Don Quixote and Sancho Panza unsuccessfully confront windmills. es '''''Don Quixote''''' (, see spelling and pronunciation below fully titled es '''''El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha''''' ("The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Sancho Panza is a Fictional character in the novel Don Quixote written by Spanish author Don Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra in A windmill is a machine that is powered by the energy of the wind By Gustave Doré

A sidekick is a stock character, a close companion who assists a partner in a superior position. A stock character is one which relies heavily on cultural types or names for his or her personality manner of speech and other characteristics Sancho Panza in Don Quixote, Doctor Watson in Sherlock Holmes and Batman's companion Robin are some well-known sidekicks. Sancho Panza is a Fictional character in the novel Don Quixote written by Spanish author Don Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra in es '''''Don Quixote''''' (, see spelling and pronunciation below fully titled es '''''El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha''''' ("The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who first appeared in Publication in 1887 Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created Robin (also referred to as The Boy Wonder) is the name of several Fictional characters appearing in Comic books published by DC Comics, originally

Origins

The origin of the term comes from pickpocket slang of the late 19th and early 20th century. This article is about the crime For the Robert Bresson film see Pickpocket (film. The "kick" is the front side pocket of a pair of trousers, and was found to be the pocket safest from theft. Thus the "side-kick" became an inseparable companion. As well the companion also helps the main character whenever they need it. ([1] [2] [3])

Use in Fiction

In fiction, the term sidekick most commonly refers to assistants to heroes, usually in a crime-fighting capacity. Fiction is the telling of stories which are not real More specifically fiction is an imaginative form of Narrative, one of the four basic Rhetorical modes. The sidekick has the literary function of playing against the hero, often contrasting in skill, or performing functions not suited to the hero. By asking questions of the hero, or giving the hero someone to talk to, the sidekick provides an opportunity for the author to provide exposition.

Function of the Sidekick

Those functions may include comic relief. The comedy relief sidekick was a common feature in westerns, where Fuzzy Knight, Al "Fuzzy" St. John, Smiley Burnette and Andy Devine had longer careers than some of the heroic singing cowboys for whom they took pratfalls. Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character or scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work often to relieve tension The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. John Forrest "Fuzzy" Knight ( 9 May, 1901 &ndash 23 February, 1976) was an American film actor Al St John ( September 10, 1893 - January 21, 1963) in his persona of Fuzzy Q Lester Alvin (Smiley Burnette ( March 18, 1911 &ndash February 16, 1967) an American singer-songwriter who could play as many as Andrew Vabre "Andy" Devine ( October 7, 1905 - February 18, 1977) was a rotund raspy-voiced American Character actor In science fiction a subtype of sidekick has been established—namely, the alien sidekick. The Alien sidekick is a character developed in Science fiction Literature and Motion pictures.

It may also be argued that the comedy sidekick's apparent stupidity makes a non-intellectual hero look intelligent. An openly flamboyant effeminate sidekick may make a non imposing hero look more masculine. A strong, silent and modest hero may have his fighting qualities revealed to the other characters and the audience by a talkative sidekick.

Hero Sidekicks not only provide comic relief but can occasionally be brave or resourceful at times and rescue the hero from some dire fate: such as Streaky the Supercat of Krypto the Superdog or Festus Haggen of Gunsmoke's Matt Dillon. Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character or scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work often to relieve tension Streaky the Supercat is a Fictional character published by DC Comics. This article is about the animated series for the character see Krypto. Festus Haggen was Marshal Matt Dillon 's only official deputy on the CBS television series Gunsmoke. Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston Marshal Matt Dillon is a fictional character featured on both the Radio and Television versions of Gunsmoke.

Sidekicks also frequently serve as an emotional connection, especially when the hero is depicted as detached and distant, traits which would normally generate difficulty in making the hero likable. The sidekick is often the confidant who knows the main character better than anyone else and gives a convincing reason to like the hero. Although Sherlock Holmes was admittedly a difficult man to know, the friendship of Dr. Watson convinces the reader that Holmes is a good person.

While many sidekicks are used for comic relief, there are other sidekicks who are less outrageous than the heroes they pledge themselves to, and comedy derived from the hero can often be amplified by the presence or reaction of the sidekick. Examples include Porky Pig, who was more sensible and calmer than Daffy Duck in later short films; Sancho Panza is more rational than his master, Don Quixote. Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros Daffy Duck is an Animated cartoon character in the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of es '''''Don Quixote''''' (, see spelling and pronunciation below fully titled es '''''El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha''''' ("The Ingenious Hidalgo Don

Conversations with the sidekick reveal plot narrative devices to the audience in the form of conversation, thus the sidekick can have the same role as a Greek chorus. The Greek chorus ( choros) is believed to have grown out of the Greek Dithyrambs and Tragikon drama in tragic plays of the ancient

Comparisons

A villain's supporters are normally called henchmen, minions, or lackeys, not sidekicks. The word henchman (Germanic irregular plural hench men) referred originally to one who attended on a horse that is a Horse groom. While this is partially a convention in terminology, it also reflects that few villains are capable of bonds of friendship and loyalty, which are normal in the relationship between a hero and sidekick.

In television

Many tv shows make use of a sidekick - a co-host who anchors an entertainment show together with the main star. Examples of this can be seen in Live with Regis and Kelly where Kelly Ripa plays a supporting role to the more likable veteran anchor Regis Philbin

See also

• Foil (literature)

References

External links

• Sidekicks are second bananas no more