Many times a hero will have help on their journey. Often overlooked, the sidekick becomes a
useful tool for the protagonist. They
assist in fights, challenge the hero, or are written into the story to create
romantic or comedic tension. Many show exceptional bravery and strength of
character. The following sidekicks
really standout because they could be considered heroes in their own
right.
10. Alfred Pennyworth
from the Batman movies- Whether played by Michael Caine, Michael Gough, or Alan
Napier, the character of Alfred has always been a steadfast and helpful
butler. He loves Bruce Wayne as if they
were family and he understands much of why he must take up the mantle of
Batman. It makes him all the more
interesting since he cares so much for the man he swore to protect. The major
difference is that Michael Caine in the Dark Knight films seems to be mostly
filled with a mass of sage advice where the others are a lot more selfless in
their actions. All versions of Alfred show that they love and care for the
versions of Bruce Wayne/Batman and want to help the boy they helped to raise.
9. Officer Anne Lewis from the RoboCop movies- Anne Lewis’s
partner, Alex Murphy, died in the line of duty and was reanimated as the cyborg
RoboCop. She realized who he was and
helped him recover his humanity. Throughout
the three movies she showed her skills until her untimely demise. She stayed the course with all the glitches
and emotional problems of Murphy and that made her a strong asset. Considering
the hellhole that she patrolled, she was a collected individual and went into
just about every situation with the poise that you’d expect from a professional
police officer.
8. Sallah from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
and The Last Crusade- Indiana Jones knows when he needs someone he can count on
he can call on Sallah. As one of the strongest excavators in Egypt, Sallah is
faithful and a strong friend. When the
Nazis blow up his brother’s car he goes out of his way to steal camels in
compensation for the loss. He is
considered such a beloved character that Disney used his character and voice
for the Indiana Jones ride at the Disney parks. He is a family man whose sense
of humor and love of life is matched only by his quick wits.
7. Trinity from the Matrix movies- Trinity is an interesting
character. As the first character we are
introduced to in the Matrix, she shows us that that some people really do know
how to bend reality. When it comes to
finding Neo she is the one that introduces him to Morpheus. She moved much of
the action of the films and was independently responsible for many of the
events. She didn’t even necessarily need
to be attached at the hip of the main hero to do her part. Trinity kept fighting until her death.
6. Russell from UP- Russell is the young man that befriends the
elderly Carl Fredricksen. Together they go on an adventure in Carl’s floating
house and find more interesting friends like a bizarre bird and a talking dog. Russell is brave and is always willing to
help. At first Russell is out of
enthusiasm to earn a merit badge, but soon after he becomes genuinely
interested in assisting Carl and taking part in his adventure. Having him
around helps both of them grow as characters and their story is great as a
result. They face a lot of dangers but even grow to become something akin to
family at the end of their tale.
5. Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series- Hermione
Granger seems to be the character that knows what’s going on. She is the smart one and someone that shows
her friends that she is willing to sacrifice a great deal to face the dangers
her friends face. In many cases the
others in her circle seem to get by with the aid of dumb luck where she is book
smart and knows when and where to bring those skills. As she grew as a
character she found out how to use her wits more as well as her book smarts. She
ended up turning into a very powerful and skilled witch.
4. Chewbacca from the original Star Wars trilogy- Chewbacca
not only has the most memorable dialogue of the Star Wars films; he also has
the greatest hairstyle. He shows great
skills at battle and at piloting. Much
like Han Solo, he is clearly a character that lives a free life and would do
anything with for his friends. Chewbacca’s loyalty is to his core. If you mess with someone he cares about he
will make you feel pain. He is a tough
sidekick and considering he can rip people’s arms out their sockets, he is a
good one to keep on your side.
3. Spock from the Star Trek films- Spock is the sort of
friend that you’d want to have at your side in any exploration or diplomatic
activity. He thinks logically, but in
truth his logical attitude hides a very sensitive mind. He would gladly sacrifice himself for his
friends if he knew that it would serve the greater good. It is a bold man that is willing to take that
sort of action. Besides that, his Vulcan
abilities give him enhanced strength, keen intellect, and an ability to mind
meld with any creature with intelligence (which can be keen in lots of
situations).
2. Doctor Emmett Brown from the Back to the Future movies-
In all the versions of history, Doc Brown has been helpful, if a little
absent-minded. He has shown that no
matter what, he cares for Marty McFly and the human condition. He wants nothing more than to make a better
life for Marty’s family and occasionally himself. There is no real explanation as to how Marty
and Doc Brown became friends, but one thing is for sure- as long as there is a
Hill Valley, there will be a McFly and Brown and they will be together causing
havoc.
1. Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings trilogy-
Possibly the greatest friend in literature and on film. Samwise risks life and limb to stay by his
friend Frodo. He is even told several
times he can leave, yet he refuses despite how tempting the option must be for
him. He eventually comes to terms with
the grave possibility of his own death. Samwise is willing to carry Frodo up
Mount Doom when it appears Frodo is too weak to carry the ring. He stays the
course, showing how incredibly brave he is and in the end of it all, shows that
he is one of the strongest of the smallest races in Middle Earth.
In the end, these sidekicks have proven themselves heroes in
their own right. Each one of them is
brave. They are all amazing and unique and show that they are loyal to their
friends. The next time you watch a
movie be sure to save a salute for the sidekicks. They are often the glue that
holds the stories that we love together.
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