The sidekick has always been a staple in the superhero business. The loyal companion to the story's main hero has become a time-honored tradition in the medium of comic books, and has given fans one more character to idolize, and truly care for.
Sidekicks have come in many different shapes and sizes, and all have a variety of special skills. And more often than not, certain sidekicks have been known to be smarter than their mentors, which has usually led to rifts between the two, and even brought forth the end of certain partnerships. This just goes to show that a superior, intellectual sidekick is certainly not to be second-guessed.
10 What Bob, Agent of Hydra, lack in smarts, He Makes Up For In Undying Loyalty
Deadpool is quite obviously one of the most eccentric characters in the Marvel Universe, and it goes without saying that any sort of sidekick of his would be cut from the same cloth. However, that didn't exactly take when Deadpool met Bob, Agent of Hydra. A simple man by every definition of the word, Bob was convinced to join Hydra by his wife, who was always on his case for not being able to hold down a steady job. After Deadpool invaded a Hydra base in the middle of one of his hijinks, Bob was the poor agent who was coerced into helping the Merc with a Mouth, now making him a traitor to Hydra, and Deadpool's sidekick.
Bob by no means is seen as an intelligent man, and is usually referred to by Deadpool as his "pet." But what he may lack in smarts, Bob makes up for in undying loyalty, and an uncanny ability to avoid being put into danger. According to Deadpool, Bob is the best he's ever seen at simply running away from danger, which in the world of dangerous secret terrorist organizations and superhumans, is an incredibly vital skill to have.
9 Jubilee Became One of Wolverine's Closest Friends
One of the X-Men's most iconic members after her starring role in X-Men: The Animated Series, Jubilee became a fan-favorite member of the world's most feared and hated in the 1980s. A scrappy kid from the streets with a heart of gold, Jubilee quickly took to Wolverine like an annoying kid sister. The two formed an unspoken bond over their rough pasts, and they quickly became a favored pairing on the X-Men roster that has stood to this day.
What Jubilee lacks in academics, she certainly makes up for in street smarts. She has shown on plenty of occasions to be quick-thinking, cunning, and able to adapt to any situation, and has been known to get herself in (and out) of trouble on her own. As she has grown older she has only become more resourceful, making her a valuable member of the many X-Men teams she has joined over the years.
8 Rick Jones Was A Huge Support To The Avengers
One of the earliest sidekicks in the Marvel Universe, Rick Jones has sometimes been seen as the Avengers' secret weapon as well as an honorable member. Famously being saved by Bruce Banner, resulting in the experiment gone wrong that turned Banner into the Hulk, Rick Jones has always been a loyal friend and helpful sidekick to the Hulk, and the Avengers at large. He even was a sidekick to Captain America for a while, due to his resemblance to Cap's first sidekick, Bucky; however, this role was short-lived. Rick Jones was even bonded to the Kree hero Mar-Vell and was brought before the Kree Supreme Intelligence, which awakened Rick's psionic powers.
Having an action-packed life that has resulted in Rick gaining a variety of superpowers, Rick Jones has shown to be very intelligent, and capable of holding his own in a number of situations. Quick on his feet, and very sharp, Jones also has been able to tap into the unknown energy known as the Destiny Force. After being depowered from his time as A-Bomb, Rick's brain has been said to pick up new information lightning-fast, making him a real threat.
7 Bucky Was The First Sidekick
There are many who consider Bucky Barnes to be the first sidekick in comics, as he accompanied Captain America into the heat of battle in World War II. An inspiration to many to serve their country the best they can, Bucky was believed to be lost during the War, a sore spot for Captain America that he carried with him for decades, until Bucky was revealed to be alive in the early 2000s, brainwashed by the Soviets and turned into the master assassin known as the Winter Soldier.
Having been fighting crime since he was a teenager, Bucky Barnes has picked up an arsenal of skills not only as Bucky, but as the Winter Soldier, and then as Captain America himself after he assumed the mantle in the absence of Steve Rogers. Fluent in multiple languages, including Russian, Barnes is expertly trained in hand-to-hand combat, espionage, and has mastered the use of many different weapons. As an assassin, Barnes was known for his anonymity and intangibility, as he was virtually undetectable by the smartest police forces in the world, allowing him to carry out various missions in secrecy.
6 Kate Bishop Might Be The Greatest Archer Ever
When Clint Barton was killed by the Scarlet Witch during her mental breakdown and the resulting House of M crisis, the world was left without a Hawkeye. After a group of teenage vigilantes started fighting crime, calling themselves the Young Avengers, Kate Bishop, an incredibly skilled archer, took up the mantle of Hawkeye, with the blessing of Captain America himself, who even gifted her Barton's bow and quiver. Since Barton has returned, he has been more than happy to share the mantle with Bishop, with the two proving to be an unlikely but formidable pairing.
Aside from being a talented archer, Kate Bishop is incredibly resourceful, quick on her feet, and has an unmatchable work ethic. She's received combat and tactical training from Captain America, investigative training from Jessica Jones, and the odd archery lesson from Clint Barton himself, making Kate a well-rounded vigilante. Considered by some to be the world's greatest archer, Kate Bishop has more than earned the namesake of Hawkeye.
5 Sam Wilson Has Properly Outgrown The Role of Sidekick
Another very famous sidekick, Sam Wilson is a perfect example of a hero who has successfully completed the circuit of sidekick to mentor. After surprisingly helping Captain America take down the Red Skull, Sam Wilson became a sidekick to the First Avenger for years, and on their adventures, he gained the ability to communicate with birds after exposure to the Cosmic Cube. After the Black Panther helped him develop a flight suit, Wilson became the Falcon.
As is expected of all of Cap's sidekicks, Sam has undergone intense training with Captain America and has become a master martial artist in judo and karate. Over the years as the Falcon, he has become a master acrobat and flight specialist, and during his time as Captain America, he has become more adept with Captain America's iconic shield.
4 Kate Pryde Was One of the Youngest X-Men On The Team
Another one of the most iconic sidekicks in the Marvel Universe, Kate Pryde has been a mainstay in the X-Men since her introduction in 1980. One of the youngest to join the X-Men, Kate was only a teenager amongst the rest of the adults at Xavier's Institute, and unexpectedly, she grew very close to Wolverine. Certainly an unlikely duo, the gruff and tough Canadian grew fond of the small and soft-spoken girl from Illinois. It wasn't long before Pryde became one of Wolverine's most trusted friends on the X-Men, and with her mutant ability to become intangible, Pryde was able to become close to the fast-swinging Wolverine.
Apart from her mutant ability to render herself intangible, Kate Pryde has become one of the most skilled X-Men through various forms of training. With one of the highest IQs on the team, Kate also is a master martial artist, swordsman, an expert pilot, and computer genius. Kate also speaks many different languages, including Japanese, Russian, and the native languages of the Shi'ar and Skrull Empires.
3 Lockheed Has Been A Loyal Friend To Kate Pryde
While Kate Pryde has been considered a famous sidekick to many members of the X-Men, there should also be a place held on this list for Lockheed, Kate's loyal friend. A member of a highly advanced extraterrestrial species of dragons, Lockheed was found by the X-Men on a planet that had been colonized by the Brood, where he helped save Kate Pryde's life, and decided to return to Earth with her. Since then, Lockheed has become an integral part of Kate's life and an unexpected and valuable member of the X-Men.
A big draw to Lockheed is his ability to understand any language being spoken, regardless of the species of the speaker. This played a large part in Lockheed being recruited to work for S.W.O.R.D, Earth's extraterrestrial version of S.H.I.E.L.D. Lockheed is even capable of not just understanding, but speaking English, though he rarely does so. As a fully grown alien, he has shown to be incredibly resourceful and is certainly not to be underestimated.
2 Wong Has Committed His Whole Life To Serving Dr. Strange
Probably one of the most underrated sidekicks in the Marvel Universe, Wong has served at the behest of Doctor Strange, Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, for decades. Coming from a family of servants to the Ancient One, Wong was sent to the US to serve Doctor Stephen Strange, who would soon inherit the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme from the Ancient One. Wong has been loyal to Strange to a fault, has been considered an inheritor of the Orb of Agamotto, and has even served as the Avengers' butler in the Heroic Age.
Though it is often overlooked, Wong is also a magic user, albeit certainly not as skilled as Doctor Strange. But his knowledge in the mystics is still extensive, after years of serving the Sorcerer Supreme, Wong is dutiful to a fault. He is also an incredibly well-trained martial artist, and his extensive knowledge of the mystics arts places him in second place.
1 Amadeus Cho Managed To Control The Hulk Like Bruce Banner Never Could
The stand-out top spot on this list resides with Amadeus Cho, known by many as one of the smartest minds in the Marvel Universe. A child prodigy, he competed in a quiz for other geniuses and earned the title of the 7th Smartest Man in the World. But as a result, he was targeted by the organizer of the quiz, who tried to kill Amadeus, leaving him an orphan. Amadeus would soon befriend the Hulk while on the run, and the two became unlikely friends.
Amadeus Cho, despite his young age, is already considered one of the smartest minds in the Marvel Universe. He was even able to maintain his intelligence when he became the Totally Awesome Hulk, after developing nanotechnology that allowed him to absorb gamma radiation from Bruce Banner, giving him the strength of the Hulk. This incredible feat allowed Cho to continue to use his brain to his full potential making him not only incredibly smart, but also just as dangerous and skilled as he was before.