Entertainment
If you’re like every other human on Earth, you’ve probably either seen The Force Awakens, or are planning to see it soon. Hurry up; we can’t keep the internet spoiler-free forever! And like a lot of us, maybe you recently watched the original Star Wars trilogy, either for the first time in preparation for The Force Awakens, or to refresh your memory before seeing Episode VII. So did you happen to notice anything that you didn’t notice when you were a kid? Like, for instance, that Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter are practically the same character?
OK, obviously the Hero’s Journey is a popular trope for a reason; everyone would like to believe that they’re a part of something bigger, that they’re destined for greatness. I know I certainly wouldn’t complain if someone came up to me one day and told me that I was the most important person who ever lived, would you? So it stands to reason that we gravitate towards that type of story; we relate to the protagonists. And while I’m not claiming that J.K. Rowling ripped off George Lucas at all, there are a striking number of similarities between our favorite Jedi and our favorite wizard. Worth noting:
They're Both Orphans, Raised By An Aunt And Uncle
Of course, Owen and Beru were a hell of a lot nicer than Vernon and Petunia.
Then They Both Find Out They Can Do Magic, Because Their Parents Could
Oh, and by the way, they'll need to use that power to save the world, even though they're only teenagers.
They Travel To A Strange Place Full Of Weird Creatures
I would personally rather face a sarlaac than a Rhodesian ridgeback dragon, but I don't know about you ...
They Befriend A Couple Of Sidekicks (One Male, One Female)
The sidekicks eventually end up falling in love with each other, but our hero doesn't mind.
And There's A Great Big Hairy Dude
He's a little rough around the edges, but fiercely loyal.
They're Both Mentored By A Wise Old Bearded Dude In A Robe
Who used to mentor their nemesis ...
There's A Little Guy With Big Ears
He just wants to help our hero, but ends up annoying the sh*t out of him sometimes. (RIP, Dobby.)
The Bad Guys Try To Recruit Them
Hi, I'm here to kill you.
Yeah but maybe we could be evil together?
Nah.
They Both Have To Learn To Overcome Fear And Hate
Although only one of them has a magic stag to help him with that.
They Both Have A Cute Little Buddy Who Delivers Messages For Them
Luckily, with Artoo, there's no poop or mouse bones to clean up.
They're Both Crazy Good At Flying, Just Like Their Dads Were
Is that kind of talent really hereditary, though? Or just a coincidence?
Their Weapons Have A Special Connection To Their Enemies
Like, why would you even give him that thing, Ben? His father killed the younglings with that lightsaber! Same goes for Mr. Ollivander selling Harry the twin of Voldemort's wand.
And They Both Finally Defeat The Bad Guys With The Power Of Love
Ugh, lame. If love is all you need, how come they have to do all that magic? Still, they both had happy endings, and they both entertained us. The only difference: Harry got to be on all of his movie posters.
Image: Lucasfilm Ltd., Giphy (13)
