Television is full of superheroes who are ready and willing to take all the credit for saving the day.
However, those superheroes often have friends, family, sidekicks and even co-workers who often do a lot of the heavy lifting, meaning that those heroes wouldn't ever have success without these other "minor" characters.
These underrated characters are crucial to a superhero's story, but often don't get the credit they deserve, so we've put together a list to highlight these characters and their achievements that often make them as important as their superhero buddies.
Foggy Nelson (Daredevil)
In the first season of Daredevil, Matt Murdock and his best friend, Foggy, decide to go into business for themselves as attorneys-at-law. But as Matt is so busy fighting street crime, it's Foggy who gets left in the office actually doing the work that is so important in helping Hell's Kitchen get back on its feet. Sure, Matt helped put Kingpin behind bars, but Foggy helped those people who had to deal with more real-world issues, such as dealing with bad landlords.
It's season two, though, where Foggy really shines. After Matt convinces him that they should take on The Punisher case, Matt leaves Foggy all on his own because he decides he'd rather spend time with an ex-girlfriend than supporting those people who supported him. And although Foggy questions Matt's motives and lifestyle, he still faces the challenge of handling The Punisher case on his own, and in several scenes, proves that maybe he's actually the better lawyer.
In fact, by the time Matt decides to show up for court, Foggy already has everything under control. Sure, Matt gives a great closing argument, but by then, it's pretty evident that Foggy probably would have done much better.
Matt, as Daredevil, spends time cleaning up the city from the weirdness of some Japanese cult, but Foggy, once more, sticks around to handle the real-world problems of Hell's Kitchen.
Trish Walker (Jessica Jones)
Sure, Jessica Jones is the superpowered hero of her own series, but her best friend Trish Walker, who everyone once knew as child star Patsy Walker, is the strength behind everything that Jessica is and does. After Trish's mother took in the orphaned Jessica, Trish spent much of her childhood protecting her best friend and adopted sister from those who weren't fond of people with superpowers, such as her mother.
Trish spends much of the first season of Jessica Jones trying to help Jessica, even when Jessica refuses her help and tries to shut her out of her life. Trish shows not only resolve, but also courage as Jessica faces the mental anguish caused by Kilgrave, often showing better strength of character than the superhero of the series. By the end of the season, Trish starts training to become a better fighter, too.
In the comics, Patsy Walker is also Hellcat, a superhero in her own right.
Cisco Ramon (The Flash)
Although The Flash often treats Cisco Ramon as just a sidekick, almost everything Barry Allen has as a superhero comes courtesy of Cisco. Cisco is the brilliant scientist and inventor behind the suit that The Flash wears, but also behind much of the technology that the series often uses in defeating the bad guys.
Cisco was also the first person on Team Flash to realize that Harrison Wells was actually the bad guy in season one. He plays an even bigger role this season, thanks to the development of his own superpowers. As Vibe, Cisco can see the present and the future, and this will become vital as the team tries to close in on the supervillain Zoom. Cisco recently discovered that Zoom is, in fact, actually Jay Garrick.
Cisco also contributed to Team Green Arrow and is the one responsible for giving Laurel her Canary Cry.
Ana Jarvis (Agent Carter)
While Peggy Carter and Edwin Jarvis spent most of the second season of Agent Carter chasing down a super-intelligent Hollywood actress who discovered a strange form of energy from another universe, Ana Jarvis sat at home and made sure that both Edwin and Peggy had what they needed to do their jobs.
Viewers knew of Mrs. Jarvis in season one, but it wasn't until season two that she actually appeared onscreen as a spunky redhead who immediately took to Peggy (rather than becoming jealous of the woman who spent so much time with her husband). Not only did Ana encourage Edwin and Peggy to continue fighting the good fight, but she showed unbelievable strength and courage after being attacked, although that attack left her incapable of having children.
Ana proves stronger than her husband throughout much of the second season and often gives him the push he needs to continue working with Peggy to keep fighting the good fight.
Winn Schott (Supergirl)
Kara Zor-El has a lot of powerful friends, including Cat Grant and James Olsen, but she's also got a best friend in Winn Schott that she, unfortunately, often overlooks. And yet, of all those who work with Supergirl, Winn is probably not only the most loyal to her, but also one of the most valuable members of the team.
Winn was one of the first people in National City to learn Kara's true identity and is a key member of Team Supergirl: he helped set up the computer system that allows Kara to track crime in the city so that Supergirl can fly in and save the day. He even created a lair under CatCo for Team Supergirl to operate out of.
Even after Winn confesses his love for Kara and she spurns him, he remains loyal to her and her vision as Supergirl. He often uses his computer skills to help Kara in tight situations.
But it's when Winn faces his father, the evil Toyman, that he shows true strength: not wanting to become his father, he finally opens up to Kara about his feelings for her.
