| “ | A greedy man once yearned for more, so the fool began to borrow. He ate and drank and told the bank, "I'll pay the debt tomorrow." But as both dolt and purse grew fat, the calendar grew thinner. The debt collector had enough and hungered for his dinner. The coward ran, with coin in hand, but come dawn, lost his breath. The fool was caught, 'twas all for naught, for the collector's name was Death. | „ |
| ~ Kostas Becker |
Kostas Becker is the main antagonist of The Simpsons 2-part Season 33 episode "A Serious Flanders". He is a ruthless, homicidal debt collector and the most dangerous criminal mastermind in America. He is the archenemy of Ned Flanders.
He was voiced by Brian Cox, who also played Hannibal Lecktor in Manhunter, Killearn in Rob Roy, Hermann Goering in Nuremberg, Ward Abbott in the Jason Bourne film series, Dark Yabu in Vexx, William Stryker in X2: X-Men United, Lionel Starkweather in Manhunt, Agamemnon in Troy, Scolar Visari in Killzone, Pariah Dark in Danny Phantom, General Hemmer in Battle for Terra, Mr. Kreeg in Trick 'r Treat, Jack Denham in Syndicate, Conrad in Bob the Builder, Logan Roy in Succession and Niander Wallace, Sr. in Blade Runner: Black Lotus.
Personality[]
Kostas is a ruthless, bloodthirsty psychopath who forces innocent people to pay their debts, threatening to kill them if they don't.
Biography[]
In the 1970s, Kostas Becker was a member of the Capital City mafia. The mafia makes a deal with the Szyslak Brothers to sell methamphetamine in Springfield, raking in $173,296 with the help of Springfield's corrupt sheriff, Ned Flanders, Sr.
When the brothers refuse to give the mob their cut, however, a gunfight breaks out in which everyone but Becker, Flanders, and the oldest Szyslak brother is killed. Becker kills Szyslak, but loses an eye in the process, which he replaces with a glass prosthetic. Meanwhile, Sheriff Flanders hides the money in the trunk of a nearby tree. Becker holds Flanders at knife point and threatens to kill him unless he tells him where the money is, but before Flanders can answer, he slips on a patch of ice and runs into Becker's knife, which kills him. Becker then takes off running from the police, who assume that Sheriff Flanders gave his life to destroy the mob.
Flanders is posthumously hailed as a hero, and his grandson and namesake Ned Flanders pledges to become just like him. Becker, meanwhile, becomes obsessed with settling the debt, which he records in a ledger that he has with him at all times.
Fifty years later, Becker and his fellow assassins Seamus and Collette return to Springfield to kill the Rich Texan, who failed to repay a debt ($62,000,000.00) he owed them. The younger Flanders, meanwhile, finds the money his grandfather hid, and donates it to a local orphanage in his grandfather's name. Becker sees the news coverage of Flanders' philanthropy, and goes to Springfield's church to demand that Flanders pay back the money, giving him 24 hours.
Becker sends Seamus and Collette to Comic Book Guy's store to force Flanders' whereabouts out of him. He then goes for lunch at a local donut shop, where he is accosted by Fat Tony, who is angry that Seamus and Collette roughed up Comic Book Guy, who was paying him protection money. Becker responds by calmly reciting "The Parable of Satan and the Millipede", but when Fat Tony interrupts him, he flies into a rage and opens fire, killing Fat Tony's men Johnny Tightlips, Legs, and Louie, as well as Mr. Burns and Disco Stu. He then drags Fat Tony into the kitchen, dips his head in batter and frosting, and deep-fries it, killing him and turning his head into a giant donut. The scene is so gruesome that it provokes Snake Jailbird, who comes into the store moments later to rob it, to renounce his life of crime and become a born-again Christian.
Seamus and Collette kidnap Homer Simpson after mistaking him for Flanders. Becker berates them for kidnapping the wrong man, and calls Ned, threatening to kill Homer unless he returns the money. Flanders reluctantly steals the money, and accidentally crashes his car into that of Homer and Marge. Homer saves Flanders' life, but not before he saves the money. Homer becomes a hero in Springfield, while Flanders is branded a thief and driven out of town. Becker, meanwhile, once again escapes the police and flees from Springfield.
Three years later, Ned and his sons Rod and Todd are living in a cabin in Wyoming as penniless outcasts, surviving on money and food sent secretly by a guilt-ridden Homer. Becker finds out that Homer knows where Flanders is, thanks to Marge following him, and follows her to Wyoming, where he chases Flanders onto the dock of a frozen lake behind the cabin. Flanders tells Becker to spare Homer and kill him, and laments that has sullied his grandfather's good name. Becker laughs cruelly and tells Flanders the truth about his grandfather's corruption, which so angers him that he knocks Becker's debt ledger onto the ice. When Becker goes to retrieve the book, he falls through the ice and drowns while being eaten by fish, his lifeless body sinking into the lake.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
- Seamus
- Colette
- Capital City Mafia (associates)
Enemies[]
- Sheriff Ned Flanders I (debtor, victim)
- Szyslak Brothers (various victims)
- Scotus Szyslak
- Rich Texan (victim)
- Fit Tony (victim)
- Legs (victim)
- Louie (victim)
- Johnny Tightlips (victim)
- Disco Stu (victim)
- Mr. Burns (indirect victim)
- Ned Flanders (debtor, archenemy and attempted victim)
- Homer Simpson (hostage, attempted victim)
- Marge Simpson (attempted victim)
- Clancy Wiggum
Trivia[]
- Despite only appearing in two episodes, he is one of the most evil characters in The Simpsons franchise, with his only competition being Russ Cargill.
