Nermal is a character in the Garfield franchise.
History
He first appeared in the comic strip in September 3, 1979 and his latest appearance was on November 2, 2017. He has also appeared in the television series Garfield and Friends and The Garfield Show, as well as in the straight-to-DVD movies Garfield Gets Real, Garfield's Fun Fest and Garfield's Pet Force. A cat named Nermal appeared in Garfield: The Movie, although he looked completely different from the kitten in the comic strip. He is known as Garfield's main and direct nemesis for the Garfield franchise.
Nermal's Gender
Fans have often mistaken him for a female kitten because of his eyelashes, his seemingly feminine personality, and the tone of his voice on his early television appearances. Jim Davis often gives younger characters eyelashes, including Garfield himself in the "Garfield" segment of Garfield: His 9 Lives and Orson at the beginning of the U.S. Acres comic strip. In Garfield and Friends, Nermal's voice was provided by Desiree Goyette. Starting with Garfield Gets Real, he is voiced by Jason Marsden, thereby breaking the confusion. In the Latin American voice dub of Garfield and Friends, Nermal's voice was dubbed into Spanish by Laura Olazábal and he was known as "Thelma", a female kitten, and not a male as in the original. This change was however dropped in later seasons.
Description and Personality
Nermal is a vain and pampered cat who regularly and often intentionally annoys Garfield, which usually results in Garfield trying to ship him to Abu Dhabi. Nermal often comes in unannounced (and often on Garfield's birthday), much to Garfield's chagrin. Nermal acts as a smart aleck towards Garfield (much like Arlene). There are times where Nermal seems to be almost as arrogant as Garfield, possibly even more so.
When he first appeared, it was stated that he was owned by Jon's parents, but that was never mentioned again (nor is he seen on Jon's parents' farm). When we see him, it is usually because Jon has to babysit him.
Nermal is a cute grey tabby whom looks a bit like Garfield. He revels in his cuteness and proudly proclaims himself as the cutest kitten in the world. Nermal can be quite devious at times like when he tricked Garfield into thinking there was a shark in his water bowl by swimming in it with a shark fin. Nermal also take great pleasure in irritating Garfield even though its dangerous fun as Garfield is bigger than he is and Garfield has once said to the audience that Nermal might not live to see his next birthday. However, Nermal is shown to secretly look up to Garfield and sees him as his best friend, but its pretty hard for him to show it when Garfield mistreats him.
Alter Egos
Abnermal is the superhero version of Nermal. Unlike the rest of the team, Abnermal quickly takes to his superpowers and is overjoyed to be a hero. Abnermal's abilities include his Pester Power, the ability to create force fields, and a body temperature of absolute zero that allows him to freeze anything he touches and project ice blasts. In the movie, he is given super speed.
In The Superhero Apprentice, He, along with Hercules, decides to become a supervillian to get revenge on The Caped Avenger.
Several other kittens that greatly resemble Nermal are seen at the end of The Art of Being Uncute, all of them having won their local cutest cat competitions and winning trips to Greenland, and all of them seemed to want to annoy Garfield.
Trivia
- Nermal has appeared 149 times in the comics as of the 11th of October 2017, the 13th most.
- There is a running gag where Garfield throws Nermal though the door. In Garfield and Friends, Garfield often plots to mail him to Abu Dhabi.
Television Appearances
Garfield and Friends
Season 1
Season 2
- Rip Van Kitty
- Hansel and Garfield
- Cutie and the Beast
- Attack of the Mutant Guppies
- Basket Brawl
- Well Fed Feline
- First Class Feline
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
- Top Ten (cameo)
- Change Of Mind
- The Thing in the Box
The Garfield Show
Season 1
- Odie in Love
- Agent X
- Orange and Black (cameo)
- Freaky Monday
- King Nermal
- The Pet Show
- Glenda and Odessa
- Time Master
- Family Picture
- Nice to Nermal
- Out on a Limb
- Super Me
- Mastermind
- The Last Word
- Caroling Capers
- T3000
Season 2
- The Art of Being Uncute
- Night of the Bunny Slippers
- Odie for Sale
- With Four You Get Pizza
- The Bluebird of Happiness
- Garfield Astray
- Cuter Than Cute
- Me, Garfield and I
- Stealing Home
- True Colors
- The Big Sleep
Season 3
- Furry Tales
- Laugh in a Can
- The Superhero Apprentice
- Bath Day
- What a Difference a Pet Makes
- Garfield Gets Canned (cameo)
- The Golden Lasagna Awards
- Pawparazzi
- It's About Time
- Online Arbuckle
- The Garfield-Only Show (cameo)
- Fast Friends
- The Mysterious Machine
- Little Trouble in Big China
- My Friend, Nermal
- Two Times the Trouble (cameo)
- The Great Trade-Off
Season 4
- Lion Queen
- Lion Queen: Welcome to Africa (mentioned)
- Lion Queen: King of Cats (cameo)
- The Mean Machine
- Glitter Gulch
- Against All Tides
- Against All Tides: Scallywags and Scoundrels Sea
- Against All Tides: Adventures on Aruba Island
- Against All Tides: Escape
- Against All Tides: Feeding the Fish
- Against All Tides: Return of the Queen
- Lasagna Tree
- Lasagna Tree: The Big Broadcast (cameo)
- Into the Wild
- Into the Wild: Call of the Wild
- Into the Wild: Into the Woods
- Into the Wild: Nermal's First Kiss
- Into the Wild: Where Eagles Dare Do
- Into the Wild: Coyotes Ugly
- Garfception (cameo)
- Home Sweet Home (cameo)
- The Stink, Stank, Skunk!
- World Without Me
- Fraidy Cat
Season 5
Appearances In Comics
