Sideshow Bob

Sideshow Bob is one of the villains on The Simpsons.

Bob began his career as Krusty the Clown's non-speaking sidekick. [1] He had only won the job because he proved to be more of a comic foil than his younger brother Cecil Terwilliger, who had actually auditioned for the part. [2] As the years went on, the Yale-educated Bob became increasingly angered at being overshadowed by Krusty's "dilapidated vaudeville antics" and continual abuse. Finally, he snapped and framed Krusty for armed robbery at the Kwik-E-Mart. He took over his show, making it more upmarket by introducing culture and reading Man in the Iron Mask. Although the show was critically acclaimed, his reign was short-lived, as Bart Simpson exposed his plan and landed him in jail. [3]

Once his true character is revealed, Bob takes the position of Evil Genius in the series. Typical Sideshow Bob centered episodes involve Bob being released from prison and acting out a cunning revenge plan, which is foiled by Bart and Lisa. Frequently such plans involve attempting to kill someone.

In Bob's first scheme, he married Selma Bouvier and tried to blow her up on their honeymoon. [4] After his second release he went after Bart, threatening him repeatedly and forcing the Simpsons to move to Terror Lake. Bob follows, and after he apprehends the rest of the family, attempts to kill Bart. As Bart's final request, he sings him the entire score of H.M.S. Pinafore. The distraction leads to Bob's arrest. [5] He then rigged the Springfield Mayoral election, [6] and planned to blow Springfield up with a nuclear bomb unless the city stopped broadcasting television. [7] After this, Bob did genuinely become redeemed, and instead his brother Cecil attempts to commit a crime. Cecil harbored resentment for Bob becoming Krusty's sidekick instead of him, and tried to frame him for embezzlement by sabotaging the Springfield Dam. Bob and Bart together foiled his plan and saved the town, but both brothers ended up in prison due to Chief Wiggum's stupidity. [2]

Bob is again released, and plots to kill Krusty using Bart as a suicide bomber, [8] but later helps Homer discover who is trying to kill him. [9] Bob moves to Italy, looking for a fresh start. There, he becomes mayor of a village in Tuscany and marries a local woman named Francesca, with whom he has a son. The Simpsons visit and Bob welcomes them with hospitality, on the condition that they not reveal his felonious past. However a drunken Lisa does just that, alienating him from his citizens. His wife and son do not abandon him though, and the three swear a vendetta on the Simpsons. [10]