The release of Thor: Love and Thunder gave fans a new story for Chris Hemsworth’s titular character, providing more layers to his and the supporting cast’s personalities. Although reviews have been relatively mixed, Love and Thunder did well in furthering the arcs of its characters.
With four films in the series, there’s enough known about the heroes and villains to understand their mindsets. Harry Potter is another franchise with multiple entries, and it’s interesting to see how comparable the characters in both series are. This ranges from feisty and headstrong protagonists like Valkyrie and Ginny Weasley to brooding and sarcastic personalities like Loki and Severus Snape. What similarities connect the two big-time franchises?
Odin Borson: Albus Dumbledore
Odin is a dubious figure for Thor fans because of the way he constantly kept secrets from his children. Odin also tended to use people around him for his own benefit, such as his hopes of making Loki the king of Jotunheim so that war with Asgard could come to an end.
Similarly, Albus Dumbledore had a tendency to withhold information from his allies so that he could create plans they didn’t know about. Dumbledore planned for Harry to present himself to Voldemort to be hit by the killing curse, which has brought him the ire of the fanbase. Both Odin and Dumbledore have the burden of responsibility and are forced to do the right thing by using less-than-admirable means.
Valkyrie: Ginny Weasley
Valkyrie and Ginny are fierce, determined, and opinionated characters who don’t let anyone boss them around. They tend to be quite aggressive, as seen when Valkyrie engaged Loki in a fight when she disagreed with him and when Ginny hexed Zacharias Smith for annoying her.
They tend to carry their traumatic experiences with greater burden than most, with Valkyrie exiling herself at Sakaar after she failed to save her group from Hela and Ginny retreating into a shell when she was possessed by Tom Riddle’s memory. Valkyrie and Ginny still find it within themselves to regain their inner spark, eventually overcoming their grief.
Frigga: Molly Weasley
Frigga is considered among the best characters in the Thor movies for the way she could connect with both her sons. She brought a rare maternal element to the MCU that made her a safe place for Thor and Loki. Molly Weasley also inhabited much of the same space for fans, having been the primary motherly influence in Harry’s life.
Harry could feel comfortable revealing his emotions around Molly because she didn’t judge him. Frigga was similarly the one person that Loki didn’t hold in contempt, as his mother’s calming presence could get Loki to give up his destructive ways.
Hela: Bellatrix Lestrange
Hela and Bellatrix look relatively similar in appearance and their attitudes are along the same lines as well. The two are attracted to power, with the pair being exceptional in their own abilities. More than anything, their tendency to go off the rails is their defining attribute.
Bellatrix had no qualms with taking the lives of her own family members and took out cousin Sirius Black and niece Nymphadora Tonks. Hela also nearly killed her brothers Thor and Loki, with the character deriving pleasure at the thought of mercilessly slaughtering them.
Gorr: Lily Potter
As hard as it might be to believe that a villainous character is similar to Harry’s all-loving mother, Gorr and Lily actually have similar outlines. The entire reason for Gorr’s existence was his daughter, Love, for whom he ultimately gave his life so that she could live free from the threat of the gods.
Lily also sacrificed herself for Harry by shielding him from Voldemort. It was ultimately her act of love that defied Voldemort’s threat, making Lily’s love comparable to Gorr’s. Where they diverged was the path of vengeance that Gorr took, but Lily had died before she could experience life without Harry in it.
Heimdall: Kingsley Shacklebolt
Heimdall was a powerful and loyal presence in Asgard, always being there for its citizens and having zero fear of the villains. Kingsley also served the Order of the Phoenix from within the Ministry and battled the Death Eaters each time without showing any hint of apprehension.
Heimdall and Kingsley are capable characters who are seen as threats to the villains, with their removal being one of the first tactical plans of the Big Bads. Their personalities are to be silent but intimidating, with the likes of Thor and Harry feeling at ease that Heimdall and Kingsley are keeping watch over them.
Korg: Luna Lovegood
Korg is considered to be among the funniest characters in the MCU, but he’s also surprisingly insightful. His quirks tend to hide just how perceptive he can be, which is how Luna Lovegood is as well. Luna seems to have her head above the clouds, but has been able to read Harry and his friends better than most.
Luna was deemed as “loony” by many who didn’t understand her mannerisms, while Korg was also limited to a comic relief role. The two spring into action when it matters though, with the pair never showing fear of battle - in fact, they retain their light-hearted attitude even during times of duress.
Loki Laufeyson: Severus Snape
Fans always look forward to Loki’s appearances in the MCU because of his distinct and unique development. Loki started off by holding a grudge against Thor before developing on an emotional level to become a protagonist. Severus Snape’s loyalties were also constantly a mystery until he proved himself to be Harry’s ally.
Both Loki and Snape had brooding personalities that few wanted to cross, with the two reserving their emotional moments for trusted people like Frigga and Lily. While Loki eventually became very funny, he had the same sarcastic attitude that Snape did, as the characters tend to judge just about everyone around them.
Jane Foster: Hermione Granger
Jane was confirmed to be the bravest MCU love interest when she sacrificed her life for Thor in Love and Thunder. In addition to being courageous, Jane was exceptionally intelligent and career-oriented, having been up for a Nobel Prize for her extensive research.
Hermione also went to great lengths to keep Ron safe, with their love opening her up and forging emotional connections. Hermione went on to have a successful career at the Ministry of Magic, owing to her bright mind and tenacity of spirit. Jane and Hermione had to develop themselves to give love a chance but ultimately became empowered when they did embrace it.
Thor Odinson: James Potter
Although James Potter was never a main protagonist, he embodied a lot of the same traits as Thor. Both characters consider their friends and family to be their ultimate connections and can’t fathom a betrayal from them. Thor and James tended to be big-headed due to their natural talents and it took the influence of Jane and Lily to humble them.
Thor and James are very fun-loving, which can be taken to dangerous levels as their love for adventure can put others in danger. While Thor never outright bullied Loki, he had the knack for embarrassing him, while James made fun of Snape for the latter’s brooding attitude.