Homestar Runner universe

From Homestar Runner Wiki

Revision as of 03:41, 21 May 2007

Entirely untrue. For reals.

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, and sometimes more than one of the same character are on the screen at the same time.

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.

• Teen Girl Squad — Drawn by Strong Bad. Four girls between the ages of 13 and 19 try to meet boys and look so good.
• 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.
• Dangeresque — Film series produced by Strong Bad. Dangeresque, a wisecracking action hero, fights both "the law and the crime" with the help of Renaldo.
• Folk Tale World — The product of Strong Sad's imagination. The setting of The Folky Tale of Saddy Dumpington.
• Cheat Commandos — Animated series featuring characters that resemble The Cheat. Crack Stuntman is a main universe voice actor who does the voice of Gunhaver. A. Chimendez writes most or all of the episodes, and main characters play with the toys available from the series.
• Cheap as Free Comics — Originally imagined by Strong Bad. Strong Badman and Stiny get coffee and make death rays.
• 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 somehow.
• Sweet Cuppin' Cakes — Originally imagined by Strong Bad, upon being asked to make a crazy cartoon.
• Peasantry/Trogdor universe — The primary setting of the Videlectrix game Peasant's Quest.
• Thy Dungeonman — Another Videlectrix game. A series of text adventures about the adventures of Thy Dungeonman.

Universe variations

Variations of the main Homestar Runner universe feature the main characters in altered versions of themselves. The email alternate universe blurred the lines between the main universe, the sub-universes, and the universe variations, featuring them as existing all at once.

• It is strongly implied that the Old-Timey and 20X6 exist as the past and future histories within the continuity of the main universe. The middle- and high-school and microscopic variations may be an extension of this, depending on how reliable Strong Bad's so-called doodle memory is.
• The main characters are occasionally featured as real-life versions of themselves.
• The entire body of work began with the characters in book form.

Inconsistencies within the universe

In a body of work as large as The Brothers Chaps have created, continuity from one toon to the next is almost impossible to maintain.

See main article: Inconsistencies within the Homestar Runner universe

As a term

The phrase "Homestar Runner universe" has been used three 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." Finally, the phrase was featured in the sketchbook (see image above).