Knockout Ned (Mané Galinha)

Knockout Ned (Mané Galinha) is a major character in the movie "City of God". He is played by Brazilian actor-singer Seu Jorge.

Background

Ned's real name is Manuel Machado. He is known as Knockout Ned because he is a ladies' man and can get any woman he so pleases. He is also a former soldier in the Brazilian Army, 'the best marksman in his barracks,' he brags. He is also a karate expert and would like to teach martial arts. His family includes his parents, younger brothers and a grand-uncle.

Run-ins with Li'L Zé

During the events of City of God, Ned is working with the transit system, collecting money from patrons who ride along his bus. He also has a very attractive girlfriend, which later draws the attention of the City of God's drug lord, Li'l Zé (Zé Pequeno). He also knows Rocket (Buscapé) and Stringy from the City of God.

Before that, Ned runs into Zé, who is celebrating his eighteenth birthday along with his friend Benny (Bené). Zé pulls his gun on him but the confrontation ends as quickly as it starts. Shortly afterward, Zé seizes control over nearly all of the rackets in the favela by eliminating the local drug dealers there.

By the time Lil Zé has control of the slums, he already has eyes for Ned's girlfriend. The second encounter with Zé happens at Benny's going-away party. After Ned's girlfriend refuses Zé's offer to dance with him, Zé snaps and forces Ned to strip naked at gunpoint, humiliating Ned. Shortly after, Benny is killed by a bullet that was meant for Zé.

With Benny gone, Zé decides to seize control of the racket ran by Carrot (Cenoura), who was a former friend of Benny's. On his way to Carrot's Zé runs into Ned's girlfriend, and later Ned himself. Putting his plans on hold, Zé and his gang assaults Ned, and forces him to watch as Zé rapes his girlfriend.

Later on, at home, Ned is sitting at a table, lamenting about what had happened to him and his girlfriend. He asks himself, "Why didn't that motherfucker kill me?" Zé himself is thinking along the same lines, saying to himself, "Why didn't I kill that motherfucker?" He decides to put Carrot on hold and finish off Ned.

Zé arrives at Ned's home and calls him out. Ned, however, is restrained by his relatives while his youngest brother, Gerson, arms himself with a knife and goes outside to try and reason with Zé, who refuses to talk to him, demanding that Gerson brings out Ned instead. Gerson agrees, then attacks Zé, injuring him. Zé guns down Gerson and he and his gang open fire into Ned's home, however Ned's parents and himself survive the barrage, but his younger brother Gerson and his Uncle are not so lucky. Thinking that he's done enough damage, Zé and his crew depart.

Minutes later, Carrot shows up and hands Ned a revolver. Zé is close by, getting his arm treated when Ned shows up, opening fire on them, killing one of Zé's followers, forcing Zé and his gang to retreat.

The War Against Li'l Zé

After this confrontation, Ned hides out with Carrot and his gang. Zé sends Steak-and-Fries over to Carrot's with a message: kill Knockout Ned and Zé will leave Carrot alone. Ned tries to talk some sense into Steak, in which the defiant boy replies, "I smoke, snort and killed. I'm a man."

In order for both of them to survive against Zé, both Ned and Carrot join forces. Ned and Carrot raise money to buy weapons by robbing stores and banks. One bank, in particular, Ned guns down the bank's security guard in front of his son. Once enough cash was raised, Ned and Carrot invest in more guns and munitions.

The war between Zé and Ned and Carrot's forces have begun. According to Rocket, 'one bullet from Ned was worth 10 from Zé.' Over the course of several months, many people - mostly children who signed up on both sides - have been killed. Later on, after a gun battle, Ned comes across the body of Steak-and-Fries, who was killed. As he remembers what the boy had said to him, Otto, the son of the bank security guard he killed, injures Ned, sending him to the hospital.

While in the hospital, Ned is interviewed by the local news. "Many people have died," he says. "Mostly innocent people. Just knowing me is enough to get you killed by Li'l Zé...They go after me, not him. I've been in jail, while he goes on killing undisturbed. And they don't arrest him."

Later on, in the hospital, while Ned's police guard was having a late-night encounter with a nurse, Carrot and his gang arrive and help Ned escape without firing a shot.

Ned's Death

While attending a cookout, Zé and his gang chase down a chicken that has escaped its bonds through the streets of the City of God. Zé runs into Rocket again and gets into a standoff with the police, who quickly retreat.

Then Ned and Carrot showed up. Armed with a carbine, Ned, Carrot and their gang open fire on Zé and his gang, while everyone else take cover. Zé and Tiago try to escape by a truck, but Ned kills Tiago, causing the truck to crash. Ned finds Otto, who is dying and berates him on joining the war between the two factions.

What Ned doesn't know is that Otto had simply joined Ned and Carrot's army to get revenge on Ned for killing his father. When Ned runs off to get some help, Otto raises his gun and fires. This time around, Ned dies, followed by Otto shortly afterward.