this post was submitted on 21 May 2025
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Original question by: @JoMiran@lemmy.ml

Have you ever read a novel, comic, manga, watched a movie, play, TV show etc., and you found yourself invested in a side character? Ever cared for and felt more intrigued by that side character than the mains? If so, what character was it and what are some.things that make you so interested in them?

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[–] Apytele@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Tom Bombadill. To the extent that one of my main goals in life is to be as chaotic and inexplicable to people as possible, but benignly so.

[–] baggachipz@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 months ago

Gale from Breaking Bad. He was just a geek earning a living and when Jesse went to him at his front door and he said “you don’t have to do this” and BLAM. It really bothered me.

[–] Monster96@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

In Animal Crossing Wild World I had a white duck in my town that I adored. I don't know why I liked her

[–] garbagebagel@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

I get far too attached to all my AC neighbours.b

[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago (3 children)

I'm going to cheat and say that with the exception of everyone's favourite space-racist, most of the side characters from the Mass Effect Trilogy are far more compelling than Commander Shepard.

[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

And somehow Ash is still more likeable then Kaden. But Kirrahe is the best outside the usable characters.

[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago

I've played the trilogy multiple times with multiple different agendas for the character (today I'll be a racist like Ashley. Today I'll be smart-ass, etc...)

And the only hard-and-fast rule is "always...kill...Alenko".

I've actually gotten all the way up to Virmire multiple times with the intention being "okay...not this time." only to have the thought strike me right at the moment of truth that i still have two more games to go with him hanging around and at least the space racist has boobs to distract me.

Poor poor Kaiden.

[–] Mac@mander.xyz 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

IMO, this is how it should be. Let me apply myself to the main character and learn more about the side characters.

[–] Adderbox76@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I feel like this was the ultimate sin of Andromeda (a game that sadly had far too many sins)

It had some great combat mechanics (that I hope get ported over to the new one). But the characters are just ultimately so damn forgettable. There's no reason or need to get to know them. And when you're main character is just a nepo-baby, that's a problem.

At the very least they could have made Cora Harper an interesting character as the person who has trained her entire life only to be superceded by said nepo-baby. But nope...she's just immediately cool with it and all you can do is find her a fucking rose garden.

What...a....waste....

The only somewhat interesting characters that should have been fleshed out more was Sloane Kelly, the security chief who led the rebellion and became the head of the exiles. SHE could have had an interesting storyline in an Aria T'loak type of way. But she's just relegated to killing her in order to advance another boring plot.

[–] CmdrShepard42@lemm.ee 2 points 2 months ago

This my favorite comment on the Citadel.

[–] impudentmortal@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Megan from Bridesmaids totally stole every scene she was in for me. Such a fun chaotic character.

Not sure if this counts but Elizabeth from Bioshock Inifite was such a better and more interesting character than Booker. She's not playable so I figure she's a side character even if the entire plot of the game revolves around her.

Also not sure if it counts but Toph from Avatar the Last Airbender is one of my favorite characters in any medium. She's not introduced until partway through season 2 (why she may count) but is part of the core group of main characters (why she might not count).

[–] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Ok, Toph is just one of the best characters in fiction, she's fantastic! And yeah, that totally counts.

[–] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

what is happening with this "manual community bridging"? honest question

[–] underline960@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If "manual community bridging" means quoting a post instead of reposting, I'd guess it has something go do with defederation, since a lot of instances have defed from lemmy.ml.

[–] WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago

oh! I see, thanks. I thought it was only a user movement, it seems I missed that even lots of instances blocked ml recently

[–] als@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Gromit. That lil guy is always on it when his owner has no clue.

[–] tacosanonymous@lemm.ee 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Gromit is a main character though.

[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Mr Bean, and Mike the TV from Reboot

[–] GrayBackgroundMusic@lemm.ee 2 points 2 months ago

Whoa a Reboot mention. Love that show.

[–] PennyRoyal@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

Cassidy in the Preacher graphic novels

[–] NegentropicBoy@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Lieutenant Lopez (Greg Bryk) in first season of The Expanse, barely lasted an episode, wished he had stayed longer.

[–] BodePlotHole@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Comfortable Doug.

He just gets me.

[–] GrayBackgroundMusic@lemm.ee 2 points 2 months ago

Barclay from Star Trek TNG. I didn't know why at the time. I liked him a lot but everyone on the show was very annoyed with him.

Then I grew up and got diagnosed with anxiety and probably autism, which is basically his main character traits. So, yeah. That's why little me liked him.

[–] otacon239@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Otacon from the MGS series. Always there to help the team, a bit afraid of combat, and a total nerd. My kind of guy.

[–] Mac@mander.xyz 1 points 2 months ago

Misha from Katawa Shoujo.
Bubbly and whimsical on the outside while depressed and full of self-doubt on the inside.

[–] ArgumentativeMonotheist@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Moneo (GEoD), maybe?

SIAYNOQ! I BELIEVE!

[–] Thcdenton@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Andy from the office. Kill me.

[–] GeeDubHayduke@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Oy. He's like the Sam of the dark tower series. Roland gets his bacon saved by that precious little billy bumbler.

E: ducking autocorrupt is going ham today