Alan Harper (Two and A Half Men) - Charlie's Death and Friendship With Walden Schmidt

Charlie's Death and Friendship With Walden Schmidt

At Charlie's funeral, Alan is the only person who tries to say something positive about the deceased. Alan, Evelyn and Berta are shown to be the only people saddened over Charlie's death, though Evelyn continuously mentions how she intends on making money from selling his house. Alan expected to get the house, as it was left to him in Charlie's will. He hopes selling the house will get him a 'tidy sum'. However, continuing on the theme that nothing goes right for Alan, Evelyn informs him that after paying for closing costs, Charlie's three mortgages and her commission, he will be 'lucky to break even'.

In a subtly sentimental moment, Alan sadly speaks to Charlie's ashes and tells him how much he loves him and will truly miss him. He also thanks him for allowing him and Jake to move in with him when they had no place else to go. However, Alan accidentally spills the ashes after being frightened by the sight of Walden Schmidt, who was peeping through the window. Symbolically as the ashes fall onto the floor Walden emerges from Charlie's ashes.

Following this Alan listens to Walden talking to his ex-wife Bridget Schmidt (Judy Greer) on the phone when it is revealed that he is heart broken and tried to drown himself over her but the water was too cold. Alan learns that Walden is a billionaire and figures out that he can (in Charlie's words) "sponge" off of him, so he takes Walden for a drink.

At the bar, Walden reveals that he made $1.3 billion after selling his website to Microsoft. He and Alan pick up two girls and take them home, but both girls end up having sex with Walden. The following morning, Walden tells Alan the he intends to buy the house and ends up doing so. After Alan reluctantly moves back in with his mother, a lonely Walden drops by her house to drop off a book Alan left behind and the two end up going out. Alan ends up staying at the Charlie's old house with Walden and covers for him when Bridget stops by while Walden is flirting with a girl. A grateful Walden lets Alan stay at the house temporarily, although Alan intends for it to be permanent. However, when Sylvia (Jenny McCarthy), a former flame of Charlie's and nemesis to Evelyn, tries to con Walden out of his money, an aware Alan calls Bridget and manages to expose her to Walden as being a sociopathic outlaw. Because of this, Walden tells Alan he wants him to stay at the house, as he's watched his back twice now, their friendship significantly grows in later episodes when Walden at first considers moving to New York stays at the Beach house in Mailibu because as Walden states "How could I leave behind my best friend".

Later on, Walden donates Charlie's piano to a music school, causing Alan to have an emotional and mental break down. He finally realizes how much he misses Charlie and his wild, outlandish stories; while trying to process his grief Alan speaks to the sky saying he'd have given anything to be like his brother, even for a day; his breakdown worsens when he goes so far as to believe he is actually Charlie by adopting his mannerisms and dressing like him. Walden then had Alan committed to a "relaxation facility" so his friend could regain his sanity.

When Walden first began dating Zoey, he removed his hugely expensive wedding ring and gave it to Alan; while it appeared at first that broke-as-always Alan had pawned the ring to pay his debts, Alan kept the ring and gave it back to Walden when it was requested, only to watch in horror as Walden then threw the ring into the ocean. Walden said he would give Alan money, but Alan decides that he'll keep living at the house and maintain the illusion that not taking money from Walden will keep some of his dignity intact. Alan has also said that Walden's renovation of the house has ended any real ties Alan had to it from when Charlie was alive, but it seems like Alan will stay there anyway, because of the combination of Walden liking him and there being nowhere else for him to go.

On Christmas, Alan was alone on the first holiday without his brother. Jake hung out with Eldridge, and Evelyn had an orgy with two men instead of spending time with Alan and remembering Charlie. When Walden was upset after learning that his adoptive brother (a gorilla) was sent away when he was a boy, Alan consoles him by telling him he knows the feeling of losing a brother.