Movie Fights Reloaded! Better Franchise Hero: Luke Skywalker or Harry Potter?
A lesser known fact about me is that I love movies. Action, comedy, suspense, cerebral, adventure, science fiction - I’ve spent a massive amount of time watching classic, independent and blockbuster films since my first movie theater experience with Toy Story. (My favorite car ride pastime is “Movie-Actor”. You go around picking related movies and actors with the intention of stumping your successive opponent. If I can just get to Sandra Bullock and Gravity having already knocked out George Clooney.. )
I discovered Screen Junkies on YouTube a few months ago after getting directed to Honest Trailers from Cinema Sins (ironically, they are partners now) and have since binged on their Movie Fights podcasts late at night until I fall asleep. My film knowledge is definitely not up to par with their regular fighters, but I figured that I might express my passion and practice my imaginary debate team skills here.
A more popular known fact about me is that I love Star Wars. I’ve watched all six films on three sets of hands, read the expanded universe novels, trolled expensive encyclopedias at bookstores, collected a good number of Yoda bobble heads and internalized obscure facts should they come up on a given Tuesday trivia night. Which is why, for this particular question from a recent Movie Fights episode, my friends may be surprised that I’m going with..
The question, as Chris Stuckmann put it during the real Wizard World Comic Con fight, is who is the better franchise hero. Yes, Luke Skywalker is one of the most iconic heroes of all films to date - but as a franchise, Harry Potter wins.
For the simple fact that the Harry Potter franchise is all about Harry. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Star Wars isn’t Luke Skywalker and the Strange Old Hermit or Luke Skywalker and the Awkward Sibling Kiss. (I mean, *spoiler alert*, but you’ve had nearly four decades to watch this.) Star Wars is Star Wars. It follows a much larger ensemble of heroes that each have their own call to adventure and subsequent following in pop culture. Han Solo. Princess Leia. R2D2. Even Darth Vader, who starts off as the ultimate villain in A New Hope but later, by end of Return of the Jedi, becomes perhaps the most redeemed hero of the entire Star Wars universe.
**Footnote: Although nobody wants to count the prequels as canon, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith are part of the Star Wars movie franchise. Therefore, under these regretful but still important circumstances, the Star Wars franchise is ultimately about Luke’s father: Anakin Skywalker.
The Harry Potter franchise is all about Harry. We watch his hero’s journey firsthand. There are no screen pans to other prominent characters and plots in the story. We see glimpses of Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and other protagonists, but they all circle back to supporting Harry and his eight movie-long quest to defeat Lord Voldemort.
Taking it a step further, Harry is the better hero in general because he is the most relatable. I think what makes a great hero in real life (presidents, athletes, activists, etc.) is how accessible their story to greatness is. Sure, Luke comes from a galaxy far, far away and Harry from a wizard world beyond Platform 9 and 3/4. But for Harry, his origins come from the Muggle world, our world. Because we can relate to so many of his childhood adversities - dealing with bullies at home, struggling to fit in at school, watching your first crush from afar, losing loved ones - we understand his yearning to transcend difficult circumstances. Although we may not have magic wands, generation after generation will watch these movies and still seek to emulate Harry’s bravery, resourcefulness and sacrifice in their own lives for friends, family and the greater good of this world.
**Footnote: Now that I’ve gotten cocky enough to write this little snippet turned essay, you’ll probably see more movie and television posts from me. After all, I spend 75% of my free time (and mayyyybe 15% of my work time) on Netflix.
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