Friends, comrades, brothers-in-arms. The time has finally come for us to pick our favorite (or in some way most memorable) sidekicks in literature. Whether it's the all-too-welcome comic relief they provide in an otherwise gloomy series, or whether it's their insight and strength and their love of the lead character, these are the choices that have made us feel their friendship as if it were directed at us personally. This Monday's top 10 list, therefore, features those characters who have felt like more than literary characters, the personalities that went beyond ink and paper. These are the bonds that made us rethink our definition of friendship, and the kind of loyalty that had us ready to go into battle for our own friends time and time again. 

Ancient Romans had a saying: "Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur". Roughly, it translates to our equivalent: "A friend in need is a friend indeed". The list below comprises those friends which shine in need, thus elevating them to the status of sidekicks. When you want someone to warn you of danger, but also watch your back when danger strikes, these will be the people to call.



As always, this list is in no particular order (apart from #1, which we both deemed our #1 pick without a moment's hesitation). The list covers various genres and types of sidekicks. We've tried to find something for everyone's taste. Whether we succeeded is entirely up to you to decide.

And without further ado...





1. Ron and Hermione (Harry Potter)




They refer to us as the Millennials and Generation Y, but perhaps the most accurate depiction would be to dub us the Harry Potter generation. As such, we consider Ron and Hermione to be the sidekicks to put all other sidekicks to shame. Through thick and thin, in life and death, for better or for worse - the two have stood by Harry, showing greater devotion than that which is contained in most marriage vows these days. And whether they're wrestling mountain trolls, staring death in the face or riding giant invisible horses across England, there are no two better pillars to lean on than these two. If we had to put our lives in the hands of a sidekick or two, Ron and Hermione would top that list without fail. With Ron's easygoing charm and good humor, and with Hermione's brilliance and strength, there's hardly a more ill-suited, yet perfectly functioning pair in the whole of literature. (You know, in our biased opinion. The Harry Potter generation and all.) After all, "there are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them."


2. Annabeth and Grover (Percy Jackson)



Where would Percy be without these two. The protector and the daughter of Athena. Annabeth and Grover are certainly the Ron and Hermione of the series - minus the romance between each other - and it's certain that they all complete the package of a kick-ass team to defeat evil. They're with him through thick and thin, risking their own lives for their best friend from book one of the Percy Jackson books all the way through to the end of the Heroes of Olympus series. Although we have yet to find out the conclusion as the Blood Of Olympus, the last book in the Heroes of Olympus series, is yet to be released, there's no doubt in my mind that they'll be there by his side, being as supportive and loyal as they have been since The Lightning Thief. Friends, Soldiers, Soul Mates. Family. They're all Percy needs and he couldn't do it without them. 

3. Kenji (Shatter Me)




In the second book in the series, the protagonist describes Kenji as "a walking paradox of Unflinchingly Serious Person and 12-Year-Old Boy Going Through Puberty all rolled into one." With such classics as "I know for a fact that there are thousands of people who would love to see me naked" and "stop walking around like the world crapped on your only roll of toilet paper", Kenji provides exactly the comic relief (and a voice of common sense) necessary to balance out Juliette's doomsday introspectiveness. But more than being the poster boy for you're-not-the-only-one-with-problems attitude, Kenji is a fierce combatant, a beloved leader and the truest friend one could ever ask for. Don't expect him to sugarcoat anything for you. But do expect him to embrace any level of craziness or awkwardness you exhibit. And what more could one ever ask for in a friend, really?


4. Bex, Macey and Liz (Gallagher Girls)




Cammie Morgan's best friends, sidekicks and pretty much family. Wherever she is, you'll find Bex, Macey and Liz (unless Cammie decides to run off on her own) but they end up always having her back, being there for her and they'll be straight out honest if Cammie's in the wrong. True friends from start to finish, they're great fellow spies who are all so different that they need each other with their certain traits. Resourceful, intelligent and so funny, these girls are what you need to help you take down the evil one's. 
And I apologize for the cheesy picture, it's hard to find a picture of characters, especially if there's no movie yet.

5. Zuzana (Daughter of Smoke and Bone)




Also known as "a tiny, rabid fairy that bites", Zuzana is by no means an ordinary sidekick. For one, she has no connection to the supernatural world to speak of, in a trilogy filled to bursting with the supernatural. For another, she specializes in being a puppet in various Czech squares (it's not a metaphor; she really specializes in puppetry). And she's spent a good chunk of her friendship with the lead believing her to have a vivid imagination rather than actual magical properties. When faced with the evidence to the contrary, Zuzana does what any rational person would do: accept that magic exists all around, threaten to murder an avenging angel, then set off on a trip halfway across the world into a lonely desert to track down her missing friend and provide much-needed comic relief. (What do you mean, that's not what any rational person would do? Zuze did! To all our delight, if I might add.)

6. Jenny (Thoughtless)



It's a known fact that someone from Thoughtless was going to be in this list, as Thoughtless is in every list. Isn't it obvious that we love this series? Anyway, through thick and thin, through all the lies and difficult situations Kiera unintentionally put people in, Jenny was there no matter what. To giving her wise advice, being a friend to her through a hard time and also just being a fantastic person overall, you can't not love her. She's a friend that we all wish we had. Incredibly kind, sweet, and thoughtful, she's the best friend that makes you wonder if you were long-lost sisters. A true and loyal sidekick.


7. Sam (Lord of the Rings)



In many ways, Mr. Samwise Gamgee is the hero of the story every bit as much as Frodo is. In no instance has "he's been there every step of the way" been truer than in the case of Sam and the quest to destroy the One Ring in the pits of Mordor. If a character is going to be pledging their eternal allegiance to you before wizards and men alike, you want it to be Sam. Precious few characters would ever take this promise to heart as thoroughly as Sam has, and precious few would make for a better emotional and physical rock when the going gets tough. Of course he'll let you do your thing alone! He'll just make sure to be there with you as you do it.


8. W.W Hale the Fifth (Heist Society)




I wasn't sure if he was classed as a sidekick but I think he's a damn good one so I thought to add him to the list. If you've read this series, you know all about Hale. The guy with the mysterious name. What does W.W stand for anyway? Well, whatever his name is, he's certainly a loyal, charming and charismatic man. He assists Kat Bishop, our main protagonist in the story, in thieving. Before you judge, just so you know, they're good people. They steal for good...if that makes any sense. Stealing back from criminals. If you decide to pick these books up - and you should, they're very good! - you'll certainly grow fond of Hale. He's resourceful (well, he's rich), smart and very good at what he does. I'd say he's a good sidekick. I'm looking forward to movie Hale as there's apparently a film on the way. Excellent!

9. Hastings (Agatha Christie's Poirot)




No, really. Study that picture for a second. Gauge that unique blend of discombobulation and utter befuddlement. This is Hastings's almost perpetual state in Poirot's presence. More often than not, he will make things more difficult rather than helping them along. He'll allow a pretty girl to steal a potential murder weapon. He'll marry a former murder suspect. He'll walk into a trap being none the wiser about it. Hastings is certainly not a very useful sidekick, but sidekicks are hardly picked based on their pragmatic value. We don't tend to choose friends based on how useful they are. More often than not, it comes to the goodness of their heart and the nobility of their intentions. And in both, Hastings scores a 10/10. And did we mention how hilarious his constant confusion is?


10. Erin (Easy)



You know what New Adult literature sorely lacks? Proper female friends/sidekicks. No, really. Away from the conniving, backstabbing would-be friends straight out of soap operas, and away from one-dimensional roommates whose only purpose is to dote on the heroine, we set out to find a few honest-to-god friends and sidekicks on the world of NA. Erin from "Easy" is just one such example, and an amazing one at that. Staying true to the overall theme of "Easy" (which is the subversion of all tropes known to man), Erin is a peppy, preppy cheerleader who calls her daddy whenever she sees 300$ shoes (on sale!). At the same time, she is the fiercest, most devoted friend a girl could ask for, not least because she's a designated roommate with no real obligation to be as protective and as understanding as she ends up being. In an amazing show of character and a literary hurrah for the female strength of character, Erin is the only girl throughout the story whose opinion on difficult issues never wavers and remains inspirational and firm regardless of the circumstances. We'll admit it - there were times we just wanted to hug her.







Any favorite sidekicks you feel deserve an honorable mention? Feel free to rant/talk/love them in the comments below, or hunt us down on TwitterInstagram or Facebook and tell us about your most beloved "through thick and thin" bonds in literature. We promise to listen and value your opinion (as any good sidekick would!). ♥