still look at herself in the mirror with pride. Her finest counter-punch, though, remains her reaction to Watson attempting to make peace after trashing Rowling in the public arena.
Stop. The. Fight.
