Ned (Pushing Daisies)

Ned
Pushing Daisies character
First appearance	Pie-lette
Last appearance	Kerplunk
Created by	Bryan Fuller
Portrayed by	Lee Pace Field Cate(Young Ned)
Information
Nickname(s)	The Pie Maker
Gender	Male
Occupation	Pie maker, amateur detective

Ned, also referred to as "The Piemaker," is the protagonist of the ABC television series, Pushing Daisies, and is portrayed by Lee Pace.

Ned works as a pie maker at his restaurant The Pie Hole. He also has the ability to resurrect the dead with a single touch. When private investigator Emerson Cod (Chi McBride) accidentally discovers Ned's ability, the two enter in a partnership: in exchange for Ned using his ability to revive those who have died under suspicious circumstances, Emerson will split any reward money that he receives when the information discovered with the help of Ned's gift allows them to solve the crime.

Field Cate portrays young Ned in flashbacks.

Ned brings the dead back to life with a single touch, but there are two conditions. First, if he touches a dead person, plant or animal for a second time, it will die forever. Secondly, if the revived remains alive for more than sixty seconds, something or someone else in close proximity will die in its place. Generally, whatever dies is a rough equivalent to what has been revived: a human for a human, an animal for an animal, or a plant for a plant.

Revival may suspend the aging process. Ned's dog Digby, having been resurrected by Ned when Ned was nine and Digby was three, remains alive to this day and appears to be in healthy physical condition despite living well past the average amount of dog years. This theory was suspected to be the same for Chuck, but was never proven.

Ned discovered his gift by reviving his dog, Digby, who was run over by a truck. Later that day, Ned also revived his mother after she suddenly died of a brain aneurysm, but soon discovered that his gift had consequences when Chuck's father died next door in exchange. Ned discovered the other effect of his gift later that night, when his mother kissed him goodnight and died a second time. During their respective parents' funerals, Ned and Chuck kissed—the first time for both of them. After the funeral, Ned's father dropped him off at the Longborough School for Boys, and never returned or contacted him again except to say that he had moved.

Ned continued to test his gift, learning its limitations and rules by such experiments as reviving a jarful of fireflies. After finishing school, Ned opened his own restaurant, The Pie Hole, a restaurant specializing in pies. Ned lives above the restaurant in an apartment, next door to his employee, Olive Snook, who is not aware of his ability. Olive is jealous of Chuck's romance with Ned, but despite her many attempts to attract him, he doesn't reciprocate, though a couple of near-death experiences have prompted suspicions that he may have stronger feelings for her than he initially thought. (Season 1, Episode 5)

...
Wikipedia