They add so much but never get nearly as much if any of the glory. Sidekicks don't necessarily like the term, "sidekick", but they really know what they are: the person behind the hero. They're not so much a love interest as usually a friend. Here are the brightest, the best, the coolest sidekicks behind the coolest heroes of all time. Lots of people like to do top ten lists and that's cool, but I'm going with fifteen this time.
15. Xander Harris from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Xander Harris is often the source of humor for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He has a heart of gold and when it really comes down to it, he will do anything he's capable of to protect the innocent and his friends from the forces of evil. He often comes up short in a physical fight, but more than makes up for it with his ongoing support and fierce loyalty. There are many sidekicks that are bigger, stronger and more powerful than Xander, but he beats them out with his willpower and heart alone. Xander lost his eye for the good fight and continues to fight evil.
14. Walter Sobchak from The Big Lebowski
Walter is another sidekick that doesn't necessarily have the goods when it comes to practical support. He makes a lot of mistakes and could possibly benefit from listening to The Dude a little bit. Walter is willing to do what he needs to do to help out. He is another sidekick who has an unquestionable loyalty to his friends. His experience in Vietnam is a constant source of inspiration for his actions in the present. The Dude could probably do better with a more stable sidekick but in the end, he wouldn't trade Walter for anyone. Walter jumped out of a speeding car on a bridge to help out The Dude.
13. Woodstock from Peanuts
I could have gone with Snoopy here as a great sidekick to Charlie Brown, but Snoopy seemed to be more of his own man than a sidekick. He always has Woodstock at his side to try to talk sense into him. While, no one knows exactly what Woodstock says, it's obvious whether Woodstock is trying to cheer Snoopy up, calm him down or chastise him for his mistakes. No other dog has a more loyal sidekick than Snoopy. Woodstock didn't even have a name for more than three years after appearing in the comic strip when Charles Schulz named him after the Music Festival. Woodstock has been a wrist wrestling partner, a mechanic, a secretary, a golfing partner and buddy to Snoopy.
12. Wesley Wyndam-Pryce from Angel
Wesley walked a hard road to get where he was meant to be. He had many failures and had to adapt his entire life to be the greatest asset to Angel. As a watcher, he was inept and lost control of two Slayers (Faith and Buffy) in Sunnydale before getting fired from the watchers council. He made his way to L.A. and Angel Investigations, where he eventually redefined himself as a versatile warrior, as well as extending his already amazing knowledge of the supernatural. Wesley actually betrays Angel at one point to protect Angel's son from Angel himself. This action opens a huge rift between Angel and Wesley but Angel eventually comes to understand why Wesley did it. Wesley fought to his death against evil, although he is brought back as a spirit. Wesley made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for Angel.
11. Sallah from Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones would not have made it out alive through Raiders of the Lost Ark without his good friend, Sallah. In Raiders, Indy tosses a date up to catch in his mouth but Sallah sees the dead monkey who had been eating them and quickly catches it before it reaches Indy's mouth. Sallah is a large boisterous Egyptian excavator. He's a family man with a wife and many, many children (who also saved Indy's life by surrounding him while Nazis were drawing down on him). He likes to sing when he's happy and he has a great sense of humor. The Indiana Jones movies would not have been the same without him. He helps Indy figure out the meaning behind the medallion, follows Indy into the Well of the Souls crawling with Snakes and gets Marion and Indy a boat ride with the Ark towards England. Sallah is the one who asks the question that causes Indy's dad to reveal his real name is Henry Jones Jr. and the dog was named Indiana.
10. Sgt. Al Powell from Die Hard
Al was the only friendly contact John McClane had in Die Hard. He really didn't appear to be in great physical condition, but that didn't matter. The guy stayed on the line, risking his job for McClane through the entire movie while insulting and fighting off his superiors to support him. The guy did get his cruiser obliterated by gunfire as well as by trying to avoid the gunfire while driving at high speeds in reverse through multiple levels of a parking lot. He also ends up saving John's life by shooting Karl while Karl is trying to shoot John. He makes a quick appearance in Die Hard 2 from across the country to help out McClane again.
9. Ed from Shaun of the Dead
Ed is the perfect sidekick to Shaun during the zombie apocalypse. He provides combat assistance, bumbling advice, comic relief and the perfect amount of video game playing. He is obviously not the perfect roommate but during undead infestations, it doesn't matter. He kind of gives away their location to the zombies on occasion but he more than makes up for it with his loyalty to Shaun. He makes the ultimate sacrifice by fending off the zombies while Shaun and his girlfriend escape. Ed is so loyal to Shaun that he stays in the shed and plays video games after his conversion to a zombie. How much more loyal can you be?
8. K9 from Doctor Who
K9 was actually a series of robot dogs but I had to include him here as he was on my Christmas list for years. You would have to be crazy to not want a K-9 for yourself. He takes man's best friend to a new level. He had his drawbacks like not being able to go up stairs but the laser in his nose helped the Doctor out of many dire situations. His advanced knowledge was extremely helpful on occasion as well. The K9 units were completely loyal to Doctor Who but three of them went on to accompany the Doctor's companions. Leela, Sarah Jane and Romana all were given a K9 unit to serve and protect them. I would still love a K9 unit if anyone wants to part with one.
7. Fritz from Frankenstein
Fritz is one of the earliest perfectly loyal sidekicks. Who is Fritz, you ask? He's the guy that many people mistakenly call Igor. The hunchbacked servant to Dr. Frankenstein is named Fritz in the 1931 film version of Frankenstein (which happens to be one of the best Universal horror movies from that time, as well as one of the best all-time films as well). Frankenstein seems to have a lot of name confusion as a lot of people seem to think that the monster's name is Frankenstein instead of the doctor. Heck, I called the monster Frankenstein many times by mistake. Fritz was willing to commit any crime for Dr. Frankenstein. He regularly robbed graves, stole brains and did whatever else was needed. Fritz helped create a tradition of mad scientists hiring (or enslaving) strange men to do their bidding often having a hunchback. Fritz was trying to scare Frankenstein's monster with a torch and whip and was paid the ultimate price during his service as a sidekick to the mad doctor.
6. Chewbacca from Star Wars
There doesn't seem like there could be a Han Solo without a Chewbacca. These two are a team unlike any other. Chewbacca has a growl and howl like no other. Maybe, we can't understand anything that Chewbacca says but we feel him. He has a fierce loyalty to Solo as Han once saved Chewie from being executed and they became smugglers together. Chewie always has Han's back like any great sidekick would.
5. Sheriff Harry Truman from Twin Peaks
Some of the sidekicks on this list are almost a shame to call sidekicks as they are close to being equals to their hero. Sheriff Harry Truman of Twin Peaks is a great man and a great lawman, but he is often confused and left behind Special Agent Dale Cooper. Cooper uses investigative techniques that leave Harry in the dust but Harry keeps moving, chasing after Cooper like a loyal hound. The investigative team searching for Laura Palmer's killer are one of the best in film and television history. I can't express the respect I have for this duo. FBI agents often get interference from local law enforcement but from the moment these two met, Harry threw his entire office's support right behind Cooper. The two seemed to become great friends as well as the perfect match of teammates.
4. Al from Quantum Leap
Al has a joke for every occasion but deep down he always worried and concerned about Sam's well-being and the possibility of getting him home. Sam and Al were a team that never lost. There's no way Sam could have done it alone. Sam worked day and night exhaustively trying to support Sam with his missions. The bond between these two is so strong, I don't think either of them could have existed without the other. Al would have done anything for Sam.
3. Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Some people feel Short Round was nothing more than comedy relief. These people don't know. They don't know at all. Short Round was a get-away driver like none. He had blocks on feet to be able to drive. If Short Round wasn't around during Temple of Doom, Willie Scott would have ruined the movie. Short Round saved that movie. Short Round saved Indiana's life several times during Temple. Short Round was also the one responsible for snapping Indy out of Mola Ram's spell. For a kid his age, he's the youngest on this list but greatly deserves his spot here for his loyalty.
2. Sarah Jane Smith from Doctor Who
Sarah Jane was the only companion to work alongside the third, fourth, fifth and tenth incarnation of the doctor. She was an investigative journalist with the guts to travel through time and space. Doctor Who has traveled to places and times, met heroes and villains, worked alongside artists and scientist that would literally blow our minds. Still, he loses his breath and thoughts when he bumps into Sarah Jane Smith. Elisabeth Sladen recently passed away and that broke my heart. Not just my heart as it is today, but my childhood heart. The heart that holds all the emotions from when I was growing up. Sladen and Tom Baker were my favorite Doctor/companion team. I'd like to say that Sladen's recent passing didn't affect my judgement of her in respect to this list. I thought way harder on this than I should have and decided that Sarah Jane deserved to have this spot by all means. New appearances of Sarah Jane will be missed but she will continue to be one of the best sidekicks of all time.
1. Watson from Sherlock Holmes
This is a no-brainer. What's the first sidekick you think of? Who is listed in the dictionary under sidekick? There is a huge belief that Holmes should have been the sidekick to Watson. I find that debate to be very interesting. Watson may have been the master to Holmes sidekick but he cared for Holmes too much to even bring up that issue. He could have been world famous as a master detective and he traded that to be Holmes sidekick. That is loyalty. That is why Watson is number one.
Other sidekicks that didn't make it:
Patrick Starfish from Spongebob Squarepants
Tonto from The Lone Ranger
Robin from Batman
Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story
Goose from Top Gun
Gromit from Wallace and Gromit
Willow Rosenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Ron Weasley from Harry Potter
Arthur from The Tick
Jimmy Olsen from Superman
Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Tattoo from Fantasy Island
Duckie from Pretty In Pink
Bender from Futurama
Dwight Shrute from The Office
The Frog Brothers from Lost Boys
Pinky from Pinky and the Brain
Bubo from the original Clash Of the Titans
The gyro captain from The Road Warrior
Wang Chi from Big Trouble in Little China
Percy from Open Range
Dory from Finding Nemo
Garth Algar from Wayne's World
Samwise Gangee from The Lord of the Rings
Sloth from The Goonies
Doc Brown from Back To the Future
Ookla the Mok from Thundarr the Barbarian
Little John from Robin Hood
15. Xander Harris from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Xander Harris is often the source of humor for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He has a heart of gold and when it really comes down to it, he will do anything he's capable of to protect the innocent and his friends from the forces of evil. He often comes up short in a physical fight, but more than makes up for it with his ongoing support and fierce loyalty. There are many sidekicks that are bigger, stronger and more powerful than Xander, but he beats them out with his willpower and heart alone. Xander lost his eye for the good fight and continues to fight evil.
14. Walter Sobchak from The Big Lebowski
Walter is another sidekick that doesn't necessarily have the goods when it comes to practical support. He makes a lot of mistakes and could possibly benefit from listening to The Dude a little bit. Walter is willing to do what he needs to do to help out. He is another sidekick who has an unquestionable loyalty to his friends. His experience in Vietnam is a constant source of inspiration for his actions in the present. The Dude could probably do better with a more stable sidekick but in the end, he wouldn't trade Walter for anyone. Walter jumped out of a speeding car on a bridge to help out The Dude.
13. Woodstock from Peanuts
I could have gone with Snoopy here as a great sidekick to Charlie Brown, but Snoopy seemed to be more of his own man than a sidekick. He always has Woodstock at his side to try to talk sense into him. While, no one knows exactly what Woodstock says, it's obvious whether Woodstock is trying to cheer Snoopy up, calm him down or chastise him for his mistakes. No other dog has a more loyal sidekick than Snoopy. Woodstock didn't even have a name for more than three years after appearing in the comic strip when Charles Schulz named him after the Music Festival. Woodstock has been a wrist wrestling partner, a mechanic, a secretary, a golfing partner and buddy to Snoopy.
12. Wesley Wyndam-Pryce from Angel
Wesley walked a hard road to get where he was meant to be. He had many failures and had to adapt his entire life to be the greatest asset to Angel. As a watcher, he was inept and lost control of two Slayers (Faith and Buffy) in Sunnydale before getting fired from the watchers council. He made his way to L.A. and Angel Investigations, where he eventually redefined himself as a versatile warrior, as well as extending his already amazing knowledge of the supernatural. Wesley actually betrays Angel at one point to protect Angel's son from Angel himself. This action opens a huge rift between Angel and Wesley but Angel eventually comes to understand why Wesley did it. Wesley fought to his death against evil, although he is brought back as a spirit. Wesley made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for Angel.
11. Sallah from Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones would not have made it out alive through Raiders of the Lost Ark without his good friend, Sallah. In Raiders, Indy tosses a date up to catch in his mouth but Sallah sees the dead monkey who had been eating them and quickly catches it before it reaches Indy's mouth. Sallah is a large boisterous Egyptian excavator. He's a family man with a wife and many, many children (who also saved Indy's life by surrounding him while Nazis were drawing down on him). He likes to sing when he's happy and he has a great sense of humor. The Indiana Jones movies would not have been the same without him. He helps Indy figure out the meaning behind the medallion, follows Indy into the Well of the Souls crawling with Snakes and gets Marion and Indy a boat ride with the Ark towards England. Sallah is the one who asks the question that causes Indy's dad to reveal his real name is Henry Jones Jr. and the dog was named Indiana.
10. Sgt. Al Powell from Die Hard
Al was the only friendly contact John McClane had in Die Hard. He really didn't appear to be in great physical condition, but that didn't matter. The guy stayed on the line, risking his job for McClane through the entire movie while insulting and fighting off his superiors to support him. The guy did get his cruiser obliterated by gunfire as well as by trying to avoid the gunfire while driving at high speeds in reverse through multiple levels of a parking lot. He also ends up saving John's life by shooting Karl while Karl is trying to shoot John. He makes a quick appearance in Die Hard 2 from across the country to help out McClane again.
9. Ed from Shaun of the Dead
Ed is the perfect sidekick to Shaun during the zombie apocalypse. He provides combat assistance, bumbling advice, comic relief and the perfect amount of video game playing. He is obviously not the perfect roommate but during undead infestations, it doesn't matter. He kind of gives away their location to the zombies on occasion but he more than makes up for it with his loyalty to Shaun. He makes the ultimate sacrifice by fending off the zombies while Shaun and his girlfriend escape. Ed is so loyal to Shaun that he stays in the shed and plays video games after his conversion to a zombie. How much more loyal can you be?
8. K9 from Doctor Who
K9 was actually a series of robot dogs but I had to include him here as he was on my Christmas list for years. You would have to be crazy to not want a K-9 for yourself. He takes man's best friend to a new level. He had his drawbacks like not being able to go up stairs but the laser in his nose helped the Doctor out of many dire situations. His advanced knowledge was extremely helpful on occasion as well. The K9 units were completely loyal to Doctor Who but three of them went on to accompany the Doctor's companions. Leela, Sarah Jane and Romana all were given a K9 unit to serve and protect them. I would still love a K9 unit if anyone wants to part with one.
7. Fritz from Frankenstein
Fritz is one of the earliest perfectly loyal sidekicks. Who is Fritz, you ask? He's the guy that many people mistakenly call Igor. The hunchbacked servant to Dr. Frankenstein is named Fritz in the 1931 film version of Frankenstein (which happens to be one of the best Universal horror movies from that time, as well as one of the best all-time films as well). Frankenstein seems to have a lot of name confusion as a lot of people seem to think that the monster's name is Frankenstein instead of the doctor. Heck, I called the monster Frankenstein many times by mistake. Fritz was willing to commit any crime for Dr. Frankenstein. He regularly robbed graves, stole brains and did whatever else was needed. Fritz helped create a tradition of mad scientists hiring (or enslaving) strange men to do their bidding often having a hunchback. Fritz was trying to scare Frankenstein's monster with a torch and whip and was paid the ultimate price during his service as a sidekick to the mad doctor.
6. Chewbacca from Star Wars
There doesn't seem like there could be a Han Solo without a Chewbacca. These two are a team unlike any other. Chewbacca has a growl and howl like no other. Maybe, we can't understand anything that Chewbacca says but we feel him. He has a fierce loyalty to Solo as Han once saved Chewie from being executed and they became smugglers together. Chewie always has Han's back like any great sidekick would.
5. Sheriff Harry Truman from Twin Peaks
Some of the sidekicks on this list are almost a shame to call sidekicks as they are close to being equals to their hero. Sheriff Harry Truman of Twin Peaks is a great man and a great lawman, but he is often confused and left behind Special Agent Dale Cooper. Cooper uses investigative techniques that leave Harry in the dust but Harry keeps moving, chasing after Cooper like a loyal hound. The investigative team searching for Laura Palmer's killer are one of the best in film and television history. I can't express the respect I have for this duo. FBI agents often get interference from local law enforcement but from the moment these two met, Harry threw his entire office's support right behind Cooper. The two seemed to become great friends as well as the perfect match of teammates.
4. Al from Quantum Leap
Al has a joke for every occasion but deep down he always worried and concerned about Sam's well-being and the possibility of getting him home. Sam and Al were a team that never lost. There's no way Sam could have done it alone. Sam worked day and night exhaustively trying to support Sam with his missions. The bond between these two is so strong, I don't think either of them could have existed without the other. Al would have done anything for Sam.
3. Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Some people feel Short Round was nothing more than comedy relief. These people don't know. They don't know at all. Short Round was a get-away driver like none. He had blocks on feet to be able to drive. If Short Round wasn't around during Temple of Doom, Willie Scott would have ruined the movie. Short Round saved that movie. Short Round saved Indiana's life several times during Temple. Short Round was also the one responsible for snapping Indy out of Mola Ram's spell. For a kid his age, he's the youngest on this list but greatly deserves his spot here for his loyalty.
2. Sarah Jane Smith from Doctor Who
Sarah Jane was the only companion to work alongside the third, fourth, fifth and tenth incarnation of the doctor. She was an investigative journalist with the guts to travel through time and space. Doctor Who has traveled to places and times, met heroes and villains, worked alongside artists and scientist that would literally blow our minds. Still, he loses his breath and thoughts when he bumps into Sarah Jane Smith. Elisabeth Sladen recently passed away and that broke my heart. Not just my heart as it is today, but my childhood heart. The heart that holds all the emotions from when I was growing up. Sladen and Tom Baker were my favorite Doctor/companion team. I'd like to say that Sladen's recent passing didn't affect my judgement of her in respect to this list. I thought way harder on this than I should have and decided that Sarah Jane deserved to have this spot by all means. New appearances of Sarah Jane will be missed but she will continue to be one of the best sidekicks of all time.
1. Watson from Sherlock Holmes
This is a no-brainer. What's the first sidekick you think of? Who is listed in the dictionary under sidekick? There is a huge belief that Holmes should have been the sidekick to Watson. I find that debate to be very interesting. Watson may have been the master to Holmes sidekick but he cared for Holmes too much to even bring up that issue. He could have been world famous as a master detective and he traded that to be Holmes sidekick. That is loyalty. That is why Watson is number one.
Other sidekicks that didn't make it:
Patrick Starfish from Spongebob Squarepants
Tonto from The Lone Ranger
Robin from Batman
Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story
Goose from Top Gun
Gromit from Wallace and Gromit
Willow Rosenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Ron Weasley from Harry Potter
Arthur from The Tick
Jimmy Olsen from Superman
Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Tattoo from Fantasy Island
Duckie from Pretty In Pink
Bender from Futurama
Dwight Shrute from The Office
The Frog Brothers from Lost Boys
Pinky from Pinky and the Brain
Bubo from the original Clash Of the Titans
The gyro captain from The Road Warrior
Wang Chi from Big Trouble in Little China
Percy from Open Range
Dory from Finding Nemo
Garth Algar from Wayne's World
Samwise Gangee from The Lord of the Rings
Sloth from The Goonies
Doc Brown from Back To the Future
Ookla the Mok from Thundarr the Barbarian
Little John from Robin Hood
No comments:
Post a Comment