We all know that smiles are contagious. If you are going through a tough time or are just having a down day, your closest friends are the ones that can pick you up without fail. Lucky for us, the magic of friendship is something Disney shares great lessons on.
Each starring Disney character has the potential to become our friend, but they have their own special friends too! It’s often the little guys, the sidekicks that bring some of the most lighthearted and memorable moments in our favorite Disney movies.
Aladdin and Abu: What a Team
The mice from Cinderella, the magic carpet from Aladdin and Cogsworth and Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast. You love them, right?! Perhaps it is the joy brought by characters other than the star that makes Disney extra memorable! It’s about time that the sidekicks got some credit! They can teach us so much, from how to relax right through to how to trust our instincts and take that risky step to make our dreams come true. Wow!
Here is a big question! What is the best way to think about our Disney friends, as sidekicks or as pals?
To me, a sidekick is there to support the main character and to help bring about their happy ending. Of course the star shows their appreciation for the sidekick, but perhaps they are something more to them, something more like a kindred spirit. If this is the case, which I’m thinking it is, then maybe we should think of these loving secondary characters as best friends. They play the role of the supporter, but often end up teaching the star a valuable life lesson that they would have otherwise missed out on. If we didn’t have our Disney friends, then we wouldn’t see the colorful sides of our central characters, they wouldn’t overcome the challenges with such poise and commitment. What is better, sidekick or friend? Take Pocahontas for example.
Cinderella’s Best Buds
Meko and Flic seem like two bumbling and mischievous buddies who don’t do much else other than supply the film’s comedy factor. You have to admit that a raccoon and a bird as unlikely partners in crime is a pretty funny concept in itself. However, what makes them so memorable is that they are able to show Pocahontas that she can only benefit from taking that leap around the riverbend. Initially, the two pals are hesitant, but they grow to see the good nature in John Smith, and Pocahontas then soon learns to trust and bibbidi bobbidi boo, she ended up saving lives! Meko and Flic are great examples of the magic of secondary Disney characters. Even these smaller additions to the story can teach us something about ourselves! Every Disney tale is full of lessons, you just have to know where to look.
Disney movies also teach us that friends are wonderful in every occasion. Whether they are wise, reassuring or just plain friendly, a Disney sidekick will always help out!
Timon Adds to the Adventure
It is the secondary character that has the ability to save the star, to come along when they are least expected. Perhaps the relationships formed in Disney stories are Walt’s way of letting us know that the universe is on our side, that we are never alone. We can go with the old que sera sera and a sign will often give us that extra boost of life. Disney always encourages believing in our instincts. Think of it this way, Timon and Pumba certainly saved Simba! I don’t think that there is a better Disney sidekick lesson than ‘Hakuna Matata!’ These friends completely changed our young lion’s outlook on life and turned the situation from a barren desert to a beautiful oasis of life and love! Seeing a meerkat, a warthog and a lion together in real life would probably make you scratch your head in confusion, but Disney manages to make this trio one of the most natural friendships ever imagined. Talk about magic! These unorthodox friends, through their unique and encouraging perspectives teach Simba that it is best to just be yourself, not to be too bothered with overbearing rules. In each scene we see a little bit of TImon and Pumba rub off on the growing lion, and Simba thanks them with his protection. The reciprocity of this trio shows us that friends are a gift and should always be appreciated, because you never know when you could need them to dress in drag and do the hula! Haha!
I’ve found myself asking what qualities are needed to be a good Disney friend? Tinkerbell is Peter’s troublemaking partner, but she still has a good heart. Her firey and sometimes selfish attitude gets in the way of her esteem for Peter, but in the end she manages to patch things up. Tinkerbell’s intentions are not always clear, but you still believe in her and love her nonetheless. To me this shows that Disney understands that life is never perfect, that we have to work through our differences and learn to be patient. Tinkerbell also represents that making friendships work is not an easy feat, but that the effort is always worth it! Tink is still good, even though she sometimes needs reminding! That’s another thing that I love about Disney, even though stories are often about animals, aliens or toys, there is still that underlying human element. We can all see a bit of ourselves in each character, so we can see how their friends would relate to us too! All Disney characters are grounded in some kind of relatable human nature. The world as reflected by Disney is so magical, so for me, it’s easy to see why we dream for a more magical world of our own! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could go to the toy box and have a quiet chat with our childhood buddies?! Haha!
From a tiny fairy to a box full of toys, Disney sidekicks come in all shapes and sizes, just like our everyday friends. Disney shows us that there are no limits to friendship, that you should try to be open minded and accept friendship from all walks of life. Woody and Buzz have a whole group of friends and they respect each one equally. Where would they be without each other, stuck inside a box and closed off from the possibilities of life together! With friends, these Disney heroes are true representatives of how we should endeavor to treat each other. Whether they are thrown into the situation by no choice of their own, or actively pursue their friendship, each and every Disney story teaches us cherished lessons about ourselves and how trusting others can bring about the most magical of experiences. We can’t get by without some imagination and a little help from our friends!
It Was All Started By a Mouse
When thinking about just who my favorite sidekick is, I am reassured that they are all fabulous and that we are lucky to have so many brilliant characters to enjoy! There isn’t a single Disney character that isn’t awesome (that includes the villains!) It was a tough choice, but I have come to the conclusion that the best Disney friend is Mickey himself! It has to be him! Mickey mouse is the most famous and life changing sidekick of all. We are always hearing about the man and the mouse, the two we have to thank for the entire vision of Disney. His friendship with Walt, even though it was imaginary, has already given us 90 years of magic and will go on to bring a wealth more! Walt shared his friendship with the world, and what a beautiful friendship it is. Universal, magical and timeless, you can’t get better than that. After all, Walt said it best – “Lets not forget that it all started with a mouse”.
