Why Star Wars & Harry Potter Have So Much in Common (The Hero’s Journey Explained)

Aloha, and Happy New Year!

I came across a revelatory image recently, and I’m sharing it here because it’s more proof of something I’ve suspected for years: mythology sits at the heart of almost every great story we love.

It’s part of the reason this site is called MYTH.LI.

I’ve spent years studying story structure, mythology, and the strange patterns that seem to repeat across cultures, genres, and even completely different planets.

And once you see the pattern… you can’t unsee it.

I’ve transcribed an image shared by Stephen Fry and cleaned it up a bit. Then I added a few small improvements of my own.

It’s pretty great:

Synopses of Star Wars: A New Hope / Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Luke Skywalker/Harry Potter is an orphan living with his uncle and aunt, stuck in a relatively boring life in Tatooine/Suburbia.

He is rescued from aliens/muggles by the wise Ben Kenobi/Hagrid, who turns out to be a Jedi Knight/wizard.

His bearded rescuer reveals that his father was also a knight/wizard, and one of the best to ever do it.

He begins training with a lightsaber/magic wand, stepping into that same path.

He makes new friends along the way: Han/Ron and Leia/Hermione.

Through a series of trials, he proves himself in a defining moment: the Death Star run / the Quidditch match.

All while facing the shadow of Darth Vader/Voldemort, who we’re told destroyed his family.

In the end, he and his friends are rewarded with recognition: medals / the House Cup.

All of it, of course, set to a magnificent score by John Williams.

So the obvious question is: why does this pattern show up again and again?

On the surface, one thing is clear. These stories work. They resonate across cultures, generations, and wildly different settings.

But the deeper answer is this:

They’re both expressions of the Hero’s Journey — a structure so deeply embedded in human storytelling that it shows up whether we intend it to or not.

And once you start noticing it, something interesting happens.

You stop just watching stories and start feeling the shape beneath them.

The Hero’s Journey in Star Wars vs. Harry Potter (7 Steps)

Star Wars and Harry Potter are two of the most well-known examples of the Hero’s Journey in modern storytelling. Different worlds, different rules, but the same underlying path.

Here’s how that journey shows up in both:

1. Ordinary World: Luke is stuck on a moisture farm on Tatooine. Harry is trapped in a cupboard under the stairs. Both start in small, constrained lives.
2. Call to Adventure: A message from Leia pulls Luke forward. Harry receives his letter from Hogwarts. Something beyond their world is calling.
3. Meeting the Mentor: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hagrid step in as guides, revealing a deeper reality and the hero’s hidden potential.
4. Crossing the Threshold: Luke leaves Tatooine. Harry enters Hogwarts. There’s no going back to the old life now.
5. Trials, Allies, and Enemies: Both heroes form close friendships while facing escalating challenges, from cantinas and space battles to classrooms and Quidditch matches.
6. The Ordeal: The Death Star trench run. The confrontation beneath Hogwarts. Each hero faces a moment where failure feels very real.
7. The Reward: Victory, recognition, and a deeper sense of identity. Medals for Luke. The House Cup for Harry.

Once you see it laid out like this, it becomes obvious: the power of these stories isn’t merely in the worlds or the characters, it’s in the shape underneath those elements.

That’s the space I like to write in.

From Myth to Sci-Fi: A Modern Hero’s Journey

If you enjoy stories like this — ones that blend sci-fi adventure with deeper philosophical ideas — I think you’ll feel right at home in my series.

It’s set in the Aravinda Galaxy, where each book explores identity, consciousness, and the hidden structure behind reality, all wrapped in fast-moving sci-fi.

I’m currently giving away a three-book starter collection so you can experience it for yourself:

• The first novel that begins the journey
• A prequel that expands the universe
• A darker sci-fi novelette that explores its edges

You can start anywhere. But most people end up reading all three.

Original Image from Stephen Fry

(Cleaned up slightly to remove some artifacts.)