Top 50 Animal Sidekicks

[Johnny Unusual]

The last tie of the list!

12 (tie)
Votes: 3 Points: 69 Highest vote: 6 (@jpfriction )
Jake the Dog

The stretchiest companion! Jake is a shapeshifting dog and he and Finn were raised together. Jake shapeshifts to pick locks, fight and really just do whatever he feels like doing at that moment. He's got a bit of greediness and laziness to him but is still a heartwarming companion to his adopted brother.

He's also oddly good at skateboarding and cooking as @jpfriction noted:

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Jake was lower on my list because he's less sidekick... most of the time. Usually he's more co-lead. But he's also such a chill guy, he often will intentionally take on that role for the sake of his brother Finn. In a lot of ways, he's pretty flakey and at times has occasionally proved a little less than reliable (due to him being easily distracted or his laid back attitude being TOO laid back for a dire situation) but most of the time he's a friend you can trust. And also, THIS GUY GETS IT.

 

[Kirin]

Had both Jake and Toto on my list; they're very different characters but they're both very good doggoes.

 

[Violentvixen]

11
Votes: 3 Points: 76 Highest vote: 1 (@jpfriction )
Hobbes

Named after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes, this tiger is a counterpoint to just about everything about Calvin (also named after a philosopher, John Calvin). Creator Bill Watterson made a point of never clearly answering the question of if Hobbes is a magical stuffed animal that comes to life when Calvin is around or if it's all in Calvin's imagination. But it really doesn't matter because the adventures and conversations these two have are wonderful, powerful and iconic.

@jpfriction :

No surprises here. I can think of few pieces of media that shaped young me more than this comic strip, although I was certainly more of a Calvin than his thoughtful, homicidal counterpart.

Also I'm mad at myself for missing Hobbes on my list. Can't believe I forgot him.

 

[jpfriction]

Wow, thought Hobbes was a lock for the top 3. Keep forgetting how old I am.

 

[Issun]

I can't believe I didn't think of Hobbes. Possibly because I just don't think of him as a sidekick, even though he technically is.

 

[Violentvixen]

Wow, thought Hobbes was a lock for the top 3. Keep forgetting how old I am.

I can't believe I didn't think of Hobbes. Possibly because I just don't think of him as a sidekick, even though he technically is.

Yeah, I have a feeling the main reason Hobbes didn't make the top 3 is the vague division between deuteroganist and sidekick rather than the age of the material.

And I'm sure someone else is like me and just forgot.

 

[Kirin]

Had Hobbes on my list, in the middle 'cause I figured they were a shoo-in anyway, heh.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Yeah, I have a feeling the main reason Hobbes didn't make the top 3 is the vague division between deuteroganist and sidekick rather than the age of the material.

He was on my list but low for the same character: better character than some of the characters on my list but less of a sidekick.

 

[WildcatJF]

Hobbes would have been high on my list, but I didn't get sidekick vibes from him. He feels like a co-lead to me, haha. Excellent character all the same!

 

[Adrenaline]

Hobbes only got a single (first place) vote when I ran a general sidekick list. He's a co-lead.

 

[Violentvixen]

10
Votes: 4 Points: 80 Highest vote: 10 (@Johnny Unusual
Lockjaw

This good dog has been a sidekick to many Marvel characters, some for only a few adventures and others for quite a while. I will note that I merged general Marvel sidekick votes with specific ones for Ms Marvel in the list.

Lockjaw is a part of the Inhuman Royal Family and after being exposed to mists as a puppy gained all sorts of powers. The best known is his teleportation which allows him to save people, pop and in out as needed and, well, advance the plot? While overall helpful it's pretty clear Lockjaw has to want to help you as he won't teleport just anyone. While always larger than a typical Earth dog his size does seem to reach the size of a small car in some stories, and his jaws are indeed powerful, the name Lockjaw is because he can bite down on and chew through a lot of things a a normal dog can't!

Finally, I'll note that I don't read as many comics as a lot of people on here so please chime in with more detail, I'm sure there's alternate timeline/dimension/etc stories that are fun too.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Yeah for a good while they made Lockjaw Ms. Marvel's sidekick in a movie that can only be called "correct."

He's also the leader of the "Pet Avengers" in a series of non-canonical comics (though for fun I think they made the team itself canonical, even if their own series isn't).

But really, you kind of got it. He's a really really good boy.

I will also say the biggest crime of having an Inhumans TV show no one liked meant Lockjaw had to be in it and not, you know, in a good Marvel thing.

 

[Violentvixen]

I will also say the biggest crime of having an Inhumans TV show no one liked meant Lockjaw had to be in it and not, you know, in a good Marvel thing.

While I was making that post I came across that show and was surprised I hadn't heard a dang thing about it.

Posts will resume next week, I have my N5 exam Sunday and want to focus on studying and have to travel to take it. But we're closing in on the last few!