Homestar Runner universe
From Homestar Runner Wiki
The Homestar Runner universe is the fictional realm in which the characters of the Homestar Runner body of work live and breathe, as created chiefly by The Brothers Chaps. Within the main universe are Homestar Runner, Strong Bad, and the other main characters living in Free Country, USA. Their universe is much like our own; for example, they live in houses, eat food, go to work, watch TV, use the Internet, play sports, celebrate holidays, and do other normal things. At the same time, there are certain elements of the universe that show that they are in a cartoon; for example, through cartoon physics, Homsar can survive being crushed by a giant weight, objects can appear from Hammerspace, characters can break the fourth wall, and sometimes more than one of the same character are on the screen at the same time. In a body of work as large as The Brothers Chaps have created, complete continuity throughout every cartoon is almost impossible to maintain, leading to various inconsistencies.
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Sub-universes
Several fictional universes also exist within the framework of the main universe. Each of the sub-universes is produced by one or more of the characters (sometimes unseen) within the context of the main universe.
- Cheap as Free Comics — Originally imagined by Strong Bad. Strong Badman and Stiny get coffee and make death rays.
- Cheat Commandos — Animated series and toy line featuring characters that resemble The Cheat. The Cheat and Crack Stuntman are voice actors in the main universe who do the voices of Firebert and Gunhaver. A. Chimendez writes most or all of the episodes, and main characters play with the toys available from the series.
- Dangeresque — A film series produced by Strong Bad. Dangeresque, a wisecracking action hero, fights both "the law, and also the crime (but not as much)" with the help of Renaldo.
- Folk Tale World — The product of Strong Sad's imagination. The setting of The Folky Tale of Saddy Dumpington.
- The Li'l Brudder Show — A television program based on a drawing by Strong Bad. Li'l Brudder, a one-legged dog, tries to make it on his own.
- Peasantry — The primary setting of the Videlectrix games TROGDOR! (and its board game equivalent) and Peasant's Quest.
- Sweet Cuppin' Cakes — Originally imagined by Strong Bad, upon being asked to make a crazy cartoon.
- Teen Girl Squad — A comic drawn by Strong Bad. Four girls between the ages of 13 and 19 try to meet boys and look so good, often leading to their violent deaths.
- Thy Dungeonman — A series of Videlectrix text adventures about the medieval adventures of Thy Dungeonman.
Universe variations
Variations of the main Homestar Runner universe feature the main characters in altered versions of themselves. It is strongly implied that the Old-Timey and 20X6 variations exist as the past and future histories within the continuity of the main universe. The high school, middle school, and microscopic variations may be an extension of this, depending on how reliable Strong Bad's so-called doodle memory is. However, the Strong Bad Email alternate universe blurs the lines between the main universe, the sub-universes, and the universe variations, featuring them as existing all at once.
- Old-Timey — Cartoons in the style of 1930s black-and-white animation.
- 20X6 — The Homestar Runner universe as a stereotypical anime, featuring futuristic technology and challenges.
- Puppet Stuff — The main characters are occasionally featured as puppet versions of themselves.
- Storybook World — The entire body of work began with the characters in book form. This alternate version of the main universe depicts the characters in the style of the Original Book written by Mike Chapman and Craig Zobel. Strong Bad often tells stories in this world in his attempts at historical revisionism.
- Powered by The Cheat — The Cheat's poorly animated version of the main universe in which everything always works out well for him. He apparently does the voices for his toons.
- The Homestar Runner Mysfit-steries — A Hanna-Barbera-esque cartoon representing Strong Bad's memories of high school.
- Xeriouxly Forxe — The eponymous toon presents "darker and edgier" versions of all the main characters.
- Yonder Website — A parody of children's programming, featuring simplistic character designs and soothing narration from Strong Bad.
- Several other minor character variations have also been created over time.
As a term
The phrase "Homestar Runner universe" has been used several times within the body of work itself.
- Marzipan is known as the only girl in the main universe, which is explored in depth on the DVD feature Why Come Only One Girl?.
- A summary for the Podstar Runner release of haircut notes that there is "Very little hair on the scalps of the Homestar Runner universe."
- The phrase was featured in the Sketchbook on March 8, 2007 (see image above).
- In the DVD commentary for retirement, while talking about the auto hole formatting, Strong Bad remarks that "there's a lot of autoformatting that goes on in my universe."
