Happy Friday, everyone! I've been talking a lot about the main characters or love interests of Disney movies, so I think it's time I spread the love to our adorable, hilarious Disney sidekicks. What better way to celebrate the iconic sidekicks than to create a ranking of the top 25?
It's easy to confuse sidekicks with side/supporting characters. There's no official distinction between the two, and there's also no official list of Disney sidekicks like there is for the princesses.
For my ranking, then, I am defining a Disney sidekick with the following criteria:
To follow the dictionary definition of a sidekick, the character is an assistant or close associate to the protagonist, usually with less authority than the protagonist
The character is not the main character, the love interest, the best friend, or the second part of a duo (e.g. Maui to Moana, Pacha to Kuzco, etc.)
The character is not just a side or supporting character (Mike Wazowski, Dory, etc.)
Does not have to be an animal or magical creature, but the Disney sidekick usually is (Note: You'll notice that for most movies, sidekicks are not humans. This isn't to say there are not any (awesome) human sidekicks in Disney movies, but the prototype of the "Disney sidekick" conjures a non-human, usually someone who supplies comedic relief, assistance, or a combination of both
I love a good villain sidekick. But I am going to keep this ranking specific to protagonists. One day, though, I will let Iago, Pain and Panic, and Le Fou battle it out.
A few iconic Disney sidekicks.
Photo from Study Breaks: https://studybreaks.com/tvfilm/disney-sidekicks/
What makes a Disney sidekick a good one? (aka, what am I basing my rankings on?):
How much they contribute to the story
How much their contributions are specific to their character (i.e. could the support they provided have easily been shouldered to a different character?)
Enjoyment of character (humor, creativity, etc.)
My own personal opinions about the character and movie. My favorite movies tend to have my favorite sidekicks. Are they my favorite sidekicks because they are from my favorite movies, or do the sidekicks make the movies my favorite? Did the chicken come before the egg? The world will never know.
Without further ado, here is my ranking of the top 25 Disney sidekicks.
25. Scuttle
Thingamabob? Dinglehopper? Iconic. Scuttle doesn't contribute much else to the movie except for his supposed knowledge of human items, but I will forever refer to objects as thingamabobs because of him.
24. Raymond
Oh, Ray. He's funny, but mostly just sweet with his Evangeline plotline. He doesn't do a whole lot for the story (he guides the heroes, but this is something that easily could have been given to someone else), but his story is very beautiful and sweet.
23. Raja
In a movie that contains Genie, Abu, and Magic Carpet, poor Raja just can't compare. But no one can deny the fierceness and protectiveness of this tiger. Does it make sense for Jasmine to even have a tiger? Absolutely not, but that honestly makes Raja even better.
22. Sven
Olaf steals the show in Frozen when it comes to sidekicks, but this gif of Sven is an instant mood booster.
And what about this one?
And sometimes, we all need Sven to just look at us like this so we can get our act together.
21. Flounder
Flounder is a very cute fish who really doesn't do much except be cute, but since we are suckers for cuteness, he gets away with it.
20. Seven Dwarfs
Do the Seven Dwarfs count as sidekicks? There's too many for them to be classified as side characters, I think, and they don't do much for Snow White's story other than put her in a glass coffin (yes, it is as weird as it sounds). But the Seven Dwarfs contribute some Disney classics, from their iconic "Heigh-Ho" to the relatable Grumpy and the sweet Bashful and Dopey. Some of the dwarfs sort of fall to the background, but collectively, they make up the same vibe for a side character. Props are also given for the seven dwarfs being the first Disney sidekicks, and their success led to the continuation of Disney sidekicks in movies.
19. Rafiki
Such a weird character if we're being honest, but also very creative and iconic. He pretty much tells Simba what to do but then just disappears. But without Rafiki, we would never have this:
18. Dug
Take a dog and make him a sidekick by giving him every stereotypical dog trait that we love? Well of course he's going to be successful. He's a bit too on-the-nose when it comes to normal dog humor, but I think we can forgive that since we get this very quotable clip:
17. Bullseye
One of the only Pixar character to make the list, Bullseye gets bonus points for being lovable and adorable. In a cast of equally-if-not-more lovable and adorable toys, though, Bullseye can't quite stand out. Not many Pixar characters meet my definition of sidekick because I tend to consider them more like side characters, which is why not many make the list. Also, if I relaxed my sidekick criteria, half my list would just be the characters from the Toy Story movies, and that would make a very boring and predictable list.
16. Mrs. Potts
Angela Lansbury. That's it.
Okay, obviously just listening to the voice of Angela Lansbury calms the nerve, but Mrs. Potts' motherly character is wholesome and pure.
15. Mushu
Please don't yell at me for ranking Mushu so low. I love Mushu. I do. "Dishonor on your cow" will forever be an iconic line. But in an action-packed movie of fierce warriors, Mushu didn't quite fit the vibe of the movie for me. And I'm not saying he isn't funny, but I don't find him as funny as other sidekicks.
14. Pumba
When you hear the words "Disney sidekick," Timone and Pumba inevitably come to mind. They check off every sidekick criteria, and Pumba specifically is a joy to watch for kids and adults.
13. Timone
Timone ranks higher than Pumba because of his stellar performance in The Lion King 1 1/2. Fun fact: The Lion King 1 1/2 is actually the The Lion King I grew up on, so much so that I didn't realize that wasn't the same The Lion King that everyone else loved. Yes, I literally thought The Lion King 1 1/2 was the authentic The Lion King until...well...I'll just let you use your imagination.
12. Maximus
Tangled is full of character development, and this extends to our side characters. Maximus is an enjoyable sidekick to watch, especially because he begins the movie as a minor antagonist and ends up saving the day. And even when he is against our protagonists, Maximus is still pretty iconic.
11. Pascal
That being said, as funny and fierce as Maximus is, there is really no competition when it comes to our little frog (I mean chameleon). Cute and squeaky, Pascal manages to be both adorable and sassy. I mean, I would definitely want Pascal to beat up someone for me.
Or tell me that I need to "chill out":
Or really just keep an eye out for mischief.
10. Chip
Cute! Really, I could just leave it at that. Plenty of sidekicks are cute, but Chip embodies a whole new level of cuteness, which is especially impressive considering he is a teacup (or does that just make him cuter?) And before anyone tries to say that he doesn't contribute anything to the story, need I remind you that Chip basically saved everyone in the end:
Skip to 2:24 to see Chip as the real hero of the story.
9. Tinkerbell
Up until the end when she saves Peter Pan's life, Tinker Bell does next to nothing for our protagonists. Yet, she has remained an important part of the Disney brand. Why do we love the sassy, tiny fairy? Why is she one of the most common Disney characters to be featured on merchandise? And why does she have a spinoff movie series that COMPLETELY GOES AGAINST HER ENTIRE CHARACTER IN PETER PAN? (I'm not mad about this; I just think it's hilarious that we let this happen and were just like yeah, ok, that's fine). Anyway, there's something about the quiet, sassy fairy that just sticks with us. Tinkerbell gets tons of bonus points just for that.
8. Sebastian
I wonder if Sebastian's crustacean back hurts from carrying the entire movie on his shoulders.
Kidding.
Ursula helps.
In all seriousness, the sidekicks and villains in The Little Mermaid, along with the astounding music, make it successful. With two iconic songs under his belt, Sebastian contributes a lot to the story. and I am always here for a sassy or sarcastic sidekick.
7. Olaf
Oh, Olaf. When Frozen catapulted to success, he was one of the many stars of the show for both kids and adults. Iconic, adorable, and hilarious, Olaf is another sidekick that is just fun to watch. His character is a tad on-the-nose in that he is obviously there for the kids; yet, he still manages to make everyone smile.
6. Baymax
I mentioned in my mega marathon Disney post that Baymax is an instant mood-booster, and watching any compilation of Baymax's funniest moments is the best way to cheer yourself up. Baymax provides comedian relief, but his kindness, support, and assistance to Hiro's journey make him the most wholesome Disney character out there.
5. Cogswroth
Cosworth gets major bonus points for the iconic "promises you don't intend to keep" line:
We all want to root for a grumpy yet lovable sidekick, but Cogsworth's real charm comes from his bickering with his foil...
4. Lumiere
Just like we all love a grumpy sidekick, we also love a rebellious and sassy one. Like Cogswroth, Lumiere is nothing without his (reluctant) partner in crime, but he is ranked higher because of the masterpiece that is "Be Our Guest."
3. Abu
We are all secretly Abu. We wish we were Aladdin, or Jasmine, or the Genie, or even Magic Carpet, but we are actually all Abu: making fun of Aladdin for getting into a relationship, loving food, and being adorable (ok maybe we aren't all the adorable part, but we can hope).
2. Magic Carpet
The genius that is the animation of Magic Carper: we literally can always tell what "emotion" the carpet is feeling. It's just a rectangle with 4 small tassels! Incredible.
Anyway, Magic Carpet saves Aladdin's life multiple times, and he helps Aladdin take Jasmine on arguably the best first date ever. It's going to take a lot to top this one...
1. Genie
Surprise: the number one sidekick listed on "Genie Lamp of Stories" is Genie! Listen, you will never convince me that Genie isn't the best sidekick out there. Robin Williams essentially created the character because he improvised over 16 hours of material for the movie. The genie is hilarious, supportive, and literally the only reason Aladdin succeeds (or at least a very big reason why). Authentic, creative, and original, the Genie is a main reason why Aladdin is my favorite movie. I doubt that any future Disney movie will be able to top him.
How much do you agree (or disagree) with my rankings? Did any of your favorites not make the list? Send me a message or drop a comment below.
Until later, have courage and be kind.
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