3. Harry Touches The Triwizard Cup – Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2005)
Ah, Harry Potter. For so long, it was an untouchable staple of pop culture. Nowadays, its legions of die-hard fans are less likely to mob anyone badmouthing it, making it safer to speak out against the boy wizard. Don’t worry, we’re not going to, because we’re just looking at the moment the franchise changed. (If you want to see us badmouthing it, check out the time we called it an overrated movie franchise.)
In the fourth film, Goblet of Fire, Harry takes part in the Triwizard Tournament, a sort of magical Hunger Games involving dragons, lake-dwellers, and deadly mazes. Reaching the trophy at the same time as fellow competitor Cedric Diggory, they touch it together, intending to share the win. A bad move for both boys, as it turns out.
Cedric is immediately murdered by the evil servants of Lord Voldemort. Then, Harry is used in a ritual to give the so-called Dark Lord a new body, bringing him back to full power. From that moment on, the franchise gets a lot darker, owing to the fact that Harry touching the trophy set Magical Hitler loose once more. Nice one, Harry.