An only child in the midst of a rocky marital situation, Milhouse is alternately pampered, then ignored. Yet despite their strained relationship, Milhouse's parents, Kirk and Luann, both love Milhouse deeply.
When he falls prey to the hollowness of Hollywood's star-making machinery as 'Fallout Boy,' they are extremely concerned for his wealth, and their well-being. As a result, Bart's "bad influence" may be the most stabilizing force in Milhouse's life.
A self-confessed second banana, Milhouse is Bart's bespectacled best friend, loyal sidekick, and spitbrother. He even plays Houseboy to Bart's Bartman.
Consequently, he is frequently the willing, yet unwitting, victim of Bart's shenanigans. He has survived mind-bending encounters with 100% all-syrup Super Squishees, weathered merciless cat-scratchings while entertaining as a magician at Bart's Treehouse Nightclub, and suffered the agonies of Pink Bellies, Wedgies, Wet Willies, and the dreaded Rear Admiral at the hands of Nelson Muntz and other school thugs.
Though Bart can get Milhouse to do practically anything, once Milhouse sets his goals, no matter how improbable, his doggedness is unshakeable. He once saved 50,000 Bazooka Joe comics for a hideous zipper-encrusted leather jacket, has alienated Bart with his obsessive lip-wrestling love of Samantha Stanky and has forced Bart to acknowledge possessing a soul by buying Bart's for five dollars (later trading it for some Alf pogs).
