Useless Character

Existence: They're Doing It Wrong.

This happens a lot in media, sometimes to make the Hero or Main Guy look better than they actually are, other times just for Comedic Relief, but almost always results in an annoyed audience who wishes the secondary would Just Die Already or Burn In Hell.

This person is Too Pointless To Be Useful, Too Stupid To Be Alive, or Too Unlikable To Be Lovedundefined and could have a hatedom built in their name. If their case of Useless Secondary is severe enough, they might find themselves on many Top 10 Worst Sidekicks lists (or something similar).

It might also not be their fault. The secondary could be too weak to serve the Hero and Co. any good and never gets any time to improve themselves, but they must remain a member of the team because...

Useless Secondary Plays
Basic: A secondary character who appears to exist for no good reason.

Reinforced: In addition to not giving anything to their team, this secondary actually harms the group by being so useless. This results in Why Do We Have Him With Us? or Stoopid Lady when the problem gets severe enough. Most times if the Leader is smart enough, they'll see how this secondary doesn't warrant their membership and kicks them from the team.

Downplayed: The Comic Relief. They hurt no one in their actions, but still doesn't really contribute to the team in a meaningful way.

Negated: Thanks to some sort of Plot Wires, it could turn out this person was useful the whole time, it's just that they'd never been given the opportunity to act.

Inverted: The Ace if this character figuratively hurts the team; The Healer if they literally hurt the team.

Justified: Same as Negatedundefined.

Gleeful: Still Comic Relief Guy.

Dismal: Could be The Bad Spyundefined.

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