What Makes A Great Sidekick?

What would the world be without sidekicks? Would the Lone Ranger be nothing more than a gun toting madman in a mask without his faithful Tonto? Would the brilliant Sherlock Holmes be left to his muttering insanities without his loyal confidant Watson? Could Shrek have rescued the princess without Donkey? Could Frodo even find Mount Doom without his faithful friend Samwise? And who would of "fired up the hyper-drive" for Han Solo if it wasn't for Chewbacca? Every hero needs a sidekick, and every good sidekick needs a hero.

Batman & Robin

© DC Comics

So what separates the good sidekicks from the great sidekicks and the Robin's from the Star Fox Slippy's? Here's what I think:

Loyal: Through thick or thin a great sidekick is loyal. They don't run at the first sign of danger, cower when the odds are against them, or wet their spandex when death stands in the way. A sidekick might not always be there from the beginning to the end—but a great sidekick is there when you need them most.

Complementary: A great sidekick is like the perfect side dish to a great meal: They're an amazing addition but only because the main course is so good. A great sidekick compliments a hero's skills, fashion and personality in one way or another. They have to bring something to the table or it's just glorified babysitting in spandex and capes. If a sidekick is constantly getting captured, getting in the way, whining, or ending up on the wrong end of a beat down—there's a problem.

Supportive: "Why do we fall sir," a sweaty and physically drained Alfred asked Batman after rescuing him in Batman Begins. "So we might learn to pick ourselves up." A faithful sidekick isn't just there for the victory celebrations, the joyrides in the crime fighting mobile or the left over ladies—they're there to rescue the hero when the hero falls. Everyone has an off day after all and sometimes an arch enemy will turn the tides against justice, a criminal will escape, or a good guy will go bad—but a great sidekick is always there to pull a hero from the ashes of defeat, dust them off, and send them in the right direction again.

Interesting: Through the countless hours of training, hunting down criminals, and being held captive by said criminals, a sidekick has to remain conversational, enjoyable, and interesting. With perfect comedic timing, an inclination towards self-sacrifice, and a charming way to summarize even the direst of situations—a sidekick is a master of fact, quip, and commentary.

A Sidekick is never better looking than the Hero: Part of a hero's job is rescuing scantily clad members of the opposite sex, and though it can be hard sometimes, it's part of the job description. Call it the bonus pay, but at the end of the day it's the hero that goes home with the prize. If there's one thing that can bring down an incredible duo faster than a bad investment in the stock exchange—it's competition over the opposite sex. What a sidekick does in their free time is entirely up to them, but when they're on the clock, the hero gets the girl.

So where do you stand? What are your thoughts? Are you the hero or a sidekick—and if you're a hero, is your sidekick worth their weight or about to have their sidekick outfit revoked? What makes a great sidekick in your opinion?