Harry Potter
Harry Potter operates within a predetermined moral framework wherein good and evil are largely established by external authorities. Dumbledore serves as moral compass, the Ministry defines legal boundaries, and ancient prophecy shapes destiny. Potter's ethical growth involves accepting his role within these existing structures.
His moral choices, whilst genuine, occur within binary contexts: resist Voldemort or succumb, protect friends or abandon them, choose sacrifice or survival. The narrative rewards adherence to established virtue and punishes deviation. Potter's ultimate sacrifice and resurrection demonstrate commitment to selfless heroism, yet this path was essentially preordained.
The moral complexity of the series deepens through supporting characters, but Potter himself remains fundamentally unambiguous in his ethical positioning throughout the narrative.
Spider-Man
VERDICT
The distinction between chosen heroism and assumed heroism proves decisive. Spider-Man's moral journey, born from failure and maintained through daily recommitment, represents a more philosophically sophisticated ethical model.