Greetings, intrepid readers! M. H. Barton here with another blog on the art and craft of storytelling. Here in America, it was Thanksgiving yesterday, so I thought we’d celebrate by talking about something every hero should be thankful for – a great sidekick. Often, sidekicks serve in an entertaining comedic role, keeping up the spirits of both the hero and the audience through the story’s highs and lows. But truly elite sidekicks do far more than that, as we will soon see. So, what qualities make an elite sidekick? There are a few, but the most important is loyalty. A top-notch sidekick will stick with their friend through anything, no matter how tough things get. They also need to be skilled – even if they aren’t as good as the hero, the sidekick has to contribute and carry their own weight. Finally, they have to believe in the hero, even if the hero loses their own faith along the way. Sidekicks often see heroes at their worst, and their most basic job is to be by their side to kick them into shape when this happens. Original, I know, but it’s true. I’ve tried to compile who I believe are the best sidekicks out there. I am trying to keep to one character per franchise, though you’ll have to forgive me for cheating once – you’ll understand when we get there. Anyway, let’s get started counting down the best of the best when it comes to ever-faithful wards!
Number Ten – The Genie of the Lamp (Aladdin, 1992)
Walt Disney Animation has given us a slew of memorable sidekicks over the years, but none can come anywhere close to Genie. Many sidekicks naturally serve as a comedic foil to the protagonist, and Genie is possibly the best example of this. Yet through all of his absurdist humor, Genie shows incredible wisdom, desiring his own freedom and reminding Aladdin that he can only win Jasmine’s heart by being himself. Even when he is forced to change sides and help the evil sorcerer Jafar, you can see the pain in his eyes at being used like a tool. Though the initial motivation of the story revolves around Aladdin and Jasmine falling in love, the true emotional weight of the climax lies in Genie losing his chance at freedom for good. Yet he remains Aladdin’s friend through it all, making it all the more satisfying when he’s at last rewarded with his freedom.
Best moment: Probably Genie’s best moment as a sidekick comes with Aladdin’s second wish. Jafar has ambushed Aladdin and tossed him into the sea to drown, though an inadvertent rub of the lamp brings Genie into the fray. He wants nothing more than to help his friend and Master, but he can’t unless Aladdin makes a wish to save his life. With a random nod of Aladdin’s head, Genie bends the rules and takes that as permission to grant said wish.
Number Nine – Spock (Star Trek, 1966)
Not every sidekick needs to be a comedic foil, as seen in the iconic TV series, Star Trek. To balance out James T. Kirk’s cavalier swashbuckler, we need his resolute, logical, and unemotional first officer, Spock. Of course, these characteristics aren’t absolute, which is what makes Spock such a compelling character in addition to a great sidekick. He is, after all, half human and half Vulcan, forcing him to wrestle with the emotional side he constantly tries to suppress. Yet in his quiet moments, he always refers to Kirk as his friend. Though Spock is renowned for using his wits to find clever solutions to complicated problems, he can get his hands dirty when needed. His Vulcan nerve pinch is legendary, as is his ability to mind meld with others for information. So, we have a loyal sidekick that complements the protagonist both in personality and in skillset, but what about being self-sacrificing? Need you ask?
Best moment: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan provides not only Spock’s most iconic moment but one of the most iconic moments in all of science fiction. After their epic space battle with Khan, the Enterprise is unable to escape the ensuing explosion due to their damaged warp drive. Sealing himself inside the irradiated engine room, Spock repairs the warp drive in time for the ship to escape. He dies a heartbreaking death with his best friend, James Kirk, bearing witness to his final moments.
Number Eight – Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Top Gun, 1986)
At first glance, Goose is less of a complementary sidekick and more of an enabler. After all, Maverick and Goose are both typical flyboys, running on instinct and adrenaline for the most part. But where Maverick is naturally a daredevil and a risk-taker, as shown when he risks his life to help Cougar land safely in the opening scene, Goose retains a subtle influence as Maverick’s conscience. After all, Goose is the one with a wife and son, a stark contrast to Maverick’s lone wolf act. This, of course, makes Goose’s death all the more tragic, shattering his family and breaking Maverick’s confidence. But once Maverick regains his confidence in the final dogfight, he also regains Goose’s influence as his conscience, even after the latter’s death. Talk to me, Goose.
Best moment: While Goose’s death is easily his most memorable moment, his best moment as Maverick’s sidekick comes earlier in the film. After an embarrassing failure during a training exercise, Maverick is reprimanded for breaking the hard deck and performing an unsanctioned flyby. While Maverick’s natural instinct is to blow this off with all the anger of youth, Goose comes to him in a quiet moment and admits his own fear that they won’t even graduate from Top Gun, let alone be the best. Maverick still has lots of growing to do from here, but this is the beginning of his maturation, and it’s all thanks to Goose.
Number Seven – Dr. John Watson (Sherlock Holmes, multiple)
Being the sidekick to one of the most enduring characters in all of storytelling all but guaranteed a spot on this list for Watson. Though intelligent and an accomplished doctor in his own right, Watson often functions as a sounding board for the sheer brilliance of Holmes’ deduction. This actually ends up being a fantastic method of storytelling, as Watson is the first-person narrator of the stories. The end result of this is the reader feeling as if they are the sidekick. After all, many of Watson’s interruptions and questions are reasonable thoughts for the reader to have. Watson ends up not only being an excellent sidekick but also a perfect conduit for immersion into the story.
Best moment: Watson has been portrayed in many different ways over the years. In some versions, he’s just as he appears in the books, other versions show him more as a well-meaning bumbler, and still others have him as nearly a match for Holmes himself. My favorite moment is in the 2011 film Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. The film is a reimagining of The Final Problem, pitting Holmes against Moriarty. Still, it is Watson who uses everything he’s learned from Holmes to catch Moriatry’s spy and stop an assassination attempt just in time. Many actors have played Watson, but Jude Law is certainly one of the best.
Number Six – Sancho Panza (Don Quixote, 1605)
Easily the oldest work on this list, Miguel de Cervantes crafted the original sidekick in Sancho Panza. While the protagonist, Don Quixote, was an idealistic and delusional knight, Sancho remained by his side as a faithful and loyal squire, albeit one who never passed up the chance to spout his common wisdom and proverbs. Through all their troubles and misadventures, Sancho remains calm and good-natured, always working to temper the unrestrained bravado of his liege and get him out of the problems he creates. Yet for all the subtle influence Sancho exerts on Don Quixote, it also works the other way. As Don Quixote lies on his deathbed and suddenly regains his sanity, Sancho picks that moment to succumb to delusion and suggests they become pastoral shepherds. A fitting end to a satirical epic, indeed.
Best moment: At one point in their travels, a duke offers Sancho the chance to leave Don Quixote and govern a kingdom himself. Though Sancho is understandably hesitant to leave his friend, Don Quixote speaks with him at length and eventually comes to the conclusion that Sancho would be a good leader. Saying his goodbyes, Sancho takes charge and governs with surprising effectiveness, even in the face of pranks from the duke’s men. Still, he comes to miss his journeys and eventually resigns to rejoin Don Quixote’s adventure.
Number Five – Short Round (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 1984)
Young children as sidekicks are frequently more annoying than they are helpful, but Short Round is a rare exception. From the outset, it’s shown that he and Indy have a strong relationship, as Indy trusted Shorty to be his getaway driver as he escapes from Lao Che’s men. As they, along with Willie, are entangled in a further adventure involving the Sankara Stones, this bond is showcased further, particularly with both Indy and Shorty cheating at cards around the campfire. Best of all, Shorty can hold his own in hand-to-hand combat once things get dicey, consistently fighting off Thuggee guards with Indy throughout the film. Even though Shorty does make the occasional misstep, causing more trouble for Indy, he always comes through when it matters most. While Temple of Doom is considered by some to be the odd one out in the original Indiana Jones trilogy, the pairing of Indy and Shorty is easily the best part of the film and one of the biggest reasons why it works so well.
Best moment: At the midpoint of the story, Indy, Shorty, and Willie have all been captured by the Thuggee cult. Their leader, Mola Ram, manages to brainwash Indy and prepares Willie as a human sacrifice. Shorty, however, is quickly discarded and sent to work in the mines, which is a massive mistake by Mola Ram. In a display of pure heart and guts, Shorty manages to break out of his shackles, confront Indy, and bring him back to his senses by burning him with a torch. The rip-roaring finale features several great scenes involving Shorty, but none can come close to this emotional moment with his father figure and best friend, Indiana Jones.
Number Four – Hermione Granger (Harry Potter, 1997-2007)
Ron Weasley might be Harry Potter’s best friend, but he isn’t the best sidekick for the Boy Who Lived. That honor goes to the brightest witch of her age, Hermione Jean Granger. Simply put, Harry and Ron would probably have been killed several times over if not for Hermione’s brilliance. She’s possibly the ultimate complementary sidekick, specializing in things her friends aren’t good at. While she has to learn to be more like Harry and Ron in combat over the course of the series, her incredible skills with all manner of spells, combined with her top-notch memory, make her the MVP of so many fixes for the Golden Trio. Best of all, we can see the influence these characters have on each other. Despite their personality differences, Harry eventually learns to be more cautious from Hermione, Ron begins to take his studies more seriously, and Hermione develops serious nerve and resolve as she grows. Speaking of which…
Best moment: Hermione’s had a lot of great moments, such as saving Ron from Devil’s Snare, learning about the Basilisk, and punching Draco Malfoy in the nose. Still, the gutsiest thing she’s ever done came in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Using Polyjuice Potion to impersonate Bellatrix Lestrange and sneak into the Lestrange vault at Gringotts isn’t just bold, it’s borderline insane. Not only is she going into enemy territory as a wanted Muggle-born, but she has to act like one of the most sadistic witches in the world, contrary to her kind nature. Thanks to Ron and Harry’s improvisational skills, they manage to pull the ruse off, bringing another of Voldemort’s Horcruxes into their possession. No wonder she eventually became Minister of Magic!
Number Three – Chewbacca and R2D2 (Star Wars, 1977)
This is it, the one entry where I had to declare a tie. These two are both among the most awesome sidekicks of them all, for different reasons. First, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more loyal and loveable friend than Chewbacca. Whether with Han, Lando, or Rey, he’s the best copilot in the galaxy, hands down. Once you’ve earned his loyalty, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for you, including ripping the arms of your enemies from their sockets! As for R2, this little astromech droid has more cajones than anyone else in the Star Wars universe. He’s braved the Dune Sea, helped General Skywalker in the Clone War, and flew with Luke on his fateful run down the Death Star trench. R2D2 is the ultimate ride-or-die companion, and if he had the capability, he’d probably be trying to kill Stormtroopers with a blaster of his own!
Best moments: Both characters' best moments happen in Return of the Jedi. For Chewie, allowing himself to be captured by Jabba the Hutt as part of Luke’s plan to rescue Han Solo is incredibly brave, and it put Chewie in position to help secure their final escape over the Great Pit of Carkoon. For R2, he’s no stranger to wading through a warzone to hack some computer or equipment on the other side of the area. Though he’s done this several times over the series, his willingness to put himself in harm’s way is probably most memorable during the Battle of Endor. Sadly, he is blasted and disabled before completing the job, but his sheer gutsiness in moving through the mess of Stormtroopers to get there is reason enough for this to be his best moment.
Number Two – Dick Grayson (Batman, 1940-present)
As the original Robin, the Boy Wonder, Dick Grayson has decades of experience as Batman’s sidekick across multiple mediums. Possibly no hero and sidekick combo is more iconic than this one, as they are frequently referred to as the Dynamic Duo. Ever since the tragic death of Grayson’s parents during their trapeze act, Bruce Wayne has acted as his mentor and father figure. Grayson eventually joined Wayne’s crimefighting efforts, using his acrobatic skills to great effect. Thanks to Wayne, he also sharpened his sleuthing skills, eventually making him much more of a true partner in their relationship. Of course, Grayson has gone on to have a remarkable career as a solo hero, Nightwing, but he’ll always be remembered as the first Robin.
Best moment: Grayson has had a lot of memorable adventures, both with Wayne and by himself, but my favorite moment is his founding of the modern Teen Titans. As an angsty teenager on the cusp of adulthood, Grayson abandons Wayne to strike out on his own. What does he do first? Befriend a group of misfit orphans and form a surrogate family with them, just like Wayne did with him. Like father, like son.
Before the top pick, let’s do a few…
Honorable Mentions
Ed Norton (The Honeymooners, 1955)
Though Norton can come across as nothing more than the dumber, funnier friend of Ralph Kramden, this belies the surprisingly intelligent and worldly personality hiding underneath. He’s a perfect good-natured foil to Ralph’s temper, and was the inspiration for both Barney Rubble and Yogi Bear, to boot!
Barney Fife (The Andy Griffith Show, 1960)
Oh, Deputy Fife. Far from the most effective sidekick, but easily one of the most memorable. His faults are many, such as harassing Mayberry’s citizens for minor offenses or accidentally shooting himself in the foot on occasion, but he really does try his best. Barney’s uptight nature blends well with the laidback Andy Taylor.
Donkey (Shrek, 2001-2010)
Eddie Murphy has played and voiced a plethora of memorable sidekicks over the years, but Donkey is possibly his most famous role of all. Though not overly brave, Donkey is extremely loyal to Shrek, refusing to leave his side even when the ogre gets annoyed at Donkey’s antics. Plus, he eventually becomes a loving father in his own right!
And with that, it’s time for…
Number One – Samwise Gamgee (The Lord of the Rings, 1954-1955)
Could it have been anyone else? Sam isn’t just the greatest sidekick of them all, he’s the true unsung hero of The Lord of the Rings. Without his incredible companionship, there is little chance Frodo would have made it all the way to Mount Doom himself. I mean, Sam just has everything. Loyal? To a fault. Brave? Every step he takes on this journey is a courageous one. Skilled? He faces foes much stronger and deadlier than him and comes out on top on more than one occasion. But beyond these qualities, Sam is the greatest sidekick of all because of one thing – he’s inspirational. Frodo goes through hell on his journey, both physically and emotionally. After carrying the One Ring and resisting its corrupting influence for so long, he begins to doubt his strength to keep going. Sam is the one who lifts him up and reminds him what they’re fighting for, what they’re fighting to preserve. Sam was Frodo’s guiding light through Middle Earth, as well as a guiding light of inspiration for so many readers the world over. Best of all, Sam is actually rewarded with his happy ending at the end of the story, returning to the shire to start a family with Rosie. Well done, Samwise. You’ve earned it.
Best moment: Wow, too many to pick from. His speech in The Two Towers, carrying Frodo up the slopes of Mount Doom on his back, and constantly trying to protect Frodo from Gollum come to mind. Still, Sam’s finest hour comes when he faces the dreaded spider Shelob in combat, saving Frodo’s life. Moreover, Sam manages to wound Shelob in the process, a feat nobody else on Middle Earth has accomplished. Facing certain death, this was the moment Sam risked it all and proved his mettle.
And that’s going to do it for this ranking. Of course, I want to hear from you. Which sidekicks are you thankful for? Who else should’ve made the list? Feel free to let me know in the comments or reach out directly, especially if you have any ideas or requests for future entries. I’ve got an active running list of ideas, but I’m always open to more. I’d appreciate it if you’d leave a like and share this post on social media. And to stay up to date on future blog posts, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter on my website. Until the next story!