Sidekicks

[pbray]

Next week I'll be giving my guest lecture at the 2009 Odyssey Workshop.. My topic is on characterization, specifically the hero/sidekick relationship in fantasy. I've been working on my talk for the past couple of weeks (so far I've resisted putting together Powerpoint slides, but given my corporate training I may inevitably succumb.)

I'll be starting the discussion with examples of sidekicks, and have come up with some of my favorites:

Gilgamesh / Enkidu (gotta love the classics)
Frodo / Sam
Holmes / Watson
Spenser / Hawk (Robert B. Parker series)
Batman / Robin (or Batman / Alfred, depending on which universe/version)
Dr. Who / Companion
Devlin / Stephen (as the author I know what I was trying to do with this one)

So, any suggestions? Favorite hero / sidekick pairings I should be sure not to overlook? Fantasy works best, but I'm open to all genres/mediums.

Comments

[sylvia-rachel.livejournal.com]

How about Puddleglum as Jill and Eustace's sidekick in The Silver Chair?

The Tick and Arthur?

Do the sidekicks have to be, like, people? Because the fantasy genre is full of animal sidekicks (I'm thinking particularly of Tamora Pierce's Tortall books here...).

[jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there should probably be a whole subclass of "animal companions as sidekicks".

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Yup, already have notes on animal companions as sidekicks.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks.