While everyone loves a good hero and villain, side characters also have their share of fans. It's easy to see why, thanks to how diverse and multi-faceted they can be. Their roles include comic relief, emotional support, and everything in between.
The world of animation has seen several memorable side characters instrumental to the hero's journey. Some of the best of these came from Disney, thanks to the company's vast animated catalog dating back to 1937 with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
10 Evinrude — 'The Rescuers' (1977)
When a message in a bottle arrives at the Rescue Aid Society, two mice named Bernard (Bob Newhart) and Bianca (Eva Gabor) are sent on a mission to the Devil's Bayou to rescue a young girl. Upon arrival, the locals point them to Evinrude (James MacDonald), a dragonfly who operates the fastest boat around. Afterward, Evinrude is tasked with rounding up the locals for an attack to drive out the evil Madam Medusa once and for all.
Without speaking a single line, Evinrude's personality shines through his actions. Nothing will stop him from helping in the fight, be it smoke or swarms of bats. His courage even earns him a place aiding Bernard and Bianca in future adventures.
9 Roquefort — 'The Aristocats' (1970)
Madame Bonfamille (Hermione Baddeley) is known for her affection for animals, particularly cats. However, she is unaware of another animal that dwells in her house: a mouse named Roquefort (Sterling Holloway). Fortunately, he is a kind soul and befriended Duchess and her three kittens.
Despite being a snack for every alley cat in Paris, Roquefort proves that bravery can eclipse one's size when he learns that the cats have gone missing. He stays up all night searching for them in the rain and attempts to follow the house's butler when he learns he was the one who stole them. Yet his bravest act comes when he walks into a gathering of cats on the advice of Thomas O'Malley (Phil Harris) and tries to convince them to help Duchess (Eva Gabor) and her children.
8 Sergeant Tibbs — '101 Dalmations' (1961)
After Pongo (Rod Taylor) and Perdita's (Lisa Daniels and Cate Bauer) puppies are stolen, they send out a call through the Barking Chain to get help from other dogs. Their plea eventually reaches a farmhouse outside of Hell Hall, from which puppy sounds had been heard. A barn cat named Sergeant Tibbs (David Frankham) is sent in to investigate.
While not a dog, Tibbs saves the puppies from Hell Hall. Fighting his fears, he keeps the puppies away from Jasper and Horace long enough for Pongo and Perdita to arrive and fight them off. Later, he joins the rest of his barnyard division to slow the crooks down and give the dalmatians a head start.
7 Jaq and Gus — 'Cinderella' (1950)
Cinderella (Ilene Woods) has rescued many mice from the traps set up by her step-family or the jaws of the family cat, Lucifer. Their unofficial leader, Jaq (Jimmy MacDonald), is fast-thinking and willing to stand up for what's right. When Cinderella rescues Gus (MacDonald), a new mouse with a big appetite, Jaq takes him under his wing and shows him the ropes of the house.
Despite their size, Jaq and Gus aid in Cinderella's plight in some very big ways. They repeatedly risk their lives against Lucifer, such as getting the materials to fix her dress or retrieving the key to get her out of the attic. Their selfless devotion to her encapsulates the movie's themes of kindness inspiring kindness in others.
6 Ray — 'The Princess and the Frog' (2009)
On their way to ask a wise woman to help break a spell that turned them into frogs, Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos) and Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) come across a firefly named Ray (Jim Cummings). With his large extended family and knowledge of the bayou, he's more than willing to help them as a guide and with relationship troubles. Interestingly, his sweetheart is not a firefly but a star.
While his choice of partners may be questionable, Ray's heart is as big as his thorax. While he may be small, he has no fear of charging head-first against larger foes, even if it means injury. He also sees the best in everyone, which leads to him learning about the plans of Dr. Facilier (Keith David) in the film's climax when Tiana gives into despair.
5 Flounder — 'The Little Mermaid' (1989)
Whenever Princess Ariel (Jodi Benson) goes on a new expedition for sunken treasure, she brings along her fish friend, Flounder (Jason Marin). Unfortunately, Flounder is not the bravest fish in the sea and often worries about the dangers they could encounter. This results in Ariel affectionately calling him a guppy.
Yet Flounder taps into his courage whenever Ariel is in danger. The best moments were when he stood up to King Triton (Kenneth Mars) to explain why Ariel missed her concert and when he battles Flotsam and Jetsam (Paddi Edwards) to save Prince Eric (Christopher Daniel Barnes). Even when Ariel is human, he remains close by to keep up to date on her situation and help in any small way he can.
4 Mushu — 'Mulan' (1998)
When Fa-Mulan takes her father's place in the Chinese army, her ancestors task Mushu (Eddie Murphy), a disgraced family guardian, with reviving the Great Stone Dragon to get her back. Unfortunately, Mushu destroys the statue and decides to take its place. He thinks that if he makes Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) a great war hero, he'll be reinstated as a guardian.
While he begins with ulterior motives, Mushu truly wants Mulan to succeed. To avoid revealing himself to humans, he often has to work in the shadows or resort to elaborate disguises involving uncooperative pandas. Even after their deception is revealed, Mushu is willing to face the consequences of failure with Mulan, showing his commitment to sticking with her.
3 Lumiere — 'Beauty and the Beast' (1991)
While all the staff of the enchanted castle does what they can to make Belle (Paige O'Hara) feel at home, none have as much gusto as Lumiere (Jerry Orbach). This suave candelabra is the maître'd of the castle; it is his job to ensure that the guests enjoy their stay and are properly cared for. He accomplishes this through a welcoming demeanor and extravagant feats of showmanship.
Lumiere's hospitality extends to anyone who enters the castle, even if they don't have their master's blessing. This often puts him at odds with the majordomo, Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers), who expects everything to be run his way. However, his honesty and unshaken loyalty place him among the Beast's most trusted advisors and one of the few whose advice he will consider.
2 Timothy Q. Mouse — 'Dumbo' (1941)
Despite being created as a way to make money to finance Bambi, Dumbo has become one of Disney's most beloved classics thanks to its empathetic story about outcasts helping one another. At the center of this is Dumbo's friendship with a circus mouse named Timothy (Edward Brophy). He becomes Dumbo's friend after his mom is taken away and works to help Dumbo become a star.
Timothy might be small, but he has large plans for how to help Dumbo find acceptance through stardom. Using his love for theatrics, he comes up with ideas for Dumbo's acts and always thinks of the next big thing. However, he also keeps Dumbo's feelings in mind and ensures he gets positive reinforcement regarding his ears.
1 Jiminy Cricket — 'Pinocchio' (1940)
Originally just a traveling cricket, Jiminy (Cliff Edwards) just so happened to be in the right place at the right time to witness a Blue Fairy bring a wooden puppet to life. Jiminy was brought on to be the puppet's conscious and treat him right from wrong. He'll have his work cut out for him, as a young child with no sense of morality can get into plenty of trouble.
Despite coming out in Disney's second film, Jiminy has managed to remain one of their most iconic side characters. This is thanks to how upfront he is in terms of providing advice. He's always got a nugget of wisdom to give Pinocchio (Dick Jones), but he has limits and won't hesitate to leave Pinocchio on his own if he needs to learn a lesson.