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Sidekicks)
The Green Hornet and his sidekick Kato
A sidekick is the secondary member of a pair of heroes. Sidekicks are traditionally used as a sort of "every man's" point of view, whose mediocre abilities are used to emphasize the extraordinary abilities of the primary character. Sherlock Holmes' Dr. Watson was the original detective sidekick used in this manner, a relationship that has become a staple of detective fiction. The sidekick is typically not as talented as the primary character, although he or she may exceed the primary character in certain areas (such as Kato being a better fighter than the Green Hornet, or Chewbacca being a better mechanic than Han Solo). In this way, the sidekick has a useful talent that helps the hero and serves to move the plot along. Another example of this is the computer whiz/hacker type sidekick, popular on many TV shows such as Veronica Mars' friend Mac MacKenzie. The popular Nick Charles detective character of The Thin Man movie and TV series character's Nora Charles became the first popular spouse sidekick. Sometimes friends, sometimes mentors, it is always clear that the lead character is the hero, and the sidekick the follower and supporter. In hero parodies, the sidekick can sometimes be smarter than the central hero, such as with Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 from the TV series Get Smart.
Arthur and The Tick in
The Tick series parody the super-hero/sidekick relationship
Sidekicks can be used to humanize the primary character in several ways. First, by allowing the primary character to express concern for the sidekick. Second, sidekicks serve as sounding boards or outlets for the hero to express emotion or inner turmoil. Often, sidekicks can be humorous characters and offer comedy relief to the story. They can supply a point of empathy for the audience. When the primary audience is children, for example, the sidekick is often a child. Sidekicks can also provide a way for plot points to be articulated, as one of the duo imparts an explanation to the other (and therefore to the audience or reader).
Batman's Robin was the first teen sidekick
There is a tradition of "kid sidekicks" (sometimes called "teen sidekicks") in classic super-hero fiction. This tradition was started when Robin became the first kid sidekick to the hero Batman. The idea clicked with readers (who were , of course, usually around Robin's age), and many comic book heroes that began in the 1940s after Batman, like Aquaman, Green Arrow, Captain America and the original Human Torch, also had kid sidekicks. The Tick's Arthur is a parody of this super-hero/kid sidekick relationship.
When the duo is not heroic but villainous, the secondary character is not usually referred to as a sidekick, but as a henchman.
Hero-and-Sidekick List
Primary Character: Sherlock Holmes
Sidekick: Dr. Watson
Primary Character: Batman
Sidekick: Robin
Primary Character: The Lone Ranger
Sidekick: Tonto
Primary Character: The Green Hornet
Sidekick: Kato
Primary Character: Nick Charles
Sidekick: Nora Charles
Primary Character: The Elongated Man
Sidekick: Sue Dibney
Primary Character: Elongated Man
Sidekick: Sue Dibny
Primary Character: The Tick
Sidekick: Arthur
Primary Character: Captain James T. Kirk
Sidekick: Mr. Spock
The Original Human Torch and his kid sidekick Toro
Primary Character: Aquaman
Sidekick: Aqualad
Primary Character: James West
Sidekick: Artemus Gordon
Primary Character: Perry Mason
Sidekick: Della Street
Primary Character: The Sandman
Sidekick: Sandy
Primary Character: The Spirit
Sidekick: Ebony
Primary Character: The Original Human Torch
Sidekick: Toro
Primary Character: Captain America
Sidekick: Bucky
Primary Character: The Shadow
Sidekick: Margo Lane
Primary Character: The Joker
Sidekick: Harley Quinn
Primary Character: Green Arrow
Sidekick: Speedy
Primary Character: Dennis Nayland Smith
Sidekick: Dr. Petrie
Primary Character: Superman
Sidekick: Jimmy Olsen
Primary Character: Golden Age Green Lantern
Sidekick: Doiby Dickles
Primary Character: Silver Age Green Lantern
Sidekick: Pieface
Primary Character: The Hulk
Sidekick: Rick Jones
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