Sidekicks: Does Your Watson or Robin Meet Expectations?

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Batman and Robin. Xena the Warrior Princess and Gabrielle. Buffy, Willow, and Xander. The squad behind Avatar: the Last Airbender — Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph. When we think of famous characters in the media, they usually don’t come alone. No superhero can go without their trusty sidekicks (or their favorite team-ups). While everyone can follow a protagonist’s journey, often, that trek isn’t as meaningful without their best friends, their family, and even their rivals joining in. 

What is a sidekick?

A sidekick is a character who acts as a combination of ally, helper, and foil to the protagonist. Historically, sidekicks have been unfairly reduced to a minor role: think about how Dr. Watson primarily records the tales of the extraordinary Sherlock, or the talented fighter Kato served as the driver to The Green Hornet. Today’s sidekick characters may not have the same skill set that your protagonist has; on the other hand, modern sidekicks are equally as capable. For example, while Queen Elsa from Disney’s “Frozen” may be the one with the magical powers, her sister Anna has the cheerful determination and big heart to help Elsa overcome her inner demons. Likewise, if your protagonist has a best friend, a partner in crime, or a wingman, make sure their talents and abilities complement each other.

Side characters have served multiple purposes as literary devices. The first use of side characters as literary devices can be traced to ancient Greek drama, which always contained a protagonist, an antagonist, and a chorus. The Greek chorus is an early iteration of a protagonist’s sidekick; the chorus acts a commentator on the protagonist’s actions; an echo of the larger thematic elements of the play; and can even become a stand-in for the playwright’s perspective.

Over time, the use of side characters as literary devices has changed when accommodating other genres. For example, in superhero fiction, sidekicks reflect the superhero’s inner thoughts and help prompt the plot’s action by helping the hero on their mission; this is why in early superhero fiction, sidekicks usually didn’t have a lot to their backstory outside of their origins alongside the superhero. 

Another common use of sidekicks as a literary device in fiction is the “newcomer” character, who acts as the reader insert: a tool to introduce the story’s worldbuilding or character relationships. 

Sidekicks in detective fiction

In detective fiction the sidekick asks the questions the reader may have in solving a mystery. 

Sidekicks in horror stories

In horror...

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