Leeroy Jenkins
Leeroy Jenkins, sometimes spelled Leroy Jenkins and often elongated with numerous additional letters, is an Internet phenomenon named for a character in Blizzard Entertainment's popular MMORPG World of Warcraft, who became popular thanks to a machinima video of the game that circulated around the Internet. The phenomenon has since spread well beyond the boundaries of the WoW community, into other online games and media.
So ubiquitous is the Leeroy Jenkins phenomenon that he was mentioned as part of a clue on the November 16, 2005 episode of the game show Jeopardy! as part of their college week tournament.
History
This Internet phenomenon started with the release of a videoclip online to the World of Warcraft forums. The video was released by the World of Warcraft Alliance player guild PALS FOR LIFE on the Laughing Skull realm. Leeroy Jenkins appears as a paladin in the video, which was apparently intended as a promotion for the guild.
The videoclip is a computer recording of the game World of Warcraft. The clip begins with a dozen players, including Leeroy, planning a raid on The Rookery: a part of the instance dungeon Upper Blackrock Spire. The players are heard conversing over Ventrilo, a Voice over IP program similar to TeamSpeak. Leeroy, apparently away from his computer during these planning stages, remains quiet. Just as they are discussing tactics (which players of the game will recognize to be comically poor) and calculating the possible rate of survival for the attack, Leeroy suddenly springs to life, shouting his battle cry: "All right chums, I'm [back]! Let's do this! LEEROOOOOOOY!!! JENKIIIIIINSSSSSS!!!". He then charges fearlessly into The Rookery, to the complete and utter incredulity of his teammates. Attempting to save him, they follow him in and are quickly overwhelmed by the whelplings, unable to "stick to the plan."
Rise in popularity
Leeroy was given a substantial boost in notoriety by the publication of an article in the August 2005 issue of PC Gamer UK by author Craig Pearson, entitled "The Ballad of Leeroy Jenkins". Pearson's article claims that the original video was designed as a negative commentary on the kind of "nerd-guilds" that meticulously and statistically plan out raids the way Leeroy's guild was apparently doing. Leeroy is in fact the hero of the piece, acting against the geekiness of his guild.
Those familiar with game play in World of Warcraft have noted that the "plans" his guildmates were making are so flawed that the video must be staged. There is abundant evidence for this, including:
- The statistical basis for calculating a chance of survival is dubious, at best. However, it has been pointed out that this probability of success is possible if the guild had previously attempted the room 300 times and successfully completed it on 97 of those occasions. It could also be a percentage survivial of the members, which would require only a few runs to tabulate.
- An overall plan to activate all the enemies and fight them at once would be a rather unlikely occurrence among actual players of the game.
- The dragon hatchlings in the Rookery are an optional engagement, not a required one. Indeed it's entirely possible to simply skip the eggs in The Rookery. While the Devout Shoulders item mentioned does require this engagement, it is considerably easier to do so a few at a time rather than all at once.
- The overwhelming majority of paladins in the game wear plate armor, not cloth armor such as the Devout Shoulders, which have a much lower armor rating. This was perhaps a tongue-in-cheek reference to the perceived inability of paladins to effectively do anything but heal at the time that the video was made.
- Various other players and guilds on the same server have asserted the video was staged: they state that Leeroy's guild, "Pals for Life", had beaten encounters much more difficult than the Rookery. This is supported by text in the chat window (lower left corner) of the video showing that one of the members had said "WIPE TIME!" just before the video had begun being filmed. "Wipe" is slang for the death of all members of a party.
- The phrase "Divine Intervention" is a skill used by a Paladin to sacrifice himself to save another player. The player who is "D.I.ed" is unable perform any action, but is removed from combat.
- Players who have gone through the game enough to attempt this instance would know better than to ask about a soulstone when there is no warlock in the group.
Pals for Life, Leeroy's guild, have admitted that this was a staged promotional video. They maintain, however, that it is essentially a faithful re-enaction of a true event. On another note, the criticisms of PC Gamer UK are themselves a little sketchy: The plan was to attack using spells such as "Intimidating Shout" and "Fear," both of which would substantially reduce the effect of attacking numerous foes. In addition, the "Soulstone" issue was actually brought about in confusion: "Who's soulstoned?", "We do have a soulstone out don't we?", "I dont think we brought a Warlock."
A sidebar found in Pearson's article titled "How to Be a Leeroy: Perhaps You Already Are?" cites Urban Dictionary as an indication that Leeroy has become a descriptive noun; "to Leeroy" is even being used as a verb in some circles. The article further encourages the readers to send in their best examples of being a Leeroy to "I'm a Leeroy" at the magazine's address.
Expansion as an internet meme
Leeroy's popularity has spread to other Internet venues as well. In the popular free-to-play MMORPG Guild Wars, a dwarven character named Kilroy Stonekin relates the death of his family and calls the players to battle with a similar shout of his own name. Unlike Leeroy, Kilroy's shout conveys benefit to his players rather than spelling their demise.
Within the popular online multi-user dungeon Abandoned Realms, there is an NPC called "Leroy". This dwarven paladin wields a "paladin's polearm" and charges randomly into innocent bystanders, shouting a warcry as he does so. Leroy resides within the main city in the game, so everyone has an equal chance to be attacked by Leroy's "fanatical charge".
In NCSoft's City of Villains, there is a recurring Arachnos soldier NPC by the name of "Jenkins" (whom you typically have to rescue because he keeps getting himself captured.) City of Villains developer Positron recently announced to players that the character "...was definitely inspired by a certain Internet movie."
Similarly, Leeroy appears as a direct tribute in Artix Entertainment's popular Web game Adventure Quest where he travels with the players to battle at "Vamprook Spyre", where you, Leeroy, Grodd, and Amani are planing the raid of the dungeon filled with "Vampragons", a telekinetic dragon/vampire hybrid. The dialogue is copied nearly word for word from the movie.
The website community YTMND has served to extensively promote and to expand the Leeroy Jenkins meme among the viewers of its various websites and has a number of sites dealing with him including one documenting his supposed suicide. In particular the community has extensively promoted his battle cry.
YTMND has also had substantial effect on the meme in the form of artwork that was originally used on its Leeroy tribute site. The artwork, which has subsequently been replaced with a still from the original video, is a digitally edited picture from the film Black Knight, featuring the hero standing on a bucket of KFC, instead of a rock. This image has been widely distributed and is in fact utilized by Uncyclopedia in their parody article regarding the meme.
In the online world Second Life, in which players can upload any soundbite they wish and play it as part of a "gesture" that their avatar makes (using chat commands or keyboard shortcuts), the "LEEERRROYYYY JENNNNKINNNNSSS!!!" exclamation has begun to spread and be used to show off players' wittiness and "MMO street cred," exhibiting the meme to establish them as part of some kind of Leeroy in-group. Since some players lack the knowledge or ability to successfully find, format, and upload a popular meme-bite like this one (which has not yet reached the ubiquity of R. Lee Ermey clips from Full Metal Jacket, for example), players who possess the hot meme-bite may refuse to give it away when asked in order to taunt and humiliate the one requesting it (oftentimes either accurately or inaccurately accusing the requester of being "a noob"). The soundbite is played as a taunt, and then a fake item is finally given instead, which, instead of being the sound, is a grenade that blows up immediately when equipped, killing everyone except the guy who wanted the Leeroy sound, and causing everyone else to come back blaming the "Leeroy."
A reference to Leeroy has also appeared in the April 24, 2006 installment of the popular webcomic, Ctrl+Alt+Del. A character supposedly belonging to "The Center for Crimes Against MMOs", is given the name L. Jenkins, obviously a reference to Leeroy.
Outside the internet
A strip of the comic FoxTrot showcased the main character about to receive an incredibly powerful item, but is disconnected from the server. It cuts to Blizzard's headquarters where one character asks "Jenkins" if he had tripped over a wire again.
Leeroy has recently been added to the Upper Deck World of Warcraft playing card series. This along with rumours of his cameo in the upcoming World of Warcraft motion picture keep the legend alive into the future.
The Marvel Comics series Runaways, Vol. 2 #18, Victor Mancha applies the name to Chase Stein as he charges head long into a burning building.
Number of downloads
As of December 2005 the Warcraft Movies website reports well over 1,000,000 downloads of the original Leeroy Jenkins video [1]. However it is difficult to estimate the total number of people who have seen the original video largely because it has appeared on numerous other websites, file sharing networks, and has been sent extensively by email as well. Leeroy's large public exposure likely heavily depended on word of mouth.
Merchandise
Numerous sites have sprung up offering everything from underclothing to coffee mugs sporting Leeroy or related information. Many of these are offered as part of CafePress.com and it is difficult to estimate what success, if any, these retailers have had with said merchandise.
Derivative works
Numerous works derived from and based on Leeroy Jenkins have appeared on the net. Several remixes and spinoff videos have parodied the phenomena. The number of such derivative works is not clear but tribute sites contain numerous examples and actively encourage the submission of new material.
In general, these videos are not controversial. However, a video posted at whatisdeepfried.com combines the original machinima with U.S. Army footage and references to Casey Sheehan, the deceased son of anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan. In the video "Leeroy" is reputedly the cause of Casey's death in Iraq, though it likewise names President George W. Bush as culpable.
Many of these videos are cataloged at LeeroyJenkins.net, a fansite which features movies, sounds and other leeroy related materials.
What was Leeroy saying?
Several discussions on the Internet have surrounded the content of Leeroy's initial shout. Suggestions as to what he's saying include, "Alright, chums up. Let's do this..."; "Alright, chums. I'm back. Let's do this..."; "Alright, dumb-dumbs. Let's do this...", "Alright, time's up. Let's do this..." "Alright, thumbs up. Lets do this...", and "Alright, coms (communications) on. Let's do this." [2] Additionally, "Guns up" "Spawn's up" are similar suggestions.
Some disagreement over his last line has also been offered. Due to poor sound quality, it is hard to determine what Leeroy exactly says in his last line, with some discussion as to whether he says "At least I ain't chicken", "At least I'm not chicken", or "At least I have chicken".
Sources where the video was posted by the guild directly, including GameSpot, identify the content of the phrase as "All right chums, I'm back. Let's do this..." and "At least I have chicken" respectively [3]. It has been pointed out that the word "back" is never actually heard in the first line, although the soundtrack does appear to drop out for a moment when it would have been heard. [4].
Dialogue
PALS 4 LIFE have now released as close to an 'official' transcript as is likely to be seen. Since there was no script the P4Ls have tried their hand at remembering who said what. Some of the audio is too bad to hear clearly, even for the P4Ls. [5]
NB: Anfrony is the filmer, and has no spoken lines
Jamaal: [talking to teammates outside cave] OK guys, these eggs have given us a lot of trouble in the past, uh does anybody need anything off this guy or can we bypass him?
Ritter: Uhh, I think Leeroy needs something from this guy.
Jamaal: Oh, does he need those Devout Shoulders? Doesn't - isn't he a Paladin?
Ritter: Yeah, but that will help him heal better, he'll have more mana.
Jamaal: [sighs] Christ. OK, uhh well what we'll do, I'll run in first, uh gather up all the eggs, we can kinda just, ya know blast them all down with AOE. Um, I will use Intimidating Shout, to kinda scatter'em, so we don't have to fight a whole bunch of them at once. Uhh, when my Shouts are done, uhh, I'll need Anfrony to come in and drop his Shout too, uh so we can keep them scattered and not have to fight too many. Um, when his is done, Bas of course will need to run in and do the same thing. Uhh, we're gonna need Divine Intervention on our mages, uhh so they can, uhh, AE, uh so we can of course get them down fast, cause we're bringing all these guys, I mean, we'll be in trouble if we don't take them down quick. Uhh I think this is a pretty good plan, we should be able to pull it off this time. Uhh, what do you think Abduhl? Can you give me a number crunch real quick?
Abduhl: Uhhh.. yeah gimme a sec... I'm coming up with thirty-two point three three, repeating of course, percentage, of survival.
Jamaal: That's a lot better than we usually do, uhh, alright, you think we're ready guys? [interrupted]
Leeroy: All right chums, I'm (back)! Let's do this! LEEROOOOOOOY JEEENKIIIIIINSSS!!! [runs into cave]
-Short pause-
Forekin: [incredulous] ... Oh my God he just ran in. [runs in]
Ritter: Save him!
Jamaal: Oh jeez, stick to the plan.
Forekin: Oh jeez, let's go, let's go! [follows]
Abduhl [laughing]: Stick to the plan chums!
Jamaal: Stick to the plan!
Forekin: Oh jeez, oh fuck.
Therien: Gimme a Divine Intervention, hurry up.
Jamaal: Shoutin'!
Therien: It's saying I can't cast! I can't move, am I lagging, guys?
Spiffy: I can't move!
Forekin: What the—what the hell?
Spiffy: I can't AE!
Forekin: Oh my God...
Abduhl: The eggs just keep respawning! More respawning!!
Forekin: I don't think you can cast with that shit on!
Spiffy: Oh my God!
Leeroy: We got em, we got em!
Basphemy: I got it! I got it! [muffled shouts]
Jamaal: Jamaal's down. Jamaal's down.
Forekin: Oh my God..
Jamaal: Goddamnit Leeroy!
Forekin: Goddamnit...
Abduhl: Leeroy you moron! [various put-downs of Leeroy amongst group]
Unknown: gremove gremove
Ritter: I'm on it.
Basphemy: It's on Bas.
Jamaal: This is ridiculous.
Forekin: I'm down, Forekin down. Goddamnit.
Basphemy: Bas is down.
Abduhl: This is the (something)th time we've died on this, God!
Abduhl: Spiffy, rez us! Spiffy, rez us!
Jamaal: Why do you do this shit Leeroy?
Spiffy: I'm trying!
Leeroy [crying]: It's not my fault!
Forekin: Who's Soulstoned?
Jamaal: We do have a Soulstone up, don't we? [everyone dies] Think I need a Soulstone?
Abduhl: Yeah but I don't think we brought a Warlock.
Forekin [noticing everybody is dead]: ... Oh God...
Jamaal + Others: Oh for - [sighs] Great job!
Unknown: For Christ's sake! [indistinguishable]
Unknown: Fag.
Abduhl: Leeroy, you are just stupid as hell.
Spiffy: Nimrod.
Leeroy: ... 'Least I have chicken.