Flippy

Flippy
Species	Bear
First appearance	Happy Tree Friends - Hide and Seek (2000)
Latest appearance	Happy Tree Friends - In Over Your Hedge (2016)
Latest portrayal	Kenn Navarro

"Fire fried food is a feast for a famished soldier."

— Flippy's starring intro, Season 3 of Happy Tree Friends

Flippy is a bear from Happy Tree Friends who has experience in military work. Flippy is a polite character in his normal state. However, when he sees or hears something resembling a tragic moment from the wars he fought, his eyes dilate and turn green, and he bares sharper teeth than his normal ones. This evil alter-ego of Flippy has a different personality from his usual self. Therefore he is a different character though depictions exist where both characters are the same. Flippy's most defining features are his beret and camouflage vest.

Concept and creation

Flippy was inspired by John Rambo from the Rambo franchise, according to Warren Graff. His earlier design depicted him with an eyepatch and wore a bandage on his head and arm while wearing one dog tag. Another showed a bandage on his head and arm, but this time, he wore his traditional veteran outfit without the dog tags.

As for the concept of Flippy having two sides, Kenn Navarro, Ken Pontac, and Warren Graff already had the idea since the beginning. They thought the idea of a mild-mannered bear suddenly "flipping out" and going on a killing spree because of mundane every day things was funny. This was only explored further in the Ka-Pow! series to show how his flipping out tendencies came to be.

History

Background

Unlike other characters, many episodes show that Flippy has past war experiences. However, the wars' specific descriptions are vague as the creators don't want to state what war he was fighting. In "Operation Tiger Bomb", Flippy has the rank of a private and is not a veteran. There, he fights the Tiger Army where FLiQPy kills the The General.

Happy Tree Friends

Flippy first appears in the Happy Tree Friends in the episode, "Hide and Seek". He rarely makes appearances in the main internet seasons, which includes his evil self. In all the episodes he appears in, his only appearances are starring roles though his evil side makes a cameo appearance in "Class Act" without his good self being present. While Flippy receives starring intros, his evil self never has one. Flippy appears without his evil self in "Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark". However, he also does not become evil in the episode "Without a Hitch" where his evil self does appear yet only in Flaky's imagination.

Starring intros

• Season 1: Flippy salutes with his left hand. He salutes with his right hand briefly when the title of "This is Your Knife" appears.
• Season 2: Flippy looks at the viewer in a grassy meadow.
• Season 3 through Season 5: Flippy sits on a log while roasting marshmallows over a burning log. The quote says, "Fire fried food is a feast for a famished soldier."

Happy Tree Friends: Homerun

A possible appearance of Flippy appears in Happy Tree Friends: Homerun. Flippy has to use the baseball bat to hit Cuddles, Giggles, Lumpy, and Petunia before they hit the wall. Due to his teeth changing to resemble his evil self yet having black eyes, it is unclear whether this represents Flippy's evil side or the two characters are the same in the game.

Happy Tree Friends: Flippy's Flying Frenzy

Flippy has a brief appearance in Happy Tree Friends: Flippy's Flying Frenzy, where Flippy is reminded of explosions in the war due to a balloon that is blown by Cuddles, Giggles, and Toothy popping. Afterward, he transforms into his evil self. While the game focuses more on Flippy's evil self, Flippy's good side appears as the life and game icon.

Happy Tree Friends (television series)

Flippy appears in the television series adaptation of Happy Tree Friends. His first appearance is in the "Lesser of Two Evils" episode, "Party Animal". Unlike the internet series counterpart, Flippy has made more notable appearances, including his evil side. The episode "Double Whammy" reveals Flippy to be unaware of his carnage, and "Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow" depicts both sides of Flippy as different characters who share the same body. The television series was also the first time Flippy has featuring roles.

Unlike the internet series, both Flippys have starring intros though the latter is only in "Autopsy Turvy".

Starring intros

• Season 1: Flippy salutes with his right hand.

Arcade games

Hot Potato

In the Arcade Game Hot Potato, the game's description mentions Flippy at the party. He is making baked potatoes when he decides to add "bombastic substitutions" to his recipe, implying his evil self was responsible. Neither Flippy does not appear in-game.

Happy Tree Friends: Run and Bun

Flippy is an unlockable playable character in Happy Tree Friends: Run and Bun. He is available for purchase for 3,000 buns. He rides a jetpack and controls similarly to Lammy. He can go the air quicker but is heavier in comparison to other characters. His favorite level is the Jungle.

Happy Tree Friends: Aggravated Asphalt

Flippy plays a significant role in Happy Tree Friends: Aggravated Asphalt. He first does lots of exercises, which makes him sweat. Afterward, he walks on the road and waves at Toothy on a bicycle, not noticing the nail on the road. The bicycle's tire deflates from the nail causing Flippy's eyes to change to green, but he eventually picks up the nail, realizing it is not a gunshot. Soon, Toothy crashes into a trash can and is decapitated, and Flippy notices a pineapple. The pineapple reminds him of a grenade, and he tries to run away only to find more hazards on the road.

In the game, the player must make Flippy avoid the hazards on the road. He can collect three grenades to turn into his evil self, and a second level type will occur. After it ends, Flippy enters a giant face of his good self.

Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm

Flippy (alongside other Happy Tree Friends) in Better Choco-late Than Never.

Despite not having a role in the episode of the same name, he is a typical rescuable character in the video game, Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm, alongside Giggles, Nutty, Toothy, Flaky, Mole, and Russell. Lumpy needs to help aid him and the other Happy Tree Friends in every zone. Flippy appears alone in the Tutorial Level. In it, The player must guide Flippy throughout the level. He appears in every level in the game. Despite his evil self not being present in-game, he appears in the Xbox 360 version's achievements for "Just what the doctor ordered".

Happy Tree Friends: Deadeye Derby

Flippy appears as the final boss in Happy Tree Friends: Deadeye Derby in the level Lost Mines. In the first phase of the boss fight, Flippy will try to attack the player with his knife slingshot. He will throw a grenade at the player on certain occasions, which they need to touch on their screen. After taking enough damage, Flippy goes into his tank to shoot projectiles at the player who needs to shoot them to avoid getting shot. Flippy will eventually come out of the tank only to use his machine slingshot and will start shooting rapidly at the player. Flippy's second health bar's depletion destroys the tank, and the rest of the battle revolves around his evil self.

After Flippy is defeated, the player unlocks Nutty as a playable character.

Biography

General information

Personality

Flippy calmly reading a book on his hammock.

Flippy is usually a friendly, innocent character. In many episodes, he participates with the tree friends in healthy activities such as hiding and seeking and going to a movie theater. Flippy usually does not remember his evil self's carnage except in the episode "Double Whammy" and "Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow". As shown in "Operation Tiger Bomb" , he is sometimes clumsy, where he fails to kill The General and accidentally kills his comrades, Sneaky and Mouse Ka-Boom. The only time Flippy has done anything cruel in his normal state is when he (alongside Handy, Sniffles, and Lumpy) murdered Flaky after she punctured their boat that was offered by Lifty and Shifty.Just like Flaky, Flippy suffers big lips when it comes to allergic reactions though his body does not inflate, unlike her. He is allergic to venison as opposed to peanuts. In "Remains to be Seen", the Blurb claims that he is allergic to chocolate and candy corn though the former is contradicted in his MySpace account which claims that chocolate chips are his favorite food. In the episodes "Easy For You to Sleigh" and "Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow", Flippy is shown as a heavy sleeper, only waking to trivial things. Like Lumpy, he spoke a profanity, such as when he was strangled by his evil self in "Autopsy Turvy" where he said, "Oh, crap! What the fuck?!".

Physical information

Flippy was a sergeant, as suggested with his outfit. He wears a green beret with a checkered crest on the top of his head. The peak tends to change directions due to animation errors. He wears a camouflage jacket that makes him blend into the environment. This technique is seen in "Hide and Seek", where his evil self kills his victim, Toothy. He also wears dog tags as a necklace. He usually has been seen with his hat, but it has been off a couple of times, revealing baldness. In scenes where Flippy is sleeping, he wears his army outfit. Despite bears having tails, just like the other bear characters, he does not have one. He is shown with belly-marking, as seen in some artwork where Flippy's evil self opens his jacket to reveal grenades and dynamite.

Other outfits and designs

Flippy as a carny.

In the episode "Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark", he and Sniffles wear a coconut as a helmet when using Sniffles' rocket.

Flippy wears a carny outfit in the episode, "Double Whammy". It is the same as his regular outfit, but he wears a cloth over his waist.

In Operation Tiger Bomb, he is the rank of a private. He wears the same dog tags and beret but is now wearing a backpack and not wearing a camouflage outfit. He also wears a belt and boots. He also lacks the traditional buckteeth that other characters have.

In the episode, "New Season Teaser", he is in the same art style as Dick Figures as a green stick figure.

Occupations

Almost every appearance of Flippy depicts him as a veteran. In "Operation Tiger Bomb" he is described as a soldier participating in the war. In Double Whammy, he is a carny at an amusement park where he tries to give Handy a foam finger, much to Handy's dismay. In "Random Acts of Silence", he is a librarian where he stamps books.

Relationships

Friends and love interests

Cuddles, Giggles, and Flaky greeting Flippy.

Flippy is usually good friends with almost everyone. In the episode "This is Your Knife", he and Cuddles camp alongside Flaky and Giggles. In "Party Animal", Cuddles joined Flippy's birthday party. After Flippy's evil self calms down, Flippy accidentally crashes his helicopter into Cuddles' house and is happy to see him alive. He also mourned his death in the "Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark".

Flippy and Giggles are seen as friends and even like each other romantically, in "On My Mind". However, Giggles is Flippy's evil self's most frequent victim. In "This is Your Knife", Giggles was camping with Cuddles and Flaky, and they accepted Flippy in the camp. He mourns her death in "Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark". In "Flippin' Burgers", Flippy is shocked to see Giggles covered in ketchup, reminding him of bloodshed in the war, which causes him to become his evil self.

In "Hide and Seek", Flippy and Toothy are shown to have fun with each other. In "Party Animal", Toothy was one of the participants at Flippy's party.

Flippy hanging out with Flippy.

Lumpy and Flippy are great friends on occasion. In the episode "Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark", he and Lumpy (with others) are seen as survivors from the bus crash. Despite this, Flippy (alongside Handy and Sniffles) throws him out of the rocket to escape from the island. In the episode "Double Whammy", Flippy gets help from Lumpy after Flippy realizes he is killing the other characters. Lumpy gives him two pieces of advice that do not work for him. Lumpy tries to hypnotize Flippy, but Lumpy accidentally hypnotizes himself, making him act like a chicken, which causes Flippy to leave. In "By The Seat Of Your Pants", Flippy is in Lumpy's house. Later, he is in the audience in the swimming race. In "In Over Your Hedge", Flippy is annoyed by Lumpy's noise and shushes him as he is trying to read.

Both Flippy and Lumpy have killed each other on occasion. In "Keepin' it Reel", Lumpy kills Flippy's evil side after killing everyone else. In "A Vicious Cycle", Flippy's evil self kills Lumpy last in the episode, revived as Cub's tricycle. In "Over Your Hedge", Flippy's evil self beheads Lumpy by wrapping a cord around him and spinning his head until it comes off. In "In "Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow", Flippy's evil self attempts to kill Lumpy but is soon reminded of his good self riding on the unicorn similar to his dream, which causes Flippy to cry and snaps back to his normal state. In "By The Seat Of Your Pants", Flippy's evil self lunged at Lumpy to be bounced off by his "trunks". Flippy then lands on a flagpole, impaling him. Lumpy then pulls Flippy down the pole, which kills Flippy.

Toothy, Petunia, Flaky, and Flippy

Petunia and Flippy are good friends, as shown in the episode "Hide and Seek" where they play the hide-and-seek game. Flippy mourns her death in "Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark"

In "Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark", Flippy and Handy work together to escape the island. In Double Whammy, after Handy somehow won to ring the bell, Flippy offers Handy a foam finger, which offends Handy as he has no hands. Handy gives an angry look and then leaves.

In "Party Animal", Nutty is one of the participants who went to Flippy's party. In "Random Acts of Silence", Flippy orders him and Sniffles to be quiet when they are laughing. In "Double Whammy", Nutty playes a carnival game that was hosted by Flippy. Flippy was horrified when he killed Nutty.

Sniffles and Flippy have only interacted in "Party Animal", where Sniffles goes to Flippy's party, and Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark, where he and Flippy try to escape the island.

Flaky at Flippy's party.

Flippy and Flaky are also great friends in many episodes. In "Hide and Seek", they play Hide and Seek. In "This Is Your Knife", they go camping with Cuddles and Giggles. In "Party Animal", Flaky is the one set up the party for him. Flippy's evil self did not kill her in the episode and was flipped back to his normal self after The Mole punctures her eye. In "Without a Hitch", Flippy wants to ride with Flaky. She eventually crashes her car, causing him to fly out of it. He sees her trapped by the seatbelts and tries to save her. However, in "Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark", Flippy's usual self (with Handy, Sniffles, and Lumpy) kill Flaky for puncturing their boat without remorse.

Flippy has only minorly interacted with the Mole in the episode "Party Animal" where he is happy to see him. The Mole himself helped with his Party.

Sneaky and Mouse Ka-Boom are Flippy's allies, as seen in "Operation: Tiger Bomb". After their death, Flippy hides in Sneaky's corpse and transforms into FLiQPy to kill the Tiger Army.

Foes and rivals

Flippy (with others) is offered a raft from Lifty and Shifty.

In the episode " Easy For You to Sleigh", Flippy is upset when he realizes that Lifty and Shifty tries to rob him and tie him up. These actions by them cause him to flip out, and Flippy then kills them. Earlier in the show, however, Lifty and Shifty are the two characters that try to help the other characters in the episode, " Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark".

Flippy is usually annoyed with Mime on occasions. In "Keepin' it Reel", Mime is somehow eating his "popcorn" loudly, which causes Flippy to tell him to be quiet. In "Random Acts of Silence", Mime keeps making noise in the library, which causes Flippy to get annoyed. Despite this, Flippy mourned his death in the episode " Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark" and Mime participated in Flippy's party in "Party Animal".

Despite being his alter-ego, Flippy has interacted with evil self, though only in hallucinations or dreams. In "Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow", Flippy is enjoying his dream of riding on a unicorn when his evil self in his helicopter comes to kill him. Flippy is shocked by this and tries to run away from him, only for his evil side to kill him. The nightmare causes his evil side to take over Flippy. In "Double Whammy" and its sequel "Autopsy Turvy", Flippy sees his evil self after overdosing on pills. The overdosing causes the two to go into a fight, only for Flippy to realize he is imagining the entire thing. Eventually, they both pull up clones and soon begin to attack each other, with Flippy being the only "alive" one.

Flippy fights the Tiger Army in the W.A.R Journal episode, "Operation Tiger Bomb". Flippy tries to disguise himself as a pizza delivery man and was supposed to kill The General with a dagger. Instead, he throws a pizza slice by mistake, foiling his disguise. After running away from the army by hiding in Sneaky's corpse, FLiQPy kills all the soldiers, including The General.

Speech

Flippy has a high-pitched voice, the most out of any of the adult characters. However, in the episode Happy Trails Pt 2: Jumping the Shark, he had the same voice as Pop, who has the second most resounding voice behind Flippy's evil self. When he was laughing when making Flaky's grave after killing her and screaming when Sniffles' rocket was going the sun, the sounds are the same as his evil self. The reason for the difference in voice is because the original idea was for Pop to be in the episode, but the writers felt it was out of character for Pop to kill someone in cold blood.

Trivia

• In Season 1 of Happy Tree Friends, Flippy's starring intro has him salute with his left hand, which is an improper way to salute.
• According to the Favorite Character poll in 2003, Flippy placed first with 32%, beating out Lumpy who got 16%. He would later place first again in the Best Happy Tree Friends Character tournament, beating out Flaky.