How to Write an Unforgettable Sidekick
Every great hero needs a great sidekick. Think of Samwise Gamgee carrying Frodo up Mount Doom, or Dr. Watson chronicling Sherlock Holmes’ brilliant deductions. A strong sidekick can elevate your protagonist, enhance your story, and create relationships readers care deeply about. But writing a memorable sidekick isn't just about comic relief or someone to ask the hero questions. It’s about crafting a fully fleshed-out character who plays a key role in your story. Here’s how to do it.
1. Give Them Their Own Goals and Personality
A sidekick shouldn’t exist just to serve the hero’s journey. They should have their own desires, fears, backstory, and growth arc. Consider Ron and Hermione in Harry Potter. Hermione wants academic recognition and justice; Ron struggles with insecurity and family expectations. They each have their own paths, which makes them feel real and relatable.
When creating your sidekick, ask yourself:
What motivates them?
What are they afraid of?
What do they want that has nothing to do with the hero?
These questions will help you build a layered character readers can root for in their own right.
2. Make Them Complement the Hero
Sidekicks often bring balance to the main character. Where the hero might be impulsive, the sidekick could be cautious. If the hero is stoic, the sidekick might bring humor or heart. Think of Grover in Percy Jackson. Percy is brave but can be reckless, while Grover provides grounding, empathy, and a different kind of bravery.
This contrast can be the source of rich banter, conflict, and loyalty. Opposites don’t just attract—they sharpen each other. Your sidekick should challenge the hero at times, not just nod along. Their differences make both characters stronger.
3. Give Them a Skill the Hero Doesn’t Have
A sidekick should be useful, not just decorative. Give them a talent or knowledge base that helps solve problems the hero can’t. In The Hunger Games, Peeta has social charm, emotional intelligence, and strategy—things Katniss often struggles with. His skills don’t just aid her; they deepen the stakes and provide meaningful contributions to their shared journey.
Ask yourself:
What is this character good at?
How do their strengths offset the hero’s weaknesses?
When the sidekick saves the day, it shouldn’t feel like a fluke—it should feel earned.
4. Let Them Grow
The sidekick shouldn’t be static while the hero evolves. Let them change, make mistakes, and experience their own arc. Samwise begins The Lord of the Rings as a humble gardener afraid of leaving home. By the end, he’s shown more courage and moral strength than many warriors.
Give your sidekick the space to struggle. Maybe they doubt the hero, get tempted by the villain, or question their own purpose. This kind of depth keeps readers emotionally invested.
5. Don’t Be Afraid of Conflict
The best sidekicks don’t always agree with the protagonist. Conflict between allies adds tension and realism. Consider the emotional blow-ups between Frodo and Sam, or Ron’s jealousy toward Harry. Those moments hurt because we care, and they make reconciliation even sweeter.
Conflict also allows the sidekick to have their own beliefs and moral compass. They’re not just there to say "you’re right." They bring perspective and push the hero to grow.
6. Use Humor (But Don't Rely on It)
Many sidekicks offer comic relief, and that’s great! Humor makes stories more human and helps break up tension. But don’t let the character become a one-note joke machine. The best funny sidekicks—like K-2SO in Rogue One or Sokka in Avatar: The Last Airbender—also have depth, fears, and growth.
Let your sidekick be funny and meaningful. Humor is often most effective when it comes from a real place: anxiety, awkwardness, or just seeing the world differently.
7. Give Them a Relationship with the Hero
The heart of many great stories lies in the bond between the protagonist and their sidekick. Whether it’s brotherly, romantic, antagonistic, or a mix of all three, this dynamic can carry your novel. Build their relationship through shared experiences, emotional vulnerability, and mutual trust (or betrayal).
8. Don’t Make Them Perfect
Flaws make characters interesting. Maybe your sidekick is a coward, a show-off, or overly stubborn. These flaws can be funny, touching, or sources of serious conflict. What matters is that they feel authentic.
Perfection is boring. Let them fail, learn, and get back up. That’s what makes characters unforgettable.
Final Thoughts
Sidekicks aren’t just support beams for your protagonist. They’re characters in their own right, capable of stealing scenes, breaking hearts, and becoming reader favorites. When you give them agency, personality, and purpose, they stop being side characters and become essential parts of your story’s soul.
So when you sit down to write your next novel, ask yourself: who’s standing beside your hero? And why can’t we stop thinking about them?
Happy writing!