The Sidekick to end all Sidekicks: Samwise Gamgee. If the Hero begins to take on a larger-than-life quality, it’s also up to the Sidekick to help readers see past the blinding heroic glory and continue to relate to the protagonist. The Sidekick sees through this falter and reminds the Hero that they can accomplish their task - while reminding the reader why we’re rooting for the Hero. The Sidekick doesn't only help the Hero save the day, they also stick to the Hero's side through thick and thin: while going through the trials and tribulations of being “the Hero,” the protagonist often buckles under pressure and reveals a darker side to themselves. And yet, the Hero usually wouldn’t get close to a successful resolution if not for the Sidekick. The only reason they’re not is that the actual Hero has been anointed in some way as the person who must solve the conflict. In many ways, Sidekicks in fantasy could just as well be the Hero because they’re brave, skilled, and determined. Buffy Summers ( Buffy the Vampire Slayer).Lucy Pevensie ( The Chronicles of Narnia).For more fantasy books the feature heroes like Harry Potter, check out this post. However, when threats present themselves and put others at risk, he doesn’t hesitate to step into the role of Hero or to put himself on the line to save others. When he does learn his own origin story, he does not relish his perceived heroic notoriety - he just wants to make some friends and learn some magic in a place he feels he belongs. Indeed, the nature of the Hero will largely depend on the particular subgenre of fantasy you're reading/writing.Īs the Chosen One, Harry Potter checks off all of the standard Hero boxes: he hasn’t volunteered to be a hero, but he still feels an obligation to fulfill that role.įor the first eleven years of his life, he is unaware of the legacy he holds within the wizarding world as the Boy Who Lived. The Hero might relish in their role, like Conan the Barbarian, or they may be a reluctant leader in the story’s narrative, like Bilbo Baggins (initially). While people often think of Joseph Campbell’s popular Hero’s Journey when it comes to fantasy story structures, the Hero can take many different forms ( they can even be an anti-hero!), whether or not the story resembles Campbell’s model. This is their fantasy world, and we’re just living in it (for a time). There is no fantasy story without a Hero and a quest that needs undertaking.
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