Should You Go League or Sidekick?

After a few years of cleaning up the streets of whatever town you've been patrolling as a volunteer crime fighter, you might feel like branching out, networking, or giving back to the community. Good for you. It's important to keep growing as a vigilante. There are a few things about this personal growth you do need to consider before you commit to something grander than the life you are already living the heck out of.

Leagues, teams, and plucky underdog gangs in space ships are all the rage right now. Because there are galactic threats taking square aim at our planet, joining up with other hard hitters is a reasonable choice. There is safety in numbers. A discredited study found that supes in tights who are fully aligned with others of their kind almost never die in the line of duty. The ones that do, usually have had so many heroic moments that their deaths are met with grandiose splendor, and their final moments are the stuff of cinema legend. Unless you sacrifice yourself by falling from a cliff to get some stone with unclear importance in the 2nd act of your story, your 3rd act demise is likely to become award season worthy. It probably won't even be permanent. At some later point you are liable to return once more, having done faked your fate, or been replaced by a proxy who is the one buried in your tomb, or resurrected in some kind of ritual known only to persons of the industry. I hear they have healing pits for that. That's the worst case. Statistics say that you are probably going to be one of the mourners at a secret funeral, along with your teammates and other people who have some obscure connection to the departed.

If you aren't ready to 'join the gym' yet, a sidekick can be a nice middle ground. It provides a relatable ally without having to go to company Christmas parties. A lot less paperwork, too. I suggest looking for someone who already has the acumen for the task and has maybe been doing heroic things on their own. Choosing someone qualified, in your age bracket might be your best bet if you don't want every deadly situation to be a teachable moment. It's totally up to you if you want to pick a buddy with complimentary skills, or stick with your standard attack. The risks with allying with an older, near-equal partner include jealousy, becoming locked into certain sparring patterns, and the higher chance that the combined social circles might reveal your secret identity.

The other sidekick option is without question the more difficult path. The truth is that you're not some mega-wealthy athlete who should feel the need to give back to the community. You literally have been giving back by taking out crime. Still, if you feel you need a challenge and want to log some more volunteer hours, becoming a mentor might be just the extra thing you're looking for. Newbies usually come with less life experience and fewer skills, so you would be dealing with a nearly blank canvas. This can be at once both terrific and terrifying. The rookie hasn't had time to learn bad fighting habits, won't be wed to a certain mindset, and can fit in the sidecar. Drawbacks include moodiness, lazy attitude, and steep learning curves. Mistakes will be plenty and will require equal parts guidance and discipline to be successful.

The other issue with sidekicks is the main hero develops a sense of accountability for the safety of their work friends. If a member of your league or your adult sidekick gets picked off, it will be sad and you will miss them, but it is an honorable death that everyone can live with. If your sidekick is in the tenth grade and has acne, this death is going to be a black hole of regret and anger. If you have a thing about not killing enemies, this event will put your resolve to the test. If you have a thing about definitely killing enemies then this will give you license to slaughter, but it will still be an emotional blow for sure. Are you ready for that? Do you have an emotional support system to deal with the stress of having your young intern obliterated by some clown in a purple jacket? You will need them.

In the end, do what you're comfortable with. There are plenty of examples of people in the business who choose to work alone, to work in teams, and to work with variations of the sidekick model. Consider their experiences and try to imagine yourself in their shoes. Just be certain, because you and your possible amigo have much to lose if it all goes wrong.