Zapp Brannigan
Encyclopedia
Captain Zapp Brannigan is a fictional character
in the animated sitcom Futurama
. He is voiced by Billy West
, but was originally intended to be voiced by Phil Hartman
, with West taking over the role after Hartman's death. Brannigan is a 25-Star General in the Democratic Order of Planets, and captain of his flagship; the Nimbus
. He is first introduced in the fourth episode of the series, "Love's Labours Lost in Space
", in which he plays a major role. In the episode, Brannigan becomes enamoured with Leela, whom he attempts to woo for the remainder of the series. Brannigan is portrayed as a respected military hero in the eyes of his superiors and the general public, but strongly disliked by his own crew, most notably his long suffering second-in-command, Kif Kroker
. Though famed for his bravery and strategic genius, it soon becomes very apparent that he is sexist, vain, and often very cowardly and foolish. Brannigan is completely indifferent to military casualties, and it is implied that most of his victories have been pyrrhic
, achieved only by sacrificing soldiers in vast numbers.
", Captain, Rear Brigadier, "General Major Webelo
", and Commodore 64
. He is arrogant, incompetent, chauvinistic, cocky, and painfully stupid.
Brannigan believes himself to be a "ladies' man", yet he is extremely sexist and clueless in matters of romance. Soon after first meeting him, Leela has pity sex with him; this is later revealed to be his first sexual encounter. He mentions this encounter repeatedly in later episodes while remaining convinced that Leela lusts after him despite her vocal opposition to the idea. He does not hesitate to hit on other women, even in Leela's presence, and continually refers to women as weak and inferior fighters. Brannigan is also known for mispronouncing words and for inventing words such as "sexfully". He claims to have a "very sexy" learning disability
, "sexlexia
".
Brannigan's battle tactics are impulsive, generally stupid, and almost always unnecessary. He takes delight in sending his men to their deaths in pointless battles, viewing this as proof of their loyalty. One example is a referenced battle with "killbots" which Brannigan won by sending waves of his men at the killbots until they reached their pre-programmed kill limit of one million and shut down. He employed similar tactics in defending Earth during the first invasion of the aliens of Omicron Persei 8, ordering all the ships under his command to "line up and fly directly at the enemy death cannons so as to clog them with wreckage."
Brannigan's Law forbids interfering with an undeveloped planet, a parody of the Prime Directive
from Star Trek. Brannigan himself does not pretend to understand it, he merely enforces it, and even fails to uphold it on at least one occasion. Brannigan's Law is officially called Directive B10.8:1. According to Brannigan, "Brannigan's Law is like Brannigan's love: hard and fast".
In Brannigan, Begin Again, Zapp was stripped of his command and court-martialed, after his attempt to cut the ribbon of the new Democratic Order of Planets (D.O.O.P.) headquarters with his battleship's laser cannon (as opposed to the oversized ceremonial scissors specifically delivered for the purpose) resulted in the headquarters' destruction. During the court-martial hearing, Zapp implicated Kif as being mostly responsible for the disaster and Kif, also, was immediately court-martialed, before being able to say anything in his own defense. Zapp and Kif soon found employment with Planet Express, and shortly after mounted a mutiny aboard the Planet Express Ship, usurping the captaincy from Leela, much to her chagrin. While orchestrating the mutiny, Zapp told Fry and Bender that all he expected from his crew was "complete loyalty". It is soon revealed that by this, Zapp meant a willingness to die in a pointless kamikaze
mission. When Zapp's bizarre personal mission is foiled, Leela lies in the ensuing military hearing, giving Zapp full credit for averting the disaster that, in reality, he almost caused. Consequently, Zapp was reinstated as captain of the Nimbus.
It is revealed in this episode that Zapp feels most hostile towards neutral parties, as, "With enemies you know where you stand, but with Neutrals? Who knows? It sickens me."
The Nimbus, BP-1729
, is the flagship
of the fleet of the D.O.O.P. under Brannigan's command. The Nimbus is an extremely large vessel, capable of blockading or besieging entire planet
s single-handedly, and of transporting armies large enough for the pacification of the planet, all without the aid of support vessels. It is a parody of the Enterprise
from Star Trek: The Original Series
. At one point the Nimbus was destroyed by the Decapodians and was either rapidly rebuilt or replaced by another ship that had been renamed, similar to the destruction and replacement of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
with the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)
. It was again severely damaged in Bender's Big Score, only to be repaired within the month and return fully operational in The Beast with a Billion Backs
. Brannigan's quarters aboard the Nimbus (which he refers to as his "lovenasium") are garishly decorated in velour
and contain a hovering heart-shaped bed, hanging over which is a portrait of him in a pose mocking Aaron Shikler
's posthumous portrait of John F. Kennedy
. The ship was once again destroyed while pursuing the Planet Express ship, by crashing headlong into the road surface outside the Planet Express building, immediately after the Planet Express ship suffered a similar fate.
Brannigan is widely revered in military circles for his numerous victories over hostile aliens. However, almost all of these victories tend to come from using excessive force to subdue lesser opponents, or use of tactics that rely on large amounts of numbers and disregard for the safety of his men. These include:
captain James T. Kirk
, played by William Shatner
; Brannigan and Shatner meet face-to-face in the episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before
". The creators of the series envisioned Brannigan as similar to what Shatner himself would be like as a starship captain. David X. Cohen describes him as being "half Captain Kirk, half actual William Shatner", and that the initial premise for the character was "What if the real William Shatner was the captain of the Enterprise instead of Kirk?". In the episode "Amazon Women in the Mood
" the DVD audio commentary describes Zapp Brannigan's reinterpretation of "Lola
" as a spoken word song is a reference to what William Shatner did with "Rocket Man". Brannigan also wears a girdle
to appear thinner and in another episode nearly loses his toupee
, seemingly a parody of similar accusations aimed at Shatner. Originally Brannigan was to appear fatter in every shot throughout the first episode in which he appeared, but the animators were so disgusted by his ultimate appearance that the idea was dropped.
, though he was originally intended to be voiced by Phil Hartman
. Hartman insisted on auditioning for the role, and "of course, just nailed it" according to creator Matt Groening
. However, due to Hartman's death, West was given the role. On the Futurama
DVD commentary, Groening reveals that Zapp's character and mannerisms were established in Billy West's original audition for the character, and any similarity to Phil Hartman or his other well known cartoon characters (Lionel Hutz
and Troy McClure
) is simply coincidence. On the other hand, in an interview for the web site TV Squad, Billy West states that his Zapp Brannigan is an imitation of Hartman and also "modeled after a couple of big dumb announcers I knew."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the animated sitcom Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
. He is voiced by Billy West
Billy West
William Richard "Billy" West is an American voice actor. Born in Detroit but raised in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, Billy launched his career in the early 1980s performing daily comedic routines on Boston's WBCN. He left the radio station to work on the short-lived revival...
, but was originally intended to be voiced by Phil Hartman
Phil Hartman
Philip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...
, with West taking over the role after Hartman's death. Brannigan is a 25-Star General in the Democratic Order of Planets, and captain of his flagship; the Nimbus
Nimbus
-General meanings:* Nimbus cloud, a cloud that produces precipitation* Halo , light or mist from an object* Halo , the disk or ring around the head of a sacred figure-Specific meanings:* Nimbus , A video game...
. He is first introduced in the fourth episode of the series, "Love's Labours Lost in Space
Love's Labours Lost in Space
"Love's Labours Lost in Space" is the fourth episode in season one of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on April 13, 1999. The episode was written by Brian Kelley and directed by Brian Sheesley. This episode introduces the recurring character Zapp Brannigan when he attempts to prevent...
", in which he plays a major role. In the episode, Brannigan becomes enamoured with Leela, whom he attempts to woo for the remainder of the series. Brannigan is portrayed as a respected military hero in the eyes of his superiors and the general public, but strongly disliked by his own crew, most notably his long suffering second-in-command, Kif Kroker
Kif Kroker
Lieutenant Kif Kroker is a character from the animated television series Futurama. He is the long suffering assistant to Captain Zapp Brannigan and Fourth Lieutenant on the Democratic Order of Planets starship Nimbus...
. Though famed for his bravery and strategic genius, it soon becomes very apparent that he is sexist, vain, and often very cowardly and foolish. Brannigan is completely indifferent to military casualties, and it is implied that most of his victories have been pyrrhic
Pyrrhic victory
A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with such a devastating cost to the victor that it carries the implication that another such victory will ultimately cause defeat.-Origin:...
, achieved only by sacrificing soldiers in vast numbers.
Role in Futurama
Brannigan is a senior member of the military of the Democratic Order of Planets (D.O.O.P.) though his title varies; he has been referred to as a "25 star GeneralGeneral
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
", Captain, Rear Brigadier, "General Major Webelo
Cub Scouts (Boy Scouts of America)
Cub Scouting is part of the Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America , available to boys from first through fifth-grade, or 7 to 11½ years of age and their families. Its membership is the largest of the three BSA Scouting Divisions...
", and Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
. He is arrogant, incompetent, chauvinistic, cocky, and painfully stupid.
Brannigan believes himself to be a "ladies' man", yet he is extremely sexist and clueless in matters of romance. Soon after first meeting him, Leela has pity sex with him; this is later revealed to be his first sexual encounter. He mentions this encounter repeatedly in later episodes while remaining convinced that Leela lusts after him despite her vocal opposition to the idea. He does not hesitate to hit on other women, even in Leela's presence, and continually refers to women as weak and inferior fighters. Brannigan is also known for mispronouncing words and for inventing words such as "sexfully". He claims to have a "very sexy" learning disability
Learning disability
Learning disability is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors...
, "sexlexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
".
Brannigan's battle tactics are impulsive, generally stupid, and almost always unnecessary. He takes delight in sending his men to their deaths in pointless battles, viewing this as proof of their loyalty. One example is a referenced battle with "killbots" which Brannigan won by sending waves of his men at the killbots until they reached their pre-programmed kill limit of one million and shut down. He employed similar tactics in defending Earth during the first invasion of the aliens of Omicron Persei 8, ordering all the ships under his command to "line up and fly directly at the enemy death cannons so as to clog them with wreckage."
Brannigan's Law forbids interfering with an undeveloped planet, a parody of the Prime Directive
Prime Directive
In the universe of Star Trek, the Prime Directive, Starfleet's General Order #1, is the most prominent guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets...
from Star Trek. Brannigan himself does not pretend to understand it, he merely enforces it, and even fails to uphold it on at least one occasion. Brannigan's Law is officially called Directive B10.8:1. According to Brannigan, "Brannigan's Law is like Brannigan's love: hard and fast".
In Brannigan, Begin Again, Zapp was stripped of his command and court-martialed, after his attempt to cut the ribbon of the new Democratic Order of Planets (D.O.O.P.) headquarters with his battleship's laser cannon (as opposed to the oversized ceremonial scissors specifically delivered for the purpose) resulted in the headquarters' destruction. During the court-martial hearing, Zapp implicated Kif as being mostly responsible for the disaster and Kif, also, was immediately court-martialed, before being able to say anything in his own defense. Zapp and Kif soon found employment with Planet Express, and shortly after mounted a mutiny aboard the Planet Express Ship, usurping the captaincy from Leela, much to her chagrin. While orchestrating the mutiny, Zapp told Fry and Bender that all he expected from his crew was "complete loyalty". It is soon revealed that by this, Zapp meant a willingness to die in a pointless kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
mission. When Zapp's bizarre personal mission is foiled, Leela lies in the ensuing military hearing, giving Zapp full credit for averting the disaster that, in reality, he almost caused. Consequently, Zapp was reinstated as captain of the Nimbus.
It is revealed in this episode that Zapp feels most hostile towards neutral parties, as, "With enemies you know where you stand, but with Neutrals? Who knows? It sickens me."
The Nimbus, BP-1729
1729 (number)
1729 is the natural number following 1728 and preceding 1730.1729 is known as the Hardy–Ramanujan number after a famous anecdote of the British mathematician G. H. Hardy regarding a hospital visit to the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan...
, is the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of the fleet of the D.O.O.P. under Brannigan's command. The Nimbus is an extremely large vessel, capable of blockading or besieging entire planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
s single-handedly, and of transporting armies large enough for the pacification of the planet, all without the aid of support vessels. It is a parody of the Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
from Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
. At one point the Nimbus was destroyed by the Decapodians and was either rapidly rebuilt or replaced by another ship that had been renamed, similar to the destruction and replacement of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
with the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-A is a starship in the fourth, fifth, and sixth Star Trek films.-Origin and design:The Enterprise-A used the same shooting model as the preceding NCC-1701...
. It was again severely damaged in Bender's Big Score, only to be repaired within the month and return fully operational in The Beast with a Billion Backs
Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs
Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs is an animated science-fiction comedy film, the second of the four Futurama straight-to-DVD films. The film was released in the United States and Canada on June 24, 2008, followed by a UK release on June 30, 2008 and an Australian release on August 6, 2008....
. Brannigan's quarters aboard the Nimbus (which he refers to as his "lovenasium") are garishly decorated in velour
Velour
Velour or velours is a plush, knitted fabric or textile. It is usually made from cotton but can also be made from synthetic materials such as polyester. Velour is used in a wide variety of applications, including clothing and upholstery....
and contain a hovering heart-shaped bed, hanging over which is a portrait of him in a pose mocking Aaron Shikler
Aaron Shikler
Aaron Shikler is an American artist noted for portraits of American statesmen and celebrities like Jane Engelhard and Sister Parish....
's posthumous portrait of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
. The ship was once again destroyed while pursuing the Planet Express ship, by crashing headlong into the road surface outside the Planet Express building, immediately after the Planet Express ship suffered a similar fate.
Brannigan is widely revered in military circles for his numerous victories over hostile aliens. However, almost all of these victories tend to come from using excessive force to subdue lesser opponents, or use of tactics that rely on large amounts of numbers and disregard for the safety of his men. These include:
- Carpet bombingCarpet bombingCarpet bombing is a large aerial bombing done in a progressive manner to inflict damage in every part of a selected area of land. The phrase invokes the image of explosions completely covering an area, in the same way that a carpet covers a floor. Carpet bombing is usually achieved by dropping many...
Eden 7 ("Brannigan Begin AgainBrannigan Begin Again"Brannigan, Begin Again" is the second episode in the second production season of Futurama. It was originally aired in North America on November 28, 1999 as the sixth episode in the second broadcast season...
") - Defeating the pacifistsPacifismPacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
of the Gandhi nebulaNebulaA nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas, helium gas and other ionized gases...
("When Aliens AttackWhen Aliens Attack"When Aliens Attack" is episode twelve in season one of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on November 7, 1999. This episode was written by Ken Keeler and directed by Brian Sheesley. The episode features an attack by aliens from Omicron Persei 8 who are outraged when the final episode...
") - Conquering the Retiree People of the Assisted Living Nebula ("A Flight to Remember")
- Single-handedly defeating the "weak and womanlike" Spiderians of Tarantulon 6 ("Three Hundred Big BoysThree Hundred Big Boys"Three Hundred Big Boys" is the sixteenth episode of season four of Futurama, which aired June 15, 2003.-Plot:Zapp Brannigan leads an attack on Tarantulon VI, claiming silken artworks. Earth President Richard Nixon gives the riches to the citizens of Earth as a $300 tax rebate. Leela plans to swim...
"). - Driving the native population off the planet Spheron 1 (although it was actually Bender who accomplished this feat, not Brannigan) ("War Is the H-WordWar is the H-Word"War Is the H-Word" is episode seventeen in season two of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on November 26, 2000. The episode parodies several war films and shows, including Starship Troopers, Patton and M*A*S*H.-Plot:...
"). - Defeated the Killbots in the Auctlian system ("Love's Labors Lost in Space"). He was able to win the battle when he realized each Killbot had a preset kill limit. Zapp sent wave after wave of his own menCannon fodderCannon fodder is an informal, derogatory term for military personnel who are regarded or treated as expendable in the face of enemy fire. The term is generally used in situations where soldiers are forced to deliberately fight against hopeless odds in an effort to achieve a strategic goal...
until all of the Killbots had reached their limits and froze in place.
Creation
Brannigan is based on the Star TrekStar Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
captain James T. Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
, played by William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
; Brannigan and Shatner meet face-to-face in the episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before
Where No Fan Has Gone Before
"Where No Fan Has Gone Before" is the eleventh episode of the fourth season of the animated series Futurama. It originally aired in the United States on April 21, 2002...
". The creators of the series envisioned Brannigan as similar to what Shatner himself would be like as a starship captain. David X. Cohen describes him as being "half Captain Kirk, half actual William Shatner", and that the initial premise for the character was "What if the real William Shatner was the captain of the Enterprise instead of Kirk?". In the episode "Amazon Women in the Mood
Amazon Women in the Mood
"Amazon Women in the Mood" is the first episode in season three of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on February 4, 2001.-Plot:...
" the DVD audio commentary describes Zapp Brannigan's reinterpretation of "Lola
Lola (song)
"Lola" is a song written by Ray Davies and performed by The Kinks which details a romantic encounter between a young man and a transvestite he meets in a club in Soho, London....
" as a spoken word song is a reference to what William Shatner did with "Rocket Man". Brannigan also wears a girdle
Girdle
A girdle is a garment that encircles the lower torso, perhaps extending below the hips, and worn often for support. The word girdle originally meant a belt. In modern English, the term girdle is most commonly used for a form of women's foundation wear that replaced the corset in popularity...
to appear thinner and in another episode nearly loses his toupee
Toupee
A toupée is a hairpiece or partial wig of natural or synthetic hair worn to cover partial baldness or for theatrical purposes. While toupées and hairpieces are typically associated with male wearers, some women also use hairpieces to lengthen existing hair, or cover partially exposed scalp...
, seemingly a parody of similar accusations aimed at Shatner. Originally Brannigan was to appear fatter in every shot throughout the first episode in which he appeared, but the animators were so disgusted by his ultimate appearance that the idea was dropped.
Voice
Zapp Brannigan is voiced by Billy WestBilly West
William Richard "Billy" West is an American voice actor. Born in Detroit but raised in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, Billy launched his career in the early 1980s performing daily comedic routines on Boston's WBCN. He left the radio station to work on the short-lived revival...
, though he was originally intended to be voiced by Phil Hartman
Phil Hartman
Philip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...
. Hartman insisted on auditioning for the role, and "of course, just nailed it" according to creator Matt Groening
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
. However, due to Hartman's death, West was given the role. On the Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
DVD commentary, Groening reveals that Zapp's character and mannerisms were established in Billy West's original audition for the character, and any similarity to Phil Hartman or his other well known cartoon characters (Lionel Hutz
Lionel Hutz
Lionel Hutz is a recurring character from the animated television series The Simpsons. He was voiced by Phil Hartman, and his first appearance was in the season two episode "Bart Gets Hit by a Car". Due to the death of Hartman, his final speaking role was in the episode "Realty Bites"...
and Troy McClure
Troy McClure
Troy McClure is a fictional character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. He was voiced by Phil Hartman and first appears in the second season episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment". McClure is a washed-up actor, usually shown doing low-level work, such as hosting infomercials...
) is simply coincidence. On the other hand, in an interview for the web site TV Squad, Billy West states that his Zapp Brannigan is an imitation of Hartman and also "modeled after a couple of big dumb announcers I knew."