Every great hero needs a sidekick, but every not-so-great hero absolutely needs a sidekick to bail them out time and time again. I'm not saying that's true of absolutely every hero called out on this list, because truth be told, some only suffered from being not nearly as cool as the side characters they supported.
Don't think of this as a disparagement of heroes, but more of a celebration of sidekicks and acknowledgement of their achievements. These ones shouldered the work while their friends got a lion's share of the credit, and it's time to put that to an end.
The Harry Potter Movies - Hermione Granger
Harry Potter may have survived a killing curse and was an above-average Quidditch player, but let's be real, he wasn't all that special. In fact, if it wasn't for Hermione Granger, Harry would've fallen victim to Lord Voldemort and dark wizards several times over. She was the more talented magic user of the two, and to be quite honest, she was much smarter than Harry and Ron combined. Those two would've died before ever reaching the Sorcerer's Stone in the first movie if it wasn't for Hermione, and it's time more people start recognizing that.
The Toy Story Movies - Buzz Lightyear
Let's be honest, cowboys were cool for the children of the baby boomer age. Woody may have been cool for a hot minute, but can we really blame Andy for tossing him aside temporarily to have a Buzz Lightyear? Buzz has always been the better toy of the two, even when he didn't believe he was a toy. He ultimately bows to Woody's leadership, but he's fully capable of running things. Personally, I think that's what made it so easy for Woody to move on in Toy Story 4.
Superbad - McLovin
Superbad is a great movie, and there's plenty of high points for all the main characters that audiences can laugh at. That said, we all know Fogell, aka McLovin, was the true star of the movie when it came out. He went from zero to hero in the course of one night, all thanks to some cops who wanted to show him a good time. Seth and Evan are every bit as nerdy as McLovin, and I think the fact that he is extra nerdy and owns it almost makes him look better than them in the long run.
The Green Hornet - Kato
Britt Reid is the money behind the operation, but it's not hard to see how Kato is the stronger person of the two. His martial arts expertise is top-notch on its own, but then he's got all the mechanic skills too. Credit to Britt for having a guy on staff who's so resourceful, and I guess more credit to Kato for not taking the limelight when he totally could in The Green Hornet dynamic.
Fight Club - Tyler Durden
This one is a bit tricky because as most people who watched the movie know, the Narrator and Tyler are the same person. That said, Tyler acts as the sidekick for most of the movie and is obviously the "cooler" personality of the two. Sure, his methods were a bit extreme, but man, wouldn't it be great to have no credit card debt? That was all Tyler, or at least the Narrator's personality that was Tyler. This shouldn't be that hard to explain over 20 years after the movie's release, should it?
The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy - Samwise Gamgee
This one is the epitome of a sidekick who should get a lion's share of the credit. Samwise Gamgee emotionally and physically carried Frodo Baggins to Mordor to destroy the ring in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and I don't believe Frodo would've been able to do it alone. Had Frodo been left to his own devices, he would've become the next Gollum, and for that alone, Frodo should be making second breakfast for Sam the rest of his furry-footed life. Personally, I've always wondered if Sam would've been corrupted by the ring's power in the same way Frodo did, and if this adventure would've gone much faster with just him toting it.
Jurassic Park - Dr. Ian Malcolm
There are a lot of key figures in the Jurassic Park franchise, and ultimately, one could make the argument that Alan, Ellie and Ian are considered equals. That's not the way I feel, and if we're talking who's the coolest doctor dodging a T-Rex (something he didn't do in the novel) and keeping a cool head when the going gets rough, Ian Malcolm is the guy. I mean, I don't even need to mention the iconic shirtless pose, do I? This one is a no brainer.
Mad Max: Fury Road - Furiosa
In the Mad Max universe, it's hard to really argue anyone isn't a badass. When the post-apocalypse landscape is that brutal, there's really no one left but the badasses. Furiosa has a real comeuppance in the movie though, and frankly, looks to have made more of herself in this brave new world with less advantages than Max Rockatansky. It's no wonder Charlize Theron's Furiosa was popular enough to warrant a standalone movie, though it will be disappointing that the prequel will mean another actress needs to be recast for the role.
The Star Trek Movies - Spock
I don't think this is the craziest of hot takes, though I will admit this is a closer situation than past examples. Kirk occasionally trumps Spock's logic just because, which doesn't even make sense sometimes especially in the context of them playing chess. That's all well and good, but let's make one thing clear: if you die, and then come back from the dead, you automatically win the debate. Unless you're Harry Potter, of course, because Hermione would be like if Kirk and Spock were the same person.
Do you have any other duos where the sidekick was greater than the hero? Let us know down in the comments below, and of course, be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for more happenings on the world of movies and television.
