Batman has Robin, The Green Hornet has Kato, Sherlock Holmes has Dr. Watson: Whenever a hero needs assistance, a loyal sidekick appears to lend a helping hand. This week, we use Brendan Main’s piece about a particularly controversial sidekick to explore how second bananas function in video games. Feel free to type up your thoughts in the comments. Alternatively, you can just tell your sidekick to do it for you.

Some discussion starters:

• On the subject of Navi: Love her or hate her? Why?

• What are some examples of well-implemented sidekicks? Is their success tied to specific narrative or thematic elements, do they perform a specific function in the game, or is it some combination of both?

• How do multiplayer games encourage or inhibit leader/sidekick relationships? Is there a way to foster this relationship without devaluing the second player?

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• Run time: 30 min 58 sec

• “Hey, Listen, I Like Navi,” by Brendan Main, via The Escapist
• Music provided by Brad Sucks