Sidekick
From Superhero Wiki Encyclopedia
 Home Books Clothing DVDs Posters Toys Video Games |
Boards Comic Book News Comic Conventions Clips and Trailers |
Gallery Features Link to us Online Comic Books |
Resources Store Superhero Wiki Wallpaper |
Hero Sidekicks not only provide comic relief but can occasionally be brave or resourceful at times and rescue the hero from some dire fate: such as Streaky the Supercat of Krypto the Superdog or Festus Haggen of Gunsmoke's Matt Dillon.
Sidekicks also frequently serve as an emotional connection, especially when the hero is depicted as detached and distant, traits which would normally generate difficulty in making the hero likable. The sidekick is often the confidant who knows the main character better than anyone else and gives a convincing reason to like the hero. Although Sherlock Holmes was admittedly a difficult man to know, the friendship of Dr. Watson convinces the reader that Holmes is a good person.
While many sidekicks are used for comic relief, there are other sidekicks who are less outrageous than the heroes they pledge themselves to, and comedy derived from the hero can often be amplified by the presence or reaction of the sidekick. Examples include Arthur, who is much more ordinary than the seemingly insane Tick. A villain's supporters are normally called henchmen, minions, or lackeys, not sidekicks.
