# Supporting character > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Supporting_character > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Supporting_character.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supporting_character > Source revision: 1349942610 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Character in a narrative that is not focused on by the primary storyline "Supporting role" redirects here. For the 1989 Cuban film, see [*Supporting Roles*](/source/Supporting_Roles). For the 2012 American film, see [*Supporting Characters*](/source/Supporting_Characters). Not to be confused with [Supporting actor](/source/Supporting_actor). [Dr. Watson](/source/Dr._Watson) (left), the supporting character in the stories of [Sherlock Holmes](/source/Sherlock_Holmes) (right). A **supporting character**, also known as a **secondary character** or **side character**, is a [character](/source/Character_(arts)) in a [narrative](/source/Narrative) that is not the focus of the primary [storyline](/source/Plot_(narrative)), but is important to the plot/protagonist,[1] and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a [cameo appearance](/source/Cameo_appearance). Supporting characters differ from minor characters because they have complex [backstory](/source/Backstory) of their own,[2] desires, and emotions.[3] While this is usually in relation to the [main character](/source/Protagonist), rather than entirely independently, developed supporting characters add layers and dimension to the story and the protagonist. These back stories can increase the plot or further develop the main character. Different supporting characters have different roles. Some common types of supporting characters include: love interest, antagonist, best friend, mentor, [sidekick](/source/Sidekick), comic relief, and caregiver. Each supporting character has their own role that advances the plot and brings about conflict.[4] Often, supporting characters can cross over into different tropes. Some examples of well-known supporting characters include [Watson](/source/Dr._Watson) in the [Sherlock Holmes](/source/Sherlock_Holmes) stories, [Donkey](/source/Donkey_(Shrek)) in the *[Shrek](/source/Shrek_(franchise))* films, and [Ron Weasley](/source/Ron_Weasley) in the *[Harry Potter](/source/Harry_Potter)* franchise. No matter what type of supporting character, they all help the protagonist achieve their purpose, advance the story, or have personal growth. Supporting characters fit into three broad categories: supporters, [antagonists](/source/Antagonist), and informants.[5] ## Types This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2026) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Supporters include caregivers, love interests, comedic relief, and close friends. They are generally important to the protagonist, so they often become the target or victim to the antagonist. They also characterize the protagonist through dialogue and their relationship. They offer the protagonist aid, companionship, and physical or emotional help. [Ron Weasley](/source/Ron_Weasley) and [Hermione Granger](/source/Hermione_Granger) in the *[Harry Potter](/source/Harry_Potter)* series are examples of supporters. ### Antagonists Antagonists are the opposite of the protagonists and act as the conflict of the story. They challenge the protagonist and aid in teaching them a lesson. The [Joker](/source/Joker_(character)) is a popular antagonist in the *[Batman](/source/Batman)* series. ### Informants Informants are characters that help the protagonist on a journey of personal growth or information. They can be mentors, guides, or messengers. They provide wisdom and direction for the protagonist, often at a crossroads in their journey. [Yoda](/source/Yoda) in the *[Star Wars](/source/Star_Wars)* franchise is an example of an informant. ## Television In television, supporting characters may appear in more than half of [episodes](/source/Episode) per season. In some cases, especially in ongoing material such as [comic books](/source/Comic_book) and [television series](/source/Television_show), supporting characters themselves may become main characters in a [spin-off](/source/Spinoff_(media)) if they gain sufficient approval from their audience.[6] ## See also - [Bit part](/source/Bit_part) - [Henchman](/source/Henchman) - [Subplot](/source/Subplot) - [Supporting actor](/source/Supporting_actor) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["What is a Supporting Character and why are they Important"](https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-supporting-character-definition/). 15 May 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["How to Write Stellar Supporting Characters"](https://www.writingmastery.com/blog/how-to-write-stellar-supporting-characters). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["What is a Supporting Character — And Why They Matter – StudioBinder"](https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-supporting-character-definition/). *www.studiobinder.com*. Retrieved 2025-02-19. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Team, DIY MFA (2024-07-02). ["Supporting Characters - The Unsung Heroes of Storytelling - Pereira"](https://diymfa.com/writing/supporting-characters-the-unsung-heroes/). *DIY MFA*. Retrieved 2025-02-19. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Intelliminds (2024-08-29). ["13 Types of Supporting Characters in Movies You Need to Know"](https://glcoverage.com/2024/08/29/types-of-supporting-characters-in-movies/). *Greenlight Coverage*. Retrieved 2025-02-19. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["6 Characters Who Became the Stars of Their Own Spinoff Films"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/minions-5-character-spinoff-films-808201). *[The Hollywood Reporter](/source/The_Hollywood_Reporter)*. December 7, 2015. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160921192110/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/minions-5-character-spinoff-films-808201) from the original on September 21, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2016. v t e Narrative Character Antagonist Archenemy Character arc Character flaw Characterization Confidant Deuteragonist False protagonist Focal character Foil Gothic double Hamartia Hero Anti Byronic Tragic Narrator Protagonist Stock character Straight man Supporting character Title character Tritagonist Villain Plot Ab ovo Action Backstory Origin story Chekhov's gun Cliché Cliffhanger Conflict Deus ex machina Dialogue Dramatic structure Eucatastrophe Foreshadowing Flashback Flashforward Frame story In medias res Kishōtenketsu MacGuffin Pace Plot device Plot twist Poetic justice Red herring Reveal Self-insertion Shaggy dog story Stereotype Story arc Story within a story Subplot Suspense Trope Setting Alternate history Backstory Crossover Dreamworld Dystopia Fictional location city country universe parallel Fictional species Utopia Worldbuilding Theme Irony Leitmotif Metaphor Moral Moral development Motif Deal with the Devil Conflict between good and evil Self-fulfilling prophecy Time travel Style Allegory Bathos Comic relief Diction Figure of speech Imagery Mode Mood Narration Narrative techniques Hook Show, don't tell Stylistic device Suspension of disbelief Symbolism Tone Structure Act Act structure Three-act structure Freytag's Pyramid Exposition/Protasis Rising action/Epitasis Climax/Peripeteia Falling action/Catastasis Catastrophe Denouement Linear narrative Nonlinear narrative films television series Premise Types of fiction with multiple endings Form Drama Fabliau Flash fiction Folklore Fable Fairy tale Legend Myth Tall tale Gamebook Narrative art Narrative poetry Epic poetry Novel Novella Parable Short story Vignette Genre (List) Fiction Action fiction Adventure Comic Crime Docu Epistolary Ergodic Erotic Historical Western Mystery Nautical Paranoid Philosophical Picaresque Political Pop culture Psychological Religious Rogue Romance Chivalric Prose Saga Satire Speculative fiction Fantasy Gothic Southern Horror Magic realism Science Hard Utopian and dystopian Underwater Superhero Theological Thriller Urban Nonfiction Autobiography Biography Novel Creative Narration Diegesis First-person Second-person Third-person Third-person omniscient narrative Subjectivity Unreliable narrator Fourth wall Multiple narrators Stream of consciousness Stream of unconsciousness Tense Past Present Future Related Dominant narrative Fiction writing Continuity Canon Reboot Retcon Parallel novel Prequel / Sequel Series Genre List Literary science Literary theory Narrative identity Narrative paradigm Narrative therapy Narratology Metafiction Political narrative Rhetoric Glossary Screenwriting Series of works Storytelling Tellability Verisimilitude --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Supporting character](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supporting_character) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supporting_character?action=history)). 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