Top Ten Tuesday: Literary Sidekicks

July 9, 2019

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme originated by The Broke and the Bookish now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is: Character Freebie

In November, I crafted a Top Ten Tuesday featuring my favorite Literary BFFs. This time, I’m selecting a theme which is similar in nature: Top Literary Sidekicks!

In my mind, there is an overlap in the venn diagram of BFFs and sidekicks. Best friends are those you value most in your life, those in whom you trust, confide, and have fun with. Sidekicks are close companions who offer a juxtaposition to the hero of a story. Typically they are more relatable than the protagonist, and/or provide an alternative point of view, knowledge, skills, or experience the protagonist does not possess. So in my book, someone can be a best friend, a sidekick, or both. That means you’ll see some duplicates on this list from my Literary BFFs post. But that doesn’t make these sidekicks any less worthy!

Without further ado…

All titles below are links to the book’s Goodreads page.


 

Top 10 Literary Sidekicks

 

Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Of course, my first sidekick falls firmly into the best friend category. Samwise Gamgee takes on every role a sidekick might have throughout this trilogy. He provides exposition, provides mild comedic relief, is a counterpoint to Frodo, provides an alternative point-of-view, and a critical set of skills and talents which, time and again, save Frodo from certain doom. Frodo would not have succeeded with Samwise, and without Frodo, there would be no quest.

 

Dr. John Watson from Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Watson is one of the most essential sidekicks in all of literature. The infamous Sherlock Holmes comes across as difficult and unlikeable at the best of times. But Doyle tells Holmes’ stories through the eyes of his best friend Dr. John Watson. In this, Watson convinces the audience that Holmes, while difficult, is not a bad person. Watson gives readers a reason to care for, cheer on, and appreciate the work Holmes does.

 

Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which from A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle

This trio can more-or-less do anything. Well, anything except save the world. They provide everything they can to Meg and her brother on their quest to save their father, and therefore the universe. They can transform things, speak every language, travel through time and space at will, and balance each other out perfectly. Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which are certainly the sorts of sidekicks that fill in all the gaps Meg and Charles Wallace possess on this quest. Almost omnipotent beings make for amazing sidekicks.

 

Gurgi from The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander

Gurgi is one of my all-time favorite sidekicks. Not quite animal and not quite human, Gurgi is one of the most loyal and honorable characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. When Taran of Caer Dallben accidentally saves Gurgi, Gurgi becomes a loyal follower and eventual friend to the series protagonist. Unlike most of the other sidekicks I’ve mentioned, Gurgi’s apparent stupidity often makes Taran appear more intelligent than he is (though often in the same moment, Princess Eilonwy will make Taran look stupid again). Without Gurgi, Taran’s quests would repeatedly fail. Gurgi possesses talents for fighting, climbing, riding, and “seekings and peekings” (spying and searching) unparalleled to the other companions. Besides, Gurgi always speaks in third person, which I adore.

 

Sancho Panza from Don Quixote of La Mancha by Don Miguel de Cervantes

A sidekick whose purpose is opposite that of Gurgi is Sancho Panza. Where Gurgi makes Taran look smart, the rational voice of Sancho Panza illustrates the madness taking Don Quixote. Ever the loyal friend, Panza doesn’t care that his “master” sees giants in windmills. Without Panza, Quixote would never have any of his great adventures. This clever sidekick is a humorous, gay, everyman who keeps the story progressing.

 

Lying Cat from Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

And not all sidekicks need to be human, either!

Lying Cat is an exceptional character. She’s a tiger-sized, hairless, blue feline who travels with a bounty hunter known as The Will. And her vocabulary consists entirely of one word: “Lying.” Her role as a living polygraph test is highly underrated as she keeps The Will focused and truthful while breaking down the defenses of his opponents. Without Lying Cat, The Will would be completely lost. She provides balance, stability, and knowledge he does not possess.

Haven’t read Saga yet? If you like graphic novels and can stand some absurdity and graphic content (limited nudity and violence, swearing), you’ll love this series.

 

Pantalaimon from His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

Continuing the theme of non-human sidekicks, we find Pantalaimon. Lyra Belacqua’s dæmon Pantalaimon, or Pan, is Lyra’s foil in many ways. Where Lyra is a risk-taker, Pan is a self-ascribed coward. Where Lyra is rebellious and unruly, Pan is patient and level-headed. But, in their own way, both of these characters are quick-witted and canny. Their relationship has a wonderful balance of love and support. Whenever Lyra needed something Pan was there to support her. often anticipating her needs when changing form. Even when they were separated, Pan never stopped doing everything he could for Lyra.

 

Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

Servant of the fairy king Oberon, Puck breaks the mold of my other examples by not always being in full support of Oberon’s wishes. I mean, Puck never really goes against King Oberon, but if there is a loophole Puck will exploit it. He is mischievous but loyal. Near the end, when Puck makes mistakes that offend on, Puck is quick to correct the error. Either way, Puck holds more of a traditional team sidekick role where Puck is the comic relief to Oberon’s actions, as well as providing the opportunity for Shakespeare to provide exposition and conclusion to his story. 

 

Calcifer the Fire Demon from Howl’s Moving Castle by Diane Wynne Jones

If you’ve read the book or seen the Studio Ghibli film, you know I’m cheating a bit by selecting Calcifer. After all, he really is just a part of Howl… Calcifer is one of my all-time favorite characters and an exceptional sidekick.  He was “tricked” into making a deal with the wizard Howl to heat and move his castle. Calcifer is sarcastic, grumpy, and secretly has a huge heart. Compare this to the charming, vain, and self-absorbed Howl and you have an exceptional comedic experience waiting for you. I love the moments when Calcifer mothers Howl only to be brushed off. Poor Calcifer.

 

Inigo Montoya and Fezzik from The Princess Bride by William Goldman

These sidekicks have an incredible backstory. Strangers, each with their own tragic backstory, come together as mercenaries under the hire of Vizzini only to, in the end, work with the man who was originally out to kill them for their villainy and become best friends on the way. Despite the violence, cruelty, and pain they experienced in their past these two never let their honor or sense of humor fade. And, well, they’d do anything for each other and The Man in Black. What better sidekicks could you ask for?

 

Writing this post helped me recognize that I have a soft spot in my heart for sidekick characters. I prefer sidekicks who are also best friends as there is typically a sense of quality and love which deepen my experience with the relationship. But that doesn’t diminish all the other sidekicks in literature. Man. I desperately want to read more books with sidekicks. Looks like my summer TBR is about to change!


What do you think?

  • Did you participate in Top Ten Tuesday? Share your links below!
  • Which books from this list have you read? What are your favorites?
  • Who are your favorite sidekicks? Why?
  • What books do you recommend with incredible sidekicks?
  • Do you agree that there is an overlap between best friends and sidekicks in literature? Why or why not?

6 Comments

  • Kim @ Traveling in Books July 9, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    Gurgi! I had almost forgotten about him! It’s been so long since I read the Chronicles of Prydain.

  • Greg July 9, 2019 at 10:17 pm

    Ooh great list. Gurgi!!! I haven’t thought about him in YEARS. Wow, blast from past. 🙂

    Lying Cat is just plain awesome. And I love Inigo Montoya!

    Puck is another great pick.

  • Sammie @ The Writerly Way July 9, 2019 at 10:28 pm

    Oh, interesting topic! Some of these are my favorite sidekicks, like dear Samwise. And of course Watson. I never would have thought of Calcifer, but oh my gosh, yes, he’s just the best! I always loved his little sarcastic comments, but of course, he means well at heart.

    Here’s my TTT post.

  • Annemieke July 10, 2019 at 1:18 pm

    Calcifer! One of my favorites. Lying Cat sounds amazing and I’ve heard great things about Saga. Too bad I can’t get it from the library.

  • Lauren @ Always Me July 10, 2019 at 1:25 pm

    Lying Cat!! My favorite!

    Check out my TTT

  • Amanda @Cover2CoverMom July 18, 2019 at 11:33 am

    Love your take on this week’s character freebie!

    Which books from this list have you read? What are your favorites?
    Off this list I’ve only read The Fellowship of the Ring (but not the other two books in the series) and A Wrinkle in Time. I wasn’t a huge fan of The Fellowship, so I am going to vote for A Wrinkle in Time… which (side note) I do not think translated well to film… or at least how Disney did it. Did you ever see it?

    Who are your favorite sidekicks? Why? What books do you recommend with incredible sidekicks?

    Hermione & Ron from Harry Potter
    Hawthorne from Nevermoor
    Orlu, Chichi, and Sasha from Akata Witch
    Mitch from Vicious

    Just to name a few 🙂

Participate in the discussion!

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