Big Hero 6: Superheroics as Therapy and the Role of the Sidekick

When it was announced that Disney's next animated feature would be a sci-fi superhero adventure, adapted from an obscure comic of new subsidiary Marvel, some tilted their heads. Could the Mouse House pull off something on the opposite end of kiddie obsession spectrum from their usual Princess output? Well I'm happy to report yes, they can pull it off. Big Hero 6 is a rollicking adventure, with all the high-action thrills we expect from superheroes and all the heart the studio is known for. But while some are, rightly, praising the film for the diversity of its cast or its unabashed love of science & technology, my mind has turned to how Big Hero 6 plays with genre conventions and shows the importance of an oft-neglected archetype.


See, like any good superhero origin our story begins with the tragic death of a family member. In this case, young robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada (our protagonist) loses his older brother and role model Tadashi in a massive fire at the prestigious university they both attend. Hiro falls into depression after that when a minor injury awakes his brother's masterpiece, a soft, air-filled medical robot named Baymax. Baymax is programmed to relieve people's pain, so seeing Hiro's depression he resolves in the single-minded way only a robot can to help cure our protagonist. Up to and including tracking down a mysterious supervillain who may have set the fire that killed Tadashi and roping Hiro's circle of fellow Teen geniuses into their pursuit.

Superhero stories have always had an undercurrent of working through grief and relationship issues through action. Batman works to wipe out all crime to avenge his parents' death. Spider-Man uses his amazing powers to absolve his guilt over letting Uncle Ben die. Superman does what he can for all humankind to carry on the legacy of his dead homeworld. But what makes Big Hero 6 unique is that it makes that subtext the actual story, Baymax the ultra-literal medical robot has decided that the best way to help relieve Hiro's depression is to engage in high adventure derring do. Questionable as that logic is, it makes more sense in the movie, that idea of superheroing as therapy is an interesting one and plays into the overall narrative trend of the genre. Origin stories end with the hero gaining some closure to their own pain, moving past that original motivating tragedy, and using their gifts to improve the wider world around them.

And that narrative arc, and what is Big Hero 6's central relationship dynamic, is where Baymax excels by inhabiting an archetype that has sadly been mostly absent from the recent wave of cape & cowl flicks: the sidekick. Sidekicks have been unfairly maligned in recent years, seen as childish relics of a more innocent age. Not "realistic" enough to exist in today's superhero landscape. But in my opinion, the value of the sidekick has been overlooked and overshadowed by their popular image as annoying tagalong kids. Sidekicks offer a wide variety of possibilities; they can be vehicles for exposition, comedic foils, a tag-team partner during fight sequences, or even audience surrogates. After all, there's a reason buddy-cop movies ruled movie screens and mismatched detectives are still the bedrock of many TV shows. They have playful banter and relationship drama and the sidekick is the perfect avenue for that sort of scenario to enter superhero stories. Just imagine Holmes & Watson in spandex and you'll get something close to Batman & Robin.

Baymax is an exemplary sidekick. He's made it his job to support Hiro, but isn't a total servant. He will question Hiro's decisions and offer different viewpoints. He'll also take charge in some situations, has his own agency, and is just as self-sacrificing (if not more so) as Hiro. And that's what makes a good sidekick. While their primary mode is one of support to another, they are their own distinct character and can exist outside of that relationship. But as great a sidekick as Baymax is, he and the rest of the film are a sign of growing trend in the superhero genre. A trend of moving away from the lone, brooding hero to a lighter, team-based approach.

Because Big Hero 6 is a superhero team movie and the other members of that team are just as important to saving the day and beating the bad guy, and more abstractly helping Hiro move past his brother's death, as Baymax. That need to trust and rely on others is right there in the film's story; Baymax in his role as both sidekick and healthcare provider knows Hiro can't deal with his depression by withdrawing and taking all the pain onto himself, so he brings in Hiro's friends and indulges in their superhero exploits. He, and the film, are saying that you don't have to deal with your problems alone. You can seek out help from others and it won't make you weak, it will make you stronger.

And Big Hero 6 isn't the only superhero film showing how people, even those with superpowers, are stronger together than on their own. Ever since they got together in The Avengers, the various heroes of the Marvel Movie-verse have become more appreciative of their friends and allies. Captain America called on his few allies in SHIELD to fight HYDRA and save the best friend he thought was dead in Winter Soldier. Thor literally bridged his two worlds to rekindle his relationship on Earth and provided a distraction while his friends thwarted the villain's plan in The Dark World. Iron Man 3's entire arc was about Tony opening up to his friends and realizing that he didn't have to solve all the world's problems alone. But we can see it in other recent films as well. Days of Future Past saw Wolverine having to step into the mentor role, having others rely on him in ways he used rely on them, to help save the surrogate family that had accepted him and soon the compromised Superman from Man of Steel will be meeting up with his buds in the Justice League who hopefully will get him to lighten up. The days of the lone hero, holding the entire world on his shoulders, are over.

Big Hero 6 is an excellent example of this new-school superhero story. One that shows the therapeutic aspect at the heart of superheroics clearly, but also how heroes have to move past their trauma to be true heroes. And one that shows the value of sidekicks, how having a partner can bring out the best in you. And one that shows reliance on others to aid in your troubles doesn't make you weaker. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come, where superhero movies can be as bright, colorful, and affirming as they've always had the potential to be.