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Sit! Stay! Save the day!: Marvel and DC's super pets, ranked
All of them are good boys and girls, but which of them is the most heroic?
As comic book adaptations become more frequent and more and more superheroes show up in film and television — with multiple versions even crossing over and saving the world together at this point — it's only natural that some of their four-legged (or winged) companions join them.
Of course, these furry (or feathery) heroes are not to be mistaken for the animal versions of some of the heroes we've seen so far. After all, Spider-Ham, Alligator Loki, and Thunder Frog (AKA Throg) are all anthropomorphized versions of established heroes in their own right, while the super creatures on this list tend to accompany their heroes even when the capes come off, serving as pets to the heroes' secret identities.
But of the few that have appeared on screen, which super pets have been the best, and who could use some extra training?
HONORABLE MENTION: Devil Dinosaur (Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur)
The second dinosaur to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe won't actually get here 'til later this summer when Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur premieres on Disney+. While he doesn't seem to have any specific powers beyond just being a dinosaur (which some might argue is the greatest gift of all), it remains to be seen what the show will do with him, as in the comics Devil Dinosaur can change size and even switch bodies with Moon Girl.
7. Redwing (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
Given Redwing's lateral move from being an actual falcon in the comics to a piloted drone that is an accessory to Sam Wilson's Falcon wings, it's hard to argue for it being any higher on this list. However, seeing how useful Redwing has proven itself over subsequent missions, and the fact that Sam actually calls for it by name on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, allows it a spot on this list. (After all, even the Vision was once more machine than man once.) Even considering its mechanical nature, watching Redwing be destroyed as Sam tried to claim his role as Captain America, only to be remade and gifted back to him by the Wakandans along with his new suit and wings, signified something powerful. Redwing may not be a real falcon anymore, but Sam Wilson definitely still is the new Captain America. He's just redefining the role to fit him.
6. Lockjaw (Marvel's Inhumans)
Turns out dogs are also an Inhuman's best friend. Or at least, Lockjaw definitely is. Not only did this massive pooch go through Terrigenesis — the process that unlocks an Inhuman's powers — but he's since used his gift of teleportation to help the Inhuman Royal Family, often serving as their main form of transportation. While he was fairly underused on the short-lived ABC TV series, Lockjaw's been fairly heroic in the comics, often being sent to aid other heroes who might need it, including a certain young Inhuman named Kamala Khan (AKA Ms. Marvel). Because of his short TV life, he scores lower than he deserves, though a guest appearance on an upcoming Disney+ series could easily change that!
5. Bruce the Spotted Hyena (Birds of Prey)
While a spotted hyena isn't the most typical pet, Harley Quinn is also not your typical hero, so it fits that she'd end up with something a bit unorthodox. Still, Bruce — who is named for noted Gotham billionaire Bruce Wayne — isn't as untamed as you'd imagine a wild animal to be, as evidenced by the way he quietly hangs around Harley's apartment (and avenges her honor) almost like a trained dog. Sure, he doesn't quite save the day like some of the other pets on this list, but that's not his primary purpose. Instead, he serves as a companion and emotional support for Harley as she gets over the Joker, which is pretty heroic in its own right.
4. Old Lace (Marvel's Runaways)
The first official dinosaur in the MCU is technically a part of a duo, as she's telepathically connected to Gert Yorkes, even serving as her protector at times. While the fact that she's a dinosaur alone should shoot her up this list, it actually ended up working against her on the series, as she proved to be a rather conspicuous pet to have — especially if you're a group of teenage runaways trying to dodge your supervillain parents. As a result, she wasn't on the series much. In any case, like any good pet, Old Lace gave Gert an anchor of sorts, grounding her as she struggled to cope with her anxiety and being on the run.
3. Lucky, AKA Arrow, AKA Pizza Dog (Hawkeye)
Perhaps one of the most anticipated entries to the MCU, Lucky has proven to be a delight on Marvel's Hawkeye, even though he didn't feature as heavily as fans might have hoped. Still, even though this pizza-loving dog didn't end up solving a murder as he did in the comics, he still helped kick off the whole series. Kate Bishop saving him from New York traffic (while dressed as the Ronin) is what led to Clint Barton tracking her down and reluctantly teaming. Saving Lucky didn't just gift Kate with an adorable and endlessly loyal companion; it also gave her a plus point in Black Widow Yelena Belova's book, which is hardly ever a bad thing.
2. Goose (Captain Marvel)
Even though she's shaped like a cat and behaves like one for the most part, Goose is technically an alien species known as a Flerken. As impressive as her ability to distinguish between allies and foes and store deadly tentacles within a pocket dimension in her body is, what's even more amazing is the fact that she not only won Nick Fury's trust, but that he also kept taking care of her after she permanently blinded him. She cost him an eye, and he still trusted her to store the Tesseract for a few years.
1. Krypto (DC League of Super-Pets)
What's that in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Krypto playing fetch with Superman? Probably, if the trailer for the upcoming animated movie DC League of Super-Pets is to be believed. The duo does form a bridge with their bodies to save a speeding train from going off a track, which is maybe the most complex trick any creature on this list could manage. It probably doesn't hurt that Krypto has many of Superman's powers as well since he's a dog from Krypton. Still, Krypto's been enough of a cultural mainstay so far that he's appeared on Smallville is currently appearing on DC's Titans, and even had his own show, Krypto the Superdog. There's no doubt, he's a super good boy.
