Fans of Star Wars are waiting with anticipation for the arrival of the upcoming spin-off, Andor on 21st September 2022, while fans of Harry Potter relished the April 2022 release of the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Secrets of Dumbledore and are eagerly waiting to see what happens next.
Needless to say, both of these film series' have achieved long-term success likely due to their universal themes of light and dark, fantasy landscapes, and layered plotlines. Though there are more than 20 years between the release of Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV)(1977) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001), one can't help but notice the similarities between these iconic stories.
The Chosen Ones
In Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV) viewers watch as a young Luke Skywalker tires of his life on Tatooine and take steps to train as a Jedi. Similarly, at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry begins a new journey when his presence is demanded at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
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These young, male protagonists bear a lot of similarities in terms of their character and the journeys they take. Whilst Luke isn't treated with the same disdain that Harry is by the Dursleys, both characters are unhappy at home and longing for something more. They are both determined to learn their craft and follow the path of their legendary parents, Harry at Hogwarts and Luke with the Jedi.
The Family
Both Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter are orphaned and left with distant relatives as babies. Luke Skywalker is left in the care of his distant Step-Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru as a baby for protection from the Galactic Empire and Harry with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, to be shielded from Voldemort and his fame in the wizarding world.
The protagonists of these stories often feel out of place in their adopted homes, as their caregivers try to force them into a life that doesn't align with them. Luke is restless on Tatooine being trained in farming by Owen, who forbids his leaving, as he needs Luke to help out. Meanwhile, the Dursleys are extremely embarrassed by Harry, who represents their connection to a world they want nothing to do with and so they fight hard to stop him from attending Hogwarts, though this attempt is quickly thwarted by Hagrid and many, many letters.
The Villains
A common plotline between the films is the quest to find and defeat a villain, in order to achieve peace. For Luke in Star Wars Episodes IV-VI, this is Darth Vader and for Harry this is Voldemort.
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To start with, both villains have pseudonyms that feature the letter "V," which ties in with words that are thematically linked to their character e.g. evil, villainous, malevolent, etc. Both villains have transformed over time into something less than human due to the heinousness of their actions and this is physically visible - Darth Vader wears a sinister black mask that hides his scarring from lava burns at the end of Episode III and Voldermort is a phantom-like shell of a man with warped facial features - he was so destroyed in the first war that he at times used a host body e.g. that of Professor Quirrell's in The Sorcerer's Stone. Both villains have psychic connections with the protagonists that they exploit in order to gain control of them.
The Sidekicks
All protagonists need a sidekick, someone to fill in the gaps and be there for them in their time of need. In Star Wars Episodes IV-VI, Luke has Leia and Han Solo and Harry has Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The sidekicks are thrown together with the protagonist by a mutual event, the fight against the Galactic Empire or the journey to Hogwarts.
In both stories, one is a man who provides comic relief (Ron and Han) and the other is a bold, intelligent woman (Hermione and Leia) who challenges the male protagonists' perceptions. It's also worth noting that later on in the stories, the sidekicks engage in romantic relationships with each other after years of buildup.
The Choice
Good versus Evil is a common theme in films, literature, and art, one that all humans can relate to from their experience of living, which is what makes stories that center around this so compelling. Luke and Harry are often presented with the opportunity to choose the nature of the path they wish to follow.
Their powers can be used for good or for evil but it is up to the individuals to decide on how they use this. Both are asked by their villains to join "the dark side" but the heroes vehemently decline, as they have chosen the side of goodness. Both Tom Riddle and Anakin Skywalker are presented with this choice also but use their powers for evil and give in to them.
With supernatural powers come supernatural tools. For the Jedis, it's lightsabers and for wizards and witches, it's wands. These devices predate the characters and they have a psychic connection with the person who uses them. Throughout the Harry Potter series, it's noted that "the wand chooses the wizard" and when Harry battles Voldemort, the light beams from their wands are color coded - Voldemort's wand shoots green, representing Slytherin, and Harry's shoots red, associated with his house of Gryffindor.
In the Star Wars films, the color represents different things depending on the spiritual status of the user. For example, in Episode VI, Darth Vader's lightsaber runs red, which is said to represent anger, whereas Luke's is blue, representing peace and harmony.
The Good Army
In Star Wars Episodes I-III, viewers see the revered Order of the Jedi in action, including the Jedi Council, who come together to fight their enemies in the galaxy. In Harry Potter, there is the Order of the Phoenix - a group of wizards to band together when the threat of The Dark Lord rising again is present.
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The orders gather in the same way, meeting in their headquarters and several of them don't survive e.g. Remus during The Deathly Hallows and most of the Jedi Order in Episode III, including Mace Windu. Comparisons can also be made between the Jedi Council and The Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter, as both harbor members whose intentions secretly lie with that of the enemy.
The Evil Army
As viewers see the "good" armies in these films, they naturally must see the "bad". Comparisons of a similar nature can be drawn between The Sith in Star Wars and Death Eaters in Harry Potter.
Whilst The Sith are led by The Emperor and the Death Eaters by Voldemort a.k.a The Dark Lord, they are both led by intensely respected and feared villains who have chosen to use their powers for evil and to commit acts of war, in order to gain power. The members of these armies live for their villainous leaders and zealously fight battles on their behalf.
The Mentor
In both stories, the protagonists and their villains are guided by an older mentor, who at times can resemble a father figure or possibly a brother or an uncle. Viewers get insight into both of these relationships and see where they differ, dependent on the nature of the character. In Star Wars Episodes IV-VI, Luke Skywalker is guided mainly by the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and in Episodes I-III, a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi is a mentor for Anakin Skywalker.
Throughout the Harry Potter series, Harry is guided and supported by Dumbledore, who was a guardian-type figure for Tom Riddle before he became Voldemort. Luke and Harry both respect, honor, and feel fondly for their mentors, though at times frustrated with their instruction, but Anakin and Tom often openly defy and rebel against them.
The Non-Humans
Finally, the main characters of these iconic films would be nowhere if it weren't for their non-human companions. Throughout the Star Wars series, the team is accompanied by the likes of droids C-3PO and R2-D2 and Chewbacca the Wookie, who aid them in their plans, fight battles and fly their ships.
Similarly in Harry Potter, Harry is often aided by creatures such as Dobby the Elf, who goes out of his way to protect Harry and Buckbeak the Hippogriff who aids Sirius Black in avoiding persecution. These creatures are present in some of the most significant moments of the films and have frequently saved the day for the films' main characters.
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