17 Disney Sidekicks More Charismatic Than The Main Characters
While the hero’s journey in a Disney or Pixar movie is generally the most important part of a film, a good sidekick is a close second. These lovable characters are always by their hero’s side and often influence their actions and decisions. If anything, they deserve just as much attention.
Due to love of these side characters, fans create theories or find new details they never noticed before with each rewatch. Many of our favorite sidekicks - from furry friends or inanimate objects coming to life to humans with an extra zing in their soul - can even be more charismatic than the Disney protagonist themselves! So, grab a screen and turn your attention to the real stars of our favorite Disney and Pixar movies.
- 178 VOTES
When viewers watch Tangled, they’re getting a lot more than a magical princess locked away in a tower - they get a righteous horse who believes he’s always right. Due to his past as a former palace horse who served the Corona Guard, Maximus’ hatred of the crook Flynn Rider adds a lot of comedy to the movie, such as when he kicks Flynn in the stomach.
Though many people often think of Pascal the chameleon and Maximus as a package deal, Maximus’ reluctant acceptance to be a sidekick makes him stand out more. The horse’s soft heart for Rapunzel leads to a truce with Flynn that helps him save the day!
- 274 VOTES
Though Sven isn’t actually a talking reindeer, he does dance along to the fun song “Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People” in Frozen. He’s also Kristoff’s only companion, sticking by the young boy until adulthood, when he meets the princess of Arendelle.
Though he comes off as aloof, Sven’s very brave. He helps Anna save her sister and the kingdom of Arendelle from both an eternal winter and the evil, scheming Hans. He definitely deserves all the carrots, as long as they aren’t Olaf’s nose…
- 359 VOTES
Early on in Big Hero 6, orphaned robotics prodigy Hiro is happy to find Baymax, a robot his older brother Tadashi had built before his gut-wrenching end. The big marshmallow is meant to revolutionize healthcare around the world, something evident by how it helps Hiro work through his grief.
Baymax quickly becomes Hiro’s friend and savior when Hiro discovers his microbots were swiped. With some upgrades, Baymax sacrifices himself to help Hiro and his friends save the world. Luckily, Hiro can save Baymax by rebooting the original program Tadashi created. The two are like brothers by the end of the movie.
- 484 VOTES
Despite the expectation that a woman should marry, Mulan sneaks off with her father’s armor to join the army and protect him. What she doesn’t expect is to find a sidekick in a dragon with ulterior motives.
Mushu’s goal to become a guardian again fuels his impulsive decisions in the movie. His unhelpful advice on how to be a man and slimy actions lead to some funny moments. However, as Mulan progresses, Mushu begins to care for Mulan and ultimately helps her save China. On the plus side, his actions allow him to be recognized as a guardian again.
- 563 VOTES
Aladdin and his cheeky monkey pal Abu get up to a lot of mischief before the orphaned street rat becomes enamored with the princess of Agrabah in the 1992 classic. Abu’s somewhat greedy, like when he can’t resist touching the gem in the Cave of Wonders or when he tries to nab Jasmine’s bracelet, and his actions often get Aladdin into trouble.
What many don’t realize is that Abu has a soft side. He gives up the bread to the orphans at the beginning of the film after he sees Aladdin do it first. Most importantly, Abu is very loyal to Aladdin and eventually Jasmine - despite the monkey’s initial fear she’d swipe Aladdin away - by the movie's end. He remains by their side when Aladdin and Jasmine get married.
- 660 VOTES
Though he’s a superhero who stands on his own, Mr. Incredible’s best friend Frozone can be considered a type of sidekick. Like all superheroes had to do when they were banned, Frozone settled into a normal life with his hilariously sweet wife.
When Mr. Incredible and his family run into trouble, though, he remains cool in the heat of the battle (pun intended). His icy abilities help the Incredible family defeat Syndrome and restore the superheroes’ good status in the country. And don't even get us started on the sequel.