A Definitive Ranking Of Disney Sidekicks

A Definitive Ranking Of Disney Sidekicks

Inspired by the fact that Olaf was such an excellent character in "Frozen," we got to thinking about the magic of Disney sidekicks. Following a common trope of being slightly flawed but fiercely loyal, they all contribute to the overarching message of friendship in their own unique way. So, with great reverence for the hard work of these less-recognized partners in crime, we bring you a definitive ranking of Disney's best sidekicks:

17. The Gargoyles, "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame"
Victor, Hugo and Laverne stole scenes as the trio of gargoyles with three distinct personalities. Victor speaks in a divine British accent and helps Quasimodo make decisions; Hugo becomes mischievous but also pushes Quasi to be the best hunchback he can be; Laverne is smart, supportive and maternal, even to those damn pigeons that follow her around.

gargoyls

16. Meeko & Flit, "Pocahontas"
Depicted as a clever raccoon, Meeko is often outwitted by Flit, a dainty but intelligent hummingbird. Although they don't necessarily like each other very much (or consistently get along), in true Disney sidekick form, they always pull it together to help out.

meeko and flit

15. Gus, "Cinderella"
To be clear, the Fairy Godmother counts as a maternal figure here rather than a sidekick. While he's tiny and feels tertiary to the whole lose-shoe-marry-prince narrative, along with Jaq and the other mice, Gus plays crucial role in getting Cinderella to the ball. It also doesn't hurt that he is the most adorable animated rodent we've ever seen (Mickey included).

gus

14. Mushu, "Mulan
Mulan's guardian and protector, Mushu, is a haughty red dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy. After a series of humiliating events, Mushu goes through his own transformation all while having Mulan's back. He rejects his selfish past and tries to use his impulsive (read: sassy) nature for good.

mushu

13. Piglet, "Winnie The Pooh"
Is there an animated sidekick more adorable than Piglet? We're going to say a hard no. Pink and loyal, Piglet always tries to conquer his fears to help the group through exciting adventures. He's often the unsung hero of "Winnie The Pooh" and only in "Piglet's Big Movie" does he ask for recognition.

piglet disney

12. Baloo, "Jungle Book"
Baloo the sloth bear is cuddly and popular, turned into the ultimate chill bro for the "Jungle Book" film. He's protective of Mowgli and is his father figure, willing to fight Shere Khan just to keep him safe.

jungle book

11. White Rabbit, "Alice In Wonderland"
No one in Wonderland is sane, but the White Rabbit seems to be the character with the most know-how, even if he's a total stress ball. He's always worried about tardiness and believes the Queen will kill him if he loses track of time. The rabbit's role in the twisted story can be seen as Alice's antagonist but also as her guide.

white rabbit alice in wonderland

10. Thumper, "Bambi"
How would our mothers even began to think about teaching us the basics of morality without the Thumper Rule? Overall, Bambi is pretty heavy for a children's film, but Thumper brings us plenty of comic relief (or whatever the "cuteness" version of that is).

thumper

9. All Seven of The Seven Dwarves, "Snow White And The Seven Dwarves"
If we have to pick one, it's a tie between Dopey and Grumpy, but the dwarves are an ensemble! All seven totally count, and wouldn't be nearly as great on their own. Even Snow White is sweet and all, but would be pretty boring without her seven pals (who, fun fact, are rumored to represent the stages of cocaine addiction).

snow

8. Olaf, "Frozen"
Olaf can easily count himself among the logical inconsistencies of "Frozen," -- is creating life one of Elsa's powers and why does she suddenly have so much control over them? -- but obviously he is still completely delightful. Not knowing he would melt in the summer? That's the real Disney magic, folks. (Also, Josh Gad is fantastic.)

olaf

7. Tinkerbell, "Peter Pan"
Despite literally being a pixie, Tinkerbell doesn't quite fit the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, but she's certainly spunky enough to qualify. Most notably, she is one of the only major female Disney characters that is not also a princess or villain. And sure, she's a little malicious and unpredictable, but we're all for complexly developed 2D characters.

tink

6. Sebastian & Flounder, "The Little Mermaid"
Flounder is Ariel's biggest ally under the sea and though he's a little anxiety-prone, he will always be around for the little mermaid. Perched on Flounder's back, Sebastian is more level-headed and attention-grabby. He's the musical center of the film franchise and knows all the secrets of the ocean. Ariel could have done a LOT worse when it comes to best friends.

piglet disney

5. Cogsworth & Lumière, "Beauty & The Beast"
Cogsworth and Lumière are basically the odd-couple of inanimate objects. Since such a large portion of the movie is spent with the beast being a beast, we get to know them pretty well, as they invite Belle to be their guest. Runners Up: Chip and Mrs. Potts

lumiere

4. Dory, "Finding Nemo"
Voiced by Ellen DeGeneres, Dory is Nemo's likable ocean companion, with some bomb catch phrases. "Just keep swimming" is the best motto in any sticky situation, and "bad squishy!" is the only way we know how to address jellyfish these days. She'll be back in 2016 with her own feature, "Finding Dory," but until then we'll be trying to speak whale.

dory finding nemo

3. Timon & Pumba, "The Lion King"
Nathan Lane's Timon is the star here, but what's any funny guy without his goofy foil of a straight man. Together they form one of the best sets of unlikely animal pals and, of course, we have to thank them for "Hakuna Matata."

timon

2. Jiminy Cricket, "Pinocchio"
Jiminy Cricket is the official conscience of the movie, and Pinocchio's moral compass. As one of the oldest sidekicks in the Disney universe, all the other supporting roles on this list have taken little bits and pieces from the well-dressed talking cricket. He's loyal, can be a little aggressive -- no sidekick can be perfect! -- and is territorial of Pinocchio. Plus, he's a chivalrous gentleman.

jiminy

1. Genie, "Aladdin"
Based on the indexes of loyalty and comic relief, Robin Williams' genie is easily the best animated sidekick in or out of the Disney universe. Despite technically being a slave to his "itty bitty living space" (aka magic bottle), he's got a really great attitude about granting Aladdin those three wishes in anticipation of freedom.

genie

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