The main character of both the Nightmare Ned video game and TV show. He is a bald-headed, glasses-wearing, 10-year-old boy who has a hyperactive imagination, using it to deal with his fears, troubles, and anxieties through dark and quirky nightmares. He lives with his mother, his father, and baby sister. He also has a grandfather named Ted Needlemeyer, but he has only appeared in the video game.
Gender Bender: The episode "Girl Trouble" revolves around this, after Ned goes into the girl's bathroom at school by mistake (because of a prank by Conrad and Vernon) He dreams about being a girl, whom Both Conrad and Vernon fall for in the episode.
Out-of-Character Moment: One episode had a camp counselor telling scary stories, scaring his charges... Except Ned, who nonchalantly explains why they're all garbage.
"Risky Business" Dance: In the video game intro, when Ned learns his parents won't be home for a while.
Although he tries to comprehend Ned's nightmare dilemmas, it does not occurs often, as he is constantly confused by them. In the video game, he is only a supporting character and does not speak a single line during the game's course, but plays a bigger role in the TV series.
Determinator: As his dream-world counterpart—Captain Dad—in the Willie Trout episode.
It's Quiet... Too Quiet: In the final episode, Ned's dad says this when he comes home from work. This is immediately subverted in that nothing sinister is going on at all.
Minor Injury Overreaction: Ned freaks out over losing his tooth, despite the fact he's lost every other one of his baby teeth.
Wrong Genre Savvy: In the opening to the very last episode, Ned's dad seems to think he's in some kind of mystery or suspense show. This is quickly dropped when the focus shifts to Ned.
Mrs. Needlemeyer
Voiced by Victoria Jackson in the TV series Voiced by Lani Minella in the video game
Sensitive and caring, she seems to understand Ned more than his father.
The Other Darrin: Ned's mom in the show versus his Mom in the video game. This is very noticeable because, in the show, she was voiced by the very distinct-sounding Victoria Jackson.
Amy Needlemeyer
Others
Conrad and Vernon
Voiced by Kevin West (Conrad), Dan Castellaneta (Vernon)
Video Game characters
Shadows
Eldritch Abominations: The "Shadow creatures" that serve as bosses in the video game take their forms from Ned's fears, but the good ending indicates that they exist outside of and apart from him, and upon defeat are removed from his head rather than outright destroyed. Interestingly, they don't need his fear to survive, and seem to be tormenting him for no reason other than boredom.
Heel-Face Turn: Each of the Shadows by the end of the game.
Even more so when, if the game ends well: The Shadows' true forms help Ned defeat his final fear and the true Big Bad: a giant, morbid version of himself.
The Rival: Between the School Shadow and the Bathroom Shadow.
Graveyard Shadow/Ted Needlemeyer
"Time to bury all your [twirls scythe] troubles, Ned!"
Voiced by Harry Anderson
Big Bad: Being the oldest and with an appearance reminiscent of Death itself, The Graveyard Shadow is widely considered as the main villain of the game.
Foreshadowing: At the start of the game, the Graveyard Shadow tells Ned "I'm just dying for you to visit!" When the Shadow's true identity is revealed, he is shown to be Ned's grandfather, Ted, who tells him that he's been wanting to spend some time with him.
Misunderstood Loner with a Heart of Gold: Subverted at the end, when it turns out that the Shadow was actually a sweet, albeit eccentic, little girl that just enjoyed some occasional solitude her strange fantasy realm, which she calls her "secret treasure chest".
It is hinted that Petey and Repetey may possible relatives to Mrs. Salt and Glution due to the fact they have portraits around each other in the main hall.
Something else very interesting to note is that Ned's mother has a portrait next to theirs, as well, hinting furthermore that she may have been Sally the little girl.
The "Amazing Twins!" (aka Petey and Repetey)
Catch Phrase: "Key, key, who's got the key?" is repeated by Petey and Repetey, among their other bitter ramblings.
Conjoined Twins: Continuously bickering, seemingly a pair of performers, whom at the time, are seen juggling bombsand possibly a key.
Split Personality/ Mood-Swinger: At first, she is seen as jittery, anxious, and nervous, but next moment, after she gets her salt, she turns wild; grunting and hollering, gleefully tossing the salt around, and coveting it with a madman's grin.
◊ this won't hurt a bit!"
