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Character Role Analysis

Rocky and Mickey

The reason Rocky and Mickey butt heads so much is because they're so similar. Until the Apollo Creed fight, neither of them would have been champions, but both were able to achieve minor success.

The difference is that (before Apollo stepped onto the scene) Mickey did succeed and Rocky didn't. Mickey sees himself in the younger fighter, and pushes Rocky to succeed so that he can live vicariously through him. And Rocky doesn't want to repeat Mickey's mistakes.