Leeroy Jenkins
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For other uses, see Leroy Jenkins.
Leeroy Jenkins is a player character created by Ben Schulz in Blizzard
Entertainment's MMORPG World of Warcraft. The character became popular in 2005
from his role in a viral video of game footage where, having been absent during his
group's discussion of a meticulous plan, Leeroy returns and ruins it by charging straight
into combat while shouting his own name as a battle cry. A video which captured the
character's antics subsequently went viral and became an Internet meme. As a result of
positive reception to the meme, Blizzard subsequently added Leeroy Jenkins into World
of Warcraft as an official non player character, as well as Hearthstone with his very own
card.
Video
The original video was released by the World of Warcraft player guild "Pals for Life"[1] to
video-sharing site Warcraftmovies on May 11, 2005.[2] The video features a group of
players discussing a detailed battle plan for their next encounter while Leeroy is away
from his computer, preparing a plate of chicken. This plan is intended to help Leeroy
obtain a piece of armor from the boss monsters, but is ruined when Leeroy himself
returns and, ignorant of the strategy, immediately rushes headlong into battle shouting
his own name in a stylized battle cry. His companions rush to help, but Leeroy's actions
ruin the detailed plan and all the members of the group are killed.
The Internet meme started with the release of the video clip called A Rough Go[3] to
the World of Warcraft game forum in a thread titled "UBRS (vid) Rookery Overpowered!
blue plz.", which presented the video in a serious context.[4] The thread requested that
other players provide help with strategy and that Blizzard reduce the difficulty of the
encounter. The video spread as an Internet meme, and Leeroy's response to the other
players' chastisements, "at least I have chicken",[3] was also much mimicked.
Origin
Ben Schulz, player of Leeroy Jenkins, at the 2007 BlizzCon
When in April 2008 he was asked about his actions in the video by National Public
Radio, Ben Schulz said the players "were drinking 40s and just yelling at each
other."[5] As time went on, some began suggesting that the video may have been staged.
Schulz had refused to confirm or deny whether the video was staged.[3] Later, in
December 2017, Schulz, along with Ben "Anfrony" Vinson, the cameraman of the video,
released what he described as a first take/dry run of the video. [6] Regarding the video,
Vinson stated, "We didn’t think anyone would believe it was real, we thought it was so
obviously satire."[7]
Merchandise
The character's popularity resulted in his inclusion in the World of Warcraft Trading Card
Game released on October 25, 2006, with art by Mike Krahulik.[8]
A "Leeroy Jenkins" Legendary card was later released in Blizzard's online card
game Hearthstone, as part of the game's base ("Classic") set, and using the same art
as that of the WoW TCG.[9]
Upper Deck Entertainment released a World of Warcraft Miniatures game in late 2008,
which included a Leeroy Jenkins figurine.[10] As a reference to Leeroy's famous claim,
the figure is seen holding a chicken leg in his left hand.[11]
Reaction
The May 2005 issue of PC Gamer UK featured an article on the video, titled "The Ballad
of Leeroy Jenkins". The article took the position that the video was designed as a
negative commentary on the kind of "nerd-guilds" whose members fastidiously plan
raids with all the seriousness of actual military tacticians. They added that they felt
Leeroy is the hero acting against the geekiness of his guild.[12]
Blizzard eventually paid tribute to Leeroy within World of Warcraft itself creating
the achievement "Leeeeeeeeeeeeeroy!", which awards the title of "Jenkins" to players
who kill 50 of the rookery whelps from the video within 15 seconds.[13] Also, in the new
expansion Warlords of Draenor, Leeroy returns as a non-player character and will join
the player's garrison if they help him find the Devout Shoulders he was seeking in the
video.[14] Blizzard also added a "Leeroy Jenkins" card to their popular online card
game Hearthstone.[15] When entering the battlefield, Leeroy gives his famous battle cry.
While attacking, he says "Time’s up, let's do this!" And when he dies, he says, "At least I
have chicken." In addition, the adventure mode "Blackrock Mountain" added a new
game board themed on the mountain. In the bottom right section, there is a pink tabard
with a white heart lying on the ground, a reference to the guild Leeroy was in, <PALS
FOR LIFE>.
Leeroy Jenkins 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, though no
contestant rang in.[16] The meme spread further in 2009 when the Armed Forces
Journal published an article titled "Let's Do This!: Leeroy Jenkins and the American Way
of Advising". The article, by Capt. Robert M Chamberlain links Jenkins to the American
approach to advising the indigenous armed forces in Iraq.[17] Although Leeroy Jenkins is
not an official character created by Blizzard, IGN acknowledged the character's iconic
status and ranked him 10th place on their list of best Blizzard characters in 2017, and
noted that he represents the crossing of a line which typically separates a game’s
content and its community.[18]
Other appearances
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In episode "Little Bad Voodoo Brother" of My Name Is Earl in 2008, Randy
charges out to "fight thirty people at once" while shouting "Leeroy Jenkins!" [19]
The home media release of the 2009 film Year One includes a bonus feature
titled Leeroy Jenkins: The Gates of Sodom, featuring the cast recreating the
video.[20]
In the episode "Last Night Gus" of Psych in 2011, protagonist Shawn affirms
one Leeroy Jenkins to be their new prime suspect by yelling the name. [21]
The United States Air Force Pararescue (PJs) use this sound bite to notify
them of an upcoming medevac mission on the show Inside Combat
Rescue in 2013.[22]
In the 2015 novel Armada by Ernest Cline, the protagonist Zack Lightman is
accused of being a Leeroy Jenkins by his friends in video game space
dogfights. Later in the book he shouts "Leeroy Jenkins" while committing a
headlong assault referencing the same character from the Blizzard
universe.[23]
In several episodes of Heroes Reborn (2015-2016), Miko and Ren shout out
"Leeroy Jenkins!" as going into battle.[24]
In the episode "Chapter 5: Do Your Job" of Barry in 2018, Taylor ignores
Barry's plans and jumps into a room of henchmen while yelling "Leeroy
Jenkins!"[25]
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In the episode "Veteran Guy" of Family Guy in 2018, Peter Griffin makes a
plan to subdue some terrorists on a boat; however, Cleveland opts for a
Leeroy Jenkins strategy and shouts "Leeroy Jenkins!" while rushing their
foes, resulting in an extended clip that parodies the Jenkins video.[26]
In the season 4 episode "Red Cell + Quantum + Cold + Committed"
of MacGyver in 2020, Russ Taylor performs what he calls "the Leeroy
Jenkins" plan, charging toward the main entrance of Cheyenne Mountain
while shouting "Leeroy Jenkins!" to create a diversion for MacGyver to find
another way in.[27]
In a segment from the second episode of Animaniacs (2020), "How to Brain
Your Dragon", the character Pinky screams "Leeroy Jenkins!" while charging
into a dragon's cave as part of The Brain's plan to conquer the world using
said dragon. [28]