User blog comment:Thewritersdiary/Enough With the Shipping Wars/@comment-26247132-20160127040731/@comment-26247132-20160127210843

"But then again, in my experience it's usually the supporting characters that get a ton of love and not the protagonist as much (but I have been yet to figure out why this is, exactly)."

"mains have to fit some kind of mold, all of them, that will make them appealing to the masses. whereas supporting characters get a bit more leeway with how they develop"

I agree with all of this. The lead (Harry Potter, Buffy, Katniss, etc...) has to be a vehicle for the plot to move forward so there isn't as much leeway in creating a unique and specifically relatable character. Instead, when done well, you get a generally relatable character with some amazing sidekicks.