Every good protagonist needs a sidekick, and, of course,Disneycharacters are no exception to this. Disney sidekicks often follow the main character on their adventure, offering them much-needed moral support and moments of comedic relief that only serve to enhance the movie.
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Without their sidekicks, these protagonists would no doubt be lonely on their journeys. It’s always a highlight to see the relationship between the main character and their sidekick, particularly when the companion is mischievous and causing trouble. Whether they’re stealing the show because they’re adorable or because they’re bringing the laughs, these are the best Disney sidekicks.
10Jaq And Gus - Cinderella
As she is alienated by her stepmother and stepsisters who treat her like a servant, Cinderella’s only companions arethe mice in the house, who she names and dresses in clothes. While there are other mice, Jaq and Gus are the two who are usually in the spotlight, even helping to make Cinderella’s dress for the ball.
The two have distinct personalities, with Jaq taking on a leadership role and Gus acting more brazenly - Gus is even prepared to fight when the stepsisters destroy Cinderella’s dress.
9Thumper - Bambi
Named for the way he thumps his foot against the ground, Thumper is one of Bambi’s woodland friends. Thumper helps Bambi to learn to talk and have fun on the ice during the winter.
Bambi and Thumper become fast friends when they meet as children with their friendship continuing on into adolescence. Thumper’s charm comes through his cheeky and mischievous personality, as well as his cute bunny design.
Many of us learned the lesson “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin' at all,” from him, too.
8Morph - Treasure Planet
Morph begins Treasure Planet as John Silver’s sidekick, but soon warms up to the protagonist, Jim Hawkins, too. Morph has the ability to take on the appearance of people or objects, albeit retaining his small size.
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His cheeky personality means that he often uses his ability to have fun and play pranks on people aboard the ship heading to Treasure Planet. As Silver grows closer to Jim, Morph does too and officially becomes Jim’s sidekick at the end of the movie, where he decides to watch over him as per Silver’s request.
7Ray - Princess And The Frog
Tiana and Naveen meet Ray when traveling to see Mama Odie, hoping to break the curse that turned them both into frogs. Ray helpfully informs them that Louis is taking them in the wrong direction and offers to aid them with the help of his family.
Ray is immediately endearing thanks to his friendly nature, and he only becomes more so when you learn that he is in love with a star that he believes to be a firefly named Evangeline. He even singsa heartwarming song, “Ma Belle Evangeline,”in her honor.
Ray has a bittersweet ending; dying, but finally being able to be beside his love Evangeline.
6Kronk - Emperor’s New Groove
Rather than being the main character’s sidekick, in the Emperor’s New Groove, Kronk acts as a henchman forthe dastardly Yzma. Compared to Yzma, Kronk is a little less nefarious, mostly due to his airheaded personality.
He accidentally ruins Yzma’s plan to poison Kuzco by giving him a potion that turns him into a llama by mistake. Despite Yzma berating him, especially when he is speaking to the devil and angel on his shoulders, Kronk remains upbeat, only turning on her when she says she “never liked” his spinach puffs.
5Flounder - The Little Mermaid
Ariel’s best friend Flounder follows her on all her adventures in the ocean, supporting her in her fascination with the human world. Flounder can be somewhat timid, balancing well with Ariel’s adventurous spirit.
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Despite this, Flounder is extremely devoted to Ariel, rooting for her when she becomes a human to get to know Prince Eric. Sadly, Ariel and Flounder have to part ways when she chooses to stay on land to be with Eric, but Flounder is happy for his best friend and can be seen smiling at the couple’s wedding.
4Mushu - Mulan
After failing to protect a member of the Fa family, Mushu’s position as a guardian spirit of the family was revoked. Hoping to prove himself worthy of earning back his title, Mushu accompanies Mulan when she disguises herself as a man to join the Chinese army in her elderly father’s place.
Eddie Murphy’s performance as Mushu provides a lot of the movie’s humor, while also presenting him as an endearing character to root for. Despite his original motive to gain back his position as one of the Fa family’s guardian spirits, it’s clear that Mushu grows to care for Mulan and wants to see her succeed, promising to help her in any way he can.
3Tinker Bell - Peter Pan
Tinker Bell is Peter Pan’s fairy sidekick who journeys alongside him in Neverland. In Peter Pan, Tinker Bell can be somewhat short-tempered, and despite never speaking in the movie, she clearly shows her emotions, especially when she feels jealous of Wendy.
It’s difficult to imagine Peter Pan without Tinker Bell, as she’s always by his side, providing the pixie dust he needs to fly. Tinker Bell’s popularity led her to appear in her own solo movies as the main protagonist, though she’s much more mellow in terms of personality.
2Pascal - Tangled
While Rapunzel is trapped in her tower by Mother Gothel, her only companion is Pascal,a chameleon who helps Rapunzelwhen she decides to leave her tower. Despite Pascal not being able to speak, his emotions are clearly on show, as he plays games with Rapunzel to keep her entertained and encourages her to leave and explore the outside world.
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Pascal is a loyal friend to Rapunzel - he just wants the best for her and is willing to stay by her side no matter what. Pascal’s combination of cute and funny makes him the perfect sidekick.
1Timon And Pumba - The Lion King
One of the highlights of The Lion King is Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa’s close relationship. When Simba leaves the Pride Lands after believing he was responsible for his father’s death, he encounters Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him about their motto, Hakuna Matata.
Not only do Timon and Pumbaa have the best sidekick song and a motto that you can apply to your own life, but they’re also a memorable comedic duo, especially when they pretend to be live bait by singing and presenting Pumbaa as a meal for the hyenas.
