Diode says, "I'm the one that knows what's going on, I can see that flyback spike coming and I direct it."
Capacitor says, "I'm in the firing line, when that spike comes, I absorb it."
Resistor says, "I help out, without me Capacitor would just keep charging."
Zener says, "A fat lot you all care. If you aren't up to the job you might have 100 volts across you.
I know that you don't care personally, but I'm responsible for seeing that things don't get so out of whack that Switching Transistor explodes!"