Strong Bad
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| Image:Strong Bad.png |
| This article is about a character in the Homestar Runner series. |
Principal characters
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Strong Bad is a primary character in the fictional world of Homestar Runner. He is best known for his "Strong Bad Emails", or "SBEmails", in which he is shown typing answers to questions written by visitors to the site on his personal computer. Modelled after a Mexican wrestler character featured in Nintendo's "Tag Team Wrestling," he is shirtless with boxing gloves for hands (though a running gag on the website claims that he originally had oven mitts) and a luchador's wrestling mask for a face. Though originally presented as a villain, Strong Bad has been favorably embraced by pop-culture for his quick-witted sarcasm and infectiously abrasive voice. He is usually seen as the most popular character, although some fans object to the frequency with which he appears in comparison to other characters. His voice has changed over time from a distinctly Mexican accent to a more American one, while still retaining its "rough" quality. His eyes have also become steadily smaller.
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Origin
Image:Ttpr strongbads.jpg The "Strong Bad Emails" were originally a small feature introduced in 2001, in which Strong Bad would mock the spelling and grammar of those who wrote to him, usually using an outdated computer. Although the animations were initially brief, the responses gradually grew to establish numerous catchphrases and running gags, as well as spin-offs like Trogdor the Burninator and Teen Girl Squad. A typical Strong Bad email will also include numerous easter eggs and other hidden material. An example of a Strong Bad Email reply is his take on techno, where he creates the techno song "The System Is Down."
Along with his physically intimidating but mentally limited big brother Strong Mad and his lackey animal-of-questionable-species The Cheat, Strong Bad represents the self-proclaimed criminal element in the series. Strong Bad is undoubtedly the most popular member despite, or perhaps because of, his mischievous nature. Many shorts concern the various practical jokes and scams that they perpetrate. Although these "crimes" are usually only slightly malevolent, Strong Bad still acts as if he is a villainous mastermind, and is highly prone to exaggerating his alluring qualities — especially with regards to women and "cold ones" (which are apparently the equivalent of beer in Free Country, USA, the land in which the Homestar Runner series takes place). In one email, it was revealed he had the ability to remove caps by making the jewel in his mask glow with intense concentration. He demonstrated this ability by removing the cap from a cold one, and by repeatedly removing Homestar's cap.
Alternate versions
1936
1936 Strong Bad (a.k.a. The Strong Bad, a.k.a. Sir Strong Bad) has hair and a handlebar moustache. His mask is less detailed and he has no visible mouth. He is widely thought to have a British accent, but this is not the case. He has an early 1900s American accent, rather than the Mexican accent that present-day Strong Bad has (although this has gradually become less and less obvious over time.)
20X6 - Stinkoman
Stinkoman, a futuristic anime-style Strong Bad, has no thumbs, big robot boots, a mouth that is tiny when closed, but "ridiculously huge" when open, blue hair, and big green eyes. Strong Bad (the original) designed this character in the e-mail "Japanese Cartoon", when someone asked what he would look like as a Japanese cartoon. The name "Stinkoman" comes from an earlier email (number 52, "Island"), where Strong Bad was called that name by Homestar Runner. His primary interests are "Challenge and fighting and fighting that challenge." He has his own game. This version of Strong Bad was clearly modeled after Mega Man (aka Rockman) and Astroboy.
The use of the year 20X6 (pronounced "twenty ex-tee six") is also a reference to the Mega Man games that were often set in the year 20XX, and also to the cartoon series Thunderbirds 2086.
Senor Cardgage
Senor Cardgage is what Strong Bad said he would look like if he was an ugly, dumpy old guy with a beer belly and a comb-over. He is fat, wears gold rimmed glasses, and he wanders around mumbling things and standing too close to people. He also tends to refer to people with female names, regardless of their gender. He is "so cool, you don't even know he's cool." Senor Cardgage became an individual character rather than an alter-ego after his debut appearance.
Strong Bad Man
In SBEmail 29: superhero name a writer named Stiny asked him to add man to the end of his name and he makes stiny his sidekick Lil Stiny. Strong Bad Man only appears in comic book form with well-draw muscles and much taller than the original Strong Bad. His evil super hero plans are to "stick it to the man" He has a rent controled apartment (as seen in sbemail 150) wastes water and steals cable.
High School Strongbad
In SBEmail 140:High school Patrick asks what strong bad was like in highschool. He describes them like the characters of Scooby Doo. Strong bad still wears no shirt but is hunched over and wears a green cap backwards ie: Shaggy Marzipan plays Daphne Homestar plays Freddy and Strong Mad plays Scooby.
Computers
Strong Bad has owned several computers and while each is superior to the last, they remain horribly dated in contrast to current technology. His first computer, called "Tandy 400", featured the classic "green-and-black" monochrome monitor and displayed little to no graphics. After finally giving out and exploding in Strong Bad's face, this computer was unceremoniously dumped. His next computer, "Compy 386", boasted improved graphics and sound but remained behind the times. The Compy later proved to be overloaded with computer viruses - indeed when Strong Bad runs his virus scan it informs him "Last scan was NEVER ago." The 423,827 viruses leak from the computer and begin altering Strong Bad's reality. Bubs restores reality to Strong Bad's Universe by blasting a hole in the Compy, with a shotgun. Strong Bad then got a new computer, a laptop this time, called the "Lappy 486". Trumping both previous computers in processing power, the Lappy still runs without the aid of a graphical user interface. As of April 2006, this is his current computer.