I know that there is an argument for Steve Rogers to be a Hufflepuff, but to me he is ultimately a Gryffindor. While his Hufflepuff qualities are often what endear him to audiences, it is the Gryffindor in him that led him to become Captain America in the first place.
So let’s look at some characteristics:
- Steve is undeniably brave. He is willing to go out on the front line of battle and he is not one to back down from a fight. And this is where I see the first dominant trait over Hufflepuff. While I’m not saying Hufflepuffs back down from a fight (i.e. Cedric Diggory) they are more likely to do things as a team. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor are the houses that sway toward individualism whereas Hufflepuff and Slytherin sway toward groups. Steve ultimately prefers to fight the battle alone. He wants to protect others from getting hurt. To me that is a Gryffindor quality, one that we see in Harry frequently.
- Do you fondue? Steve was awkward with women, even the one who returned his affections. In Avengers it is in part due to being out of time, but in Captain America in his own time he still struggles. Part of it is lack of experience and previous interest before his transformation. But I think the part that makes me see him as a Gryffindor in this regard is that he ‘is looking for the right partner.’ I see him as the classic romantic hero who is awkward with women but effortlessly charming because he’s chivalrous and dashing. Check and check for Mr. Rogers. He’s oblivious, but he’s just so damn cute because of it. I think a Hufflepuff would be far more willing to take the advice of others, say Bucky, but as a Gryffindor he’s just a bit too proud. Like how he’d keep taking the punches.
- Steve is proud. Whether he’s proud of his country or his ideals, he becomes rather quick to judge when someone goes against those things. And Tony Stark was a prime example of this. For most of the movie Tony seemed more of an enemy to Steve than Loki. Why? Because Steve is used to the bad guys who kill and create havoc. But to have a man who claims to be a hero acting so selfishly? That just irritates him to no end. Steve has a classic idea about what a hero is, and when Tony Stark presents himself as none of those, there was bound to be a problem. In my opinion a Hufflepuff would not have been nearly as confrontational about that irritation, and would be more accepting to begin with. But as a Gryffindor who has a very black and white view he is more likely to react, and for that reaction to be volatile.
Steve is one of those characters who is harder to define because of context. There’s pre-captain Steve, post-captain Steve, and post-capsicle Steve. Each new situation will cause him to act and react differently, and the modern world will all but force him to redefine himself. But we still see those key traits remain - bravery, chivalry, and loyalty. Yes, Hufflepuff is strong, but it is not the traits that make him Steve Rogers.
