The Psychology of Animated Characters – Part 5: Sidekicks
Why Sidekicks Are Either Useless Comic Relief or the Real Brains Behind the Hero
Alright.
We’ve talked about villains, heroes, anti-heroes, and anti-villains.
But today?
Today, we talk about the ultimate support characters—SIDEKICKS.
Every main character has one of these weirdos tagging along.
Some sidekicks are loyal, brilliant, and secretly running the whole show.
Some are completely useless and only exist to sell merchandise.
And some?
Some are just straight-up unhinged.
So today, we’re breaking down the psychological profiles of animated sidekicks and figuring out why some are MVPs while others are just there for the paycheck.
Oh, and before we start…
🔥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel, or I will personally haunt you like a sidekick who refuses to leave. 🔥
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1. The “I’m Smarter Than the Main Character” Sidekick – “I’m Doing 90% of the Work, and Nobody Respects Me”
Examples:
• Brain (Pinky and the Brain) – This dude had WORLD DOMINATION PLANS, and nobody listened.
• Jiminy Cricket (Pinocchio) – Literally had ONE JOB: be a conscience. Failed immediately.
• Iago (Aladdin: The Animated Series) – Went from villain sidekick to entrepreneur, and I respect that hustle.
These sidekicks are the real brains behind the operation.
The problem?
They get ZERO credit for it.
• Brain? Would have taken over the world five times by now if Pinky wasn’t a moron.
• Jiminy Cricket? Tried to be a good influence, but Pinocchio had the attention span of a goldfish.
• Iago? Realized Jafar was going nowhere and decided to become his own boss.
These guys don’t deserve this.
They are trying their best, but they are stuck with idiots.
And honestly?
Same.
Psychological Diagnosis:
• Overworked and underpaid
• Carrying the team on their back
• Might snap at any moment and go full villain
Honestly?
If I ever become a sidekick, I’m going full Brain mode.
Because at least he has a plan.
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2. The “I Have No Idea What’s Going On” Sidekick – “I’m Just Here for the Vibes”
Examples:
• Pinky (Pinky and the Brain) – Should be in a lab, but instead is trying to ruin Brain’s dreams.
• Patrick Star (SpongeBob SquarePants) – Has one brain cell, and it’s on vacation.
• Kronk (The Emperor’s New Groove) – Might be the dumbest genius ever.
These sidekicks have no business being here.
They are 100% useless—but they’re also hilarious.
And honestly?
That’s enough.
• Pinky? A distraction with no real purpose.
• Patrick? Just SpongeBob’s emotional support idiot.
• Kronk? A henchman who was accidentally more lovable than the main villain.
These characters don’t contribute much.
But do we love them anyway?
YES.
Psychological Diagnosis:
• Too dumb to function, too lucky to fail
• Living their best life despite contributing nothing
• Would absolutely hit the wrong button and launch a missile by accident
Honestly?
If I have to be a sidekick, I’m picking Kronk’s life.
Because at least he gets to cook and hang out with squirrels.
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3. The “I Exist to Be Cute and Sell Toys” Sidekick – “You Will Buy My Plushie, and You Will Love Me”
Examples:
• Scrat (Ice Age) – Does NOTHING for the plot, yet somehow has more screen time than half the cast.
• Puss in Boots (Shrek 2) – The biggest glow-up from “merchandise bait” to “box office legend.”
• Timon & Pumbaa (The Lion King) – Their entire job was to teach Simba how to be lazy. Iconic.
These sidekicks exist for one reason only:
💰 TO PRINT MONEY. 💰
• Scrat? Just a prehistoric squirrel who chases an acorn for five movies.
• Puss in Boots? Became so popular he stole the franchise from Shrek.
• Timon & Pumbaa? Turned “do nothing” into a lifestyle.
These sidekicks don’t need to be useful.
They just need to be adorable enough to sell toys.
And honestly?
It works.
Psychological Diagnosis:
• Master of capitalism
• No real responsibilities, still richer than the main character
• Will outlive the franchise because money talks
Honestly?
If I have to be a sidekick, I’m picking Puss in Boots.
Because at least he got a solo movie.
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4. The “Actually a Ride-or-Die Bestie” Sidekick – “I Will Follow You Into Battle and Probably Die for You”
Examples:
• Samwise Gamgee (Yes, I know this isn’t animated, but he deserves respect.)
• Mushy (Mulan) – Tiny cricket. Gigantic loyalty.
• Appa (Avatar: The Last Airbender) – Literally just Aang’s Uber, but with more emotional weight.
These sidekicks would take a bullet for their hero.
And honestly?
That’s beautiful.
• Mushu? Got demoted from guardian spirit, still stayed loyal.
• Appa? Carried the team LITERALLY.
• Samwise? Basically did Frodo’s job for him.
They aren’t comic relief.
They aren’t merch-bait.
They are the definition of “I got your back.”
And if you don’t appreciate them?
You don’t deserve them.
Psychological Diagnosis:
• Loyal to a fault
• Would absolutely die for their hero
• Deserves way more credit than they actually get
Honestly?
If I need a sidekick, I want an Appa.
Because at least he lets you fly for free.
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Final Thoughts: Sidekicks Are Either Useless or the Real MVPs—There’s No In-Between
At the end of the day, sidekicks are either:
✅ Carrying the entire story on their backs
✅ Dumb comic relief who exist purely for vibes
✅ Shameless cash grabs who made more money than the main character ever will
And honestly?
I respect all of them.
Because if I had to choose between being a stressed-out hero or a carefree sidekick with zero responsibilities…
🔥 I’m choosing sidekick life EVERY TIME. 🔥
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