Warning: This article contains SPOILERS from Thor: Love and Thunder.
The release of Thor: Love and Thunder on July 8th, 2022 continued the story of Chris Hemsworth’s titular character, along with returning Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. Although the film has received mixed reviews for focusing too much on comedy, there are many character traits that showcase how the protagonists and antagonists function.
A great way to understand them is through the Hogwarts house system from the Harry Potter series. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff all feature characteristics like courage, intelligence, self-preservation, and loyalty. Whether it’s someone crafty like Valkyrie or a person eternally faithful as Korg, all the Hogwarts houses’ traits were on display in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Gryffindor: Jane Foster
Jane finally returned to the MCU in Love and Thunder and perfectly exemplified all the traits that Gryffindors value: sheer nerve, loyalty, self-sacrifice, and extreme bravery. Jane chose to keep fighting even as Mjolnir drained her life force, with her cancer becoming worse every second – she still had the rescue of the Asgardian in mind through it all.
Gryffindors think of protecting others before themselves and don’t see their deaths as something to shy away from. Jane had one last chance to survive at the hospital in New Asgard but still picked up Mjolnir to come to Thor’s aid, which cost Jane her life but the latter had no regrets because she died for someone she loved.
Ravenclaw: Valkyrie
Ravenclaws value thinking before acting and are master strategists who can be the difference makers in their teams. Valkyrie, one of Tessa Thompson’s best characters, did have Gryffindor traits of being action-oriented, but her tactical mindset was on greater display in Thor: Love and Thunder, where she was the one who successfully executed the plan of stealing Zeus’ thunderbolt.
Valkyrie was also the one who figured out that Gorr would be strongest in the Shadow Realm, displaying the quick thinking that Ravenclaws possess. People of the house also know when to bow out based on the likelihood of success, with Valkyrie staying behind from the climactic battle because she knew that she was needed at New Asgard instead of potentially sacrificing herself to Gorr.
Hufflepuff: Korg
The defining characteristic of any Hufflepuff worth their salt is their loyalty, as people from this house will stay by their friends through thick and thin. Korg was by no means an action-savvy person, yet followed Thor everywhere and even to Omnipotent City where he nearly died at Zeus’ hands.
Korg believed in Thor even when the latter had doubts about himself, which is a trait of the Hufflepuff house since these people never give up on their friends. Hufflepuffs don’t hold grudges either, with Korg not holding it against Thor that he’d lost his body fighting in the God of Thunder’s name.
Gryffindor: Lady Sif
Sif had a relatively minor role to play in Thor: Love and Thunder, with the character attacked by Gorr earlier on. Still, Sif acted just like a Gryffindor would, wanting to go out in a blaze of glory by fighting the villain to the death and even being disappointed that she survived.
Gryffindors view dying for a cause as an honor, with Sif also hoping to pass away to Valhalla. People of the house have to be convinced into changing their mindsets due to their stubbornness and Sif found a new purpose only after she arrived at New Asgard to train the Asgardian children, which could be the perfect basis for a Thor spin-off.
Slytherin: Zeus
Slytherins think of self-preservation before sacrifice, which is how Zeus conducted himself. The Olympian god had no qualms with letting the Asgardian children die at Gorr’s hands because he didn’t intend to face off against an enemy he was convinced he couldn’t defeat.
Slytherins also have hedonistic tendencies and would much rather engage in pleasure activities rather than engage in something they have no interest in. Zeus kept on insisting that the gods should just have fun by themselves instead of focusing on potentially fighting Gorr, which aligns with Slytherins’ knack for putting what they want before everything else.
Hufflepuff: Guardians Of The Galaxy
The Guardians of the Galaxy had a very small role in Thor: Love and Thunder despite being heavily advertised. In their short appearance, they proved to be a tight-knit group that genuinely wanted to help people, which is along the same lines that Hufflepuffs conduct themselves.
People from Hufflepuff house seek acceptance in groups and don’t believe in going solo. They find strength in the loyalties of their friends and Star-Lord’s advice to Thor to find people he loves to be around will ring true for many people from Hufflepuff. The Guardians keeping Thor around during his identity crisis also stays close to the house’s empathetic qualities.
Hufflepuff: Gorr
It’s rare to find villainous Hufflepuffs but they do exist if their values are challenged in the worst ways. Gorr was the loving father of Love and only wanted the loyalty he had to his god to be repaid, but became antagonistic after he was betrayed. Moreover, the death of his daughter turned him into an embittered individual.
Gorr’s decision to wish for Love’s resurrection over the deaths of the gods went to show that the Hufflepuff spirit within him was still alive. People from the house will do anything for their loved ones and Gorr’s decision to pass away so that his daughter could be returned to life was the ultimate of familial loyalty that Hufflepuffs will no doubt understand.
Gryffindor: Thor Odinson
Thor has always been the embodiment of the ultimate Gryffindor, being loud, confident, daring, and looking after his loved ones with a fierce sentiment. Gryffindors arguably love the most out of the four houses, with Thor appealing to Jane’s fighting spirit so that they could be together even if it meant watching her die from cancer.
Gryffindors’ nurturing extends toward those who aren’t family members either, as Thor took Love in as his own by the end. Thor’s hyperemotional tendencies tie in closely with Gryffindors’ recklessness, as were his caring side and need to help others to the greatest lengths.
