Loyal+Retainers

The loyal retainer is a character who aids the hero and fights for what he/she believes in; however, he/she can possibly be a nuisance to the main character as well because of his/her personality or unawareness of his/her actions against the people around them. This archetype can also be an enormous help to the main character, or an obstacle that stands in the way of the hero from accomplishing his/her goal. The actions of the loyal retainer are specifically based on his/her current circumstances and the challenges that he/she must overcome. The episodes of //Lost// show that loyal retainers are essential for the well being of other characters. Charlie is the loyal retainer of Claire and her baby boy, Aaron. He always meets every one of their demands, and even does extra favors, just because of the goodness of his own heart. As of right now, Claire is the only parent taking care of her child, because her husband is halfway across the other side of the world. Charlie has extended the role of being a loyal retainer and is becoming very similar to a father figure for the growing child. One heroic display where Charlie recognized his role as the loyal retainer was when he happened to notice Claire drowning in the middle of the vast ocean. Immediately, Charlie ran and leaped into the water, without a moment’s hesitation about the perilous dangers that lay within. // Chuck //, a popular television series that airs on NBC portrays a positive example of a loyal retainer in its finest fashion. The main character, Chuck, is going through special CIA spy training to defeat evil corporations from all around the world. Sarah, his girlfriend, must protect him from all present dangers because Chuck is extremely vulnerable and defenseless as of right now. []. In this photo, it shows that the wife of Chuck is protecting him from treacherous villains that wash to inflict harm on the man she loves. She is one of the most loyal retainers in the history of television because of the sheer number of times she’s saved her friends lives and her unselfish attitude. Sarah has stuck by her man countless times through thick and thin and never even once thought about abandoning him and fleeing to safety. Instead, she risks her life for him every single day and defends what is hers. The main character, Chuck, is going through special CIA spy training to defeat evil corporations. Sarah, his girlfriend, must protect him from all dangers because Chuck is extremely vulnerable and defenseless as of now. Sarah has saved Chuck and risked her own life for him numerous times. She always aids her husband when he’s in trouble, is always there when she’s desperately needed, and most of all, she loves him with all her heart. Not all loyal retainers, however, are useful and valuable to the main character. The movie //Shrek// demonstrates a perfect negative depiction of a loyal retainer. Donkey appoints himself to aid Shrek, the main character, to the castle of the evil king. Shrek does not ask for any sort of help from Donkey, and wants to travel on this journey alone. Donkey does not care, however, what the hero wants and focuses mainly on himself. Throughout the entire journey, Donkey tests Shrek’s limits and becomes a major nuisance. He even leads Shrek to danger in the castle where the damsel is trapped in by fooling around and not trying to help in any way possible. Donkey is a self chosen loyal retainer but instead of aiding Shrek throughout the movie, he becomes a hindrance and hurts Shrek’s chances of finding the damsel in distress. The archetype of loyal retainers can be essential to the main character as long as they have a good heart and the right mentality, which is always supporting the hero in whatever task they may endure. Mostly all loyal retainers have a positive reinforcement on the main character because of their continual support and guidance throughout their journeys together. Donkey, however, is a prime example of a negative depiction of a loyal retainer. It was a nuisance to Shrek and a hindrance to the success of safely bringing back the damsel in distress. Donkey had no intention of helping Shrek but instead, he just wanted a friend so he would not be lonely anymore.

Works Cited "'Chuck': The Pains of Being Chuck at Heart - Latimes.com." //Blogs - Latimes.com //. Web. 03 Jan. 2012. .

//Http://www.oup.com //. Web. 03 Jan. 2011. .

"Shrek: Quotes: Donkey." //Coco's Pixieland //. Web. 02 Jan. 2012. .

"Sarah Bartowski." //Chuck Wiki //. Web. 02 Jan. 2012. .