We all need one. Someone that will have our back, always, whose loyalty is unwavering. A friend, a sidekick. Traditionally sidekick has a negative connotation, someone that is secondary to the hero. But what is so important about a sidekick is that they complement their hero perfectly. Yin yang, balance. If the hero is brawn the sidekick is brains, if the hero is dreamy the sidekick is reality, if the hero is brooding the sidekick is humor. We all need a sidekick, someone that will laugh at our jokes on queue but also do the exact opposite of what we think we need, balancing us perfectly.

Heroes and sidekicks represent invincibility and partnership. Partners in crime, discovery, exploration and fantasy. And with your loyal sidekick by your side, what can’t you do?

In the most ideal of partnerships, roles are swapped as needed. While we all need a sidekick, we also need to be the hero sometimes.

Sidekicks and heroes, circa 1982, 1984