Rod Flanders

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Rodney Flanders
Character Information
Gender	Male ♂
Status	Alive
Hair Color	Strawberry blonde
Occupation	Student at Springfield Elementary School
Relations	Parents: Ned Flanders and Maude Flanders (Deceased) Stepmother: Edna Krabappel (Deceased) Ex Stepmother: Ginger Flanders Brother: Todd Flanders Grandparents: Nedward Flanders, Sr., Capri Flanders and Maude Flanders' mother Aunt/Uncle: Nediana Flanders and Kevin Step Aunt: Unnamed Great Grandparents: Neduchadnezzar Flanders (Deceased), Winifred Flanders, Humbert Twilly (Deceased), Olivia Graycomb (Deceased) and Unnamed (Deceased) Cousins Once Removed: O'Flannery, Lord Thistlewick Flanders and Ted Flanders Cousin Once Removed-in-Law: Wendy Wordsworth Second Cousins: Bonnie Flanders and Connie Flanders Step Cousin Once Removed: Mrs. Plumtree Other Relatives: Flanders family
Behind the Scenes
First appearance	"The Call of the Simpsons"
Voiced by	Pamela Hayden (1990-2024) Nancy Cartwright Chris Edgerly (2024-present)

“	Yay!!	„
	~ Rod's catchphrase

“	What does gay mean??	„
	~ Rod Flanders

Rodney "Rod" Flanders is the oldest son of Ned Flanders and Maude Flanders and a stepson to Edna Krabappel. He has curly hair, a light blue polo shirt, dark blue pants and gray shoes.

He was originally voiced by Pamela Hayden, but he is currently voiced by Chris Edgerly.

Rod often prays, first thing in the morning and last thing before going to bed. He prays for God to watch over him and his little brother, Todd. He prays for the success of his father's business. He also prays for the success of all Christians, but due to his upbringing does not respect people of other (or no) faiths. Aside from praying, Rod enjoys playing with Todd and eating lots of "Nachos, Flanders-Style" (cucumbers with cottage cheese). His one regret is that he can't pray at school due to school's not allowing it.

Rod's favorite songs are "Bringing In The Sheaves" (followed closely by "Noah And The Arky-Arky") and "I've Got The Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down In My Heart."

Rod has type 1 diabetes and has described being quiet during trips as one of his favorite hobbies (including clapping during songs).

Biography

Rod, like his parents, is very religious; much more religious than his younger brother Todd, who’s often the only Flanders member to question their faith. He enjoys attending church, reading Bible stories, watching religious cartoons and playing religious-themed board games. These games include Good Samaritan - though they don’t use dice because Ned says that dice are wicked. Instead they just move one space at a time - he believes "It's less fun that way", and Billy Graham's Bible Blaster, a video game in which players try to "convert the heathens" by firing bibles at them. It cheered him and Todd up when their mother died.

Ned prohibits them consuming foods containing sugar, as he fears it will make them behave badly, in which it does or send them into diabetic shock. He is also extremely entomophobic (particularly with moths and ladybugs), a behavior probably learned from their father, who considers an insect flying near someone a "bug attack". They enjoy stories about robots named Rod and Todd, though these also frighten them. He was also scared by Todd's 'Rod' mask. He claims he's envious/jealous of girls because they get to wear dresses.

Rod obtained new climbing skills and rescued Bart from a gorilla atop a church. Rod thought of Marge as the most fun they've ever had ever since Maude died.

On the episode "Bart Sells His Soul", Rod and family were at "Moe's Family Feedbag" celebrating his 10th birthday, making him the same age as Bart Simpson.

Website Biography

Rod prays. He prays first thing in the morning and last thing before bed. He prays for God to watch over him and his little brother, Todd. He prays for the success of his father's business. He also prays for all the naughty little boys and girls, like Bart Simpson, who are too bad to pray for themselves. Aside from praying, Rod enjoys playing wholesomely with his brother and eating lots of nachos Flanders-style ("That's cucumbers with cottage cheese!"). His one regret is that he cannot pray at school.

Behind the Laughter

Age discrepancy

There is also some controversy as to which of the two is the elder. In "Dead Putting Society" the commentator at the golf tournament states that Todd is 8. In Homer Badman, one of the corrections that the TV-magazine show Rock Bottom makes is to their claim that "the older Flanders boy is Todd, not Rod" (although this could have been included purely to stir up fans). Later, in Bart Sells His Soul, the Flanders family eats out for Rod's "big ten-oh", suggesting the two are of similar age. However, the present time in at least one other Simpsons episode has been set two years before that of others, as shown by All's Fair in Oven War.

In "My Sister, My Sitter" Lisa, when babysitting Rod and Todd, tells a story about a robot named Todd who "had a brother named Rod, who was two space years older", suggesting that Rod is 10. Todd responds by saying, "I don't like this story!"

As Rod is shown to be quite a bit bigger and taller than Todd, the claim that Todd is the older brother is disputed. Rod and Todd were both born before Lisa (who is 8). Todd appearing a younger age than Bart (who is 10) in the episode "Lisa's First Word" (when Bart was entering "the terrible twos").

Despite these discrepancies, the Simpsons official website states that “Todd is the youngest and most impressionable member of the happy Flanders clan”. This seems to trump any inconsistency concerning age seen in the episodes. On the other hand, the character profile for Rod Flanders in the book "The Simpsons: A Complete Guide To Our Favorite Family" describes him as the "youngest of the Springfield Flanders", but they have made some mistakes in that book. Another possible reason for the variation is that, in the DVD commentaries for show, the writers have stated that they are never sure which Flanders sibling is Rod and which one is Todd and are often forced to check character models to be sure. According to the commentary, early show writers used two different mnemonics to identify the taller brother: Todd started with a T and was taller, or Rod was long like a rod and hence taller.

Non canon

The contents of this article or section are considered to be non-canon and outside of the main continuity of The Simpsons.

Future

At age 40, Rod, with his brother, Todd, is a cross-dressing lounge singer. They live with their father, who uses his pension to pay for their estrogen treatments. At age 40, he and Todd still live with Ned and take care of him because his eyes fell out.

The Simpsons Game

Rod appears along with his brother Todd Flanders and Ralph Wiggum as Hobbit-like children who help Homer and Marge defeat the two-headed dragon in order to get the Keycard.

Gallery

The full image gallery for Rod Flanders may be viewed at Rod Flanders/Gallery.

Appearances

• Episode – "The Call of the Simpsons"
• Episode – "Dead Putting Society"
• Episode – "Bart the Daredevil"
• Episode – "Bart Gets Hit by a Car"
• Episode – "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish" (picture)
• Episode – "Blood Feud"
• Episode – "When Flanders Failed"
• Episode – "Radio Bart"
• Episode – "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?"
• Episode – "Kamp Krusty"
• Episode – "Homer the Heretic"
• Episode – "Lisa the Beauty Queen"
• THOH – "Treehouse of Horror III" (picture; Dial "Z" for Zombies)
• Episode – "Lisa's First Word" (flashback)
• Episode – "I Love Lisa"
• Episode – "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" (pagan daydream; flashback)
• Episode – "The Front"
• Episode – "Marge in Chains"
• Episode – "Bart's Inner Child"
• Episode – "Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood"
• Episode – "The Last Temptation of Homer"
• Episode – "The Frying Game"
• Episode – "Hurricane Neddy"
• Episode – "The Monkey Suit"
• Episode – "You Kent Always Say What You Want"
• – The Simpsons Movie
• THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XIX"
• THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XXI"
• Episode – "The Ned-liest Catch"
• Episode – "A Test Before Trying"
• Episode – "The Fabulous Faker Boy"
• Episode – "Four Regrettings and a Funeral" (Seen at church, the flashback to the peach parade, and the town square)
• Episode – "Yellow Subterfuge" (Name on list)
• Episode – "White Christmas Blues" (Seen at church)
• Episode – "Brick Like Me"
• Episode – "The Wreck of the Relationship"
• Episode – "Simpsorama" (Town Square)
• Episode – "I Won't Be Home for Christmas" (Mentioned)
• Episode – "My Fare Lady" (Carpooling with Helen Lovejoy)
• Episode – "Sky Police"
• Episode – "Waiting for Duffman" (Springcycle)
• Episode – "Peeping Mom"
• Episode – "The Kids Are All Fight" (Flashback)
• Episode – "Let's Go Fly a Coot"
• Episode – "Bull-E"
• Episode – "Cue Detective" (School Auditorium)
• Episode – "Gal of Constant Sorrow"
• Episode – "The Marge-ian Chronicles"
• Episode – "Fland Canyon"
• Episode – "Simprovised" (Ralph's birthday party)
• Episode – "Orange is the New Yellow"
• Episode – "Monty Burns' Fleeing Circus"
• Episode – "The Town"
• Episode – "No Good Read Goes Unpunished"
• Episode – "Flanders' Ladder"
• Episode – "Go Big or Go Homer"
• Episode – "The Fat Blue Line"
• Episode – "My Way or the Highway to Heaven"
• Episode – "Go Big or Go Homer"
• Episode – "Treehouse of Horror XXX"
• Episode – "Marge the Lumberjill" (seen in crowd at school play)
• Episode – "Thanksgiving of Horror"
• Episode – "Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?"
• Episode – "Frinkcoin"
• Episode – "Bart the Bad Guy"
• Episode – "Better Off Ned"
• Episode – "Warrin' Priests (Part One)"
• Episode – "Warrin' Priests (Part Two)"
• Episode – "Podcast News"
• Episode – "The Dad-Feelings Limited"
• Episode – "Diary Queen"
• Episode – "Manger Things"
• Episode – "Uncut Femmes"
• Episode – "Burger Kings"
• Episode – "Mother and Child Reunion"
• Episode – "A Serious Flanders: Part One"
• Episode – "A Serious Flanders: Part Two"
• Episode – "The Many Saints of Springfield"
• Episode – "Pin Gal"
• Episode – "The Very Hungry Caterpillars"
• Episode – "O C'mon All Ye Faithful"
• Episode – "The Man Who Flew Too Much"
• Episode – "The Flandshees of Innersimpson"
• Episode – "The Day of the Jack-up"
• Episode – "Parahormonal Activity"
• Commercials – "Crime of the Century"
• Video game – The Simpsons: Tapped Out