We Ranked the Best Disney Movie Animal Sidekicks—And We Broke Our Own Hearts
Everyone wants to be the main character, but everyone also knows that sidekicks complete a movie—and in some cases, steal the entire show. That especially goes for universally beloved animal sidekicks in Disney movies. (Just look at Dory who got a movie of her own!)
Below, we've ranked the best of the beastly besties that the Disney animated world has to offer—and while focusing on creatures inevitably leaves out some our fave second bananas, like Beauty and the Beast's Lumiere, Frozen's Olaf, and Cars's Mater, we have a feeling several of your classic and new faves still landed a spot.
Now, deciding where each should go on our list was a bit like picking between some of our childhood best friends, so we had to consider some important factors—like how critical they are to the movie, if they provide comic relief, if they make us cry (it's hard to say if this earned or lost them points, to be honest!), and if they're a loyal friend.
It wasn't easy, but we did it. So go ahead and see where your favorites landed, starting with no. 42.
Valentino, 'Wish'
The newest Disney sidekick is this plucky little goat who provides comic relief—but unfortunately, he gets overshadowed by that cute little wishing star. But hey, he still made our list, even if by the skin of his teeth!
Rhino, 'Bolt'
If you remember anything from the cute-but-forgettable (hence not being higher on our list) movie Bolt, it's likely the feisty hamster Rhino who tries to fight crime from the confines of his ball.
Flounder, 'The Little Mermaid'
While loyal to Ariel, which is a redeeming quality in a sidekick, he really is a bit of a guppy. His scaredy-cat tendencies make him cute, but not all that useful—so this spot on the list feels just right.
Flower, 'Bambi'
The sweetest skunk ever doesn't even mind when Bambi gives him a new name—but aside from his adorableness, he doesn't really do all that much. But cuteness counts for something, so here he lands!
Bagheera, 'The Jungle Book'
He's certainly not the most fun, so he's not ranked higher...but we give him credit for finding Mowgli, having him raised in safety, and then protecting him on his journey back to human civilization.
Terk, 'Tarzan'
She's Tarzan's cousin of sorts and best pal who helps him save the gorillas from the human interlopers and provides some much-needed comic relief. She's not the only funny sidekick, though, so stay with us.
Flotsam & Jetsam, 'The Little Mermaid'
Yes, they're sidekicks to a sea witch, but these electrifying eels are deviously delightful as they slither around doing some stealthy spying, so we couldn't possibly leave them out.
Meeko, 'Pocahontas'
Meeko's got cuteness down pat as he steals snacks and hearts to help Pocahontas paint with all the colors of the wind. But needless to say, there's even more cuteness coming...
Maximus, 'Tangled'
The imposing and devoted palace horse will let nothing—not even sliding off a cliff—stop him from his mission of capturing the thieving Flynn Rider. Well, nothing except some kind words from Rapunzel. He doesn't talk, but his facial expressions captivated us enough to land him a solid spot.
Rabbit, 'Winnie the Pooh'
We used to think Rabbit was a buzzkill, but as we got older and had kids of our own, we understand his tired parent energy and had to give him a respectable shoutout. Pooh Bear may be cute, but we see how he can be exhausting. (We still love you, Pooh!)
Archimedes, 'The Sword and the Stone'
Merlin's talking owl may have been a bit of a grump (so he didn't quite crack our top 30), but he is eventually a stand-up friend to the future King Arthur.
Rajah, 'Aladdin'
If Jasmine were named Time's Person of the Year, she'd definitely ask to bring her cat. In this case, her beloved feline is a giant, intimidating tiger...but still. If Rajah were the only sidekick in this movie, he'd be way higher on our list.
Pegasus, 'Hercules'
A vigilant companion to Hercules—and rightfully kicking off our top 30—the winged horse is absolutely adorable as a baby, but a little jealous and overprotective as he gets older.
Mushu, 'Mulan'
Eddie Murphy's signature style has earned him legendary vocal status (just check him out as Donkey in the Shrek films if you don't believe us). And his wise-cracking humor in Mulan is a lighthearted break from the film's heaviness. Unfortunately, though, his appearance didn't please everyone—as dragons are supposed to be stately, and many viewers found his character insensitive.
Zazu, 'The Lion King'
This majordomo is a hornbill who doesn't take kindly to the future king's apparent disinterest in royal matters. But he comes around...eventually. He's certainly enjoyable, but again, he's overshadowed by a few other famed sidekicks who have that "Hakuna Matata" energy. Stay tuned...
Pascal, 'Tangled'
It's tough being trapped in a tower all day with no one to talk to but your mom, so that's where Rapunzel's BFF Pascal comes in. He's a silent, but trustworthy, color-changing chameleon who helps the princess out of her shell.
Thumper, 'Bambi'
Bambi's funniest friend, Thumper, has an out-of-control foot and a fascination with the baby fawn. We especially love when he becomes twitterpated.
Iago, 'Aladdin'
Voiced brilliantly by Gilbert Gottfried, this feathered mastermind assisted the villainous Jafar and helped uncover Aladdin's lies. This parrot may be a bad guy—so we couldn't possibly rank him any higher—but he's so deliciously fun to watch.
Timothy, 'Dumbo'
One of the original hype men, Timothy took Dumbo from his lowest moment and raised him up to celebrity status. That definitely earns him a spot right in the middle of our list.
Dante, 'Coco'
If it weren't for Dante's mischievous moment on the ofrenda, Miguel might not have found out his true family origins. And since Dante can sense ghosts, he has no problem traveling to the Land of the Dead as a spirit guide. Pretty handy pup!
Kevin, 'Up'
Kevin is truly a one-of-a-kind bird who loves chocolate, protects her friends and babies, and eats random things...like canes and balloons. Plus, she deserves a ton of credit for the way in which she manages to evade Muntz for years, hence almost cracking our top 20.
Dot, 'A Bug's Life'
This plucky princess doesn't wait around like a damsel in distress. Instead, she proves her bravery by going up against Thumper. We love a tiny, but mighty, hero.
Piglet, 'Winnie the Pooh'
Winnie the Pooh's most lovable and smallest friend, Piglet, is a constant support, even when he's most afraid. For the sweet little warbles alone and his sentimental moments with Pooh Bear, he is always beloved—and deservedly kicking off our top 20.
Gus and Jaq, 'Cinderella'
These little mice show that size doesn't matter, as they outsmart a devilish cat, find fabrics for Cinderella's dress, and even act as horses in her pumpkin carriage. Who doesn't wish they had tiny mice to do their chores?
Bing Bong, 'Inside Out'
Technically, he's imaginary, but this mostly cotton candy creation is also part-cat, -dolphin, and -elephant, so he absolutely falls in the animal category. He's Riley's forgotten playmate who helps Joy and Sadness get back to headquarters by making a heart-wrenching sacrifice. We get teary every time we hear: "Who's your friend who likes to play? Bing bong, bing bong." Maybe he would've ranked a bit higher had he not made us cry all those times...maybe?
Baloo, 'The Jungle Book'
Long before Timon and Pumbaa taught us about eating grubs, this goofy bear was showing us that ants were edible, too, in the upbeat hit "The Bare Necessities." We could always use Baloo's energy!
Heimlich, 'A Bugs Life'
He's a beautiful butterfly! This caterpillar with a German accent spends much of the movie stealing the show with his constant snacking and obsession with flying. Bug's Life can be a bit heavy, so we love the much-needed levity Heimlich offers.
Flash, 'Zootopia'
There are only animal characters in the Zootopia world, so we'd need a separate list to highlight all of the charming supporting ones—but we have to give a special shoutout to this three-toed Sloth/DMV employee for his "speed" in the face of danger.
Dug, 'Up'
He may be the one that says, "I have just met you, and I love you"—but the feeling's mutual. It's impossible not to instantly fall for this talking pooch.
Eeyore, 'Winnie the Pooh'
Most supporting characters are bubbly or crabby, but Eeyore carries the weight of the world on his shoulders like no other—and we can all relate to his low-key reactions to the likes of Pooh and Tigger.
Sven, 'Frozen'
"Reindeer are better than people," as Kristoff sings—and Sven makes us believe that's true. He's dependable and caring, but not afraid to call Kristoff out when he's being ridiculous. Also we got to see him in two movies, which is double the fun.
Abu, 'Aladdin'
Aladdin's partner in crime may be a monkey, but he's supersmart and can do really useful things, like pick locks to get Aladdin out of jail. He's also just really adorable. If only he didn't get upstaged occasionally by a flying carpet, he'd have appeared even higher on our list.
Marie, 'The Aristocats'
The Artistocats may be over 50 years old, and a lot of people haven't even seen it, but that doesn't diminish Marie's massive fanbase. She's a cute and stylish kitten who entirely steals the show (who even are the other cats, really?) whenever she's on-screen. Spend a quick minute on the internet and you'll see her and her pink bows plastered on every bit of merch you can imagine, so she earned her top 10 spot for longevity alone.
Sebastian, 'The Little Mermaid'
Despite his grumpiness and general skepticism, Sebastian helps Ariel by saving her from herself and produces some truly over-the-top musical numbers at the drop of a hat. Conducting both "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl" while trying to evade a psychotic chef and not get fired by King Triton? He's a hero.
Zero, 'Nightmare Before Christmas'
A pumpkin king's best friend is his ghost dog, right? This adorable pup tried to steer his master in the right direction...and in the process, wormed his way right into our hearts. He might rival Marie for the sidekick with the most merch available, hence him landing a slightly higher spot on our list.
Ray, 'The Princess & the Frog'
If you thought Bing Bong was a heartbreaker, you haven't seen Ray in The Princess & The Frog yet. The sweet firefly is madly in love with the evening star and is also determined to help Tiana and Naveen be together, even if it requires him to fight off Facilier's shadow demons on his own. He's truly a bright light in this movie.
Jiminy Cricket, 'Pinocchio'
If it weren't for Jiminy constantly looking out for Pinocchio and acting as his conscience, Pinocchio would have never become a real boy or gotten off of Pleasure Island without becoming a donkey. This pint-sized cricket is also responsible for originating the iconic song "When You Wish Upon a Star," which has become synonymous with Disney—so it's no surprise that he almost cracked our top five.
Pluto
The scene-stealing star of so many Disney animated short films, Pluto is Mickey's most loyal pup and just a really good boy—so he's kicking off our top five. Coincidentally, he's earned a spot as one of the "Fab Five" (along with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy), which is basically legendary status in the Disney world.
Hei Hei, 'Moana'
This silly little rooster always makes us laugh, no matter how many times we've watched Moana (and that number is high). Hei Hei nearly drowning, screaming his head off, or eating a rock never gets old. In fact, because he's an accidental comedic genius without ever saying a word, he almost earned our top spot—but we had a few other favorites to sneak in.
Tigger, 'Winnie the Pooh'
He's bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, and the most wonderful thing...because he's the only one! The effervescent Tigger really makes the Hundred Acre Woods a special place with his totally unique personality. And he's one of the few side characters to not only get a spinoff movie (called A Tigger Movie, naturally), but one that had a full-fledged theatrical release.
Timon and Pumbaa, 'The Lion King'
No way could we separate this dynamic duo who befriended Simba after the death of his father. They make him welcome and teach him how to enjoy bugs and embrace the "Hakuna Matata" lifestyle. They would've landed our top spot had it not been for...
Dory, 'Finding Nemo'
The forgetful sidekick who helped Marlin reunite with Dory was so beyond popular, she landed her own feature movie, Finding Dory—and our sidekick crown. She taught us all to speak whale, to believe in ourselves, and to just keep swimming.
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