Zapp Brannigan



Species: Human

Planet of Origin: Earth

Date of Birth: Around 2970

Age: 26-30

Voiced by: Billy West

First Appearance: Love's Labours Lost in Space

Biography
Zapp Brannigan is a 25-Star General in the Democratic Order of Planets, captain of his flagship the Nimbus and head of the DOOP Army. Although he claims to be a strategic genius, he is actually an imbecile and a coward and his plans could have easily been conjured up by a child. Zapp is well respected throughout the universe, appearing as a Miss Universe Judge and often defending Earth from attacks. Most battles are lost with Zapp in charge however sometimes the army is lucky. Zapp doesn't care about men's lives and even sends wave after wave of his own men to die in battle. He also suffers from a learning disorder that he calls sexlexia which is a disturbingly erotic disorder. Also the central law of DOOP, Brannigan's Law, is named after him.

He is hardly ever seen without his second in command, Kif Kroker. Zapp and Kif have a tough time working together and Zapp treats Kif like a slave making his job the second most humiliating job there is. Some of the jobs Zapp makes Kif do are shaving his armpit whilst he was bathing. Even though he treats Kif badly he always gives advice, usually bad advice, to Kif whenever he needs it and also calls him is most best and loyal friend. He was angered when Leela became the mother of Kif's children.

He repeatedly attempts to seduce Leela whom he slept with on their first meeting. After that fateful night Leela ended the relationship and chose saving Nibbler over getting back with Zapp and being rescued. Zapp keeps trying to get together with Leela and sometimes even mentioned what happened between them in court but she invariably turns him away sometimes even pretending that she has a boyfriend. At the battle of Spheron 1 Zapp was attracted to new male recruit Lee Lemon and feared he might be gay and was relieved to find out that it was actually Leela.

Only once was Zapp's incompitance was shown when he blew up the new headquaters with the Nimbus' hyperdeath laser. This led to him and Kif being banned from the DOOP. The two were employed by The Professor the work at Planet Express which led to Zapp convincing Bender and Fry to munity against Leela. Zapp escaped and was given back his title as General even though he tried to pilot the Planet Express Ship into the Neutral President's home.

Commendations and Accomplishments

 * Defeated an army of Killbots by sacrificing his troops until the bots' pre-set "Kill limit" was reached
 * Rented self a medal after leading a successful assault on the Spider world Tarantulon 6.
 * Led DOOP to victory over the peaceful Ball-People of planet Spheron 1
 * Single-handedly defeated the Retiree People of the Assisted Living Nebula
 * Annihalated the Pacifists of the Gandhi Nebula
 * Conducted a triumphant carpet bombing on Eden 7
 * Author of "Zapp Brannigan's Big Book of War", which is likely a plagiarized version of Sun Tzu's  The Art of War.

Family

 * Zapp has at least three children, born to Holo-Shed characters who became real. (4ACV01)
 * He may also have Amazonian children. (3ACV01)
 * Was "host" to a dozen or so Da Nangian spawn. The children were presumably eaten by Zoidberg. (US#004)

Trivia

 * Billy West has stated that Zapp Brannigan is how he envisions Captain Kirk playing William Shatner.
 * In the commentary for "When Aliens Attack" it is speculated that Zapp got promoted from Captain to 25-star general sometime since we last saw him. However, it is common for the person in command of a ship to be called "Captain" regardless of their actual rank.
 * It is possible that Zapp is actually a parody of Zaphod Beeblebrox from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy science fiction comedy media franchise.

Quotes

 * Zapp: Leela so its you I've been attracted to. Oh God I've never been so happy to be beaten up by a woman.
 * Zapp: Sorry Mr. President, Kif raise him about nipple high.
 * Zapp: My plan is so simple even a child could have thought it up.
 * Zapp: Brannigan's law is like Brannigan's love: hard and fast.

Catchphrase
Zapp occasionally pronounces the name of food wrong and pronounces it the way it is spelt including:
 * Champagne - Champpaggin
 * Guacamole - Guaca mole

Appearances

 * Debut: Love's Labours Lost in Space (1ACV04)
 * A Flight to Remember (1ACV10)
 * When Aliens Attack (1ACV12)
 * Brannigan, Begin Again (2ACV02)
 * The Lesser of Two Evils (2ACV06)
 * Put Your Head on My Shoulder (2ACV07)
 * The Problem with Popplers (2ACV15)
 * Anthology of Interest I (2ACV16)
 * War is the H-Word (2ACV17)
 * Amazon Women in the Mood (3ACV01)
 * Where the Buggalo Roam (3AVC10)
 * I Dated a Robot (3ACV15)
 * Future Stock (3ACV21)
 * Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch (4ACV01)
 * A Taste of Freedom (4ACV05)
 * Where No Fan has Gone Before (4ACV11)
 * Three Hundred Big Boys (4ACV16)
 * The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings (4ACV18)
 * ...But Deliver Us To Evil! (US#002)
 * DOOP The Right Thing! (US#004)
 * More Than A Filling! (US#021)