Animal Sidekicks We Wish Were Real

Heroes and sidekicks have been an immensely powerful trope throughout entertainment media, from movies and TV shows to comic books and video games. While there are certainly way too many to include them all here, we'll be picking out our favorites. Please note that we're using "animal" as a rather loose term, including mythical creatures and the like. (Although we're just sticking with pet-adjacent creatures, so sorry, we won't be talking about sapient alien species like Wookiees!) We're not necessarily ranking them in any particular order, as you could decide who is best based on their cuteness or ability to defend you from danger, creating vastly different lists. Keep reading to see some of our favorite animal sidekicks, and see if we matched any of yours!

Mushu - Mulan

[Source: Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Feature Animation/IMDb]

We're suckers for dragons, some of the coolest mythological creatures ever. While Mushu may be underwhelming compared to more "life-size" dragons, he's also a talking dragon. If you ever wished you could talk to a pet for real, you'd have your chance with Mushu! Mushu gives solid advice, is an excellent motivator, and, overall, a good friend. Did we mention that he's also travel-sized for your convenience?

Pikachu - Pokémon

[Source: OLM, Inc., IMDb]

He may have one of the world's worst Pokémon trainers as his owner, but Pikachu is the loyal friend and sidekick we all wish we had! At age 10, Ash wasn't exactly ready to go out in the world on his own. (Although it's how things work in the world of Pokémon.) While Ash bumbles his way from gym to gym, attempting to collect badges, Pikachu defends him against angry Pidgeys, Team Rocket, and other hazards during their travels together. They form a friendship that goes way beyond the bonds of pet and owner, cementing them in pop culture history!

Ghost, Nymeria, Summer, Lady, Grey Wind, and Shaggydog - Game of Thrones

[Source: Helen Sloan/HBO/IMDb]

The symbol of House Stark, direwolves were so rare to be considered near-mythical. Lord Eddard Stark was lucky to come across a deceased direwolf and her newborn babies, which the Stark children took in. They proved incredibly loyal and excellent defenders in an extremely violent world. They foiled assassins, fought off wights, and even joined in fights on the battlefield. Much larger and more intelligent than regular wolves, they proved easy to train and even came to the defense of known friends of their owners. While we might not want to live in the dangerous world of Game of Thrones, we'd love to have a direwolf companion!

Appa and Momo - Avatar: The Last Airbender

[Source: Nickelodeon Animation Studio/IMDb]

Okay, so we know that the ATLA world isn't necessarily Earth, but it's also not some alien planet in outer space, so we're allowing it! In Avatar: The Last Airbender, every Avatar has an animal companion to guide them on their travels. In the same way that Korra has Naga, Aang has Appa and Momo. Appa is a sky bison, capable of flying long distances with several passengers on his back. Momo is a winged lemur, and he's more of a pet than a pack animal, but he manages to prove himself useful on rare occasions. (Just don't ask Momo to fetch you water!) Nearly hunted to extinction by the Fire Nation, Appa and Momo are a rare sight in Aang's world due to their connections with the Air Nomads. Not only do they forge a friendship with Avatar Aang and their traveling companions, but we see that Appa and Momo also care for each other.

Pegasus - Hercules

[Source: Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Feature Animation/IMDb]

Pegasi are right up there with dragons and unicorns—we want them all! Honestly, Pegasus is the perfect companion for Hercules. He seems to have no issues flying his muscle-bound friend around and perfectly understands human language. Pegasus goes way beyond just pet status for Hercules, often acting as a best friend would. You can see his envy of Meg when her presence causes distractions for Hercules, and he gets upset when Phil refuses to help. (He even blows Hades's hair out because it's funny.) We love an animal sidekick with a sense of humor!

Bronx - Gargoyles

[Source: Walt Disney Television Animation/Jade Animation/Tama Productions/Nelvana/IMDb]

Disney's Gargoyles was one of their greatest animated series of all time, and it introduced us to one of their best animal companions, Bronx. Just as the Gargoyles are sapient humanoids capable of human behaviors, Bronx is a Gargoyle beast and essentially their pet dog. In his mannerisms, he acts like a large dog, although Bronx is much larger and stronger than regular dogs. (Honestly, he has to be to keep up with the Gargoyles!)

Scooby-Doo - Scooby-Doo

[Source: Hanna-Barbera Productions/IMDb]

One of the other talking animal sidekicks on our list, Scooby-Doo is a very good boy. He's not entirely a pet as much as he is Shaggy's best friend. They eat ridiculous sandwiches, solve mysteries, and have entire conversations with each other. That's more than most of us can say about our pets. Scooby-Doo's famous accent sometimes sounds silly, but anyone can still easily understand him. The only thing Scooby-Doo isn't great at is being a guard dog—he's sure to take off before you do!

Varactyl - Star Wars

[Source: Lucasfilm Ltd./IMDb]

We want to keep so many Star Wars creatures as pets, even if some are untameable wild animals while others are sapient beings. (As much as we'd love an Ewok, it would be cruel.) However, we could keep some tame creatures as pets, including Banthas and Tauntauns. One of our favorites is the Varactyl; they're so cool and colorful! They're herbivores, so while they're big enough to ride, they won't try to eat you. Varactyls are also intelligent and obedient, making them excellent mounts. Probably the best part about riding a Varactl is their ability to grip onto practically any surface, handling otherwise difficult terrain or sheer cliff faces with ease!

Rocket Raccoon - Guardians of the Galaxy

[Source: Marvel Studios/IMDb]

Rocket was once just an ordinary raccoon from Earth, but he gained sapience after experiments with the High Evolutionary. There was more horrible backstory trauma, then Rocket became a mercenary and eventually fell in with the Guardians of the Galaxy. He's not strictly part of a sapient race, but he's also not a pet. He's just Rocket, and we'd love to have him on our team! He's a mechanic, a pilot, and smarter than most people. Rocket also comes with Groot, which is only a bonus for us!

Shadowfax - The Lord of the Rings 

[Source: New Line Cinema/WingNut Films/IMDb]

One of several named horses in The Lord of The Rings, Shadowfax is the one horse to rule them all! Shadowfax comes from a line of Mearas, or wild horses in Middle Earth with above-average speed, intelligence, and strength. While initially untameable, Shadowfax becomes the horse of Gandalf. Gandalf can call Shadowfax from great distances, and he will arrive soon after! He was instrumental in several battles, and Shadowfax swiftly carried several allies to safety. Honestly, he's a fellowship MVP.

Goose/Chewie - Captain Marvel

[Source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/IMDb]

She may look like an average orange cat in the comics, but Goose (or Chewie) is actually a Flerken. They appear to have pocket dimensions hidden inside their bodies, which may explain away the horrifying mess of teeth and tentacles that appear when Flerken open their gaping mouths. They can also teleport, which is pretty sweet. There would be no accidentally leaving your cute-yet-terrifying kitty outside!

Hedwig - Harry Potter

[Source: Warner Bros. Film/Heyday Pictures/1492 Pictures/IMDb]

It is common for wizards to have pets in the world of Harry Potter. While they aren't like talking witch and wizard familiars found in other media, they may perform small tasks for their owners. Owls generally deliver mail, which is also one of Hedwig's duties. Harry always did his best to care for Hedwig, even if his muggle life outside of school usually led to her being in a cage. She was a smart owl, as noted in the series, and knew exactly where to take all her mail deliveries. Even after Hedwig's death, Harry always kept a snowy owl to remember her.

Rajah - Aladdin

[Source: Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Feature Animation/IMDb]

Some Disney princesses had mice, while others had chickens, chameleons, and raccoons. And then there's Rajah, Princess Jasmine's pet tiger! He's fiercely loyal to Jasmine and very protective. (Everything a princess needs!) Rajah also serves as a great companion, being much more affectionate than one might expect a tiger to be. He helps her leave the palace when Jasmine feels too confined and ensures rejected suitors don't overstay their welcome. Rajah is also the most capable of the Disney Princess pets at defending their owners. Few could tangle with a tiger and win!

Toothless - How to Train Your Dragon

[Source: DreamWorks Animation/IMDb]

Dragons and Vikings feel like they go together, as seen in How to Train Your Dragon. Historically, our Vikings did not have dragons, but we'll overlook that by going with the rule of cool. Toothless becomes Hiccup's dragon when he manages to shoot down a rare Night Fury. After some time spent training the newly tamed dragon, we see that Toothless is, in fact, quite clever! He appears to understand human language to some degree and even reacts to Hiccup's jokes! As a bonus, many of Toothless's mannerisms are cat-like, adding to his overall cuteness.

Salem - Sabrina

[Source: Berlanti Productions/Warner Bros. Television/Archie Comics/Muckle Man Productions/IMDb]

There have been several adaptations of Sabrina through the years, and Salem is consistently one of our favorite characters. While not initially a pet—or even a cat!—Salem Saberhagen is a witch, living as a cat for 100 years as punishment. He has become somewhat of a familiar to Sabrina, offering advice with a heaping portion of snark. (Granted, his backstory is different in other versions.) No matter the adaptation, Salem is always ready to help Sabrina when she needs it!

Donkey - Shrek

[Source: DreamWorks Animation/PDI/DreamWorks/IMDb]

Another animal that's more of a best friend than a pet is Donkey. He's intelligent, funny, and an overall good companion. (Although mileage for dealing with his antics may vary!) You can count on him to help break the ice if you're not nearly as social, and Donkey always seems to sense the chemistry between characters before they realize it's there. We're honestly not surprised that he managed to seduce the dragon. Or that he charmed the cantankerous swamp ogre. We'd love to have a Donkey at our side!

Rufus - Kim Possible

[Source: Walt Disney Television Animation/IMDb]

It doesn't matter where or when there's trouble because you know Rufus will always have your back! Every "solo" action hero always needs some form of backup, and we have to be honest—it's rarely Ron. Ron's pet naked mole rat, Rufus, is much more capable than his human sidekick. He saved their lives quite a few times, getting them out of sticky situations or warning them of impending danger. Due to his diminutive size and incredible understanding of human language, he is the perfect partner for secretive stealth missions and rescues. Rufus may not get as much action at our side, but we wouldn't mind munching on some "Nacos" with him!

Jiji - Kiki's Delivery Service

[Source: Studio Ghibli/IMDb]

Jiji's personality changes from the American version to the Japanese version, but we'll be sticking with American Jiji as he's more familiar to us. Jiji is Kiki's familiar, and as Kiki is a witch-in-training, he cares for his young apprentice witch. He's sarcastic and talkative, capable of carrying on entire conversations with his owner. (Granted, we find out he's not a talking cat, but Kiki's magic enables them to communicate. When Kiki starts losing her magic, she stops being able to understand him.) Jiji likes to talk big but is willing to go beyond what some cats would. Spending a day as a child's "stuffed toy" while Kiki locates and fixes the intended gift is probably the best example! We may not be able to have a chat with Jiji ourselves, but he's a dependable and loyal companion.

Gromit - Wallace and Gromit

[Source: Aardman Animations/IMDb]

Dogs can be noisy with their barks and howls as they attempt to speak in some fashion. Meanwhile, Gromit communicates so incredibly well without making a peep! (Now that's an S-tier dog!) An impeccable judge of character and somewhat of a jack of all trades, Gromit is capable of more than most humans—his owner included. Gromit helps Wallace fix his inventions, and we have also seen him knit, read a newspaper, and fly a plane. At this point, he's basically just a human in dog's clothing. We're going to be besties!

Yoshi - Super Mario Bros.

[Source: Universal Pictures/Illumination/Nintendo/Screenrant.com]

We've already mentioned a few dragon characters, so why not a dinosaur? Yoshis are a dinosaur-like species of rideable pets that exist in the world of Super Mario Bros. Yoshi is a companion of Mario and helps on many adventures. (And yes, he's a Yoshi named Yoshi. It's like naming your cat "cat", but we digress.) He's adorable and friendly, and he can lay eggs and flutter-jump. It's not quite as cool as flying, but it's still cool. They also come in various colors, which only makes us want to collect all the Yoshis!

Sebastian - The Litte Mermaid

[Source: Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Feature Animation/Silver Screen Partners IV/IMDb]

As the advisor and caretaker of a spoiled mermaid princess, Sebastian puts up with a lot. He's tons of fun, but his position means that Sebastian needs to dig into his stern, no-nonsense side. At the end of the day, Sebastian is a musician at heart. Who wouldn't want a singing, dancing crab with a great set of pipes? And as stern as he tries to appear for his duties, he does his best for those he cares for. We love you, Sebastian, and Ariel honestly didn't deserve to have such a great companion.

Roach - The Witcher

[Source: Little Schmidt Productions/Hivemind/Platige image/IMDb]

Feel free to call us out on our horse-girl sensibilities, but we'd love to have Roach as a companion. (Just so you know, Geralt names all of his horses "Roach", so we're talking about them as a collective here.) As a vehicle for Geralt, Roach has encountered some of the scariest beasts alive. While Roach will run away to a safer distance, they appear to be incredibly well-trained, and Roach withstands more than an otherwise average horse would. They also traverse some incredibly tough terrain, all while weighed down with Geralt's gear and his grisly monster-hunting trophies. If we could have a dependable horse like that, we'd take them in a heartbeat!

The Cat - Coraline

[Source: Laika/Pandemonium Films/IMDb]

If we end up in the other world, we want no one else at our side! The cat has no name, but he is always close by. Appearing to be a (mostly) normal cat in the regular world, the cat can speak in the other world. Granted, he still seems to understand human speech in the everyday world, but he's incapable of speaking back. In the other world, he's a snarky yet trustworthy companion, warning Coraline of the dangers she cannot see.

Krypto the Superdog - Superman

[Source: Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics/IMDb]

One of the most famous superhero pets, Krypto the Superdog has all the powers of Superman but on a smaller scale. (Granted, his smell and hearing abilities are superior to Superman!) Krypto is generally portrayed as a pure white dog of unknown pedigree, sometimes changing appearance between adaptations. He's also more intelligent than the average dog and can recognize human speech and follow various commands. If he can take himself outside to go, play with us, and save the day, Krypto is a top-tier pet!

So many pets and animal companions exist in our favorite shows, movies, and video games. Which pop culture pets are your most favorite? How about least favorite? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! You may not be able to have these animal sidekicks for real, but you're bound to find some in our pop culture gifts on FUN.com.