In the fictional town of South Park, Stan Marsh and his friends Kyle, Kenny, and Eric try to figure out life. But if you’re a fan of the show, you certainly know that Stan stands out from the rest.
Stan may seem cynical, but he doesn’t shy away from his vulnerable side. And that’s what draws audiences who can relate to his many struggles.
Let’s look closely at cool facts about Stan Marsh and how they shape the character we know and love.
Stan first appears in the 1992 Christmas short film Jesus vs. Frosty. In this early version, he was just a nameless character made from cardboard cutouts and animated using stop motion.
His character officially debuted on the first episode of South Park, which first aired 27 years ago on August 13, 1997. And he finally had a name, Stanley “Stan” Marsh.
Stan gets his surname, Marsh, from the paternal step-grandfather of one of the show’s creators, Trey Parker.
Although the show sort of revolves around the lives of the four young boys, Stan is considered to be the main character. He acts as the group’s leader and moral compass.
Stan comes from a dysfunctional family. His parents, Randy and Sharon Marsh, have a rocky relationship, and his older teen sister, Shelly, is often abusive.
Kyle Broflovski is Stan’s best friend in the group, and they’ve been close since they were kids. They get in fights occasionally, but never serious enough to permanently keep them apart.
Stan is a regular 10-year-old in Mr. Garrison’s fourth-grade class at South Park Elementary School, and he’s popular among the ladies. In the episode “The List,” the girls voted him the third most handsome boy at school.
He has had several alter egos throughout the show, including Toolshed, Formal Stan, Ranger Stan Marshwalker, and Pajamas Stan.
Stan’s character is inspired by his voice actor Trey Parker who’s also one of the show’s creators. But the coolest part is that they both share the same birthday, October 19.
Stan is Roman Catholic, but his beliefs have changed throughout the show. He has temporarily been an atheist, Mormon, Blaintologist, and even a Scientologist leader.
In Season 3, episode 6, it’s revealed that Stan has asthma. Cartman finds Stan’s asthma inhaler while taking possession of his things after winning a lawsuit against him.
During the early seasons of the show, Stan was never shown without his iconic red and blue hat. The first time the audience sees his dark hair uncovered is in Season 4, Episode 17, “A Very Crappy Christmas.”
Stan is the only one of the four boys who has never gotten a severe terminal illness. Kenny was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in “Kenny Dies,” while Kyle and Cartman got AIDS in “Tonsil Trouble.”
Stan Marsh is ambidextrous, so throughout the show, you’ll notice that he performs tasks with both hands.
Stan has had multiple occupations throughout the show, starting as a student and a paper boy. In the post-COVID episodes, he has been an online whiskey consultant and served as the Chief Master Sergeant at the United States Space Force.
Though you might not easily be able to tell from how the shows are animated, Stan Marsh has blue eyes. This compliments his dark hair and light skin.
Stan is a huge animal lover and fights for animal rights throughout the show. He even attempted to become a vegetarian but had to give that up because it made him ill.
Stan was the last of the four boys to get any superhuman abilities. He could fly and move objects with his mind temporarily in the “Freemium Isn’t Free” episode after getting possessed by the devil.
Stan has a complicated relationship with longtime girlfriend Wendy Testaburger. He’s had a crush on her since the pilot episode, and despite breaking up in the episode “Raisins,” they get back together in “The List.”
He’s also a talented singer/songwriter and has joined several musical groups throughout the show. Stan’s also great with the guitar.
Whether you love him or hate him, Stan Marsh is a character that almost everyone relates to in some way.
Like the viewers, he’s often frustrated by everyone’s messy behavior on the show. Yet, he sometimes manages to keep his cool and acts as the group’s voice of reason.
Now that you know all about Stan Marsh, keep an eye out for these interesting details next time you enjoy South Park!
