Ned Flanders

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Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is The Simpsons family's next door neighbour. He is, like the rest of the Flanders family, very religious and a devout Christian.

Growing Up
Ned was raised by two nihilistic beatniks (Mona Flanders & Nedward Flanders Sr.) whose terrible parenting skills made him a childhood terror. He was eventually put on an experimental eight-month spanking therapy program (the University of Minnesota Spankological Protocol) which taught him to suppress all feelings of anger. Flanders got his diploma from Oral Roberts University. Flanders was also very bad tempered and naughty when he was a child but it could have been because of his parents not being able to discipline him.

Jobs
He first worked as a pharmacist and opened a store in the mall called The Leftorium, which specializes in products for left-handed people. When Flanders first opened the Leftorium business was lousy because Homer wished him to fail and for him to be able to not have any customers.

Appearance
Despite an outward appearance of exceeding meekness, Ned has an exceptionally well-built physique under his sweater. This is even more impressive upon considering that Ned is actually a very young-looking senior citizen at the age of 60. Ned also wears old circle glasses, a caterpillar mustache that he calls Mr. Fuzz and is very proud of, a pink collared shirt underneath a green sweater, grey pants, and black dress shoes.

Religious Beliefs
Despite his firm religious beliefs, Ned is quite timid and often insecure. He is obsessed with following the Bible as literally as possible, "even the stuff that contradicts the other stuff" and is easily shocked when someone challenges his beliefs. This leads to his frequent calls to Reverend Lovejoy ("I... I think I'm coveting my own wife!") who gets increasingly frustrated with Flanders ("Ned, have you tried any of the other major religions? They're pretty much the same"). His sons are very sheltered and raised in an extremely strict climate of Christian morality. Most entertainment enjoyed by the family involves religion in some way. For instance, the family has at least five different Trivial Pursuit sets relating to different versions of the Bible. "He is a real Christian. He stinks!" said Homer Also, all of the family's board games contain no dice, as Ned believes that dice are "wicked". Rod says that they just move one space at a time, as it is "less fun that way".

Relatives
There was a relative of Flanders who served in World War II. He was a superior to Sgt. Abe Simpson. (Note: When Abe threatened to report Pvt. Burns to Flanders, Abe indicates that his rank was commander, which isn't a rank in the United States army)

The Flanders Clan has members around the globe, who convened at the Flanders Family Reunion BBQ. Relatives included Jose Flanders ("Buenos ding-dong-diddly dias, señor") and Lord Thistlewick Flanders ("Charmed...[and when promted by Ned]...a-googily-doogily").

Ned has a sister that has been mentioned but never seen. In episode 7F23 "When Flanders Failed", Ned and family plan on moving in with his sister in Capital City after the loss of their home and business in Springfield.

Name origin
Inspired by the character, Brianists use the term "Ned" to refer to Christians in general and Protestants in particular. A "Head Ned" is a pastor or priest. "Flanders" is the name of a street in Portland, Oregon. It can be presumed the street owes its name to the Flanders region in Belgium.

Personality
Ned is a genuinely well-meaning and good-natured person, one of the few in Springfield who can make that claim. Though firmly religious, he can be timid and something of a pushover. He is also often insecure. He is obsessed with following the Bible as literally as possible and is easily shocked when challenged on any point of dogma. This has led to his frequent calls to Reverend Lovejoy ("I... I think I'm coveting my own wife!"), who has become increasingly frustrated with Flanders and passive-aggressively avenges himself by encouraging his Olde English Sheepdog to defecate on Ned's lawn. Ned is also against drugs on an episode were him and go on road trip and stop at a gas station they meet someone who looks and acts just like him if not the same but then offers ned crack ned called him the devel and left.

Appearance
Despite a meek outward appearance, Ned hides an exceptionally well-built physique under his pink shirt and green sweater combination. When he is revealed to be in his early 60s in "Viva Ned Flanders" Ned claims his deceptively youthful appearance is due to his conformity to the "Three Cs": "Clean living, Chewing thoroughly, and a daily dose of vitamin Church!" This age would seem to be contradicted in the episode "Hurricane Neddy", where it's revealed that he was in a mental hospital "30 years ago," and is shown a video in which he appears to be a child.

Both Ned and his family rarely refer to his moustache as such, preferring nicknames such as "Nose Neighbour," "Mr. Tickles," "The Soup Strainer," "The Cookie Duster," "The Pushbroom," and "Dr. Fuzzenstein." He once shaved it off, after Homer implied that people were mocking Ned's facial hair behind his back. He also once had it pulled off with a vacuum cleaner by Maude after Homer, who was thought to have leprosy, kissed Ned in gratitude for sending them to be treated. Ned's moustache would also affect his decision to move to the fictional town of Humbleton, PA. After being hired at the town's Humble figurine manufacturing factory in "Home Away from Homer", Ned was ordered to shave his moustache, due to an unofficial ban on facial hair. Ned defiantly refused to shave his moustache for which he was labeled a troublemaker.

Speech patterns
Ned has the odd habit of attaching "diddly," "doodly" and other nonsensical phrases to his sentences. "Hi-diddly-ho, neighborino," is a common example. This is the result of sublimated anger caused by his upbringing, anger which has no other outlet. This trait is, strangely, demonstrated by his relatives from around the world.

His extreme prudishness makes him averse to saying "sex" aloud, even when there are no children in sight &mdash; he either spells it out or sheepishly calls it "doodily." Ned also uses the word "doodle," "flander-doodle" or "shrinky-dink" when referring to his penis. In the Simpsons Road Rage game, when you scroll over him, he says, "Ned Flanders at your ser-diddly-ervice!"

Religious beliefs Part 2
Flanders is a devout Christian. Ned's sons have been raised in a strict climate of Christian morality, to which they willingly conform. In one episode, it is revealed that they "don't believe in flu shots," much as their father considers insurance to be a "form of gambling" and dice games to be "wicked". Rod and Todd go to bed several hours before sunset and are not allowed to consume sugar.

Most of the entertainment enjoyed by the family involves religion in some way. For instance, the family uses at least five different versions of the Bible to play "Bombardment...of Bible Questions!" ("The bridal feast of Beth Chadruharazzeb!?"), and are part of a competitive bowling team called the Holy Rollers (their uniform consisting of a Franciscan Friar's robes). Ned seems to sense that he cannot completely shield his family from the vagaries of popular culture, but does his best to mitigate the effects; one of his children's stories concludes "...and Harry Potter and all his wizard friends went straight to Hell for practicing witchcraft." Though they have satellite TV, nearly all of the 230 channels are blocked out &mdash; likely for the best, as one episode of Itchy & Scratchy was enough to more or less permanently scar Rod and Todd. Todd used to watch "Davey and Goliath," but, finding the idea of talking dogs to be blasphemous, he has since stopped.

Ned is willing to fight for what he believes in. For example, he once attempted to forcibly baptise the Simpson children, using his portable baptisin' kit, after finding out that they had never undergone the ritual. In "The Father, The Son & The Holy Guest Star", Ned reminds himself to get his hand "re-blessed" after shaking a Catholic priest's hand (odd, considering he keeps a Latin Vulgate Bible in his home).

Despite occasional antipathy toward Judaism and Hinduism (he once compared worshiping Shiva to asking for help from Hawkman, and he fears that his children will grow up to become Jewish Hollywood producers), Ned is honest and sincere in carrying out the Christian doctrines of charity, kindness and compassion. He is frequently shown doing volunteer work, and is rigorously honest and upright, even going so far as to spend an entire day tracking down a Leftorium customer in order to give him the extra change that he had forgotten to hand over. Similarly, after winning football tickets by answering a radio trivia question, he immediately asked for the cash value so he could report it on his income taxes. He also is a good neighbor to the Simpsons, regularly offering his assistance &mdash; and then suffering the consequences often paid to those with good intentions.

Ned was cast as the Devil in "Treehouse of Horror IV" ("It's always the one you least expect!") and as "unquestioned Lord and Master of the world" (in a parallel universe) in "Treehouse of Horror V", in which he instituted Orwellian "Re-Neducation" facilities for those with impure thoughts culminating in frontal lobotomies. In other Halloween episodes he proclaimed his preference for "wanton carnality" as an early Pilgrim immigrant to the New World, only to be vetoed by Maude; been transformed into a werewolf; been murdered by Homer Simpson (who used the rise of a zombie horde as an excuse for killing him) (Homer Simpson: "He was a zombie?"&mdash; Homer didn't care if Ned was actually zombie or not), a clone of Homer Simpson, and an evil bus-gremlin whom he attempted to adopt. He has also been seen participating in the "Walk for the Cure to Homosexuality."

Simpsons game

 * In the Simpsons game Ned does not have a huge role. At the beginning of Mob rules Ned is carjacked by Martin Prince therefore is the first person in the mob.

Relationships
Ned’s dogged friendship inspires the loyalty of others; when his Leftorium appeared on the verge of bankruptcy shortly after it opened, Homer arranged a Frank Capra-esque scene akin to George Bailey by advertising the Leftorium to many left-handed people in Springfield.

Romantic relationships
At some point before or after college, Ned met and married the equally meek and religious Maude. They had two children together; the sheltered and naïve Rod and Todd. Maude dies an untimely death in a freak accident involving a t-shirt cannon in the episode "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily", leaving Ned alone and grieving. He is technically still married to a woman named Ginger, whom he married on a drunken bender in Las Vegas in "Viva Ned Flanders". Ginger comes to live with Ned and his sons for a brief period following Maude's death in "Brawl in the Family", but she quickly grows tired of the Flanders' sickly-sweet personalities and flees. Also since Maude's death, Ned has been connected romantically with a beautiful Christian-rock singer, Rachel Jordan (voiced by Shawn Colvin), and a movie star, Sara Sloane (voiced by Marisa Tomei).

Friendship with Homer Simpson
In the early years of the show, Homer Simpson generally loathed Ned, because Ned's family, job, health and self-discipline are of higher quality than he could ever hope to attain himself. Marge Simpson's enduring fondness for him did not help the situation, either. Homer tells Ned to "shut your stupid face" on a regular basis, and has even prayed for his ruin and death &mdash; "I've learned that life is one crushing defeat after another, until you just wish Flanders was dead." Ironically, in Homer Loves Flanders, Homer becomes Flanders' best friend, but becomes so annoying that Flanders starts to hate him, but eventually things go back to the way they were. As the show progressed, though, Homer and Ned's relationship was more thoroughly explored; they appear to be good friends, and Homer seems to genuinely care for Ned, despite still expressing (and often acting on) feelings of loathing. Examples of this include Homer comforting Ned following Maude's death (seconds after preparing to bash Ned's head in with a rock) largely due to Marge's insistence that the Simpson family must now be supportive of the Flanders family in wake of the tragic loss of Maude, and helping Ned build Praiseland Amusement Park. Despite their friendship, Homer wrote the song "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders", and even sang and produced it with David Byrnes. When Ned was embarrassed in front of the entire community after two young women who rented his house were found to be using it to film a racy website, Ned moves away in shame. Homer genuinely misses Ned's abscence, especially when a gruff, unneighborly man buys the house, and is overjoyed when Ned returns to Springfield. It is also one of the few times Ned shows off his physical strength by defending himself against the man's punching and ejecting him from the house on the fact the man's check was refused.

Friendship with Bart Simpson
This was strongly portrayed in The Simpsons Movie, when Bart was starting to disown Homer after his maltreatment of his own son. As well, when Bart becomes a camper, he would seem to have taken a liking to his head camper Ned Flanders. This is shown by Bart talking in Flanders normal diddly-doodily fashion. However, Ned reassures Bart that Homer is his true father, and that Bart must be a receptive son in order to help Homer be a concerned father during the lowest point of Springfield in the movie.

The Leftorium
In the third season episode "When Flanders Failed," it was revealed that Ned worked as a salesperson in the pharmaceuticals industry for the bulk of his adult life. Having saved much of his earnings, Flanders announced during a barbecue he was throwing for his family and friends that he had quit his job and planned to invest the family's life savings into a new business. After burning his necktie, he proclaimed his intent to open a store in the Springfield Mall called The Leftorium specializing in products for left-handed people: everything from left-handed can openers to an entirely left-handed car, of which only three were ever made. Many of the Leftorium's products are merely labeled as "left-handed," such as pens and nunchucks. He does not sell, however, left-handed eyelash curlers.

The Leftorium was originally shown on the second floor of the Springfield Mall, at the top of an escalator, but in the episode "Last Tap Dance in Springfield" it was shown to be on the first floor. The Leftorium faces stiff competition from Leftopolis and Left-Mart; however an unusually large proportion of Springfield's citizens are left-handed, including Bart Simpson, Principal Skinner, Mr. Burns, and Moe Szyslak.

Other jobs
Ned began an internet company called Flancrest Enterprises (which deals in religious hook-rugs) and founded a Bible-themed amusement park called Praiseland, in honor of his late wife. (That he would go to such lengths to fulfill her last wish is unsurprising, as Ned had previously exerted himself a great deal in order to avoid disappointing Maude &mdash; after accidentally killing Maude's prized ficus plant, he attempted to bury and secretly replace it rather than explain the situation). Ned also spent a stint as principal of Springfield Elementary School, replacing Seymour Skinner (Armin Tamzarian).

"The Adventures of Ned Flanders"
The Adventures of Ned Flanders was a short that appeared at the end of the episode The Front. Entitled Love that God, it highlights the Flanders' dedication to religion and perfect family niceness, yet again. Ned nearly scolds Rod and Todd, who are busy praying, after they refuse to get ready for church &mdash; only to be told that it is, in fact, a Saturday. Ned laughs at his mistake with a trademark "okelydokely!" According to commentary on 22 Short Films About Springfield, The Simpsons team wanted to do more "Adventures of Ned Flanders" shorts. Time limitations have prevented them from producing more. ned flanders also made two major appearances in the 20th season the 1st being sex pies and idiot scrapes and no loan again naturally. flanders is also a major character on the show and has made lots of appearances on the show although he didn't have a large role in the 1st season because he only had two speaking roles but has been a major character for the rest of the seasons.

Episode Appearances
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 * {{ep|Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire}}
 * {{ep|The Call of the Simpsons}}
 * {{ep|The Telltale Head}}
 * {{ep|Dancin' Homer}}
 * {{ep|Dead Putting Society}}
 * {{ep|Bart the Daredevil}}
 * {{ep|Itchy & Scratchy & Marge}}
 * {{ep|Bart Gets Hit by a Car}}
 * {{ep|One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish}}
 * {{ep|Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment}}
 * {{ep|Bart's Dog Gets an F}}
 * {{ep|Old Money}}
 * {{ep|The War of the Simpsons}}
 * {{ep stark raving dad }}
 * {{ep when flanders failed }}
 * {{ep bart the murderer }}
 * {{ep treehouse of 2 }}
 * {{ep lisa's pony }}
 * {{ep saturdays of thunder }}
 * {{ep flaming moe's }}
 * {{ep bart the lover }}
 * {{ep dog of death }}
 * {{ep brother can you spare 2 dimes }}
 * {{ep a streetcar named marge }}
 * {{ep homer the heretic }}
 * {{ep lisa the beauty queen }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror 3 }}
 * {{ep itchy and scratchy and marge }}
 * {{ep marge gets a job }}
 * {{ep mr plow }}
 * {{ep lisa's first word }}
 * {{ep homer's triple bypass }}
 * {{ep marge vs the monorail }}
 * {{ep brother from the same planet }}
 * {{ep i love lisa }}
 * {{ep duffless }}
 * {{ep so it's come to this a simpson clip show }}
 * {{ep the front }}
 * {{ep marge in chains }}
 * {{ep homer's barbershop quartert }}
 * {{ep cape feare }}
 * {{ep rosebud }}
 * {{ep marge on the lam }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror iv }}
 * {{ep bart's inner child }}
 * {{ep boy scoutz n the hood }}
 * {{ep the last temptation of homer }}
 * {{ep $pringfield or how i learned to stop worrying and love legalised gambling }}
 * {{ep homer the vigilante }}
 * {{ep bart gets famous }}
 * {{ep homer loves flanders }}
 * {{ep bart gets an elephant }}
 * {{ep sweet seymour skinner's baadasses song }}
 * {{ep the boy who knew too much }}
 * {{ep lady bouvier's love }}
 * {{ep secrets of a sucessful marriage }}
 * {{ep bart of darkness }}
 * {{ep lisa's rival }}
 * {{ep another simpsons clip show }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror v }}
 * {{ep bart's girlfriend }}
 * {{ep grampa vs sexual inadequacy }}
 * {{ep bart's comet }}
 * {{ep homie the clown }}
 * {{ep a star is burns }}
 * {{ep lisa's wedding }}
 * {{ep two dozen and one greyhounds }}
 * {{ep the pta disbands }}
 * {{ep the springfield connection }}
 * {{ep lemon of tray }}
 * {{ep who shot mr burns part 1 }}
 * {{ep who shot mr burns part 2 }}
 * {{ep home sweet home diddily dum doodily }}
 * {{ep bart sells his soul }}
 * {{ep lisa the vegetarian }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror vi }}
 * {{ep king size homer }}
 * {{ep mother simpson }}
 * {{ep the simpsons 138th episode spectacular }}
 * {{ep team homer }}
 * {{ep two bad neighbours }}
 * {{ep bart the fink }}
 * {{ep lisa the iconoclast }}
 * {{ep the day the violence died }}
 * {{ep 22 short films about springfield }}
 * {{ep raging abe simpson and his grumbling grandson in return of the flying hellfish }}
 * {{ep much apu about nothing }}
 * {{ep summer of 4ft two }}
 * {{ep you only move twice }}
 * {{ep burns baby burns }}
 * {{ep bart after dark }}
 * {{ep a milhouse divided }}
 * {{ep lisa's date with density }}
 * {{ep hurricane neddy }}
 * {{ep el viaje misteriso del nuestro jomer [the mysterious voyage of homer] }}
 * {{ep the springfield files }}
 * {{ep the twisted world of marge simpson }}
 * {{ep simpsoncallifragiiesticexpialad'ohcious }}
 * {{ep the itchy and scratchy and poochie show }}
 * {{ep brother from another series }}
 * {{ep my sister my sitter }}
 * {{ep homer vs the 18th ammendmant }}
 * {{ep grade school confedential }}
 * {{ep in marge we trust }}
 * {{ep the principal and the pauper }}
 * {{ep lisa's sax }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror viii }}
 * {{ep the cartridge family }}
 * {{ep bart star }}
 * {{ep the two mrs nahasapeemapetilons }}
 * {{ep lisa the skeptic }}
 * {{ep reality bites }}
 * {{ep miracle on evergreen terrace }}
 * {{ep all singing all dancing }}
 * {{ep bart carny }}
 * {{ep the joy of sect }}
 * {{ep das bus }}
 * {{ep lisa the simpson }}
 * {{ep this little wiggy }}
 * {{ep the trouble with trillions }}
 * {{ep trash of the titans }}
 * {{ep king of the hills }}
 * {{ep natural born kissers }}
 * {{ep the wizard of evergreen terrace }}
 * {{ep when you dish upon a star }}
 * {{ep d'oh in the wind }}
 * {{ep mayored to the mob }}
 * {{ep viva ned flanders }}
 * {{ep wild barts can't be broken }}
 * {{ep sunday cruddy sunday }}
 * {{ep homer to the max }}
 * {{ep I'm with cupid }}
 * {{ep marge simpson in screaming yellow honkers }}
 * {{ep make room for lisa }}
 * {{ep maximum homedrive }}
 * {{ep simpsons bible stories }}
 * {{ep mom and pop art }}
 * {{ep the old man and the c studant }}
 * {{ep monty can't buy me }}
 * {{ep they saved lisa's brain }}
 * {{ep thirty minutes over tokyo }}
 * {{ep beyond blunderome }}
 * {{ep brother's little helper }}
 * {{ep guess who's coming to critisize dinner }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror x }}
 * {{ep EIEI annoyed grunt }}
 * {{ep hello gutter hello fadder }}
 * {{ep eight misbehavin }}
 * {{ep take my wife sleaze }}
 * {{ep grift of the magi }}
 * {{ep little big mom }}
 * {{ep faith off }}
 * {{ep the mansion family }}
 * {{ep saddelsore galectica }}
 * {{ep alone again natura diddily ))
 * {{ep bart to the future }}
 * {{ep days of wine and d'ohses }}
 * {{ep kill the aligator and run }}
 * {{ep last tap dance in springfield }}
 * {{ep it's a mad, mad, mad, marge }}
 * {{ep behind the laughter }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror xi }}
 * {{ep a tale of two springfields }}
 * {{ep insane clown poppy }}
 * {{ep lisa the tree hugger }}
 * {{ep homer vs dignity }}
 * {{ep the computer wore menace shoes }}
 * {{ep the great money caper }}
 * {{ep skinner's sence of show }}
 * {{ep HOMR }}
 * {{ep pokey mom }}
 * {{ep worst episode ever }}
 * {{ep tennis the menace }}
 * {{ep day of the jackenapes }}
 * {{ep new kids on the bleeech }}
 * {{ep trilogy of error }}
 * {{ep I'm going to praiseland }}
 * {{ep children of a lesser clod }}
 * {{ep simpsons tall tales }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror x }}
 * {{ep the parent rap }}
 * {{ep a hunka, hunka, burns in love }}
 * {{ep she of little faith }}
 * {{ep brawl in the family }}
 * {{ep sweets and sour marge }}
 * {{ep jaws wired shut }}
 * {{ep half decent proposal }}
 * {{ep the bart wants what it wants }}
 * {{ep the old man and the key }}
 * {{ep tales of the public domain }}
 * {{ep blame it on lisa }}
 * {{ep weekend at burnsie's }}
 * {{ep gump roast }}
 * {{ep i am furious yellow }}
 * {{ep the sweetest apu }}
 * {{ep little girl in the big ten }}
 * {{ep the frying game }}
 * {{ep papa's got a brand new badge }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror xii }}
 * {{ep how i spent my strummer vacation }}
 * {{ep bart vs the 3rd grade }}
 * {{ep helter shelter }}
 * {{ep special edna }}
 * {{ep the dad who knew too little }}
 * {{ep strong arms of the ma }}
 * {{ep pray anything }}
 * {{ep I'm spelling as fast as i can }}
 * {{ep a star is born again }}
 * {{ep mr spritz goes to washington }}
 * {{ep scuse me while i miss the sky }}
 * {{ep three gays of the condo }}
 * {{ep dude where's my ranch }}
 * {{ep old yeller belly }}
 * {{ep brake my wife please }}
 * {{ep the bart of war }}
 * {{ep moe baby blues }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror xiv }}
 * {{ep my mother the carjacker }}
 * {{ep tis the fifteenth season }}
 * {{ep marge vs singles, seniors, childless couples and teens and gays }}
 * {{ep diatrube of a mad housewife }}
 * {{ep margical history tour }}
 * {{ep the ziff who came to dinner }}
 * {{ep co-dependant's day }}
 * {{ep the wandering juvie }}
 * {{ep my big fat geek wedding }}
 * {{ep catch em of the day }}
 * {{ep fraudcast news }}
 * {{ep treehouse of horror xv }}
 * {{ep all's fair in oven war }}
 * {{ep she used to be my girl }}
 * {{ep fat man and a little boy }}
 * {{ep midnight rx }}
 * {{ep homer and ned's hail mary pass }}
 * {{ep there's someting about marrying }}
 * {{ep mobile homer }}
 * {{ep the seven beer snitch }}
 * {{ep future drama }}
 * {{ep don't fear the roofer }}
 * {{ep the heartbroke kid }}
 * {{ep thank god it's doomsday }}
 * {{ep home away from homer }}
 * {{ep the father the son and the holy guest star }}
 * {{ep the girl who slept too little }}
 * {{ep milhouse of sand and fog }}

Video Game Appearances

 * The Simpsons: Hit and Run
 * The Simpsons Game

Ned Flanders Ned Flanders