Chain Reaction: Loyal Companions, Fierce Adventurers… and Lying Cats

Very recently a certain cat played a big role in Captain Marvel.  He just about stole the show, in fact, except that Brie Larson needed no help in that department.

So the cat was a welcome addition to the film and to Marvel lore overall. I decided to take a look at some of my favorite faithful companions in the science fiction and fantasy worlds — presented in alphabetical order, of course (I can’t let them know which one is my definite favorite, right)?

Watch out for spoilers!

Bronx and Brooklyn

Bronx, The Gargoyles (1994-96). Who doesn’t love the Gargoyles? This half-hour animated show was my guilty pleasure in my last year of college. It followed the story of a group of Scottish stone gargoyles frozen for a thousand years, come to life in New York when their castle was bought for use as the capstone of a skyscraper. Except for Goliath, their leader, they named themselves after places in New York: Brooklyn, Lexington, Broadway, Hudson, and Bronx, and they solved crimes with the help of NY detective Elisa Maza. Gargoyles was steeped in mythology and I loved the clash of old and new represented in every episode. Plus, so many of the voices were ST:TNG alumni (Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, and Michael Dorn, among others) voiced regularly recurring characters. Technically Bronx was not a gargoyle, but a gargoyle-ish beast, resembling a more loveable version of the Ghostbusters‘ terror dog. Bronx was playful, fierce–never afraid to take on an opponent! — and loyal to a fault.

Lockheed, X-Men/New Mutants. Strictly speaking, Lockheed the dragon was not a pet, but an empathic, dragon-like alien who was Kitty Pryde’s constant companion, and by association Ilyana Rasputin’s companion as well. Chris Claremont introduced Lockheed in the early 1980s, first as a figment of a fairy tale the teenage Kitty told Ilyana as a bedtime story, and then as a real alien who saved Kitty from The Brood (in the same storyline that allowed Charles Xavier the use of his legs). As an added bonus, Lockheed is immune to Xavier’s telepathy. Lockheed saved Kitty’s life a number of times, and he was also down for mischief — but he could just as easily act as Kitty’s conscience as well. All good qualities in a constant companion, I’d say.

Lying Cat, Saga (Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples). More than just a faithful companion, Lying Cat is also… wait for it… a lie detector. (Who knew?) And one of my favorite characters in Vaughan and Staples’s amazing graphic novel following the travails of a family trying to escape to a place where they can be free to be a family, and their kid won’t be sought after by The Powers That Be. Lying Cat is the hairless, feline-ish sidekick to The Will, an intergalactic assassin chasing down Marko, Alana, and their baby, Hazel. She provides comic relief as well as a way of leveling the playing field: Lying Cat’s species must always tell the truth, so Lying Cat will also say when The Will is not being honest. Should you be lucky enough to acquire a Lying Cat for a sidekick, remember: they are humorous (and honest), but also vicious (Lying Cat can take down armed men) — and they do not like to be ignored.

Oy, The Dark Tower series (Stephen King). No picture for this one; here’s official artwork by Michael Whelan. Oy is a billy-bumbler, a member of the ka-tet formed by Roland Deschain, the Gunslinger, and Jake Chambers, Susannah Holmes, and Eddie Dean, who are working together to get to the Dark Tower and defeat the Man in Black. Oy is an animal that looks like a cross between a dog and a badger (see King’s addendum to Wizard and Glass, where he describes Oy in more detail) with a corkscrew tail. He talks, although in a limited capacity. Oy keeps Jake (“Ake”) company on the group’s long, strange journey, and they form a deep bond — because billy-bumblers are also telepathic. Without giving too much away (although to be fair it’s difficult to keep up with the very twisty mythology and metafiction of the Dark Tower series), Oy’s main responsibility is to the ka-tet, and he meets his end trying to save Roland from Mordred, Roland’s son. (Of all the fan art pictures I have seen around the Internet of Oy, I think my favorite is here.)

Queequeg, The X-Files. This little Pomeranian kept Scully company for only a few episodes before suffering a tragic exit (devoured by a cryptid in 3.22), in keeping with his ignominious introduction (found eating a corpse in 3.4). Scully therefore named him Queequeg, after the South Pacific islander in Moby Dick who becomes a harpooner on the Pequod and ultimately saves Ishmael’s life (in a roundabout way).

Scully’s relationship with her late father (Don S. Davis, of Stargate SG:1 fame) included affectionate nicknames from Moby Dick, so it makes sense she would carry on the tradition. Like his namesake, Queequeg may have also been finished off by a water-dwelling creature, but his influence on Scully was long-lasting. Scully’s personal email address and her home alarm password both refer to Queequeg, and in my favorite episode of Season 10, “Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster,” she realizes how much she misses Queequeg and, erm, adopts another dog from animal control — and names him Daggoo, after another harpooner from the Pequod.

Last but not least, who could forget…

Zero, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Adorable floating paper ghost dog Zero resides in a gravesite in Fright Town’s cemetery.  Zero is the hilariously expressive embodiment (there, I said it) of Jack Skellington’s emotions, and just like a dog, is always trying to cheer up Jack — playing fetch with ribs, napping in good company, or saving the day by lighting Jack’s way through fog with his glowing pumpkin nose.

Added bonus: If you’re crafty, make your own Zero decoration in time for Halloween! 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzY_S1uxvwQ]

Do you have a favorite scifi companion? Keep the chain going in the comments below!