Nelson Van Alden (played by Michael Shannon) is a puritanical religious fundamentalist, repressed, government revenue agent in the Bureau of Prohibition. In the midst of trying to bring down kingpin Nucky Thompson he succumbed to corruption and has become an outlaw on the run himself.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Background 1.2 Season 1 1.3 Season 2 1.4 Season 3 2 Relationships 3 Memorable Quotes 4 Appearances

Biography

Background

In his position as a Senior Agent with the Bureau of Prohibition in the Department of Internal Revenue Nelson Van Alden tackles his job with the fervor of a man possessed. He is deeply religious and is married to Rose Van Alden. Van Alden is under the command of Supervisor Elliot and partnered with Agent Eric Sebso .

Season 1

Main article: Nelson Van Alden Season 1

Season 2

Main article: Nelson Van Alden Season 2

Season 3

Main article: Nelson Van Alden Season 3

Relationships

Family

• Rose Van Alden - First wife
• Abigail Van Alden - Daughter
• Lucy Danziger - Lover, mother of Abigail
• Sigrid - Second wife, under assumed identities as Mr. and Mrs. Mueller
• Baby Boy Van Alden - Son

Law enforcement career

• Supervisor Elliot - Commanding officer
• Agent Sebso - Subordinate (Former)
• Agent Clarkson - Subordinate
• Agent Sawicki - Subordinate
• Nucky Thompson - Investigatory target
• Arnold Rothstein - Investigatory target
• Jimmy Darmody - Investigatory target, informant (former)
• Mickey Doyle - Informant
• Margaret Schroeder - Informant (former)
• Esther Randolph - Assistant US Attorney prosecuting Nucky
• Clifford Lathrop - Department of Justice investigator assigned to Randolph
• Dick Halsey - Randolph's clerk

Sales career

• Scotty Gulliver - Boss
• Phil - Colleague
• Hank - Colleague
• Ralph - Colleague
• Dean O'Banion - Client

Memorable Quotes

• Mrs. Mauer: "And just now -"
  • Nelson: "Yes?"
  • Mrs. Mauer: "A blue limousine pulls up and carts them off - her and her children"
  • Nelson: "A Rolls?"
  • Mrs. Mauer: "How's that?"
  • Nelson: "The limousine - a Rolls Royce?" ("Family Limitation") 
• "THOU HAST FULLFILLED, THE JUDGEMENT OF THE WICKED!!"

• "The roast tastes good."
• "I brought lemons."
• Mickey Doyle: "I put this whole operation together. And what do I receive? A poke up my ass."
  • Nelson: "Painful." ("Under God's Power She Flourishes")

Appearances

Season one appearances
Boardwalk Empire	The Ivory Tower	Broadway Limited	Anastasia
Nights in Ballygran	Family Limitation	Home	Hold Me in Paradise
Belle Femme	The Emerald City	Paris Green	A Return to Normalcy

Season two appearances
21	Ourselves Alone	A Dangerous Maid	What Does the Bee Do?
Gimcrack & Bunkum	The Age of Reason	Peg of Old	Two Boats and a Lifeguard
Battle of the Century	Georgia Peaches	Under God's Power She Flourishes	To the Lost

Season three appearances
"Resolution"	"Spaghetti and Coffee"	"Bone for Tuna"	"Blue Bell Boy"
"You'd Be Surprised"	"Ging Gang Goolie"	"Sunday Best"	"Season 3, Episode 8"
"Season 3, Episode 9"	"Season 3, Episode 10"	"Season 3, Episode 11"	"Season 3, Episode 12"