When I hear the word “sidekick,” the first one my mind immediately imagines is the ludicrously dressed, teenage companion of Batman. That’s right, Dick Grayson, the original Robin. And I’m sure you all initially think the same thing. But some sidekicks move way beyond their roles as mere comrades or wingmen; some sidekicks have the potential to become leaders themselves.

Check out the list below of the Top 5 Sidekicks Who Could be Heroes.

5. Casey Jones (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles):

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have a lot going for them in the awesome department: they’re teens, they’re ninjas, they like pizza, and they say things like “Bodacious,” “Gnarly,” and “Totally tubular, dude!” But what about their sidekick, Casey Jones? He may be human and a little more rigid when it comes to radical surf-talk, but the man is fierce and freakin’ scary — in a good way. Jones doesn’t have a lot of money; he’s no brilliant detective; and he doesn’t have a shell. He’s just an ordinary guy who wants to clean up the streets — and can you blame him with the array of hoodlums, foot soldiers, and mutated baddies out there? Donning a hockey mask and carrying baseball bats, golf clubs, cricket bats, and hockey sticks as his weapons of choice, Jones is a vigilante to be feared. And while he teams up with the Turtles on multiple occasions, this “sidekick” would fair just fine on his own — not to mention that he’s the one who gets the girl!

4. Teal’c (Stargate SG1):

Teal’c is a massive alien from the planet Chulak. Born into a race enslaved by the Goa’uld known as the Jaffa, Teal’c was forced to learn combat and become his “god’s” protector; however, Teal’c dreamed of a better life for himself and his people, thus siding with Earth and SG1 when he saw a way out. Though he willingly follows orders from his commanding officer and friend, Colonel Jack O’Neill, Teal’c still uses his influence and wisdom to guide the Jaffa people to freedom from their false gods, leading an entire people to salvation. He even leads his own SG team through the Stargate at times. A man of few words, Teal’c speaks when only necessary and when he does, people listen.

3. Captain Jack Harkness (Doctor Who):

First appearing in the Doctor Who episode, “The Empty Child,” Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) is a time traveler and con-artist from the 51st century. Harkness is essentially a handsome, suave, edgier version of the Doctor, who is willing to do whatever it takes to save the human race. After spending half of the first season traveling as one of the Doctor’s companions, Harkness was given his own spin-off show called Torchwood which lasted four seasons. The series as a whole was much darker and more adult-oriented than its parent show, but it gave Captain Jack Harkness a chance to shine as the leading hero he was meant to become.

2. Willow Rosenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer):

Willow Rosenberg began as a nerdy, self-proclaimed computer/hacker genius who happened to be best friends with the chosen one: Buffy. If Buffy needed something researched, Willow was her gal. As the seasons progressed and the character began dabbling in the magic arts, she would move on to assist Buffy more and more with her spells. Eventually, Willow became such a powerful witch that in reality, she becomes a heck of a lot stronger than even Buffy herself — actually, she’s a heck of lot more powerful than anyone. I mean, she did almost succeed in destroying the world — but who hasn’t? A strong female character, Willow never takes crap from anyone. When Willow’s boyfriend left her and eventually returned looking to rekindle their relationship, she wasn’t having any of that; when her girlfriend was shot and killed, she used her magical telekinetic abilities to rip the flesh off of the murderer (I know; gross, right?); when The First Evil raised an army of uber-vampires to slaughter the world, Willow used her powers to enable every potential slayer in the world with the abilities of the slayer. Yeah, she may have been a side-kick at one point, but I see some growth there.

1. Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead):

“If Daryl dies, we riot!” This has become the mantra of The Walking Dead acolytes over the past few seasons; but in the beginning of the series, could anyone have imagined that Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) would become the leader he is today? The crossbow-wielding, foul-mouthed redneck from the hit AMC television series The Walking Dead is such an interesting candidate for this list. He went from hating Rick and the other survivors, to reluctantly helping them, to immersing himself within the group and becoming part of a family. Daryl has come to fulfill his potential more and more while still keeping his unique personality intact. He’s become a trusted leader among the survivors including Rick himself; and without much doubt at all, he’s the most beloved character on the show. The character of Daryl, however, was never in the comic that the show is based on; he was created solely for the television series. I’m pretty sure that my first reaction to his obnoxious behavior in the beginning was, “Yup, this dude is definitely going to die.” Well, I was wrong. I was dead wrong. This is one hillbilly who was meant to lead.