10 Disney Sidekicks That Are Better Than The Main Character

10 Disney Sidekicks That Are Better Than The Main Character

Sidekicks are integral to Disney animated movies, but more often than not, they are even more beloved than the main hero. Take a look!

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Disney animated films almost always have fabulous main characters. But sometimes these main heroes can be outshined by the characters standing right next to them. Viewers may often prefer the sidekick character when watching the film, which can be for a variety of reasons, be it that the sidekick is funnier, has a better character arc, or is just more relatable.

Either way, every sidekick character in Disney is great, and they are all perfectly compatible with their film’s main heroes. But a few secondary characters stand out in just how much better they are than the protagonist.

10 The Genie – Aladdin (1992)

No one who watches Aladdin will ever forget the amazing performance by the late, great, Robin Williams. His Genie is incredibly iconic. From the consistently funny references and jokes he makes and his bright blue appearance to his killer song “Freind Like Me,” the Genie is incredible every moment that he is on screen.

Furthermore, his role as the sidekick is bigger than just being a supporting role for Aladdin. The Genie’s dream of being freed directly ties into Aladdin’s character arc, and the two are not afraid to argue with one another, showing that they are on equal footing as characters.

9 Lumiere & Cogsworth – Beauty And The Beast (1991)

Lumiere and Cogsworth are a great sidekick duo because they have such contrasting personalities. The pair are constantly at odds with one another, which leads to some great comedic moments, and a legitimately heartfelt scene when they both save each other during the film’s final battle.

While the pair’s existence is different from the original historical story of Beauty and the Beast, they manage to reflect its themes in a similar way to Belle and the Beast, since Cogsworth and Lumiere’s relationship is all about overcoming their preconceived notions about each other and opening their hearts to one another. And they manage to do this while being incredibly funny, which arguably makes them a better pair.

8 Mushu – Mulan (1998)

Mushu, played by the incredible Eddie Murphy, is an extremely funny character. He provides most of the humor in the film, for who can forget his hilarious rant of “Dishonor on you, dishonor on your cow!”

He provides great support for Mulan throughout the film since he is her spiritual guardian. Every action he takes leads to Mulan growing as a character, such as when he sets off a firework in the mountain scene, which leads to her brilliant plan for defeating the Huns. This makes him a great sidekick, as he is often the one driving the plot, and he does this hilariously.

7 Sebastian – The Little Mermaid (1989)

Sebastian is a true Capricorn on the zodiac wheel and is somewhat of a grump. As Ariel’s guardian, he constantly has to put up with her schemes, and audiences love watching him panic while attempting to keep all of this chaos from King Triton. This panic leads to him having some great funny moments, even more so than Ariel.

Sebastian also has a great voice, and sings two of the best songs from the movie, “Kiss the Girl” and “Under the Sea.” “Kiss the Girl” showcases how smart Sebastian is, as he is able to manipulate a situation to Ariel’s advantage, so he clearly makes a good impact as a sidekick, even if he does so unwillingly.

6 Timon & Pumbaa – The Lion King (1994)

Apparently, these sidekicks were so beloved by fans, that they were given their own spin-off movie, The Lion King 1 1/2, and their own series, Timon & Pumbaa. They arguably made a bigger impression than the main character of Simba, mainly due to their numerous quotes that live in fans’ heads, rent-free.

The pair burst on-screen during Simba’s lowest point, which adds some well-needed humor after one of the saddest moments in Disney history: Mufasa’s death. They help Simba get back on his feet, and later on, they help him reclaim the Pride Lands. The two learn to be less lazy and irresponsible, but not so much that they stop being funny.

5 Timothy Q. Mouse – Dumbo (1941)

Since Dumbo doesn’t speak in the film, and his sidekick Timothy does, Timothy ends up being slightly more recognizable. Timothy kind of acts like an older brother to Dumbo, and it is very endearing to watch. He and Dumbo build a very touching relationship with one another after Timothy saves Dumbo from some bullies, which is funny considering that elephants are usually scared of mice.

In comparison to Dumbo’s silent sweetness, Timothy is scrappy and headstrong, and he does his best to help Dumbo out of whatever horrible situation he has been forced into. This makes Timothy more of an active character than Dumbo, as he is consistently the one that saves the day.

4 Flora, Fauna, & Merryweather – Sleeping Beauty (1959)

As beautiful as Aurora is, she isn’t the most memorable Disney princess. So it is good that she has the three Good Fairies: Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, to surround herself with. The three fairies are very memorable for their color schemes and differing personalities. No viewer will forget the iconic dress changing color scene, and that moment is thanks to these three characters.

The three act as Aurora’s guardians and protect her for as long as they can from her curse. While Aurora is stuck asleep, the fairies take part in one of Disney’s most epic animated fights against the evil Maleficent, so they have much more of an active role in the story than the main character does.

3 Baloo – The Jungle Book (1967)

Mowgli, despite being the main character, is more an audience surrogate, which leads to him not doing much of his own volition. Baloo, on the other hand, gets to grow as a character. He comes up with crazy schemes, fights off Shere Khan, and overcomes his preconceived philosophy of living life lazily in order to save Mowgli since he has grown to truly care about other people.

Furthermore, he is a very funny character and has incredibly iconic moments, such as when he dresses up in the song, “I Wanna Be Like You.” And when he sings the classic song, “The Bare Necessities,” it’s definitely a moment when viewers wished they could be a Disney character.

2 Baymax – Big Hero 6 (2014)

Baymax is incredibly good as a sidekick because he is intrinsic to the healing of the main character, Hiro. The film deals with grief and Baymax shows how important it is to move on from such sad events by orchestrating the most emotional moment in the film: the “Tadashi is here” scene.

Baymax is also one of the few sidekicks who initially appears to die at the end of the film, which left viewers weeping for this amazing character. This only further explored the film’s theme of grief, making Baymax the central character to that theme. Furthermore, Baymax manages to do all of these things while being both adorable and hilarious. He is truly a loveable sidekick.

1 Maximus – Tangled (2010)

Maximus is one of the few Disney sidekicks that doesn’t talk, but he has so much personality that he doesn’t need to. He manages to be incredibly memorable, even more so than Rapunzel. Maximus is a police horse that is chasing after Flynn Rider, but once he runs into Ryder, who is helping Rapunzel, he gets roped into their adventure. The rivalry Maximus has with Ryder is hilarious, as Maximus almost acts like the terminator.

He goes through a little character arc of his own, just like the main characters do. He turns from a cold police horse into a kind and open-minded accomplice to Flynn Rider when they both wish to save Rapunzel.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/disney-sidekicks-better-than-main-character/

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