A Friend You Can Count On

Have you ever wondered, why the best friends of the main characters are so loved and often steal the show? What’s so fascinating about Harper Finkle from “Wizards of Waverly Place”, or Ned from “Spider-man: Homecoming”? The stereotypical best friend should provide comical relief but also be a main supporter of the protagonist – so how does it happen that they often gain a bigger fanbase?

A great example of this phenomenon is Mieczyslaw “Stiles” Stilinski from the show “Teen Wolf”. He is a highschooler and best friend of Scott McCall, who becomes a werewolf and has to face various supernatural enemies. Many of his friends were also werewolves or other  creatures like banshees, kitsunes or werecoyotes. But Stiles was a normal human. The only mysterious thing about him was his real name (revealed in later seasons to be Mieczyslaw), as everyone referred to him by his nickname. Yet, he quickly became the audience’s favourite – he was funny and sarcastic but also observant and intelligent.

So, what’s the appeal of this character? No matter what happens, he remains loyal to Scott. And isn’t that something we all wish for? To have such a friend that will never leave us? That we can rely on in every circumstance, even when we become mythical monsters and have to keep it secret? Naturally, Scott and Stiles’s relationship is not perfect and they have their fallouts, only to reunite and fight evil forces together. Meanwhile, some of our friendships may not withstand arguments or conflicts. Maybe the person we cared so much about had enough of us, wasn’t the kind of person we thought them to be, or simply entered a new phase in their life that no longer aligned with our lifestyle. We cannot predict what will life bring and with every lost relationship we may find comfort in the character of Stiles.

We can also look at the boy’s friendship in the context of male relationships. Some men find it difficult to talk about their struggles, even with their friends, while Scott and Stiles are there for each other and are both ready to listen. Boys shouldn’t keep all of their emotions bottled up and ignored, they should have somebody to talk to about everything – a good friend. Of course, no one will force anyone to talk about their darkest secrets or fears – that is not the goal here. The goal is to have somebody like Stiles, that you are comfortable to talk to when you need help, reassurance or a bit of support. You were bitten in a forest and you think you may grow a pair of fangs during the next full moon? Well, gladly you have a Stiles to talk to and figure this out. There is no need to go through this alone.

Everyone needs a friend. Hopefully, we all have one we can count on, but even then it is reassuring to see such a wholesome character like Stiles on the TV. It is a reminder that there are good people in the world. Maybe we are still mad at our friend and should reach out to them? Maybe we did something wrong to them and should apologise? We should cherish our friendships as they are something that makes our lives brighter, even when we have to fight an evil werewolf pack in our hometown.