3. They each have overlooked skills. Again, while they are known for killing and flying, Jack and Harry both possess mind-blowing skills that aren’t as obvious to the casual observer. Potter is very underrated with magic. That sounds weird, since he’s a wizard-in-training at Hogwarts, but the books clearly indicate that Harry is an inferior student as compared to his friend Hermione. Yet whenever the going gets tough, it is always Harry pulling out some fantastic spell or dueling with dark wizards. His flying, recklessness, loyalty, and bravery are all more obvious skills, but he can handle a wand as well as anyone. With Bauer, nobody realizes it, but his use of technology is ridiculous. He sets up his own remote video cameras, hacks into data fields, repositions satellites, and sends encrypted materials over his cell phone, and he does it all in record time. Also, Bauer’s ability to read building schematics that are downloaded to his PDA is nothing short of phenomenal. Give him a 20,000-square foot power plant with four floors and 40 rooms and he will diagnose that thing in 15 seconds. Amazing!
4. Both are heroes born out of tragedy. If you watch The Office, then you know that this is not only the requirement for a superhero, but also for any hero, according to Dwight K. Schrute. (The famous quote: “A hero is born out of a childhood trauma, or disaster, that must be avenged.”) Regardless, both of our heroes fit the bill. Potter’s tragedy is obvious and works as one of the central plot points throughout the series. The death of his parents when he was a baby is the backbone of the entire story. He is, after all, “The Boy Who Lived.” Jack Bauer’s “born out of a tragedy” credentials are a little cloudy. For starters, as far as we know he never suffered a “childhood trauma or disaster,” so that makes things tougher. Plus, other than the failed Victor Drazen mission (in which he lost his whole team and left third season villain Stephen Saunders for dead), there wasn’t much indication of tragedy leading into Day One. So all of the heroics from the first season were just Bauer being Bauer, pre-tragedy.
Still, it is obvious that Jack Bauer took it to another level once he suffered from tragedy. When he thought his daughter was dead (reported to be found floating in the harbor), he went on a one-man killing spree the likes of which we hadn’t seen since John McLain was running loose in the Nakatomi Plaza building. Then, after finding Kim alive, Bauer returns to CTU only to discover his wife, Terry, dead on the floor. Ever since, he’s been a terrorist-fighting machine.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Mary K. Williams
This was awesome!
2 - Adam Hoff
Thanks!
3 - Aaman
Interesting analogy - both are survivors too:)
4 - irws
its nice you took a lot of time with this, but you could have taken any 2 heros and replaced them with the paralells you've drawn
5 - Zero
... That was just a list of any formula for any generic hero-type character in a movie or videogame.
It's so cliché.
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
Ah, but neither of these heroes made for good video games.
Make that No. 10.
7 - Adam Hoff
Um, that is the whole point. It was supposed to be a joke - comparing such absurdly opposite "heroes" yet still finding how they can still be alike given all the stereotypical qualities they possess. It was meant to be tongue-in-cheek and if the humor is missed, then I take the blame for not making it more clear. Trust me, I'm not trying to make any sort of serious statement here. Lighten up, people!
8 - Mary K. Williams
It's so cliché
Actually - it was rather clever.
9 - Mary K. Williams
Lighten up, people!
Amen Adam
Next time though, you gotta say, "Lighten up Francis"
10 - Greg Heinrich
Not my favorite article because it has very little meaning to anybody who has not watched the 24 (most of the population...thanks god). Obsession with such a TV show is not healthy. Nonetheless, it does have humor and would be fun to read had I watched 24.
11 - alexander
very very nice.
although very difrent i kinda would like to c harry figth terros and jack get ass wooping with guns gaintst them weird wans
12 - Adam Hoff
I think you'd be surprised how many people watch 24. What is more interesting though is that everyone who does tune in becomes obsessed. You can't help it. It isn't the kind of show you just turn on to have in the background while reading a magazine. Of course, when you start getting the urge to torture people, that is the time to scale back. (Disclaimer: that was a joke. Just so we're clear.)
13 - chris
AWESOME
14 - Ralph
"Killing off Dumbledore and Tony Almeida is more than enough"
bit of a spoiler for people not watching the lastest US eppisodes
15 - Mary K. Williams
I'll say it again -
Lighten up Francis!
I mean seriously. Playing the 'spoiler' card? What did you think you were going to see when you read this? Gentle hints and innuendos?
and to this comment:
because it has very little meaning to anybody who has not watched the 24 (most of the population...thanks god
You know, the show is pretty darn popular. Sometimes it's nice to read about something that you're not familiar with.
16 - Phillip Winn
I thought the funny part was when Greg (#10) mentioned people not watching 24. What about people not reading or watching Harry Potter? I watched two seasons of 24 and saw only the first HP movie, and haven't read any of the books.
Seems like a big assumption to think that 24 would necessarily be the missing piece of the formula, rather than HP!
17 - Okay.
I'm sorry, but that was absurd and stupid.
18 - yoshi987
dude u r a fag jack bauer is nothing liek harry potter n00b,
19 - SonnyD
Phillip Winn: You should give the Potter books a try. The books are so long and so much is left out for the movies that I don't know how one would make heads of tails of the movie without reading the book first.
I'm sure I've read books by the thousands, but probably wouldn't have thought to buy what seemed to be a kid's book. But someone gave me the first two books; I couldn't put them down, read all night.
20 - mark
That's a very good informative comparison! Aaman put it right ... both are survivors! :)
21 - ron
lol love the reference to dwight's hero definition
22 - Kevin
While this article is simply a description of the classic hero archetype, it was still somewhat clever.
24 is an incredibly creative and amazing series, and I would highly recommend getting into it. A word to the wise, however, try to catch it in DVD or marathon form as having to wait a week in between episodes could drive a man to drink - it's that addictive.
As for Harry Potter, I cannot say enough how imaginitive and enjoyable these novels are. I stress "novels" as while the movies are well done, they can only do so much in such a medium. A LOT is left out, butchering the Harry Potter name to many who only watch the movies and judge it as childish. I believe the movies are more geered toward children, but the novels are spectacular. Don't take my word for it, simply read the first book and I guarantee that you'll have the other 5 under your belt soon after - they're that addictive.
23 - Sterfish
Great article!
24 - Claire in Australia
I just wanted to say that although i don't watch 24 i am a massive HP fan and i thought your similarities were really good. you wrote that whole story/article thingy really well and it was just a nice brief yet long insite into the world of the heros. so thanx for a nice article thing from CLaire
25 - Adam Hoff
Thanks for all the feedback. I agree that you should certainly read the Harry Potter books and that the movies don't do the trick. You should also give Season One of 24 a try by picking up the DVD's and diving into it over a weekend.
I'm glad that someone enjoyed the Dwight nod. That was just such a classic scene. (Although we now have a new "ultimate Dwight" moment - the acceptance speech.