History Main / CowardlySidekick

* Luigi in the ''SuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' and its sequels; subsequently, [[DivergentCharacterEvolution Luigi is depicted this way]] in the more recent ''SuperMarioBros'' games (such as ''VideoGame/{{Mario and Luigi}}'').
* Arthur from ''TheTick''. Actually explained in the pilot basically as Arthur being unable to tolerate how mundane his life was anymore; we even see him doing his work as an accountant in costume.

->''"Pokey apologized profusely!"''
-->-- ''EarthBound''

* Luigi in the ''SuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' and its sequels; subsequently, [[DivergentCharacterEvolution Luigi is depicted this way]] in the more recent ''SuperMarioBros'' games (such as VideoGame/{{Mario and Luigi}}).

* Malak the thief in ''[[ConanTheBarbarian Conan The Destroyer]]''.

* Ron from ''KimPossible'' pratically ''lives'' this trope more often than not.
* Antoine in ''{{Sonic SatAM}}''.

* Fluttershy from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is known to freak out at falling leaves and her own shadow, when she doesn't have something more pressing to attend to, like scolding an angry dragon into leaving her friends alone or glaring a cockatrice into submission. "Cowardly" is perhaps not the correct word, so much as "cripplingly timid".

* The [[UncleTomfoolery black servant]] in various haunted-house movies of TheThirties and TheForties. Putting aside UnfortunateImplications, one could call them [[OnlySaneMan sensible]] rather then cowardly; when they say "Feets do yo stuff!" running is usually a ''real'' good option. [[hottip:*:Also, black comedians have been using this joke for years. When the scary/deadly shit happens, they get the hell out of there. It's even used in the first ''ScaryMovie'', where the BET news crew only stays long enough to say "White folks gettin' killed, we're outta here!" before making good on their report.]]

* Myoga the flea in ''InuYasha''. Whoever he hides with in a battle has been used as an indicator of what's the safest place to be.

[[quoteright:203:[[{{Dangermouse}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cowardly_sidekick_9211.jpg]]]]

->''Pokey apologized profusely!''
-->--''EarthBound''

* In ''{{Rugrats}}'', Chuckie Finster is literally scared of his own shadow. [[{{Foil}} Contrast]] to Tommy, who is generally fearless.
* Penfold from ''{{Dangermouse}}'' is an iconic example.
* Malak the thief in ''[[ConanTheBarbarian Conan The Destroyer]]''.
* Luigi in the ''SuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' and its sequels; subsequently, [[DivergentCharacterEvolution Luigi is depicted this way]] in the more recent ''SuperMarioBros'' games (such as VideoGame/{{Mario and Luigi}}).

* Snails in the ''DungeonsAndDragons'' [[TheMovie movie]].
* Linebeck in ''LegendOfZelda: Phantom Hourglass'', although he gets better towards the end.
* The black servant in various haunted-house movies of the thirties and forties. UnfortunateImplications, ahoy.
** This troper would call them 'sensible' rather then cowardly. When they say 'Feets do yo stuff!' running is a ''real'' good option.
*** Black comedians have used that joke for years. When the scary/deadly shit happens, they get the hell out of there. It's even used in the first ''ScaryMovie'', where the BET news crew only stays long enough to say "White folks gettin' killed, we're outta here!" before making good on their report.
* Herman "Fergie" Ferguson in the ''JudgeDredd'' movie, after he and the title character escape the air transport wreck together.
* Arthur from ''TheTick''. Actually explained in the pilot basically as Arthur being unable to tolerate how mundane his life was anymore; we even see him doing his work as an accountant in costume.
* Globox from the ''{{Rayman}}'' series.
* While WeaselMascot Chamo of ''MahouSenseiNegima'' may be mostly useless during fights, and while he may be not all that brave during the particularly dangerous fights, he's at least a capable [[TheStrategist Strategist]] and is willing to be as useful a possible. How useful can a powerless mascot be?
* Pop/Poppu from ''DragonQuest Dai no Daibouken'' starts off like this. He gets better.
* Ruby Rhod in ''TheFifthElement''.
* Vila Restal, the cowardly thief, in ''Series/BlakesSeven''.
* Goodwin in ''The Immortal'' for the last 400 years.
* ''[[MagicTheGathering Magic]]'''s [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=113512 Norin the Wary]], quoted in several flavor texts before getting a card of his own (with an appropriate ability, of course). He's probably the game's most famous coward, and as a summonable creature he arguably qualifies as the ''player's'' sidekick.
* In the ''BattlePope'' comics, this role is occupied by ''JesusChrist''.
* Carl Wheezer from ''TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutron''.
* Craig from ''TheAllenAndCraigShow''
* Ron from ''KimPossible'' pratically ''lives'' this trope more often than not.
* Bob, Agent of HYDRA and sidekick of {{Deadpool}}.

* Antoine in {{SonicSatAM}}.

* Dan Thompson's comical adventure strip hero ''RipHaywire'' has his faithful dog, talking collie TNT, who is in near-constant panic mode.
* The aptly named Cringer the Battle-Cat from HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse.
* Fluttershy from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is known to freak out at falling leaves and her own shadow, when she doesn't have something more pressing to attend to, like scolding an angry dragon into leaving her friends alone or glaring a cockatrice into submission. "Cowardly" is perhaps not the correct word, so much as "cripplingly timid".
* Edward Borman in ''TheMercuryMen''.

* Gus from ''{{Recess}}''

[[quoteright:180:[[{{Dangermouse}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/penfold2.gif]]]]
[[caption-width-right:180:Oh, crumbs!]]

-->''Pokey apologized profusely!''

* Ron Weasley to HarryPotter.

A {{Sidekick}} with a peculiar twist: presumably to serve as a {{Foil}} to a brave (or cocky) hero, they're so yellow that one has to wonder how the heck they ended up in the adventure business in the first place. The CowardlySidekick is often what happens when the PluckyComicRelief isn't so... well, plucky. Anything but, in fact.

Compare TheDragAlong. Contrast RecklessSidekick.

[[{{Dangermouse}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/penfold2.gif]]
[[caption-width:180:Oh, crumbs!]]

* Fluttershy from ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is known to freak out at falling leaves and her own shadow, when she doesn't have something more pressing to attend to, like scolding an angry dragon into leaving her friends alone or glaring a cockatrice into submission. "Cowardly" is perhaps not the correct word, so much as "cripplingly timid".

* [[MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Fluttershy]] is known to freak out at falling leaves and her own shadow, when she doesn't have something more pressing to attend to, like glaring a cockatrice into submission. "Cowardly" is perhaps not the correct word, so much as "cripplingly timid".

* Herman "Fergie" Ferguson in the ''JudgeDredd'' movie, after he and the title character escape the air transport wreck together. I must be making that up, though. [[DisContinuity What Judge Dredd movie?]]

* Vila Restal, the cowardly thief, in ''BlakesSeven''.

* [[{{Rugrats}} Chuckie Finster]] is literally scared of his own shadow. [[{{Foil}} Contrast]] to Tommy, who is generally fearless.

* Luigi in the ''SuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' and its sequels; subsequently, [[DivergentCharacterEvolution Luigi is depicted this way]] in the more recent ''SuperMarioBros'' games (such as {{Mario and Luigi}}).

* [[MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Fluttershy]] is known to freak out at falling leaves and her own shadow, when she doesn't have something more pressing to attend to, like glaring a cockatrice into submission.

* Luigi in the ''SuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' and its sequels; subsequently, [[DivergentharacterEvolution Luigi is depicted this way]] in the more recent ''SuperMarioBros'' games (such as {{Mario and Luigi}}).

* Luigi in the ''SuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' and its sequels; subsequently, [[DivergentCharacterEvolution Luigi is depicted this way]] in the more recent ''SuperMarioBros'' games (such as {{Mario and Luigi}}).

* Luigi in the ''SuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' and its sequels; subsequently, [[{{Luigification}} Luigi is depicted this way]] in the more recent ''SuperMarioBros'' games (such as {{Mario and Luigi}}).