The Magical Minority trope has been widely condemned for its racist undertones and problematic takeaways—yet to this day it’s strangely difficult to get rid of. It involves a person of color existing in a film or TV show seemingly just to serve the heroic endeavors of the white protagonist. The Magical Minority uses a special “gift” they possess, whether it’s mystical connection to the supernatural, hyper-intelligence in a specific area, or an exceptional talent. And they apparently expect little to nothing in return besides the satisfaction of helping the white person find themselves.

The Magical Minority actually stems from fake progressivism and a surface attempt to create “positive” media representation of people of color. But given the realities of race in America, this trope is a white writer’s fantasy. It soothes white guilt by providing white audiences with sympathetic white protagonists to see themselves in, without having to shift focus away from the white character’s experience. And it depicts people of color as helpers or servers, instead of as whole, autonomous people with their own dreams and goals.