Among such luminary “seconds” like Ed McMahon and Dr. Watson, Samwise Gamgee holds his own as the 7th best all-time sidekick, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Why is good ol’ Sam so indispensable? Because Mr. Frodo’s hairy hobbit heinie wasn’t going to get to Mordor all by itself, was it? As Frodo’s stouthearted servant, Sam of the Shire is the archetypal companion: He’s devoted (see J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and Peter Jackson’s 681 minutes of film), selfless (two words: ”Bye-bye, Bill”), and honest (suddenly consumed with a desire to rule the world? Sam will call you on it). Despite constantly rising to the orc-chasing, giant-spider-battling, Middle-earth-saving occasion, Sam still ends up second fiddle. And the humble halfling gardener wouldn’t have it any other way.