Line #13 WesternAnimation/Sidekick


1	[[quoteright:324:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sidekickposter.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:324:Just like superheroes, but only half as big! [[note]]Clockwise, beginning bottom left: [[TheChewToy Eric Needles]], [[TokenEvilTeammate Trevor Troublemeyer]], [[AlphaBitch Vana Glama]], [[AsianAndNerdy Kitty Ko]].[[/note]]]]
3
4	->''We are Splitsboro kids, and we go to sidekick school\
5	Learning to be sidekicks while playing by the rules...''
6
7	''Sidekick'' is a Canadian animated television series from Creator/{{Nelvana}} that was created by Canadian animators Todd Kauffman (co-director of the first two seasons of ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' and later co-creator of ''WesternAnimation/{{Grojband}}'') and Joey So.
8
9	The show is about 12-year-old Eric Needles, the KidSidekick of the world's greatest superhero Maxum Man, who has mysteriously gone missing. Eric lives at Maxum Man's mansion (where he is watched over by Maxum Man's supercomputer Maxum Brain) in Splitsboro, a town literally divided between superheroes and supervillains. When not simply messing around in the mansion, Eric is usually attending the Academy for Aspiring Sidekicks, where kids like him are trained by the school's headmaster Professor Pamplemoose to become the sidekicks of Splitsboro's superheroes. Alongside his friends Trevor Troublemeyer, Vana Glama, and Kitty Ko, Eric finds himself in all kinds of misadventures where he must contend with Splitsboro's evildoers (notably Maxum Man's archenemy Master XOX, whose secret identity is Trevor's dad Martin) and rival superheroes, survive his school's intense sidekick training methods, and keep Maxum Man's disappearance secret from the rest of the world. Unfortunately for [[LoserProtagonist Eric]], his mediocre skills and abilities in virtually everything makes all of this even more difficult than it sounds and frequently cause trouble for him and his friends.
10
11	Todd Kauffman and Joey So originally created ''Sidekick'' and its characters for five 5-minute shorts under the name ''The Not-So-Superheroic Adventures of Sidekick'', which was part of Creator/{{Nelvana}}'s 2004 AnimatedAnthology project ''WesternAnimation/{{Funpak}}''. It was one of ten miniseries showcased with the purpose of potentially launching new TV shows, and the only one of them to become its own standalone show, having been the winner of a contest held by Creator/{{YTV}} for viewers to vote on their favorite miniseries.
12
13	The series premiered on September 3, 2010 on Creator/{{YTV}}. It came to the United States on Creator/CartoonNetwork on June 13, 2011 alongside fellow YTV show ''WesternAnimation/AlmostNakedAnimals'' as part of a general trend of CN relying a lot on Canadian imports at the time. CN would drop the show after its second season, but Creator/{{Qubo}} picked up the rest of the series a couple years later. The series ended on September 14, 2013, after a 52-episode run split over 3 seasons. In 2021, Nelvana began uploading episodes of the show onto their [=YouTube=] channel Keep It Weird. The playlist is [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZb1SVCX0ajoEekPeooKDMfxxiEFsGvoZ here]].
14
15	----
16	!!''Sidekick'' provides examples of:
17
18	* ActionGirl: Vana. Kitty has her moments as well. Mandy Struction counts too, as well as we can assume Maxum Mom, as she's a retired Superheroine.
19	* ActorAllusion: Trevor is voiced by Creator/ChristianPotenza, who was previously [[WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}} another hyperactive, somewhat lazy, adolescent screwball who liked to go to extremes.]]
20	* AdaptationNameChange: Splitsboro was named Splitsville in the ''Funpak'' shorts.
21	* AllLoveIsUnrequited: Eric wants Vana while Kitty wants Eric.
22	* AlphaBitch: The most consistent characterization of Vana, with Kitty acting like her GirlPosse.
23	* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents: Vana's hippi, dippie mother.
24	%%* AngryGuardDog: Maxum Mutt.
25	* ArchEnemy: Mr. [=Troublemeyer/Master=] XOX for Professor Pampelmoose and Maxum Man (though due to the latter being missing, you hardly ever see this).
26	* ArchnemesisDad: Trevor's grandfather is this for Mr. Troublemeyer. If the pictures on the wall are any indication, he definitely qualifies as [[AbusiveDad abusive]]. Plus he is constantly trying to turn Trevor evil despite Mr. Troublemeyer's continued efforts to get him to be a good boy.
27	* ArtEvolution: The ''Funpak'' shorts differ from the TV series in this way.
28	%%* AttentionWhore: Vana
29	* AxCrazy: Master XOX. It becomes blatantly obvious in his first appearance when he says that he created clones and ate them.
30	* BadassAdorable: All four of the main characters are small, big-eyed, adorable-looking tweens who've defeated plenty of adult supervillains and saved Splitsboro by themselves on more than one occasion.
31	%%* BadassSanta: Mega Santa.
32	* BelligerentSexualTension:
33	** Vana and Eric, though only from Eric's side. To his credit, [[{{Tsundere}} she almost occasionally recuperates on her nicer days]].
34	** Kitty and Eric, on Kitty's side.
35	* BettyAndVeronica: Kitty Ko as the Betty and Vana Glama as the Veronica. Only this Veronica doesn't want Archie. Then Mandy Struction comes in as the Cheryl Blossom.
36	* BindleStick: In "Ye Old Sidekick Village" the villain uses his anti-technology ray to turn Kitty's bag into one of these, filled with cans of beans.
37	* BilingualBonus: "Pampelmoose" is French for 'Grapefruit'. Lampshaded when Eric tastes some of Pampelmoose-turned-evil-plant and notes that it tastes 'Pampelmoosey, with a hint of citrus'.
38	* BollywoodNerd: Maxum Man's Super Computer, Maxum Brain, has an Indian Accent.
39	* BreadEggsBreadedEggs: Two examples from "Endless Summer":
40	** Eric wonders where the group is going to stop.
41	-->We're going to go outside some time, right? To a water park, or a paintball field, or a water-paint-park?
42	** When Trevor is forced to play I Spy and find a word beginning with R.
43	-->A rooster? Rutabaga? ''A roostabaga?''
44	* BrokenAce: While Vana is TheAce in terms of skill, personality-wise she's an arrogant, selfish, uncaring jerk with absolutely no redeeming qualities. Same with Maxum Man.
45	* BurpingContest: One episode involved Eric and Trevor repeatedly going back in time and changing the present (trying to fix what they screwed up the first time, of course). Upon returning to the present after one of these trips, they find out that Vana and Kitty have become anthropomorphic turtles, who promptly start up a burping contest for no reason. Eric immediately sends him and Trevor back in time again, while Trevor complains that he wants to stay long enough to see who wins. The next time they come back to the present, they find that Vana and Kitty are still turtles, only this time they get into a ''farting'' contest instead.
46	%%* ButtMonkey: Eric
47	* CantSpitItOut: Inverted with Kitty, who has a not-so-secret crush on Eric and reveals it all the time, but whenever she gets a little too lovey-dovey, Eric asks "What?", with Kitty responding with her own "What?" If Eric is aware at all of Kitty's feelings, he doesn't show it and definitely does not return them.
48	* CastAsAMask: Trevor's dad Mr. Troublemeyer has a different actor depending on whether he's his normal self or his evil Master XOX form: Creator/ScottMcCord voices Mr. Troublemeyer while Creator/RonRubin voices Master XOX.
49	* TheChewToy:
50	** Maxum Man's former sidekick Golly Gee Kid was definitely this.
51	%%** Eric
52	* ChristmasEpisode: "Beneath the Missile-Toe" revolves around Eric, Trevor, Vana and Kitty destroying a robot Mega Santa, and their failed attempts to [[SavingChristmas save Christmas]]. The episode is notable for not ending on a cynical note, [[ThrowTheDogABone as Eric actually got one of the presents he wanted]]: a pet Gorilla.
53	%%* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Trevor
54	* CompanyCrossReferences: In "Master XOX Ray Vision", after Eric puts on the special contact lenses, it intially causes him to see his friends as the characters from fellow Creator/{{YTV}}[=/=]Creator/{{Nelvana}} series ''WesternAnimation/ScaredySquirrel'' [[note]]Trevor was Dave, Kitty was Scaredy and Vana was Sally[[/note]].
55	* ConvenientlyAnOrphan:
56	** Eric is an orphan. He usually [[OrphansOrdeal brings it up]] every other episode.
57	** [[spoiler: Kitty]] too as seen in "Parent Teacher Night of Doom".
58	* CrapsaccharineWorld: Splitsboro seems like your typical town, if not for the fact it gets destroyed in nearly every episode, and there's a holiday to beat Eric up. Plus, almost every character is mean-spirited, even the so-called "heroes" are not much different than the villains such as Maxum Man is [[SmugSuper self-righteous]] [[JerkAss jerks]], and even the most decent characters have a mean bone in their body.
59	* CreateYourOwnVillain: The supervillains who hate Maxum Man are villains because Maxum Man was a real jerk to them, or were the reason why they became villains in the first place.
60	* DarkhorseVictory: The winner of the competition to determine who gets to star in a sidekick video in "Lights, Camera, Sidekick Action" turns out to be neither [[ButtMonkey Eric]] or [[TheAce Alan Amazing]], but rather Trevor, who was only trying to act as Eric's agent and wasn't intending to compete. Eric doesn't go home completely empty-handed, however: [[ThrowTheDogABone he gets to be Trevor's stunt double]].
61	* DatingCatwoman: Eric and Mandy Struction, who happens to be a member of the Splitsboro Crime Syndicate, The Mass Destructions.
62	* {{Deconstruction}}: The in-world universe treats sidekicks as if they were objects, punching bags, etc., which can lead to making every student masochistic.
63	* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: This one doubles as a genius bonus. In "Ain't No Party Like a Maxum Brain Party", Eric suggests pulling out some of Maxum Brain's RAM Memory to lighten him up a bit. RAM stands for Random Access Memory. So he suggested pulling out some Random Access Memory Memory.
64	* DependingOnTheWriter: Characters can either become charming and playful and can be friendly to each other (with only slight insults) and [[JerkassBall become jerks for the sake of humor sometimes]].
65	** Eric gets the ''worst'' out of this. He's either the OnlySaneMan or just as stupid as Trevor, and he either is shy or unaware of Kitty's crush on him, or treats her like an absolute {{Jerkass}} due to her [[StalkerWithACrush constantly stalking him]].
66	** Trevor can be either a wacky guy with some "[[JerkWithAHeartOfGold negative qualities]]" or an [[TheSociopath outright sociopath]].
67	* DerangedAnimation
68	* DisappearedDad
69	** Maxum Man is Eric's adoptive dad, and no one knows where he is.
70	** A less prominent version is Vana's dad. Her mom showed up as a GranolaGirl, but her father was suspiciously absent.
71	%%* DogsAreDumb: Maxum Mutt.
72	%%* DoggedNiceGuy: Eric towards Vana.
73	* DownerEnding:
74	** Many episodes end with Eric being pummeled (or at least humiliated).
75	** The episode with the Maxum Mobile is one example: As Eric and Trevor are driving the Maxum Mobile, which due to plot induced amnesia Eric doesn't remember the car (which was set to evil) destroying half the town, freeing every villain from prison and mutating Vana into a monster. At the end he is cornered by the dozens of villains, the angry mob and the car with hundreds of missiles ready to blow him up, but he manages to (with great difficulty) set the car back to good... [[spoiler: only for Trevor to turn it back to evil, as sabotaging Eric was on his to-do list]]. The episode just ends there.
76	%%* DumbMuscle: XOX's henchmen.
77	%%* TheEeyore: Eric has moments with this trope.
78	* EnemyMine: In "Escape from Razzuma-traz" the main four are forced to team up with Pamplemoose to escape from Ms. Razzuma after she launches the school into space.
79	* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Mr. Troublemeyer/Master XOX tries constantly to be a good father, but Trevor makes it very hard to do so.
80	* EvilParentsWantGoodKids: Mr. Troublemeyer tries to keep Trevor from turning evil and even put him in the [[SuperheroSchool Sidekick Academy]] despite reacting in disgust when that school is even mentioned. Of course, Master XOX is always proud that Trevor inherited his evilness.
81	%%* EvilTeacher: Technically Professor Pampelmoose.
82	* FailureIsTheOnlyOption
83	** Maxum Man will never be found. If he ever appears on screen outside of informational videos, it's always a fake or a duplicate.
84	** Even when Eric wins, he usually loses to reinforce what a loser he is.
85	* FantasticVoyagePlot: One episode had Eric acting strangely, only for it to be revealed that a shrunken XOX had entered Eric's body and took control of him. The rest of the group goes in to defeat him. [[NoodleIncident It apparently isn't Trevor's first trip into Eric's body]].
86	* FourPhilosophyEnsemble: The four main characters fit into this mold:
87	** Eric is a Realist;
88	** Trevor is Apathetic;
89	** Vana is the Cynic;
90	** And Kitty is an Optimist.
91	%%* FreeRangeChildren
92	* FriendVersusLover: According to their biographies on the YTV website, Trevor and Kitty both hate each other's guts, this could be the reason why, although this seems to be an InformedAttribute since they get along pretty well.
93	* GenreBlindness: In "Endless Summer" Eric notices how Trevor's dad and Master XOX bear a striking resemblance to each other and how their RV is full of menacing inventions. He puts two and two together... and figures that XOX is forcing Trevor's dad to build inventions for him.
94	* {{Gasshole}}: A good chunk of the characters burp and fart from time to time, as part of the show's [[GrossoutShow grossout]] [[ToiletHumor humor]].
95	%%* {{Gonk}}: Pampelmoose.
96	%%* GrossoutShow
97	* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Trevor suffers a fairly brutal ([[BloodlessCarnage yet clean]]) halving in "Gloves on the Run" when the eagles attached to his bird-handling gloves fly in different directions, tearing him in half. Both his halves are stitched together for the remainder of the first third of the episode.
98	* HerrDoctor: Professor Pampelmoose.
99	* HeterosexualLifePartners:
100	** Eric and Trevor.
101	** Kitty and Vana.
102	* HolographicDisguise: "The Maxum Switch-eroo" features several examples thanks to the Man-Of-A-Thousand-Faces' device: [[GenderBender Trevor becomes Vana]] ([[BookEnds twice]]), Eric disguises himself as Maxum Mom to [[SpottingTheThread catch the Maxum Man imposter]], and Eric, Vana, Kitty and Mayor Swift all turn into Trevor at the end after Vana [[NiceJobBreakingItHero destroys the device in a fit of rage]].
103	* HonorBeforeReason: In the episode "The Henchman Challenge" Eric does not want to cheat even though it's ostensibly the only way their team can win. Eventually, he gives in, but Kitty is not happy.
104	* IdiotHero:
105	** Most prominently Trevor.
106	** Eric falls into this role [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the episode]].
107	* InvincibleHero: Maxum Man throughout all of his flashback/video appearances seems outright immortal as he is shown to be indestructible and doesn't age.
108	* {{Jerkass}}:
109	** Practically the whole cast, even the most decent characters in the show have a mean bone in their body.
110	%%** Pampelmoose.
111	* LimitedWardrobe: Lampshaded in "Supermodels." Eric says he needs the perfect outfit for picture day, and Maxum Brain asks, "Aren't you only having the one outfit?" After a beat and [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall a look to the camera]], Eric scoffs, denies it and slams his bedroom door's shut.
112	%%* LovePotion: The Gaga Goggles combine this with HypnoRay.
113	* LoveTriangle: Kitty loves Eric, who loves Vana, who hates him.
114	* LovesMyAlterEgo: Trevor idolizes XOX, but seems to hold nothing but contempt for XOX's civilian identity: his dad.
115	* LustfulMelt: Vana melts like wax when meeting Allan Amazing for the first time.
116	* MeaningfulName:
117	** Splitsboro, as the entire city is split into two halves, one for heroes and one for villains.
118	** Trevor's last name sounds a lot like "Troublemaker", which perfectly describes both him and his father.
119	%%** Also Vana Glama and Alan Amazing.
120	* TheMillstone: Trevor in a majority of the episodes he's in, due to his lack of interest in doing anything productive.
121	%%* MissingMom: Trevor's mother.
122	* MondegreenGag: Eric tells Trevor that his old orphanage pal has "abandonment issues", and that you should never say "goodbye" to him. Trevor, however, mishears it as "Banana Mint Shoes". This goes on to be a RunningGag and finally a BrickJoke.
123	%%* MoralityChain: Kitty for Eric in "The Henchman Challenge".
124	* MythologyGag: At one point in "Suit of Harms", Eric and Trevor are seen watching one of the original ''Funpak'' shorts.
125	* ObliviousToLove
126	** Eric is completely oblivious to the fact that Kitty has a crush on him, although this [[DependingOnTheWriter depends on the episode]]: in some episodes, he is aware of this but isn't interested in her.
127	** Subverted with Vana; she knows Eric has a crush on her, but doesn't return to feeling. Eric is trying hard to change her mind.
128	%%* OnlySaneMan: Usually Eric, but can be Vana or Kitty, [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the episode]].
129	* ParentalAbandonment:
130	** Eric is orphaned after [[spoiler: his parents are killed in an amusement park accident]].
131	** This goes to extreme levels when [[spoiler: Kitty is revealed to be an orphan]] in "Parent Teacher Night of Doom". This also referenced in the episode "Hello Dolly" when she has a [[spoiler: 100 year old little cousin (this indicates that her family left her in the past, are killed or both)]].
132	%%* TheProfessor: Pampelmoose.
133	* ThePowerOfRock: The episode "Virtual Mayhem" starts with the team playing "[[VideoGame/GuitarHero Rock 'em Roll 'em]] [[EverythingsDeaderWithZombies Zombie]] [[VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution Revolution]]" in the battle simulator, until [[TheDitz Trevor]] crashes the game by playing too fast. When the team is about to be destroyed by an army of monsters (actually other players) at the climax of the episode, Kitty hacks the simulation to give everyone their instruments, leading to an epic rock battle.
134	* PunnyName: Pick a villain, any villain. Examples include Man Maid and Drilliam Shakespeare.
135	* RiseOfZitboy: The episode "My Brother, My Pimple" revolves around [[ButtMonkey Eric]] getting a pimple on his face which eventually grows into a Siamese twin named Derek. Said twin turns out to be TheAce at everything, before Eric accidentally [[LogicalWeakness pops him]] by hugging him too hard.
136	* RobotBuddy:
137	** Maxum Brain used to be a super in his own right. As it so happens, Pamplemoose appears to have been his sidekick.
138	** Subverted with the Loids; they're so competent, everyone leaves town and builds a new Splitsboro to get away from them.
139	* SadistShow: A show takes place in a [[CrapsackWorld world where sidekicks are treated badly,]] almost [[{{Jerkass}} everyone is downright cruel,]] and even Eric [[JerkassBall himself can be nasty at times]]. [[SarcasmMode Gee, you think?]]
140	* SadistTeacher: Professor Pampelmoose takes joy in torturing his young students, often putting them though hell for the sake of a quick gag.
141	%%* SanityBall: Even ''Trevor'' gets thrown this once in a while.
142	* SavingChristmas: Eric, Trevor, Vana, Kitty and Maxum Brain have to take up Santa duties after destroying a robot Mega Santa in "Beneath the Missile-Toe".
143	* SecretTestOfCharacter: In "Hullaballoo" Vana learns that her older sister was only mean to her to get Vana to stand up to her and prove herself worthy of being her sidekick. Once she learns she went through all that abuse and could've stopped it anytime, she promptly [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown pummels her sister senseless.]]
144	* ScoobyDoobyDoors
145	** Used in "Moustachesquatch" when the gang is chasing/being chased by the mustache monster, though they use caves rather than doors.
146	** "Ice to Know You" has the scene where the main group is attempting to run from a yeti in the Maxum Mansion. [[CallBack The mustache monster even makes a brief reappearance]]!
147	** "Teenage Mummies In Love" has a scene where Eric and Trevor are running away from a real mummy, and this trope ensues, albeit with school lockers rather than doors.
148	** Played straight in "House of Helmut", followed by Trevor running into a closed door, knocking down the whole wall, and having the others comes out of one of the knocked down doors.
149	* {{Sidekick}}: It's in the name, after all.
150	* ShoutOut:
151	** One episode is called [[Series/ThisHourHasTwentyTwoMinutes This Hour Has 22,000 Minutes]].
152	** One of the costumes the owner of the costume shop offers Eric in "Halloweenie" is a "[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants big yellow sea sponge]]".
153	%%* SimpletonVoice: Pamplemoose.
154	* TheSmurfettePrinciple: The henchwoman with the pigtails at the henchman school.
155	%%* SociopathicHero: Maxum Man and Trevor.
156	* SplitPersonality: Mr. Troublemeyer, Trevor's effeminate father and Master XOX, the closest thing the show has to a BigBad. Trevor idolizes Master XOX, unaware he's really his father.
157	* StevenUlyssesPerhero: Maxum Man's secret identity is Mr. Maxummin.
158	%%* SitcomArchNemesis: XOX to Pampelmoose.
159	* StalkerWithACrush: Kitty sometimes takes her crush on Eric to creepy levels. The show's official wiki implies that [[NoGuyWantsToBeChased this is the main reason Eric doesn't seem to reciprocate Kitty's affections]].
160	* StatusQuoIsGod:
161	** The town is usually destroyed once an episode. It recovers by the next one.
162	** In the final episode, "Graduation Daze", all the Sidekicks were to graduate from Sidekick School but had to do a final test. They all passed, but the last was Eric, who accidentally disintegrated the diplomas in the process, meaning everyone had to repeat the school all over again.
163	* SugarBowl: [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Trevor's]] dream world in "Sleepless In Splitsboro" is revealed to be filled with candy, leprechauns and kangaroos with afros. [[spoiler:The place turns out to be so happy, the gang chooses to banish [[DreamStealer Nocturna]] there as it's the happiest place they can think of, preventing him from using any sort of fear whatsoever]].
164	* SuperheroSchool: A variant, the school is for sidekicks.
165	* ToiletHumor: As to be expected from a cheap Canadian cartoon. The ''very first'' episode has Trevor holding his late hamster's poop, for one.
166	%%* TokenEvilTeammate: Trevor.
167	%%* {{Tsundere}}: Kitty is sometimes a {{tsundere}} type B toward Eric.
168	* VagueAge: Averted by WordOfGod: Todd Kauffman (one of the creators) confirms them to be in grade 9 -- so they're 13-14 years old. [[OlderThanTheyLook Their design makes them look younger]] although Vana, Kitty and Mandy are under 12 years old.
169	* VerbalTic: Master XOX always pronounces "evil" as "evile", like a combination of "evil" and "vile". Maybe he does it to make a point about how evil (and vile) he is. Or maybe he just likes [[Music/{{Evile}} the band]].
170	* VisualPun
171	** The aforementioned "roostabaga" gag is followed by a rooster with a rutabaga for a torso.
172	** "The dust bunnies are starting to multiply". Cut to a scene of bunnies doing multiplication on a chalk board.
173	** Splitsboro's good and evil sides are separated by a railroad, meaning that the people who live on the evil side are literally born on the wrong side of the tracks.
174	%%* WithFriendsLikeThese: Trevor for Eric and Vana for Kitty.
175	%%* WorldGoneMad: Splitsboro.
176	* WorldOfJerkass: While there are genuinely good people in Splitsboro like Kitty and Mandy, the vast majority of citizens are utter {{Jerkass}}es with very little in the way of redeeming moments and even the comparatively nicer ones like Eric can be pretty dang mean at times.
177	* YankTheDogsChain:
178	** One example is in "This Hour Has 22,000 Minutes"; Eric finally manages to stop all the time loops and is about to ask Vana to the dance, but he gets punished for a mocking graffiti drawing of Pamplemoose that Trevor did. Even worse, Vana was so busy planning the dance, that she didn't ask anyone and said she would've even gone with him.
179	%%** "Graduation Daze", the final episode.

Context WesternAnimation / Sidekick