by Sapphire

Once upon a time, if you wanted to learn a craft, you apprenticed with a master in that craft. Want to be a carpenter? Sign on to study with a carpenter. Want to be a glassblower? Become a glassblower’s apprentice. In general, apprenticeship has fallen out of vogue today. However, superheroing is one of the few remaining fields where you can actually still apprentice with someone. If you want to become a superhero, become a sidekick!

This isn’t precisely public knowledge, but I’ve sidekicked with a friend. Back in my earlier days of superheroing, when I didn’t really know what I was doing, Mayte Sanchez let me come along on a few of her crime busts. It wasn’t official, and we didn’t really spread it around, but I was helping her and gaining experience.

The fact of it is that most beginning superheroes don’t know what they’re doing. That’s the nature of beginnings. You still have a lot to learn as you go. It can be great having someone else around, who already knows some of the tricks of the trade, to show you how to track down a shapechanger, or how to avoid getting trapped in a pillar of ice, or where you need to hit someone in power armor to slow him down.

In my case, I only sidekicked with Mayte a few times. It wasn’t an ongoing arrangement, because that wasn’t what I needed. I already had some experience by the time I sidekicked with her. I just needed pointers in strategy. Plus the general experience. However, there are plenty of apprenticeships that go on for a great deal longer.

Amphibian, for example, sidekicked for Sea King when he first got started. That was a natural and obvious choice, given that Sea King was his adoptive dad and that the two of them had underwater superheroic powers. So while Amphibian was getting started, he went along with Sea King and provided help. Over time, he took on more responsibility, made more decisions, and eventually became partners with Sea King, instead of being a sidekick.

For the established superhero, having a sidekick can be a blessing. They have someone they can rely on in battle, someone to brainstorm ideas with, and someone who they’ve trained to work smoothly with them. In some ways, it’s better than having a partner. Superheroes who have already developed their crimefighting methods don’t always mesh well together. With a sidekick you get to train, that’s generally not a problem.

Besides which, taking on a sidekick is a natural outgrowth of being a superhero. It’s a part of the job. Those of us who are sworn to defend and protect don’t do so simply by battling bad guys and preventing natural disasters. We also plan for the future. Taking on a sidekick, teaching them how to fight, and ensuring that they survive their early days as a superhero is one of the ways we stretch our protection out towards the future.