While Disney Princess films are carried by their leading ladies, they wouldn't be the same without a little help from the sidekicks.
Nearly every Disney Princess, from Cinderella to Moana, has one or multiple sidekicks tag along for the journey. While many of these supporting characters are animals, some are clocks, candelabras, and even snowmen!
We're here to look at some of the best sidekicks in Disney Princess history and assign them a ranking. Here's to all the comic relief and support these princesses' pals have to offer! Let's dig in.
Updated April 18, 2020 By Amanda Bruce: With more Disney princess movies on the way, and live action adaptations scheduled to hit theaters, there’s always more room for more sidekicks. The sidekicks remain varied, and some are more helpful than others, but they all still love the princesses associated with them.
Scuttle
He might not be as smart as he thinks he is, but Scuttle is always there for Ariel. Anything she scavenges, she can bring to him for information, and he’s always willing to chat with her, even if his advice isn’t the best.
It’s Scuttle that warns Ariel of Ursula’s plan to steal Eric from her. He also does his best to help her save the day. Scuttle, for all his faults, is a true friend in The Little Mermaid.
Bruni
Bruni is one adorable addition to the list of Disney princess sidekicks. He makes his debut in Frozen 2 with an appetite for snow, despite him being a fire spirit.
It’s lovely that Elsa gets her own sidekick of sorts since Anna has a snowman and Kristoff has Sven. With the sequel, Bruni is one of the steps taken to make sure Elsa is no longer the odd woman out. He helps lead her on her quest, and steals the hearts of the audience along the way.
Maximus
Technically, Maximus should be Flynn Ryder’s sidekick in Tangled. After all, he steals the horse first. Maximus, however, doesn’t show a lot of loyalty to Flynn and his grifting ways. Instead, he appears to prefer Rapunzel’s attention, and the audience really can’t blame him.
Rapunzel’s a dreamer and her enthusiasm tends to be contagious. While befriending her, Maximus helps save her life - and the life and the man that stole him.
Ray
Most of the characters in The Princess And The Frog could qualify as sidekicks since Tiana meets so many talking animals during her adventure as a frog. There’s something special about Ray - probably because he’s such a romantic.
Ray helps Tiana and Naveen on their journey to find Mama Odie, all the while waxing poetic about his lost love Evangeline. He even gets his own song, something a lot of modern sidekicks don’t get.
Rajah
Unlike the other sidekicks of Aladdin’s era, Rajah doesn’t speak. The tiger, however, is the utmost in loyalty when it comes to his princess.
Rajah is a great judge of character, never trusting Jafar, but immediately being drawn to Prince Ali. That’s even true of the live action movie, where the tiger is ready to tear anyone who threatens Jasmine apart.
Hei Hei
Hei Hei is the dumb rooster that accidentally tags along for Moana's journey across the ocean in her 2016 film. Due to his accident-prone nature, he is a huge source of laughs throughout her adventure.
Even though Hei Hei's obliviousness is intense, Moana still loves him and keeps him safe as they venture across the seas. Though he doesn't have many emotions, he still has a ton of personality.
Gus
Cinderella has many animal friends, and Gus is one of them. He is a slow-witted mouse whom she rescues from a cage during the opening of her film.
While Jaq is confident and takes control, Gus is more bashful. That being said, the two form a friendship that is sweet and inseparable. Additionally, Gus is one of the cutest mice of the bunch and helps Cinderella by stealing ribbon from Anastita for her dress. He is also transformed into a horse that helps carry Cinderella's pumpkin to the castle.
Meeko
Pocahontas' pet raccoon is a total troublemaker, but it makes us love him even more. He's always stealing John Smith's biscuits and develops a friendship with him that is almost as cute as the companionship he has with Pocahontas herself.
Meeko is also always at odds with Flit and Percy, which makes his mischievous endeavors even funnier. It's especially cute when Meeko and Percy swap their English and Indian garb toward the end of the film and become sorta friends. He'll always have a naughty side.
Cri-Kee
This one lucky cricket is one heck of a problem-causers (even though it's not his fault). Grandmother Fa believes that he has powers that will help her cross the street without getting hurt. She successfully does this, eyes closed and everything, though all the carts around her crash in an attempt to avoid her.
Cri-Kee additionally aids Mushu throughout Mulan. He acts like a typewriter, helping Mushu pen a fake letter by dipping his feet in ink and jumping various Chinese characters onto a scroll.
Flounder
While Ariel's fish sidekick is anxious as anything, he is also a great friend toward her and acts as her opposite. While she is excited and adventurous, he easily gets frightened and complacent, balancing out her wild personality.
Though Flounder's role in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea is small, it is sweet. Now grown up, he runs into Ariel and reveals that he has five kids of his own. As he's matured, he's gotten braver and relates to Ariel through their shared parenthood.
Lumière
While Cogsworth might also be considered Belle's sidekick, Lumière is the more encouraging of the two. He is kind and a bit rebellious, which causes him to serve up Belle one of the greatest meals of her life against the Beast's orders. Did we mention he has an incredible singing voice?
The French candelabra also happens to have a relationship with the maid-turned-feather-duster Fifi. He is very romantic, constantly flirting with her whenever they get a moment alone.
Olaf
Olaf is a snowman that Anna and Elsa used to build as kids in Frozen. However, after Elsa unleashes her ice powers on all of Arendelle, he comes to life. Anna and Kristoff encounter him while journeying through the icy landscape toward Elsa.
He is fun and oblivious and wishes to experience summer (which he explains to his new friends through song). After Elsa thaws the land, he begins to melt himself, and so Elsa gives him a personal snow cloud.
Pascal
Pascal is Rapunzel's loyal sidekick and only companion throughout her first 18 years of life. Although he can't speak, he is full of emotion and supports Rapunzel's decision to leave the tower. He is also wary of Flynn upon first meeting him, being that he is protective of Rapunzel for her own self-interest (unlike Mother Gothel who is protective of her adopted daughter in order to support her own schemes).
While many Disney Princess sidekicks are simply along for the ride, Pascal plays a huge role in the story. He ends up using Rapunzel's hair to trip Mother Gothel, ultimately allowing her to plummet to her death.
Sebastian
Sebastian is Ariel’s level-headed side-kick, who is tasked with watching over her.
While The Little Mermaid’s favorite crab tries to hold Ariel accountable, she has a free spirit of her own that can only be kept under control for so long. That being said, his loyalty has him watching over Ariel even when she gets legs and moves to the land.
He almost becomes a meal after ending up in the castle’s kitchen, but by the end, he helps King Triton realize that sometimes you have to let kids grow up. Triton gives Ariel legs, and the two watch happily as she rushes into Prince Eric’s arms.
Mushu
Last (but certainly not least) is Mulan’s tiny guardian dragon. He is the sassiest of the Disney Princess sidekicks, believing he knows how to guide Mulan far better than the Great Stone Dragon does.
He also doesn’t take criticism well, which is why he gets annoyed at Mulan for treating him like a lizard. He also aggressively calls Yao a “limp noodle” for referring to Mulan as a chicken boy.
Nevertheless, we love all the humor Mushu adds to Mulan’s film. It wouldn’t be Mulan without him, and we’re definitely going to miss his presence in the live-action remake. Dishonor on you, dishonor on your cow!