Martin Prince
Encyclopedia
Martin Prince, Jr. is a recurring character
in the Fox
animated series, The Simpsons
, and is voiced by Russi Taylor
. Martin is Bart Simpson
's classmate, and is Lisa Simpson
's rival in intelligence, as well as Nelson Muntz
's favorite target for bullying. He is an academically brilliant, teacher's pet, and is portrayed as a stereotypical
nerd
, and is a 4th grade student at Springfield Elementary School.
enthusiasms for science fiction
, role-playing game
s and not-so-great fashion sense. He has an IQ
of 216. As the class nerd, he unwittingly becomes the perfect target for ruthless bullying at Springfield Elementary School. He is a member of the Springfield band, and is often seen with a French Horn. Martin's most famous catchphrases are "Behold!" and "Excelsior!".
Given Martin's fawning behavior towards adults and condescension towards his peers (such as successfully petitioning to have the school day extended by 20 minutes), most of Springfield cheers on his tormentors. An example of this is when Mrs. Krabappel
assigns a World War I
paper. Martin asks if he can type his report and then if it can be ten pages (minimum). Martin disappears almost immediately and Nelson lets the not particularly concerned teacher know that "he's gone now". Despite this behavior, Martin tries to be friendly with Nelson. There have been a few episodes where it is hinted that Nelson does not really want to be mean to Martin, and could even be potentially a friend, if it were not for the pressure of maintaining his bad-boy image at school, even to the extent of being the only person to care about whether Martin's apparent death was as accident in the episode "Dial 'N' for Nerder
". Martin is somewhat overweight, as noted by Abraham Simpson
once. He is sent to the weight loss section of the hellish Kamp Krusty
in the episode of the same name. Although his father calls it "image enhancement camp", Martin sees right through this, shouting "Spare me your euphemism
s! It's fat camp
for daddy's chubby little secret!" The sexuality
of Martin was initially the subject of various jokes and innuendos, although he has since denied being gay. ("I'm not gay! I'm nothing yet!")
One of his more notable appearances is in an episode in which Bart
challenges him for the class presidency
(the side-story in "Lisa's Substitute
" (season 2 episode 19)). Martin, of course, has a comprehensive (though not particularly politically well-judged) platform which Bart, with the aid of Homer
, picks apart with populist
nonsense. In a debate, Martin begins to speak of the high level of asbestos
in the classrooms. Bart interrupts and says "That's not enough! We want More asbestos! More Asbestos!," leaving the entire class chanting this arrant nonsense. Nevertheless, Bart still loses the election as Martin and his running mate Wendell are the only ones in the class who bothered to vote on election day.
Despite the natural animosity between Bart and Martin, the two have often joined forces. In fact, for most of the series they seem to be friends despite the occasional butting of heads. In the episode "Bart Gets an F
", Martin tutors Bart in exchange for lessons on being cool
(although Martin betrays Bart at the end of their collaboration). In another, Martin and Bart work together on a soapbox racer
. Bart, Martin, and Milhouse
all pool their money to buy a copy of the first Radioactive Man comic. In another episode, Bart must wear corrective lenses and leg supports, and temporarily looks quite nerdy and becomes an even greater target for bullying. It is during this time that Martin and a group of nerds save him until he no longer has to wear his glasses or boots. When kids from Shelbyville steal Springfield's lemon
tree, Martin joins Bart as part of the gang of raiders who seek to take the lemon tree back (Bart describes him as the gang's smart guy). Martin's closest friends are apparently Wendell, Database and the German exchange student Üter.
During one spring break, Martin accompanies Bart, Nelson, and Milhouse on a chaotic road trip to Knoxville, Tennessee
. Bart is not very harsh on Martin (yet he mistakenly refers to him as "Milton" and is corrected by Milhouse) most of the time, but Martin can get out of control. Aside from being a bit snobbish in early seasons, Martin once became a bad boy even worse than Bart, once slapped Bart on the head when Bart was sad that Homer did not support him, and once threateningly held a small Shelbyville kid up against a tree, maybe as a result after all the bullying he suffers.
Many have noted that as the seasons have passed, Bart has become less and less hostile with Martin to the point of total neutrality; this has not stopped the Springfield Elementary bullies from continuing their traditional beating however. Martin also has become less condescending and more passive as the series has progressed. He is often depicted as too passive, since even Lisa Simpson
can be a bit harsh to him, such as a scene in "Das Bus
" in which Lisa is initially blamed by Sherri and Terri for being responsible for stranding the group of children on a deserted island because she helped set up the disastrous field trip. Lisa in turn states that Martin seconded the trip, and because of that it is his fault. Martin has been known to casually hang out with Bart's group from time to time as well, and is often seen with Bart and Milhouse in the background. He is also occasionally seen with Ralph Wiggum
. Martin also sits directly in front of Bart in their fourth grade class. Although they often work together on various school projects and classwork, it is implied in many episodes that Martin and Lisa are also rivals of a sort, especially when it comes to the Science Fair. Martin is seen grinning at the back of the bus, as it rides off without her in one episode. He proclaims that without Lisa there to grab the first prize badge, he will receive first place. In "Lisa's Wedding
", set 15 years in the future, Martin was believed to have died from a science fair explosion, but was actually living underneath the school in The Phantom of the Opera
fashion. In The Simpsons Comics, Martin commonly appears in large supporting roles. In Brother's Little Helper
, it is revealed Martin takes hormones to make his voice "lower" and makes him want to pick fights with people.
In the 2008 episode "Dial 'N' for Nerder
", Martin has a lead role when Bart plays a prank on him. Lisa and Bart believed him to be dead after falling off a cliff, but he was saved by wedgie
-proof underwear. Also in this episode, Bart felt guilty for the first time and said that Martin was "like Jesus, only real!". After this Bart burst into tears.
In The Simpsons Movie
, there is also a short scene in which Martin attacks and savagely beats the school bullies, in revenge for years of torment, with a plank of wood, screaming "I've been taking your crap all my life!". After knocking them unconscious, Martin exclaims that 'this feels good!' before continuing.
In the opening sequence of The Simpsons Movie
, he is hosted up a flagpole by Jimbo, Kearney and Dolph, whilst Bart is writing the billboard gag.
Character (arts)
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 Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
animated series, The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, and is voiced by Russi Taylor
Russi Taylor
Russi Taylor is an American voice actress. She is the current voice actress of Disney's Minnie Mouse character. She has held this role since 1986, longer than any other voice actress...
. Martin is Bart Simpson
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
's classmate, and is Lisa Simpson
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
's rival in intelligence, as well as Nelson Muntz
Nelson Muntz
Nelson Mandela Muntz is a fictional character and bully from the animated TV series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Nancy Cartwright. Nelson was introduced in Season 1's "Bart the General" as a bully but later turned into a friend of Bart Simpson, who is best identified by his signature laugh .-Role...
's favorite target for bullying. He is an academically brilliant, teacher's pet, and is portrayed as a stereotypical
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
nerd
Nerd
Nerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
, and is a 4th grade student at Springfield Elementary School.
Profile
Martin is the son of Martin, Sr. and Martha. He is an academically brilliant student, portrayed when he first appears in the second episode of the series. He is also a teacher's pet with the stereotypical nerdNerd
Nerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
enthusiasms for science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s and not-so-great fashion sense. He has an IQ
Intelligence quotient
An intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a score derived from one of several different standardized tests designed to assess intelligence. When modern IQ tests are constructed, the mean score within an age group is set to 100 and the standard deviation to 15...
of 216. As the class nerd, he unwittingly becomes the perfect target for ruthless bullying at Springfield Elementary School. He is a member of the Springfield band, and is often seen with a French Horn. Martin's most famous catchphrases are "Behold!" and "Excelsior!".
Given Martin's fawning behavior towards adults and condescension towards his peers (such as successfully petitioning to have the school day extended by 20 minutes), most of Springfield cheers on his tormentors. An example of this is when Mrs. Krabappel
Edna Krabappel
Edna Krabappel is a fictional character from the animated TV series The Simpsons, voiced by Marcia Wallace. She is a 4th grade teacher at Springfield Elementary School. Krabappel is the only character Wallace voices on a regular basis.- Profile :...
assigns a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
paper. Martin asks if he can type his report and then if it can be ten pages (minimum). Martin disappears almost immediately and Nelson lets the not particularly concerned teacher know that "he's gone now". Despite this behavior, Martin tries to be friendly with Nelson. There have been a few episodes where it is hinted that Nelson does not really want to be mean to Martin, and could even be potentially a friend, if it were not for the pressure of maintaining his bad-boy image at school, even to the extent of being the only person to care about whether Martin's apparent death was as accident in the episode "Dial 'N' for Nerder
Dial 'N' for Nerder
"Dial 'N' for Nerder", also known as "N is for Nerder", is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season, and was originally broadcast on March 9, 2008. After a prank gone wrong, Bart and Lisa believe they have accidentally killed Martin Prince. Meanwhile, Marge hires a TV show called...
". Martin is somewhat overweight, as noted by Abraham Simpson
Abraham Simpson
Abraham J. "Abe" Simpson, often known simply as Grampa, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and he is also the patriarch of the Simpson family, the father of Homer Simpson, and the grandfather of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson...
once. He is sent to the weight loss section of the hellish Kamp Krusty
Kamp Krusty
"Kamp Krusty" is the first episode of The Simpsons fourth season, which originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 24, 1992. During summer vacation, the children of Springfield attend Kamp Krusty, a summer camp named after Krusty the Clown. The camp is extremely...
in the episode of the same name. Although his father calls it "image enhancement camp", Martin sees right through this, shouting "Spare me your euphemism
Euphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...
s! It's fat camp
Fat camp
A weight loss camp is a term for a type of program where overweight and obese people of all ages go to lose weight. However in common parlance the term "fat camp" is today also often used to refer to residential programs, usually in rural settings, where adults stay to eat nutritious foods,...
for daddy's chubby little secret!" The sexuality
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
of Martin was initially the subject of various jokes and innuendos, although he has since denied being gay. ("I'm not gay! I'm nothing yet!")
One of his more notable appearances is in an episode in which Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
challenges him for the class presidency
Student council
Student council is a curricular or extra-curricular activity for students within elementary and secondary schools around the world. Present in most public and private K-12 school systems across the United States, Canada and Australia these bodies are alternatively entitled student council, student...
(the side-story in "Lisa's Substitute
Lisa's Substitute
"Lisa's Substitute" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons second season. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 25, 1991. In the episode, Lisa's teacher Miss Hoover takes medical leave due to what she thinks is Lyme disease, so substitute teacher Mr. Bergstrom takes over the...
" (season 2 episode 19)). Martin, of course, has a comprehensive (though not particularly politically well-judged) platform which Bart, with the aid of Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
, picks apart with populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
nonsense. In a debate, Martin begins to speak of the high level of asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
in the classrooms. Bart interrupts and says "That's not enough! We want More asbestos! More Asbestos!," leaving the entire class chanting this arrant nonsense. Nevertheless, Bart still loses the election as Martin and his running mate Wendell are the only ones in the class who bothered to vote on election day.
Despite the natural animosity between Bart and Martin, the two have often joined forces. In fact, for most of the series they seem to be friends despite the occasional butting of heads. In the episode "Bart Gets an F
Bart Gets an F
"Bart Gets an F" is the first episode of The Simpsons second season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 11, 1990. In the episode, Bart fails four consecutive history exams and the school psychiatrist recommends that Bart repeat the fourth grade...
", Martin tutors Bart in exchange for lessons on being cool
Cool (aesthetic)
Something regarded as cool is an admired aesthetic of attitude, behavior, comportment, appearance and style, influenced by and a product of the Zeitgeist. Because of the varied and changing connotations of cool, as well its subjective nature, the word has no single meaning. It has associations of...
(although Martin betrays Bart at the end of their collaboration). In another, Martin and Bart work together on a soapbox racer
Soap Box Derby
The Soap Box Derby is a youth soapbox car racing program which has been run in the United States since 1934. World Championship finals are held each July at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio...
. Bart, Martin, and Milhouse
Milhouse Van Houten
Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Pamela Hayden. He is Bart Simpson's best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class at Springfield Elementary School....
all pool their money to buy a copy of the first Radioactive Man comic. In another episode, Bart must wear corrective lenses and leg supports, and temporarily looks quite nerdy and becomes an even greater target for bullying. It is during this time that Martin and a group of nerds save him until he no longer has to wear his glasses or boots. When kids from Shelbyville steal Springfield's lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
tree, Martin joins Bart as part of the gang of raiders who seek to take the lemon tree back (Bart describes him as the gang's smart guy). Martin's closest friends are apparently Wendell, Database and the German exchange student Üter.
During one spring break, Martin accompanies Bart, Nelson, and Milhouse on a chaotic road trip to Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. Bart is not very harsh on Martin (yet he mistakenly refers to him as "Milton" and is corrected by Milhouse) most of the time, but Martin can get out of control. Aside from being a bit snobbish in early seasons, Martin once became a bad boy even worse than Bart, once slapped Bart on the head when Bart was sad that Homer did not support him, and once threateningly held a small Shelbyville kid up against a tree, maybe as a result after all the bullying he suffers.
Many have noted that as the seasons have passed, Bart has become less and less hostile with Martin to the point of total neutrality; this has not stopped the Springfield Elementary bullies from continuing their traditional beating however. Martin also has become less condescending and more passive as the series has progressed. He is often depicted as too passive, since even Lisa Simpson
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
can be a bit harsh to him, such as a scene in "Das Bus
Das Bus
"Das Bus" is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons ninth season and originally aired on the Fox network on February 15, 1998. Bart, Lisa and other children from Springfield Elementary School are stranded on an island and are forced to work together. Meanwhile, Homer founds his own Internet...
" in which Lisa is initially blamed by Sherri and Terri for being responsible for stranding the group of children on a deserted island because she helped set up the disastrous field trip. Lisa in turn states that Martin seconded the trip, and because of that it is his fault. Martin has been known to casually hang out with Bart's group from time to time as well, and is often seen with Bart and Milhouse in the background. He is also occasionally seen with Ralph Wiggum
Ralph Wiggum
Ralph Wiggum is a recurring fictional character on the animated series The Simpsons, voiced by Nancy Cartwright. The son of Police Chief Wiggum and a classmate of Lisa Simpson, Ralph is best known as the show's resident oddball, and is noted for his non sequiturs and erratic behavior...
. Martin also sits directly in front of Bart in their fourth grade class. Although they often work together on various school projects and classwork, it is implied in many episodes that Martin and Lisa are also rivals of a sort, especially when it comes to the Science Fair. Martin is seen grinning at the back of the bus, as it rides off without her in one episode. He proclaims that without Lisa there to grab the first prize badge, he will receive first place. In "Lisa's Wedding
Lisa's Wedding
"Lisa's Wedding" is the 19th episode of The Simpsons sixth season, which originally aired March 19, 1995. The plot focuses around Lisa visiting a carnival fortune teller and learning about her future love. It was written by Greg Daniels and directed by Jim Reardon. Mandy Patinkin guest stars as...
", set 15 years in the future, Martin was believed to have died from a science fair explosion, but was actually living underneath the school in The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera
Le Fantôme de l'Opéra is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910...
fashion. In The Simpsons Comics, Martin commonly appears in large supporting roles. In Brother's Little Helper
Brother's Little Helper
"Brother's Little Helper" is the second episode of The Simpsons 11th season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 3, 1999. In the episode, Bart floods the school gymnasium, which prompts the school's principal Seymour Skinner to diagnose Bart with ADD...
, it is revealed Martin takes hormones to make his voice "lower" and makes him want to pick fights with people.
In the 2008 episode "Dial 'N' for Nerder
Dial 'N' for Nerder
"Dial 'N' for Nerder", also known as "N is for Nerder", is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season, and was originally broadcast on March 9, 2008. After a prank gone wrong, Bart and Lisa believe they have accidentally killed Martin Prince. Meanwhile, Marge hires a TV show called...
", Martin has a lead role when Bart plays a prank on him. Lisa and Bart believed him to be dead after falling off a cliff, but he was saved by wedgie
Wedgie
A wedgie occurs when a person's underwear or other garments are wedged between the buttocks. While a wedgie can be created naturally, the term is usually associated with a prank or as a form of bullying...
-proof underwear. Also in this episode, Bart felt guilty for the first time and said that Martin was "like Jesus, only real!". After this Bart burst into tears.
In The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
, there is also a short scene in which Martin attacks and savagely beats the school bullies, in revenge for years of torment, with a plank of wood, screaming "I've been taking your crap all my life!". After knocking them unconscious, Martin exclaims that 'this feels good!' before continuing.
In the opening sequence of The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
, he is hosted up a flagpole by Jimbo, Kearney and Dolph, whilst Bart is writing the billboard gag.