Evolution of a Sidekick

Evolution of a sidekick:

Tag-a-longs, third-wheel, odd-man-out, excess baggage, friend, partner, companion; whatever you call them, sidekicks are the staple of storytelling. 

The history of sidekicks finds its root, like many stories do, in mythology and religion.  When Moses went to Pharaoh, he brought his brother Aaron along.  Moses complained often of being slow of speech and tongue, so when the time came to prove to Pharaoh whose God was the stronger, Moses had Aaron acting as his mouth, his hands and his go-between.  In this function, Aaron may have well qualified as the worlds first recorded sidekick.  He was, as many sidekicks to follow,  someone who filled in the short comings of his superior.

The sidekick evolved into a separate being who didnt need the direction of the hero to take action.  In Greek mythology, Heracles, in order to gain forgiveness of past crimes, was bid to perform several feats.  One of these feats was to kill the hydra.  The only problem for Heracles, who had the gift of brute strength but not of any apparent great wisdom, was whenever he chopped one of the hydras heads, two more would appear in its place.  Fortunately for Heracles, he had brought along Iolaus, his nephew, who seeing the difficulty multiplying by his uncles actions, decided to take action.  Iolaus took a torch and each time Heracles would chop off a head of the hydra, Iolaus would burn the end, so that no other could grow. 

As stories evolved, heros became more complex and so did sidekicks.  Their roles expanded from a simple helper to a vital tie from the reader to the hero.   

In Cervantes Don Quixote, Sancho Paza not only reminds Quixote of reality, even while he will not listen, but he continues to serve him and give him some small attachment to the real world.  Sidekicks like Sancho, Robin in Batman and Tanto in the Lone Ranger served as the ears and eyes  someone who was dependable, less abrasive and more apt to melt into society without being noticed as well as someone who could perform the more menial tasks that the were too below the hero.  In this function the sidekick is more like we are  an average Joe  and a link from hero to reader, as well as from hero to reality (especially in Don Quixotes case). 

With the evolution sidekick also came the decision of how best to deal with difficult situations; humor.  Unfortunately for the sidekick, though perhaps fortunate for the reader, it has meant that the sidekick has had to endure what an author was not willing to put his hero through.  Slap-stick and physical comedy became as much a part of sidekick culture as the clever  one liners that were on the edge of every readers and viewer loves.

Ron Weasley, the comedic companion of Harry Potter in JK Rowlings popular series with the same name, is the character who endures such humiliations as vomiting slugs and regularly suggests (as if voicing the readers mind): Lets get out of here!  In the movies his character provides immeasurable comic relief in physical and verbal humor.  But Rons most valuable function is the sidekicks most basic function  a tie from reader to hero.  Not many of us can relate to being a world famous boy wizard, but most of us can relate to his very normal (even if he is a wizard too) friend.