Everyone loves an underdog, and The Far Side is filled to the brim with them. Gary Larson depicted many encounters in his cartoons that include underdogs with no hope of victory. Some manage to secure victory despite insurmountable odds stacked against them, while others fall short, but every outcome is hilarious in true Far Side fashion.

An underdog is someone who possesses less power than those around them, leaving them at a notable disadvantage, and animals commonly fall under that category in Larson's wacky re-invention of reality. After all, Larson loves to give animals victories over humanity in his work. With that being said, humans can also be underdogs under specific circumstances. Here are 10 Far Side comics featuring underdogs that readers can't help but root for.

12 The Far Side's Animals Don't Let Their Underdog Status Stop Them

First Published: February 14th, 1986

11

In this first Far Side comic, the nature of an underdog is challenged directly as a group of injured animals sit around after a conflict with humans. Rather than taking their beatings and running, though, these animals are inspired to live up to their names and seek revenge against humans. The odds may be stacked against them, but they're still willing to evade extinction at any cost.

The animals in this cartoon are well aware of their status as underdogs, yet the bear nonetheless encourages them to take a stand in spite of the natural order. The Far Side allows persecuted prey to fight back against predators, and this comic highlights that fact through a motivational speech that any underdog - animal or otherwise - can resonate with.

10 The Far Side's Weaker Pets Successfully Free Themselves From Captivity

First Published: June 24th, 1980

While the last comic featured animals being motivated to fight back against their human oppressors, this comic shows the end result of such a revolt. A woman appears to be locked up inside a bird's cage as the bird flies away to freedom. The captured human desperately cries out to the bird, but this seems to be a fruitless endeavor on her part, as she's doomed to entrapment for the foreseeable future.

The pet bird had presumably been subjected to this same fate before turning the tables and somehow swapping places with its owner. Typically, birds have no choice but to accept being caged since they lack the means to overpower a human, but this one has found a way to defeat the larger human.

9 In The Far Side, Sloths Can Overcome Their Speed Disadvantage

First Published: July 3rd, 1987

Of all the creatures within the animal kingdom, sloths stand out as the most widely underestimated due to one critical weakness: their speed, or lack thereof. Sloths are indeed infamously slow, though the sloth depicted in this cartoon has managed to win a battle that relies on speed - despite being at a disadvantage.

The victors of duels in the Old West were largely decided by who could draw their pistol faster, as they would get to land the first shot before their opponent could. In an unexpected turn of events, this sloth manages to conquer its slowness and draw its gun faster in order to secure a victory. Gary Larson never ceases to surprise readers, and a sloth miraculously outpacing someone is enough to make any reader go, "What the?"

8 Humans Aren't Much Better Off Than Animals in The Far Side

First Published: February 5th, 1985

7

These last few comics have portrayed animals as underdogs while humans are seen as the more dominant force to be overcome, but Larson hasn't always upheld that status quo. Here, for example, The Far Side switches the dynamic between humans and animals by depicting a scenario in which a human is at a major disadvantage.

A man is shown crawling helplessly through the desert and in clear need of hydration, and his solace appears before him in the form of a small oasis. However, just as he's about to reach the small pool of water, vultures circle overhead and prepare to drop a piano on top of him. In the wilderness, humans can become underdogs for a change, leaving their fate in the hands of nature and animals alike.

6 This Far Side Underdog Resorts to Twisted Measures to Secure Victory

First Published: May 30th, 1990

One key way in which animals are perceived as underdogs can be found in how humans treat them. To many, certain animals - such as chickens - are treated as food first and living creatures second. Still, even though they are looked down upon and underestimated by humans, these animals can challenge that cycle of life through acts such as this chicken's.

In this especially chilling Far Side comic, a chicken reveals that it had disguised itself as a family's dog to avoid being cooked in their meal. It then asks, "Would you like to know where your little Fifi is?" The laughter that follows this sinister comment suggests that the chicken has evaded death by tricking the humans into cooking their pet dog in its place.

5 In The Far Side, Humans Can Be Underdogs Against Their Own Pets

First Published: February 17th, 1984

While most humans are bigger and stronger than the average household pets, thus asserting themselves as the stronger power, there are some pets that turn the humans into underdogs. Disciplining pets can become a frightening ordeal in certain cases, as humans put their lives on the line by taking in creatures that outrank them in raw physical power. Check out the gallery below for more Far Side comics starring unconventional pets!

This comic introduces a man who marches through the streets in search of a pet that has run away, holding a stick as he gets ready to teach the animal a lesson. As it turns out, that pet is a giant squid who is waiting for him around the corner. If the squid decides he's had enough of being mistreated, then his owner likely won't survive the encounter that ensues.

4 When The Far Side's Underdogs Lose, They Come Back for Rematches

First Published: August 11th, 1993

Some animals are underestimated by humans because they're only seen as pets, whereas others are underestimated because they're only seen as food. The frog that stars in this comic falls into the latter category, but he nevertheless manages to get his lick back against a chef that's targeted him in the past in the most satisfying way possible.

A chef is shown lying unconscious on a bedroom floor with a knife in his hand, while a one-legged frog with a smoking gun declares, "I always knew he'd be back one day to get the other one!" In the past, this chef must have been the one to claim this frog's missing leg to cook into a dish, but the victim has finally become the victor in this rematch.

3 Even In The Far Side, Humans Don't Stand a Chance Against Dinosaurs

First Published: March 29th, 1985

The woman in this Far Side cartoon finds herself in a predicament that leaves her utterly defenseless against a threat that even the most powerful humans would struggle against. As explained by the caption, a cleaning lady for a scientist has accidentally activated a time machine after assuming it to be a dryer for laundry. As a result, the poor woman has found herself in prehistoric times, surrounded by dinosaurs that view her as their next meal.

Unfortunately, while many other underdog narratives in The Far Side result in a satisfying victory for the disadvantaged character, there doesn't seem to be a happy ending in store for this woman. She is unarmed and unprepared to fend off dinosaurs, so her story will likely end in tragedy.