Ned Gerblansky and Jimbo Kern
Ned and Jimbo are generally (not counting seasons past about 12 which I consider proper slop) always seen together, even if only Jimbo speaks. They're characterised as a pair of redneck hunting buddies who met in 'Nam, where they were stationed in Da Nang, this is also where Ned lost his arm. The two are not explicitly stated to be romantically involved, but fans (including myself) generally assume they are because they live together and neither are currently married (though Ned used to be) or actively date. They bond over their shared affinity for guns, beer, hunting, and crude humor. While it can be assumed the two are a couple, it is either non-canon or is not public to the people of South Park, as in the episode "It Hits The Fan", Jimbo accidentally says "fag" without being censored (indicating he is allowed to as he is gay), followed by a quiet "uh oh."
Ned's arm
Though some assume from the card shown in the mobile game "South Park: Phone Destroyer" that Ned's arm was shot off, this is just a reference to the Vietnam War movie "Platoon". Ned has been said on two occasions to have lost his arm from holding onto a grenade, whether out of stupidity or in an attempt to throw it back is unclear.
My Interpretation/Stories
"idiot redneck hunting buddies who happen to be married" is generally what I like to go for, but I like to imagine their experience in Vietnam much like Norman Mailer's terribly excecuted novel "Why are we in Vietnam?". Similar to Tex and DJ on their corporate-sponsored hunting trip, the two charge into the war with the intention of proving their masculinity, shootin' and killin' some commies.
Much like Eliot Fremont-Smith's evaluation of the book;
"Why are we in Vietnam? Because it’s there, man. And violence is as American as cherry pie"
I also enjoy the idea of the two in isolation, and they mutually seem to wonder if what they feel can be as sexual as it is violent, both disregarding the idea entirely and deciding
that they are joined in a blood pact. Something might happen between them eventually, but for now, they must kill. For now, they are men. It's horrific, sure, but who doesn't love to ruin the idea of a good simple pair of idiots? The novel i steal this idea from is strange in the way that tex and dj seem to have more of an awareness of why they and other men feel that killing is their livelihood and their
only goal, but still, they go to vietnam, and with a fair shot of enthusiasm! maybe ned and jimbo were the opposite: they deserted for a while from da nang, mutually understood the horrors of machismo-driven war, and then went home to go hunt some shit instead.
