History Main / CowardlySidekick

%%* Craig from ''TheAllenAndCraigShow''.

%%* In ''ComicBook/BattlePope'', this role is occupied by JesusChrist, a loser who's not at all [[JesusWasWayCool "way cool"]].

* Papageno in [[Theatre/TheMagicFlute]].

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': [[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.

* ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'' : Evan Edrok, a highly skilled Guide is the companion of Princess Ha Yuri Zahard, whose adventures quite frankly freak him out. He isn't a coward, pre say, he's just wary of the implications of some of what Yuri does. After all, he's a Ranker and wouldn't have made it through the tower if he were really a coward.

%% Yoki in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''.

* Evan Edrok, a highly skilled Guide from ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'' is the companion of Princess Ha Yuri Zahard, whose adventures quite frankly freak him out.
** Evan isn't a coward, he's just wary of the implications of some of what Yuri does. After all, he's a Ranker and wouldn't have made it through the tower if he were really a Coward.

%%* Penfold from ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'' is an iconic example.

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1323313710004122300
%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.

%%[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* Dan Thompson's comical adventure strip hero ''Webcomic/RipHaywire'' has his faithful dog, talking collie TNT, who is in near-constant panic mode.
[[/folder]]

* Pop/Poppu from ''Manga/DaiNoDaibouken'' starts off like this.
* Yoki in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''.

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* In ''ComicBook/BattlePope'', this role is occupied by JesusChrist, a loser who's not at all [[JesusWasWayCool "way cool"]].
* Bob, Agent of HYDRA and sidekick of {{Deadpool}}.
* Lille-Skutt from ''Bamse'', in spades.

[[folder:Fan Fic]]
* Bob, assistant of Retro in ''Fanfic/RetroChill'', is this, constantly freaking out when he sees an alien despite ''being allies with them.'' His growing dissatisfaction with the job [[spoiler:is what ultimately leads to his HeelFaceTurn.]]

[[folder: Films -- Animation]]
* Itchy from ''WesternAnimation/AllDogsGoToHeaven'' is an example of this who (at least at the beginning of the first film) displays traces of HypercompetentSidekick.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess'' has two, Bromley and Jean-Bob.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Malak the thief in ''Film/ConanTheDestroyer''.
* Snails the thief in ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons''.
* The [[UncleTomfoolery black servant]] in various HauntedHouse 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 ''really'' good option. Actors who played these roles - notably Stepin Fetchit - found [[NeverLiveItDown their careers badly harmed]] when the civil rights era started.
* 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 ''Film/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 ''Film/JudgeDredd'', after he and the title character escape the air transport wreck together.
* Ruby Rhod in ''Film/TheFifthElement''.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Vila Restal, the cowardly thief, in ''Series/BlakesSeven''.
* Goodwin in ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Immortal_(TV_series,_Canadian) The Immortal]]'' for the last 400 years.

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* Dan Thompson's comical adventure strip hero ''Webcomic/RipHaywire'' has his faithful dog, talking collie TNT, who is in near-constant panic mode.
[[/folder]]

* Linebeck in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass'', although he gets better towards the end.
* Globox from the ''VideoGame/{{Rayman}}'' series.
* [[DivergentCharacterEvolution Luigi is depicted this way]] in the more recent ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' games (such as ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi''), which is partially [[CanonImmigrant integrated]] from the 90's cartoons.
** Even the ''Pinball/SuperMarioBros'' pinball gets into the act, which has Luigi depicted as looking nervously on the playfield art, and places his target inside a cave.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Craig from ''TheAllenAndCraigShow''.
* Edward Borman in ''WebVideo/TheMercuryMen''.
[[/folder]]

* Penfold from ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'' is an iconic example.
* Luigi in ''Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' and its sequels.
* Arthur from ''WesternAnimation/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.
* Carl Wheezer from ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutron''.
* Ron from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''.
* Antoine from ''WesternAnimation/{{Sonic SatAM}}''.
* The aptly named Cringer the Battle-Cat from ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983''.

* Gus from ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''.
* Zilly from ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines''.
* Pokey from ''WesternAnimation/{{Gumby}}''

* ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVAbsenceMakesTheHeartGoYonder'' has many places that Cedric doesn't want to go inside with Graham, preferring to wait for him outside. (This was partly due to memory constraints: removing context-specific lines for Cedric made room for more animations.)

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SuperMarioWorld'' episode "Ghosts 'R' Us," Yoshi is too scared of ghosts to want to enter haunted houses (which he couldn't do in the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' game, for unexplained reasons) until his friends are trapped inside one and he has to rescue them himself while dodging Boos. He also runs scared from a red Wiggler until he finds wings.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SuperMarioWorld'' episode "Ghosts 'R' Us," Yoshi is too scared of ghosts to want to enter haunted houses (which he couldn't do in the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' game, for unexplained reasons) until his friends are trapped inside one and he has to rescue them himself while dodging Boos.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SuperMarioWorld'' episode "Ghosts 'R' Us," Yoshi is too scared of ghosts to enter haunted houses (which he couldn't do in the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' game, for unexplained reasons) until his friends are trapped inside one and he has to rescue them himself while dodging Boos.

* Lille-Skutt from ''ComicBooks/Bamse'', in spades.

* Lille-Skutt from ''ComcBooks/Bamse'', in spades.

* Lille-Skutt from ''Bamse'', in spades.

* Lille-Skutt from ''ComicBook/Bamse'', in spades.

* Lille-Skutt from {{Bamse}}, in spades.

* Globox from the ''{{Rayman}}'' series.

* The aptly named Cringer the Battle-Cat from ''WesternAnimation/{{He-Man and the Masters of the Universe}}''.

* The [[UncleTomfoolery black servant]] in various HauntedHouse 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 ''really'' good option.