Robots occupy a rather strange place in the history of popular culture, as they are somewhat uncanny, often possessing the appearance and mannerisms of their human counterparts but also something else, something that makes them less than human. As a result, many of them have appeared as sidekicks, sometimes humorous, and sometimes unsettling.

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The appearance of Jeff in the new Apple TV+ original movie Finch demonstrates how important the robot sidekick remains in the popular imagination and also calls to mind several of the others that have aided their human counterparts.

BB-8 (Star Wars)

BB-8 in Star Wars The Force Awakens

There are many things to enjoy about the sequel trilogy of Star Wars movies, but the droid BB-8 is arguably one of the most important. He not only has a unique design all his own but he is also a faithful sidekick to both Poe Dameron and to Rey.

Like many of the other droids that appear in the Star Wars universe, BB-8 both provides comic relief and also remains steadfastly loyal to his human companions, often coming to their rescue when they need him the most.

R2-D2 (Star Wars)

R2-D2 using his scomp link in Star Wars

Long before BB-8 came onto the scene, Star Wars was replete with all sorts of other droids, and R2-D2 deserves pride of place in that canon. After all, he is one of the few characters, either human or droid, to have appeared in all three groups of movies.

As such, he has seen some of the great events that have reshaped the Galaxy and its history, and, just as importantly, he also played a significant role in them, whether that’s drawing Luke Skywalker into the conflict or encountering Anakin’s fall.

C-3PO (Star Wars)

C-3PO in Star Wars

As famous as R2-D2 is, he is joined in the ranks of canonical and important droids by C-3PO, who has become synonymous with fussiness. Like his shorter companion, he has been around through all three trilogies, and he has thus borne witness to history in some significant ways.

Furthermore, even though he is clearly exasperated with R2-D2 at times, their extraordinary bond remains one of the best friendships in the entire history of the Star Wars universe.

IG-11 (The Mandalorian)

IG-11 shooting Stormtroopers in The Mandalorian

Disney+'s The Mandalorian has, in its two seasons, established itself as one of the most popular stories to have yet emerged out of the Star Wars mythology. There’s a somber grace to many of its stories that grants them a richness and a depth that isn’t always common in science fiction, and there are few stories as touching as that of IG-11.

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Though this droid remains something of an enigma, he ultimately sacrifices his life, and his death demonstrates how effective Star Wars is in creating beings that straddle the line between sentient and non-sentient.

Jeff (Finch)

Finch carrying Jeff like a backpack in Finch

Tom Hanks is one of the most respected actors in Hollywood today, with a number of notable movies to his credit. However, while he is ostensibly the star of the new film Finch, he is at times overshadowed by Jeff, the robot sidekick that is one of the movie’s most extraordinary characters.

This being exhibits a wide range of emotions, to such a degree that it’s sometimes possible to forget that he’s a robot at all. Most extraordinarily, he also strikes up a bond with the dog, Goodyear.

The Iron Giant (The Iron Giant)

The Giant sacrificing himself in The Iron Giant

1998's The Iron Giant is one of the most iconic animated movies of the decade, and there’s also no doubt that the titular giant is one of the best robot sidekicks. As has often been the case with movies with robots, the Iron Giant casts a powerful spell, both over the characters and the audience.

His sacrifice near the end of the movie remains one of the most heartbreaking moments in an animated tale, suggesting that even beings made of iron are capable of eliciting human sympathy.

K-2SO (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

K-2SO in Rogue One

2016's Rogue One is widely regarded as one of the best movies within the Star Wars franchise, but it also happens to be one of the bleakest, given that none of the characters survive the central conflict.

In addition to a stellar cast of human characters--all of whom play a key role in fighting against the depredations of the Empire, the movie also features the droid K-2SO, a droid that not only has a very droll approach to his engagement with others but also plays a vital role in ensuring that the attempt to steal the plans to the Death Star are successful.

Optimus Prime (Transformers)

Optimus Prime holding up a robotic sword in Transformers

The Transformers have appeared in a wide variety of media, including the very financially successful series of movies created by Michael Bay. While they all have fearsome powers, none of them can quite compare to Optimus Prime in terms of simple screen presence and longevity in the popular culture imagination.

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Most notably, Optimus Prime is a character that has a moral compass that guides almost all of his actions, so it is easy to see why he would become one of the most popular of these titanic robot characters.

EVE (WALL-E)

Wall-e meets Eve in WALLE

The FILM WALL-E is often regarded as one of the best Pixar movies, and it’s hard not to see why given that the title robot is effortlessly goofy and charming. However, he also has his own sidekick in the form of the robot EVE, who becomes his love interest.

Like all of the best robot sidekicks, EVE is an ideal counterpart to WALL-E, exhibiting a more rational and competent approach than he does. What’s more, theirs is one of the most touching romances to yet appear in a Pixar movie.

Baymax (Big Hero 6)

Baymax standing with different face emojis projecting on his belly

Like Pixar, Disney has the ability to craft nonhuman characters that nevertheless have a significant amount of charisma and personality. Baymax, one of the main characters of the movie Big Hero 6, is an incredibly charming character, in part because of the formidable voice talent of Scott Adsit.

Just as importantly, however, he also casts a spell because he is a robot whose most important goal is to help people and to be a loving caretaker to his human companion.

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