Hurley and Charlie bond over music, humor, and being the "normal" guys in a group of leaders and warriors. Charlie struggles with addiction; Hurley struggles with self-worth. They prop each other up without drama. Charlie's death hits Hurley harder than anyone -- it's the loss that transforms Hurley from comic relief into the show's moral center. When Hurley becomes the Island's protector in the finale, you can trace it back to what Charlie's friendship taught him about courage.