The Lord of the Potters
Discussion
I just finished the Harry Potter series recently, and have now moved on to The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings. I'm only about half way through The Fellowship of the Ring, but keep coming across things that make it obvious it must have been used as "inspiration" for Harry Potter...
- Orphan protagonist living with extended family, set on a "quest" out of nowhere, inheriting a one-off object which can make them invisible.
- Mysterious old powerful wizard who is constantly away on unknown business but always shows up in the nick of time, and knows a lot more than he shares.
- "The Dark Lord" who was an ultimate evil power, but was defeated, only to live on as a "shadow" in a forest, and is now regaining their strength, and only the protagonist can stop them.
- Faceless "Dark Riders" whose hoods entirely cover them, and bring cold and despair when they are near (almost exactly dementors).
- I have only just been introduced to Strider/Aragorn, but can already see that he's turning into a Sirius Black character.
- Mr Butterbur, the innkeeper... Butter bur... Butter beer...
Just me?
- Orphan protagonist living with extended family, set on a "quest" out of nowhere, inheriting a one-off object which can make them invisible.
- Mysterious old powerful wizard who is constantly away on unknown business but always shows up in the nick of time, and knows a lot more than he shares.
- "The Dark Lord" who was an ultimate evil power, but was defeated, only to live on as a "shadow" in a forest, and is now regaining their strength, and only the protagonist can stop them.
- Faceless "Dark Riders" whose hoods entirely cover them, and bring cold and despair when they are near (almost exactly dementors).
- I have only just been introduced to Strider/Aragorn, but can already see that he's turning into a Sirius Black character.
- Mr Butterbur, the innkeeper... Butter bur... Butter beer...
Just me?
Having now finished the LOTR trilogy I still feel there are an awful lot of things taken straight out of it for Harry Potter, with very little modification. It's like LOTR in a modern setting. To expand on the original list:
- "The dark lord" nearly died but part of his soul stayed alive in a special bit of (seemingly indestructible) jewelry, and he can't be killed until it's destroyed.
- Army of big people/adults fighting the dark lord's army head-on to give the protagonist time to destroy the object
- Dumbledore/Gandalf basically the same thing
- Orphan protagonist inherits magical item that can make them invisible.
- Protagonist's family is split into two parts, one seeks adventure and the other wants to look normal and respectable.
- Nazgul/Dementors who look like floating capes and make you feel cold and despair
- Gandalf escaping a tower on an eagle / Sirius Black escaping a tower on an Eagle-like creature.
- Butterbur/Butter beer
- Shelob/Aragog - giant spiders with lots of children
- Dobby/Smeagol - similar physical descriptions, never quite sure what side they're on
Still, having said that, each was enjoyable in its own way.
- "The dark lord" nearly died but part of his soul stayed alive in a special bit of (seemingly indestructible) jewelry, and he can't be killed until it's destroyed.
- Army of big people/adults fighting the dark lord's army head-on to give the protagonist time to destroy the object
- Dumbledore/Gandalf basically the same thing
- Orphan protagonist inherits magical item that can make them invisible.
- Protagonist's family is split into two parts, one seeks adventure and the other wants to look normal and respectable.
- Nazgul/Dementors who look like floating capes and make you feel cold and despair
- Gandalf escaping a tower on an eagle / Sirius Black escaping a tower on an Eagle-like creature.
- Butterbur/Butter beer
- Shelob/Aragog - giant spiders with lots of children
- Dobby/Smeagol - similar physical descriptions, never quite sure what side they're on
Still, having said that, each was enjoyable in its own way.
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