Today I would like to hear about your favorite loyal sidekick, and no please don't ask me anything about pro sports from last night. I'm not too torn up about the Vikings loss, but the Braves losing to the Giants and thus ending the wonderful career of Bobby Cox is pretty sad.
Anyway, let's move on to more literary pursuits.
Who is your very favorite loyal sidekick? You can choose someone from literature if you like, but I'll allow film and TV as well, after all, those are just other ways of telling stories. You can select a courageous warrior, or a cunning wizard. You can pick a steadfast friend or a loyal pet. Or you can pick an irritating but hilarious dirt eating dwarf like Mulch Diggums from Artemis Fowl. No he's not the main sidekick, but he is fun as hell to read about.
You probably won't be that surprised to hear who my favorites sidekick is. If you know me well you know that I am an absolute fanatic for all things Tolkien and Middle Earth. Can you guess where I am going with this? That's right.
Samwise Gamgee.
Has there ever been a more loyal, courageous, humble, and un-assuming hero? Yeah, sure, Frodo is the one who bears the real burden and the one who endures the agonizing weight of The Ring as it weighs upon his mind, but in the end [SPOILER ALERT] it's Sam who puts Frodo on his back and carries him up the slopes of Mount Doom and into the bowels of Mordor.
What a brave little fellow. I'm not afraid to admit the Mount Doom scene makes me cry every time. There are a lot of literary theories about Sam and Frodo's relationship being an allegory for the relationship between an officer and his sergeant in the British armed forces, and they are very interesting, but I won't go into them here.
Who is your very favorite loyal sidekick?
27 comments:
Milo and Otis! :o) they are both kinda each others' sidekicks. You ever seen it? It's so cute!
Hmm....Dr. Gregory House because I now believe I can make it in the medical field.
I'd say R2-D2 & C-3P0, Damn funny, sometimes cluless, sometimes more insightful than the humans. I often thought that they were a SciFi version of elves or drawfs :)
honestly, I've no idea. Maybe Dr. Watson. I generally prefer sidekicks to the heroes when they are calmer and more balanced than the overly aggressive or impulsive protagonist :)
Probably Willow and Zander from Buffy. Love the whole group!
I totally agree! Samwise Gamgee has always been my fave as well. I mean, he carries the whole story. You don't realize it unless you really think about it, but Sam is the sturdy rock, the foundation which gives Frodo the strength he needs. Frodo never would've made it without Sam... but Frodo gets all the credit.
The cool thing is that Sam doesn't even want the credit. He just wants to be a good friend.
I even named my son Sam. :)
awe. yeah, that was a good scene. I love watching a bond between 'friends'- like as strong as family. That always 'awes' me because I've had very few of those in my life...anywhoo- favorite loyal side kick off the top of my head would be agent booth to dr. brennan on BONES:)
I'll cheat and say Orcbait from my own book. He's old and mute with only a few stumpy black teeth and he keeps getting pieces hacked off his body, yet he maintains a steadyfast good nature and is the biggest hero in the end.
Oh Sam gets my vote, hands down. Truly, if it weren't for Sam, Frodo would not have made it. He is the unsung TRUE hero of LotR.
Other favorties? Thing One and Thing Two from the Cat in the Hat. Absolutely adore them! (My cousin and I were called...can you guess? Thing One and Thing Two.)
I like Little John in the Disney animated version of Robin Hood. That bear was hilarious, could totally kick butt, and wasn't afraid to dress in drag.
I also get a big kick out of Mack from John Steinbeck's Cannery Row...nothing funnier than a clever drunk, I say.
For kiddie lit, those dogs in Where the Red Fern Grows were about as loyal as they come.
Definitely Samwise Gamgee! I always cry at the end when Frodo goes away and Sam is just heartbroken.
Ron Weasley is another good one, although he disappointed me a tad in the final book.
And Tasey (from Paranormalcy)! Seriously. What other inanimate objects have been endowed with such life and vitality?
I know this is totally unoriginal, but yeah, I have to say Samwise Gamgee. "Frodo wouldn't have gotten very far without Sam."
Ooo!! Ooo!! I'm going with Hermoine Granger & Ronald Weasley in Harry Potter. They are loyal friends, there are moments where as a friend you question how destructive you'll let someone go before you leave, however they all pulled through in the end.
After all, no one is 100% loyal, there is always a moment of weakness!
Great post!
Like Jessica, I love Milo and Otis. We watch that with the kids once a month or so. Minnie Me was a great sidekick. Not only was he loyal, he dressed like his master.
Stephen Tremp
Definitely Arthur from The Tick. SPOON!
Absolutely agree with Sam. He's at the top of my list.
Other picks:
- Chewbacca to Han from Star Wars
- Mr. Watson to Sherlock Holmes
- The Hardy Boys to Nancy Drew (that's right - she ran the show!)
- Donkey to Shrek
- Fezzik to Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride
You took the best one!! :)
I can't think of any literary ones off the top of my head right now, but I'm a big fan of Riley from the National Treasure movies. Never enough credit, poor guy. :(
Dr Watson! And Sgt Lewis (Of Colin Dexter's Morse series).
:-)
Take care
x
I don’t know. Hum. I want to repeat what’s already been said so I’ll go with …Donna to Dr. Who.
Oh. Sam. Lil fello stole my heart, he's so amazing. And has a fantastic name too. I just love the way it rolls off your tongue.
I'm gonna have to go with Chewbacca though.
pfft. Uncle Iroh, natch~
Samwise is a great choice! I was thinking that as I was reading the beginning of your post.
Otherwise I'd say Watson in the latest Sherlock Holmes movie with Robert Downey Jr.
Hmm. I like Chip from Beauty and the Beast...Oh, and Flounder from The Little Mermaid. They are both small and kind of shy...but loyal, and a little bit gutsy. Got to admire toughness like that in tiny packages. :)
Dr. Watson is the first one who came to mind, but I'd also have to give a shout-out to Snoopy's Woodstock.
Mr. Bingley from Pride and Prejudice... does he count?
LOL :)
Sam has to be #1 - he's awesome! I also like R2D2, all of the dragons in the Pern series and Amanda Beale in Maniac Magee! :)
Absolutely Sam. He is the best and most loyal friend in the history of ever.
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