History Main / CowardlySidekick

* Roll from ''VideoGame/MegaMan''. Although the game don't often bring attention to it, her database profile in ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass'' gives "cowardice" ("she's a scaredy cat" in the Japanese version) as her "bad point". Indeed she's one of the very few non-fighting robot characters in the classic series.

* [[DivergentCharacterEvolution Luigi is depicted this way]] in the more recent ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' games, which is partially [[CanonImmigrant integrated]] from the 90's cartoons. Best shown in ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'', in which he refuses to join Mario in his quest, so he has to be dragged kicking and screaming.

->''(In front of the Dark Forest. A sign reads "Enter At Your Own Risk.")''\\
'''Cedric''': Oh, no! I'M not going in there! Can't you read the sign?\\
'''Graham''': Come on, Cedric. There might be something important in here.\\
'''Cedric''': Go if you want to. I'll wait HERE!

[[folder:Fanfic]]
* 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]]

%%* 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.

[[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:Pinball]]
* The ''Pinball/SuperMarioBros'' pinball has Luigi depicted as looking nervously on the playfield art, and places his target inside a cave.
[[/folder]]

* ''Franchise/{{Extrapower}}'': Professor Ace is happy to follow Zophy and his friends for the possibility of picking up riches along their adventures, but he is extraordinarily combat-averse. In ''[[VideoGame/EXTRAPOWERAttackOfDarkforce Attack of Darkforce]]'', he is a permanent member of the hero team and has frequent speaking parts, but always disappears just before the fighting starts. David and Marian, two child companions of Zophy who ''do'' participate in combat, usually tease Ace for his disappearances or his attempts at bravado. He's actually so much of a coward as to maintain a robust information network that helps Zophy out in ''[[VideoGame/EXTRAPOWERGiantFist Giant Fist]]'' - as he explains, he wants to avoid getting himself into danger as much as possible, so it behooves him to keep up to date on the dangerous people that he might run into.

%%* Edward Borman in ''WebVideo/TheMercuryMen''.

->''(In front of the [[TheLostWoods Dark Forest]]. A sign reads "Enter At Your Own Risk.")''\\

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'': Tails became this post-''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed''. Best exemplified in ''VideoGame/SonicForces'', were we see him literally cower in fear when threatened by a relatively weak enemy.

* Snails the thief in ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons''. [[spoiler: Ultimately subverted: Snails is less cowardly than he is cautious and hesitant to go along with his FearlessFool friend's often-rash ideas. When cornered by Damodar with no hope of escape, [[ObiWanMoment Snails draws his blade]] [[DefiantToTheEnd and goes out swinging.]]]]

* While [[WeaselMascot Chamo]] of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' may be mostly useless during fights (and 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.

[[folder:Fan Fic]]

* Some of the partners in ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' are this, though they all [[CowardlyLion prove to be brave when it's truly necessary.

* Yoki in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' to [[LittleMissBadass Mei Chang]] and [[HeroKiller Scar]]; His usual reaction when thrust into a dangerous situation is to panic and hide behind more capable fighters. The ''only'' badass thing he does in the series ([[spoiler: hitting [[EldritchAbomination Pride]] with a car]]), he did while bawling his eyes out.

* Yoki in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' to [[LittleMissBadass Mai Chang]] and [[HeroKiller Scar]]; His usual reaction when thrust into a dangerous situation is to panic and hide behind more capable fighters. The ''only'' badass thing he does in the series ([[spoiler: hitting [[EldritchAbomination Pride]] with a car]]), he did while bawling his eyes out.

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 Cowardly Sidekick is often what happens when the PluckyComicRelief isn't so... well, plucky. Anything but, in fact. This may cross over with CowardlyLion and OOCIsSeriousBusiness if something (like the hero being in trouble) causes them to confront danger...possibly trembling in terror the entire way.

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 Cowardly Sidekick is often what happens when the PluckyComicRelief isn't so... well, plucky. Anything but, in fact.

%%* Carl Wheezer from ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutron''.

%% Pop/Poppu from ''Manga/DaiNoDaibouken'' starts off like this.

%% Zero Context Example entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them. You need to explain how the character fits the trope.

%%* Antoine from ''WesternAnimation/{{Sonic SatAM}}''.

* ''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, per 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.

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=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.

%%* Pokey from ''WesternAnimation/{{Gumby}}''

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'': Tails became post-''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed''. Best exemplified in ''VideoGame/SonicForces'', were we see him literally cower in fear when threatened by a relatively weak enemy.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'': Tails became this, in one of the many infamous instances of CharacterDerailment seen in the post-''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'' games. Best exemplified in ''VideoGame/SonicForces'', were we see him literally cower in fear when threatened by a relatively weak enemy.

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': Tails became this, in one of the many infamous instances of CharacterDerailment seen in the post-''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'' games. Best exemplified in ''VideoGame/SonicForces'', were we see him literally cower in fear when threatened by a relatively weak enemy.

%%* Snails the thief in ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons''.

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': Tails became this, in one of the many infamous instances of CharacterDerailment seen in the post-''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'' games. Best exemplified ''VideoGame/SonicForces'', in which we see him literally cower in fear when threatened by a relatively low-level enemy.

%%* [[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.

%%* Bob, Agent of HYDRA and sidekick of {{Deadpool}}.

%%* 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.

%%* The aptly named Cringer the Battle-Cat from ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983''.