5 Movie Characters That Made Me Feel Seen as a Military Brat

As someone who loves watching movies and TV shows, I often find myself wishing I could step into the lives of the characters I admire. Through these characters, despite some of them being fictional, I can connect with them and even find role models. As a military child, there are some characters with specific experiences that make me feel seen by reflecting certain aspects of my life.

Harry Potter

I am an AVID Harry Potter reader and movie watcher. Harry experiences many things that military children can relate to. He's invited to Hogwarts, a completely new world that he is not used to, and he learns to navigate it. Although unfamiliar with Hogwarts and wizardry, he slowly learns to adapt and become one of the greatest wizards of all time. Even when parts of his life are destroyed, he finds family in friends like Ron and Hermoine. Although we are (unfortunately) not wizards but muggles, Harry Potter's story is one that shows resilience when facing challenges such as deployment and finding support.

Dre Parker

In the 2010 Karate Kid, Dre unexpectedly moved to China. Although I have never personally moved overseas myself, I have many friends who have lived in South Korea and Germany. Moving in itself is an experience that can be jarring, but moving to another country is even more daunting. I really understand Dre's attempt to adjust to his new surroundings, feelings like he's been there a year when it’s only been a week. He also has to adapt to a whole new style of learning. For us, moving schools can be really difficult, especially when credits don't transfer or expectations and curriculums are totally different. Still, over time, just as Dre did, we can learn about cultural awareness and adjust to new communities.

Tony Stark

“Genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist.” Iron Man, or the face of Marvel, is someone that many can relate to in terms of family. While I have a loving family who is always there when they can be, there are many times when my father is deployed and unable to attend events. When we learn about Tony’s past, we can see he loved his father but had a complicated relationship because his father was often absent due to work. Tony was also constantly around the weapons industry, a similar environment to the military. Military children can relate since they are proud of their parents while coping with the absence of them at the same time.

Nani

In Lilo and Stitch, Nani becomes the caretaker for Lilo, her younger sister, while she struggles balancing her grief, money, and responsibilities. When one or even two parents are deployed, military children often take on more responsibilities at home, such as helping with younger siblings or doing more household tasks. Nani is an example of how many military teens take on extra responsibilities, and it shows resilience, a word very often used to describe military children.

Cady Heron

I am a true Cady defender and love this character to death. In Mean Girls, Cady moves from Africa, where she was homeschooled, to a completely new school in the United States. The transition is not easy, and no, Cady doesn’t handle it perfectly. However, her way of fitting in is an experience I can connect to. No one wants to be lonely, and many of us will do a lot to make friends. Military children can relate to the pressure to adapt to a completely new environment and how it can make you act in ways that aren’t really like you. Cady’s story shows that it’s normal to make mistakes while figuring out how to fit in.

Even though these characters are fictional, their experiences reflect the real challenges we face as military children. From navigating new schools, taking extra responsibilities, or trying to fit in, they show that it’s normal to struggle, adapt, and grow. Their stories remind me that it’s important to look for role models, fictional or real, who help us feel seen and inspired alocng the way.