About

Stanley "Stan" Marsh has always been your comparatively average all-American fourth grader... who happens to live in one of the most fucked up places on Earth. Whenever crazy things are happening in South Park, he and Kyle are there to provide the voice of reason and help resolve the problems, often with a comforting speech or at least some memorable highlights from Star Trek. He has a highly abusive sister named Shelly, a gay dog named "Sparky", and is crazy in love with his longtime girlfriend, Wendy Testaburger. He's also quite good pals with the Super Best Friends, lead by Jesus Christ, and was even entrusted with helping protect the immensely powerful prophet Muhammad for a time.

Like his father, Stan's a member of the Mountain Scouts, an aspect of his life that's cultivated a belief in honesty and integrity, leading him to tell the truth to the Space Police and to nominate John Edward for the 'Biggest Douche in the Universe' award for lying to people. He briefly served as the prophet of the religion/cult, the Church of Scientology, but left upon discovering it was a lie and a scam. He is willing to lie and stretch the truth to suit his own needs in extreme situations, like when Kyle's 9/11 investigation lead him to discover Stan was the kid who shat in the urinal or to avoid trouble when TPing houses or smoking. When traumatized, such as after learning about Mr. Mackey's hoarding disorder, after discovering the secret of Easter, or during the "List" incident, he may care more about moving on than exposing the truth.

He also often champions social and environmental causes, something he can sometimes take too far, and has a soft spot for causes related to animals. Despite his distate for environmentalism, he engaged in a tense stand-off with the Park County Police Department over veal abuses and lead the Sea Shepard to save thousands of whales and dolphins as Captain, causing television ratings to soar but becoming a wanted criminal, and helped a whale to return to his family on the moon. Stan has been noted for his exceptional leadership abilities in times of crisis and high stakes such as these. He has also consistently championed gay rights since discovering his dog Sparky was gay, and helped the animals from Big Gay Al's animal shelter. He does, however, exhibit an occasional fear of snakes.

It has been noted that he has exceptional weaponry skills for a fourth grader, illustrating proficiency with guns and has yielded a number of weapons, including handguns, rifles, flareguns and assault weapons. He has also attended weekly karate lessons with Cartman and Kyle, learning much about "diciprine" as well as self-defense. More curious abilities include a knowledge of how to drive, if assisted by Kenny at the pedals, and the ability to give abortions, which he subsequently taught some mountain lion cubs, according to Cartman anyhow. He also became involved in and made bold attempts to stop the American Civil War and the second American-Canadian War.

Stan's greatest talent may be his athletic abilities, which he is frequently praised for - he is the quarterback on the South Park Cows football team and creates controversy when he's missing at the big game, much to his Uncle Jimbo's worry. He's also on the Baseball Team, the Cows Dodgeball Players, lead the South Park Diggities dance troupe, and famously coached the Park County Pee-Wee Hockey Team, inspiring a generation of children to never play hockey ever again. Like his father, Stan also has musical talent, being a member of two bands - Fingerbang and Moop - as well as being an ace Guitar Hero player and singing a hit song begging people to use hybrid cars.

Stan is not without his faults. He has exhibited poor parenting abilities, with neither Wendy nor Kyle trusting him with an egg, Like the other boys, he can be ignorant and rip on unpopular kids like Butters Stotch or Scott Malkinson maliciously, and his ego can get in the way of his friendships, such as becoming caught up with his Guitar Hero skills or getting carried away with social causes. On at least two known occasions, he ended up jacking it in San Diego, California after promoting such causes in web videos. Not to mention, he's a bit of a cynical asshole, which he only keeps in check with a few swigs day of Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Whenever things are looking their darkest and Stan needs guidance in his life, he knows there is always one voice he can turn to and rely on, wondering... what would Brian Boitano do.

DNA Overview

You are an average all-American person, and despite your crazy surroundings, you remain levelheaded. You may have a strange way of expressing your love for others, often not being able to control what comes out of your mouth. When all else fails, people with Stan Marsh DNA will ask themselves, “What would Brian Boitano do?”

"This is America and in America, if something sucks, you’re supposed to be able to get your money back.”

Memorable Quotes

• "Oh my god, they killed Kenny!"
• "Dude, this is pretty fucked up right here."
• "What would Brian Boitano do?"
• "Dude! DUUDDDE!!!" (Chef's Chocolate Salty Balls)
• "Cartman, you are so God damned stupid it's unbelievable." (Scott Tenorman Must Die)
• "Oh my God, our parents are SO stupid, dude..." (Child Abduction is Not Funny)
• "AH-TAHHH." (Bebe's Boobs Destroy Society)
• "Can we go pleeeease!" (Raisins)
• "What's your Ninja name Kenny?" (Good Times with Weapons)
• "It's critter Christmas dude, it sucks ass." (Woodland Critter Christmas)
• "Aw, God dammit!" (Bloody Mary)
• "Come on people now people now. People now come on people now. Got to drive hybrids people now. People now people now people now." (Smug Alert)
• "Dude, I'm sorry but we still aren't getting it....You're half man, and half berry?" (Coon vs. Coon & Friends)
• "NO. I mean it sounds like SOMEBODY - IS SHITTING - IN MY EARS." (You're Getting Old)
• "Well then maybe you should go live with Jaden Smith dad." (Informative Murder Porn)
• "-See you sound like a dick." (Ginger Cow)
• “What would they do on Game of Thrones? What would they do when things looked their darkest?” (Black Friday)
• “You just had your head so set because... Because that's how Xbox people are.” (Black Friday)
• "The Princess calls you a ball licking lesbian." (A Song of Ass and Fire)
• "Milky Crotch Ooze." (Go Fund Yourself)
• "Lorde's music is actually really good." (The Cissy)
• "I shall return. Do not attempt to stop me." (Freemium Isn't Free)

Life Lessons

• "Being gay is just part of nature, and a beautiful thing."
• "Parents can be so cruel. Don't they realize that what a child needs more than anything is security? "
• "I’m starting to think that maybe it’s wrong to put someone who thinks they’re a Vietnamese prostitute onto a bull.”
• "Environmental activists don’t use logic or reason.”
• "It's wrong to eat veal because the animals are so horribly mistreated, but if you don't eat meat at all, you break out in vaginas."
• "You see, I learned something today. At first I thought you were all stupid, listening to this douche's advice, but now I understand that you're all here because you're scared. You're scared of death and he offers you some kind of understanding. You all want to believe in it so much, I know you do. You find comfort in the thought that your loved ones are floating around trying to talk to you, but think about it: Is that really what you want? To just be floating around after you die, having to talk to this asshole?"
• "This is America and in America, if something sucks, you’re supposed to be able to get your money back.”
• "Look, everybody, we're all looking for answer, you know. We all want to understand who we are and where we come from, but... sometimes we want to know the answers so badly that we... believe just about anything."
• "No, no, no. I get it. Jesus wanted us to eat him, but he didn’t what us to be cannibals, so he turned himself into crackers and then told people to eat him.”
• "Parents can be pretty cruel sometimes, dude. They get off on it.”
• "Can't you see that all we're trying to do is keep our families safe? Look, ah I don't know if seeing couples murder each other on television is gonna make my parents do it, and we probably won't be able to stop them from watching what they wanna watch. All we're trying to do is make it a little more difficult for them. Because cable makes it so convenient. Sure, if they didn't have easy access to their murder porn channels, they'd be bummed out, but it's not just our responsibility to give them what they want. Is it?"

Design

Here's Stan's biggest design changes throughout the show's run.

Main Alter Egos

Alter egos that have appeared numberous times in-show and/or other official media.

Other Alter Egos/Outfits/Counterparts

Stan has a number of alter-egos - some creative, some not - most of which were created for role-playing games with his friends... or by Satan. It's hard to tell the difference sometimes.

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12

Season 13

Season 14

Season 15

Season 16

Season 18

Season 19

Season 21

Season 22

Season 23

Season 24

Season 25

SOUTH PARK: EVENTS

SOUTH PARK: POST COVID

SOUTH PARK: POST COVID: THE RETURN OF COVID

SOUTH PARK THE STREAMING WARS PART 2

Phone Destroyer

Family

Stan is close with his mother, who he inherited his common sense from, and has a good relationship with his father (when not strained by shenanigans) building pinewood derby cars together or watching football. his sister likes to beat the crap out of him when their parents aren't around and then play innocent - but when things get tough, even she's there for him, too. Stan also has a good relationship with his Uncle Jimbo and his war buddy, Ned, going camping in the woods, even if they think Stan's kind of a wuss. Stan's grandfather, Marvin, or "Grampa" is quite fond of him, even if he thinks Stan's kind of a wuss, too.

He's also really close with his dog Sparky and although he doesn't let the dog follow him to school anymore, he spends plenty of time with him at home when the guys are busy... except when he's playing in the land of Zaron, when Sparky becomes his canine familiar who can heal his wounds with the power of love.

Romantic Relationships

Girlfriend

Stan's had feelings for Wendy Testaburger since the pilot episode, where the two worked together with Kyle to save his little brother from the Visitors.. even if he gets so nervous around her vomits uncontrollably every time she speaks. Nonetheless, the two formed a relationship - meeting up for Truth or Dare in his clubhouse, planning fake cruises for Valentine's Day and seeing independent movies together at the film festival

They shared their very first kiss in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut after Stan impressed her by leading the La Resistance forces into action, but after a sexually-transmitted disease scare and a period of silence, she broke up with him (in "Raisins"), leaving him heartbroken and depressed. He recovered soon after but remained bitter for a while.

They eventually rekindled their relationship through the adventures in Season 11's "The List" and seem to have had a much closer and more involved relationship, planning picnics together and studying together after-school. Wendy paid Dr. Chinstrap to help Stan with his hoarding problem and remained concerned about him when he became a "cynical asshole". Stan has, in turn, tried not to embarrass her too much at Pioneer Village and listens to her stupid muthafuckin' problems.

They've both shown signs of possessiveness - Wendy doesn't take kindly to Stan's other Facebook friends or interest in sexy substitutes and Stan freaked out when she befriended Gregory of Yardale, an exchange student, when he thought Kyle might be interested in her and when she displayed an interest in Bridon Gueermo.

Season 20 saw them breaking up (though this was not by her choice and she was forced into it by the other girls) in a gender war due to skankhunt42 trolling the girls at school and their moms. Wendy expected Stan to do something about this troll, but Stan had no idea whom the troll was, so at this time their relationship is on hold as Stan tries to find a way to win Wendy back. Bill and Bill tried to get them back together, but Wendy didn't get a chance to respond as Butters was "pressing pickle" against the window. What happened after that is unknown. Stan and Wendy flirted with each other in South Park: The Fractured but Whole and are even listed as dating, meaning they might be dating again in the show.

Past Love Interests

Super Best Friend

Although they have their differences with each other, and rip on each other plenty, whenever things get really tough - or really, every Wednesday in South Park - Stan and Kyle are pretty much always there for each other. They've been best friends since they were kids and hang out together all the time - and so do their parents as well. Whether they're saving the world together, or just saving each other's lives from whatever's been conjured up into town this week, these guys always seem to have each other's backs.

It's not all rainbows and sunshine for Stan and Kyle though -- from time to time, Stan's ego can get in the way of their friendship and Kyle can only deal with so much of Stan's negativity. Still, as long as they aren't asked to name a prehistorice ice creature, these two can usually keep it together and put their super best friendship above everything else.

Close Friends

Other than his Super Best Friend, Kyle, Stan's closest friends have always been the local fat kid and the local poor kid. When he's not hanging out with them, he's usually sticking up for the schoolyard's punching bag, or hanging out with a certain handi-capable comedian.

He also had a very strong friendship with his late, great school cafeteria chef.

The Guys

Stan has an extended group of friends that he hangs out with at school; but he also regularly invites them to his birthday parties, casual games of football and viewings of the newest Terrance & Phillip episode.

Although Stan hasn't necessarily been fond of Scott Malkinson in the past, they've been shown to be part of the same Dice Studz club, implying common interests and a willingness from Stan to hang out with him.

Other Friends

Stan has a unique set of minor friends, who he shares a mutual liking to. Whether it be his uncle's old war buddy, a big silly goose or the Prince of Darkness himself, they'll always be there to give Stan advice.

Stan's been shown to have a significant friendship with Heidi too. She'd go to him when she was having problems with Eric, and she'd lend him school supplies if he needed them.

In Board Girls, Stan shared his passion for board games with both Nichole and Tammy, enjoying their company and admitting he likes playing with them.

He also befriended a Prehistoric Ice Man from the year 1996, who he eventually had to part with. Whether they remain in contact is unknown.

Classmates

These characters usually interact with Stan exclusively at school. He seems to be on good terms with all of them, but doesn't have any special relationships with any of them.

Acquaintances

Stan's relationships with these characters have never been quite clear, and his mutual feelings about them is usually up for debate amongst fans.

Rivals

Though Stan is generally popular and respected by his classmates, he nonetheless has earned some rivals and has even been teased on occasion, particularly by Bill and Fosse.

Role Models

Groups

Music Groups

Sports

Adult-Associated Groups

Residence

Stan has lived with his mother, father and sister at the Marsh Residence since before the show began. His grandfather has lived with the family in older episodes and was depicted with a bedroom, but as of Season Thirteen seems to have moved to a retirement community. Sparky also lives here.

At the end of "You're Getting Old", they move out and the Marshes briefly divorce, with Stan living in an apartment with his mother and sister, but they return to their family home in "Ass Burgers".

Featured Episodes

As a main character on the show, Stan is present - so here is just a partial selection of some of his most infamous moments...

Absences

On a rare occasion, Stan takes a complete backseat and doesn't even speak!

• Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus (s02e01)
• Cat Orgy (s03e07)
• Jewbilee (s03e09)
• Pip (s04e05)
• A Million Little Fibers (s10e06)
• Go God Go XII (s10e13)
• City Sushi (s15e06; crowd cameo)
• Goth Kids 3: Dawn of the Posers (s17e03; crowd cameo)
• Handicar (s18e04)
• Fort Collins (s20e06)
• Members Only (s20e08)
• Not Funny (s20e09)

Behind The Scenes

Stan is based on series co-creator Trey Parker, who voices him, and many of Stan's character traits are inspired directly by Trey and his feelings, behaviors and beliefs.

Below is a selection of kick-ass behind the scenes content, exclusively from South Park:

"Towelie" (s05e08) Production Art

This is some old-school production art used while developing the parachute look for Towelie and the boys. The notes are there to give animators cues on which color textures to use while animating.

"Towelie" (s05e08) Hand-Drawn Storyboard

Check out this old-school storyboard from our archives. All boards used to be done by hand. Now, we do them all digitally.

"Taming Strange" (s17e05) Character Art

Character Art: Wet Kids

"Wet" versions of all the kids needed to be created prior to animating this scene.

"Freemium Isn't Free" (s18e06) Storyboard

Check out the art made for this super-charged shot of Stan.

"Freemium Isn't Free" (s18e06) Character Art

This shows the production process, from storyboard to character art, for Satan's special poses.

Video Games

Let's Go Tower Defense Play!

Stan is one of the first two playable characters in the game as the enemies show up at Stan's House first in the storyline. He, Eric Cartman and later others use snowballs to fight back waves of enemies. Stan is a member of the same 'Ranger' class as Butters Stotch, Jimmy Valmer and Clyde Donovan, which offers average power, range, and speed.

• Special ability - Stan can heal the town's health by twenty percent at a time after attacks.

Tenorman's Revenge

Stan and The Boys team up in a battle through space and time to retrieve their Xbox 360 hard drive, which has been stolen by Scott Tenorman in hopes of destroying it, causing the boys to lose all of their game progress.

• Special Ability - Stan can throw footballs that knock down Gingerbots before they can attack.
• Toolshed's special ability is to drill through dirt to reach new areas.

South Park: The Stick of Truth

The Warrior

Born of the humans but raised by the elves, Ranger Stan Marshwalker is a a brave and strong warrior of the Elven army. Along with his companion and familiar Sparky, this warrior serves as the right-hand man to the Elf King, and holds great power in his magical sword summons.

Bonus Factoids

• Though an early draft of South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut suggests a hazel color, Stan has since been confirmed to have blue eyes. (A Very Crappy Christmas)
• He "lit something on fire once" according to Cartman, but nobody seems to know what it is. (Chef Goes Nanners)
• Stan's life-long idol is John Elway, a former Denver Bronco, though these references have faded as Elway retired from the team several years ago.
• Stan's a HUGE Star Trek fan, and has a recurring habit of quoting the series and it's specials, at one point confusing it with the Bible. (Spontaneous Combustion) He seems to have a slight fondness for the 1986 - 1994 variation Star Trek: The Next Generation (Damien and Follow That Egg!)

Myths & Legends

• Stan's middle name is currently unknown within canon and has never been presented onscreen. Some fans erroneously believe it to be confirmed as Randall but this name is not present in any episodes. While it may sound like a fitting tribute to his father, the real-life Randy Parker is actually named Randolph Severn, not Randall. Other popular middle names among fans primarily include Quentin and Marvin.
• Stan is the third cutest boy in Mr. Garrison's Fourth Grade classroom according to the girls' corrupted list in "The List"; whether or not this is considered accurate remains unknown.
• In "Sexual Harassment Panda", Stan is stated to have asthma and his inhaler is taken by Cartman. This has been referenced again and Stan has never been depicted suffering symptoms of asthma, however asthma works in cycles, and some children are rarely triggered or go through periods without experiencing symptoms.
• Stan was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in "Ass Burgers", but in the context of the episode, this seems to be treated as a misdiagnosis, and it's generally suggested that the real-life social developmental disorder doesn't exist in the South Park universe.
• In "The Cissy", it is hinted that Stan may be uncomfortable with his assigned gender and may select a new gender identity in the future, but he currently continues to identify as a male.

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