James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux has Clete (is that right?
It's been a
couple of years since I read my last Burke), the uninhibited
"let's get
drunk and get even" ex-cop former partner of Dave. Seems like
there's a
number of times in the series in which Dave gets caught in
indecision or
between a rock and a hard place -- then Clete turns up
unexpectedly,
usually already in the midst of doing the dirty work.
I guess it's important to have this kind of bad-ass sidekick
character in a
series. That way, the main character remains likeable to the
more squeamish
reader by not initiating the Bad Stuff that leads to the
Showdown; the main
character seems more assessible or down-to-earth in contrast
to the less
inhibited sidekick; the wired sidekick's actions usually
serve as catalyst
for some action that leads to The Big Finish.
Sidekicks have come quite a ways since Dr. Watson's time. --
Duane
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