Sidekick

This article documents its subject as it pertains to the gameplay of the Halo games, rather than the lore.

Sidekick
Gameplay role
Faction:	Human (UNSC)
Weapon tier (?):	Loadout weapon
Weapon class (?):	Pistol
Weapon type (?):	Precision weapon
Firing mode:	Semi-automatic
Effective range:	Close to medium
Counterparts:	Human (UNSC): Magnum Automag Gunfighter Magnum Covenant: Plasma Pistol Forerunner: Boltshot
Weapon stats
Damage:	Low
Damage type (?):	Kinetic
Projectile speed:	Very high, near instantaneous
Rate of fire:	High
Accuracy:	Medium
Magazine size:	12 bullets

"Semi-automatic firearm effective at close to medium range."

— In-game description

The Sidekick is a human pistol first introduced in Halo Infinite. It is a precision loadout weapon which deals kinetic damage and is most effective in close quarters. The Sidekick deals little damage per shot but can be fired very rapidly, at the cost of accuracy.

Universe and lore

Main article: Mk50 Sidekick

Manufactured by Emerson Tactical Systems, the Mk50 Sidekick is a semi-automatic handgun in service with the United Nations Space Command armed forces. Described as "powerful and compact", it fires 10mm rounds from a detachable box magazine that typically holds 12 rounds. It differs significantly from the M6 series, the UNSC's most prominent sidearm, lacking the M6's signature hand-guard and smart-linked optic, the KFA-2 x2, while also firing a lower calibre round. The weapon usually sports an olive green and matte black finish.

The Mk50 Sidekick entered production at some point before 2559. By December 2559, the weapon was in service with UNSC forces aboard the UNSC Infinity, and saw action at the Battle for Zeta Halo. In the following year, the weapon was again used at the ring.

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  Mk50 Sidekick
  Halo Infinite

Overview

The Sidekick is a pistol first introduced in Halo Infinite, which works well as a general-purpose sidearm to supplement the player's primary weapon. Featured in both campaign and multiplayer, it can be found very commonly in both modes and is frequently part of the player's standard loadout. Shots from the Sidekick do relatively little damage but can be fired rapidly at the cost of significant bloom. The Sidekick can function well as a primary weapon in the hands of a skilled player, though as its name suggests, it is most effective when paired with another weapon. This allows the player to strip the opponent's shields with the main weapon, then switch to the Sidekick and finish them with a headshot.

Counterparts

Throughout the Halo franchise, there have been several weapons similar in role to the Sidekick.

Most notable of these is the Magnum, another pistol first introduced in Halo 2. Like the Sidekick, it is a precision weapon capable of headshots, though in most iterations it had a longer range and less bloom, at the cost of not being able to fire as rapidly as the Sidekick. Most similar to the Sidekick is Halo 2's iteration, which lacked a scope and dealt very little damage, but could be fired incredibly rapidly. Two variants of the Magnum are also of note when comparing the Sidekick: the Automag and Gunfighter Magnum. The Halo 3: ODST iteration of the Automag could fire at a comparable rate to the Halo 2 Magnum, similar to the Sidekick, but unlike the Sidekick, was ineffective against shields and had a very large zoom range. The Gunfighter Magnum is in many ways a direct predecessor to the Sidekick, having appeared in the preceding game to Infinite, Halo 5: Guardians. It has a short zoom distance, but fires incredibly fast and takes a comparable number of shots to kill.

On the Covenant side, the Plasma Pistol is the only notable comparison. It was first introduced in Halo: Combat Evolved and has changed significantly between games, but generally, it has a high rate of fire, though its plasma projectiles are slow and deal little damage. Unlike the Sidekick, the Plasma Pistol is not capable of headshots. It also features a second firing mode, which requires a brief charging time, but fires a powerful projectile that can break most enemy's energy shields in a single hit, and in most games, briefly disables vehicles.

Finally, the Forerunners have the Boltshot, a weapon first introduced in Halo 4. In its initial appearance, it was a precision hitscan weapon, with a high rate of fire but a limited magazine and low damage, making it similar in many ways to the Sidekick. However, it also featured a secondary firing mode, which fired a shotgun-like blast capable of killing enemy players in a single hit. The weapon was significantly changed in Halo 5: Guardians, firing a burst of three slow-moving tracking projectiles with each trigger pull, and entirely removing the secondary firing mode.

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  Magnum
  Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo: Reach, Halo 4, Halo: Spartan Assault, Halo 2: Anniversary multiplayer, Halo: Spartan Strike, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Online and Halo: Fireteam Raven

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  Automag
  Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST

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  Gunfighter Magnum
  Halo 5: Guardians

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  Plasma Pistol
  Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, Halo 4, Halo: Spartan Assault, Halo 2: Anniversary multiplayer, Halo: Spartan Strike, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Online, Halo: Fireteam Raven and Halo Infinite

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  Boltshot
  Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians

Gameplay

Stats

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

The following table summarizes the Sidekick's stats in Halo Infinite:

	Infinite
Weapon type	Loadout
Damage type	Kinetic
Firing mode	Semi-auto
Precision weapon	✓
Zoom levels	1.40x
Magazine/clip size	12

Advantages

• Has a very fast firing rate, allowing the player to deal a lot of damage quickly
• Can headshot unshielded enemies for an instant kill
• Is very common and is often a loadout weapon, meaning that ammo will be plentiful

Disadvantages

• Has bloom when fired too rapidly
• Magazine is small, requiring frequent reloading
  • Only one enemy player in multiplayer can be killed per magazine
• Range is limited by weapon spread and short zoom level

Tactics and strategies

The Sidekick is best used at mid-to-close ranges, where its spread and lack of a long-distance zoom will be less impactful. It is most effective when paired with another weapon to strip the enemy's shields first - particularly plasma weapons, which excel at this - allowing the Sidekick to swiftly finish them with a headshot. However, it can be used as a primary weapon at closer ranges, where it is often an effective tactic to fire as fast as possible, aiming for the opponent's head. When at long distances, users should switch to a longer-range weapon, such as the Battle Rifle or Commando if one is available. Otherwise, the player should zoom in and pace their shots to prevent the bloom from causing their weapon to become too inaccurate.

Variants

Striker Sidekick

The Striker variant of the Mk50 Sidekick has improved stopping power and increased precision capabilities. It has an additional yellow stripe and yellow-colored magazine. It has an extended magazine of 14 rounds (from the standard 12 round magazine).

In campaign, the Striker Sidekick is a legendary weapon awarded to the player in the Forward Operating Base progression system upon reaching 2,200 Valor. It has an increased magazine size of 14 rounds. The rounds from the Striker Sidekick deals higher damage (killing a fully-shielded Spartan with 6 rounds instead of 10 rounds); it can kill in a fully-shielded Spartan with minimum of five rounds, assuming the fifth shot is a headshot. The weapon has reduced bloom at the cost of higher recoil.

In multiplayer, when players pick up or spawn with the Striker Sidekick, their customization options are automatically applied to the weapon model, and the unique appearance of the Striker Sidekick is lost.

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  John-117 with the Striker Sidekick.

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  First-person view of the MK50 Striker Sidekick.

Skins and cosmetics

Main article: Weapon customization

In Halo Infinite, the Sidekick can be outfitted with various coatings and models to customise its appearance.

Coatings

Weapon customization/Coating/MK50

Model

MK50 Sidekick v • d • e
Weapon Model	Manufacturer	Lore	Rarity	Introduced In	Unlock Requirements
Critpoint Shroud	343 Industries	Exponentially increases the weapon's visual appeal. It also makes it look cooler.	Epic	Season 01: Heroes of Reach	Purchase the "Maltese Mayhem Weapon Set" from the Shop for 1,500 cR (or 800 cR during a sale)
M90 Shroud	Weapon System Technology	Marketed towards the police and self-defense markets.	Legendary	Season 01: Heroes of Reach	Purchase the "Pop Weapon Set" from the Shop for 800 cR
Tacticlamp	Weapon System Technology	A frame-mounted, non-reciprocating shroud with accessory rails.	Rare	Season 01: Heroes of Reach	Purchase the "Tacticlamp 117" bundle from the Shop for 1,000 cR
MK50 Groovegrip	Lux Voluspa	A favorite sidearm of tech-savvy mercenary groups and security firms.	Epic	Season 04: Infection	Cyber Showdown II Event Pass level 5
MK50 Swiftguard	Emerson Tactical Systems	Emerson-developed data acquisition suite with real time targeting telemetry meant to integrate directly with the latest VISR displays and tactical uplink protocols. The latest beta-build firmware provides improved end-to-end data encryption and increased compatibility with vintage UNSC protocols.	Epic	Season 04: Infection	Purchase either: "Warning Signs" for 1,500 cR "Hazmat Haven" for 3,400 cR
Stocking Stuffer	343 Industries	High-velocity holiday cheer.	Legendary	Season 05: Reckoning	Purchase the "Santa's Little Helper" superbundle from the Shop for 3,400 cR
Vicious Sidekick	Banished	Chop chop.	Epic	The Yappening II	Purchase the "Cestus" bundle from the Shop for 2,400 cR
Leaping Bounty	Fracture: Tenrai	Always against the current.	Legendary	Tenrai IV	Purchase the "Kendo Master" bundle from the Shop for 2,200 cR
Photon Exciter	Fracture: Firewall	The battle is on. Playtime is over.	Legendary	Haloween	Purchase the "Molten Chrome" bundle from the Shop for 2,200 cR

Medals

The following medals are exclusive to the Sidekick, or to the pistol weapon type in Halo Infinite. Other, less specific medals, can also be earned with the Sidekick, but the ones listed are only those that are unique to pistols or to the Sidekick itself.

Icon	Name	Game	Unlock requirements
	Gunslinger	Halo Infinite	Kill 5 enemies with pistols
	Quick Draw	Halo Infinite	Kill an enemy with a pistol immediately after switching to it

Gallery

Renders and cutouts

• 

  In-engine render of the Sidekick in Halo Infinite.

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  The Sidekick in Infinite, with the Adrenal coating.

HUD icons

• 

  The Sidekick HUD Icon in Halo Infinite.

Screenshots

• 

  First-person view of the Sidekick, prior to its redesign.

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  First-person view of the Sidekick in the Halo Infinite Campaign Gameplay Premiere.

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  First-person view of the Sidekick's reload in the Halo Infinite Campaign Gameplay Premiere.

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  A Yoroi-clad Spartan-IV wielding an in multiplayer.

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  A Sidekick holstered on a pink Spartan in the A New Generation trailer.

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  The redesigned Sidekick with the Watchdog coating.

List of appearances

• Halo Infinite (First appearance)