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List of pop culture references in Warcraft/WotLK

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Please double-check the big list of all pop culture references in Warcraft before adding a reference; while attempts are made to keep them in alphabetical order, they may not be. Most importantly, please note that this page is split into the classic game and its two expansions. Additionally, references to movies that are based on books might be listed under 'Literature' instead of 'Movies' and vice-versa, and the movie you are thinking of could just be referencing another work, too. Those might be mentioned in the case of very popular ones, but it will be listed under the original reference.

To be absolutely sure the entry you want to add isn't already there, please perform a full search on the page (Ctrl+F) for both the name of the book/movie/game etc., and the name/quote of the NPC/location.


World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King[]

WotLK This section concerns content exclusive to Wrath of the Lich King.

Games[]

  • Alone in the Dark
    • The achievement Alone in the Darkness (10/25) is a reference to the Alone in the Dark computer game series, which is mostly based on Lovecraft's works, just like Yogg-Saron.
  • Bioshock
    • The NPC Clarissa in Krom'gar Fortress of the Stonetalon mountains gives the quests Dream of a Better Tomorrow and Mr. D's Wild Ride which both reference Bioshock.
      • Clarissa is a Little Girl, referencing the Little Sisters of Bioshock.
      • Clarissa Refers to a large broken robot as "Mr. D". This is a reference to the Little Sisters calling there Big Daddies "Mr. B".
    • In the description for the quest Dream of a Better Tomorrow Clarissa says "Would you kindly bring Mr. D's stuff back so he can teach those baddies in the Alliance a lesson?" This is a reference to the phrase "Would you kindly" forcing the player to do whatever was asked of them in Bioshock.
    • The quest Dream of a Better Tomorrow is named in reference to the strong theme of Objectivism in Bioshock. It could also reference Andrew Ryan's building of Rapture to fulfill his dream of a better tomorrow.
    • The quest Mr. D's Wild Ride allows you to pilot a Large Daddy. This is reference to the Big Daddy from Bioshock.
      • In the quest description Clarissa says "Now Mr. D just needs and Angel to help him navigate." This is a reference to the Little Sisters of Bioshock frequently referring to people as Angels.
      • While Piloting the Large Daddy you gain access to the 3 spells Incinerate, Freezing Beam and Magnetic Pull. This is a reference to the Plasmids used in Bioshock.
      • Clarissa will scream things like "Make 'em sorry for hurting you, Mr. D!" or "Break their bones!" while the player is Piloting Mr. D. This is a reference to the violent encouragements Little Sisters often scream while their Big Daddies do battle in Bioshock.
    • The item Mr. Bubble's Shockingly Delicious Ice Cream is a reference not only to the Big Daddies in Bioshock, but also to the electro-bolt plasmid.
  • Diablo series
    • The monster Kaganishu, found inside a cave system in northern Borean Tundra, has a name reminiscent of Rakanishu, a Fallen guarding the Cairn Stones in Diablo II. His followers say his name as they attack, much like all Fallen in Diablo II.
  • Final Fantasy VII
    • There is a flower merchant in Dalaran named Aerith Primrose. Aerith is a reference to Aerith Gainsborough, a major character of Final Fantasy VII, who wears a pink and red outfit similar in appearance to that of this NPC, and is also a flower seller.
  • The Legend of Zelda
    • The achievement Fail:Money achievement.png Friend or Fowl? requires you to kill 15 Turkeys in under 3 minutes. Once you kill 15 of them, masses of Angry Turkeys will spawn and chase you down attacking you. This is a reference to The Legend of Zelda series as this same event occurs in many of the games; as you attack Cuccos over and over, masses of Cuccos will swarm in and attempt to kill Link.
    • In Un'goro Crater, there was an NPC gnome named Linken, who must regain his memory and has you undergo various quests to find his lost equipment as well as defeat an elite fire elemental. This refers to the games ongoing pattern of gaining bonuses and defeating bosses. Unfortunately, the quest line was removed with Cataclysm Cataclysm.
  • Pokémon
    • The achievements I Choose You, Runemaster Molgeim (10/25), I Choose You, Steelbreaker (10/25) and I Choose You, Stormcaller Brundir (10/25), all for the same boss encounter, may be a reference to a phrase used in the Pokémon franchise, however in the Pokemon franchise the name usually comes before the "I choose you!" statement.
    • The Borean Tundra questgiver, Mootoo the Younger, is a reference to the Pokemon Mewtwo. This is further enforced by various psychic related quotes during the quest N [68] Escaping the Mist, as well as the npc's similarity in eye shape to the Pokemon's.
  • Portal
    • The Cooking Achievement Fail:Inv misc celebrationcake 01.png [The Cake Is Not A Lie] is a direct reference to the game Portal. The phrase translates to a reward which is fictitious and was popularized by the game Portal found on Half-Life's Orange Box release. In the game, you are part of a study group controlled by a computer that attempts to motivate you to complete a series of tests involving a new device created by Aperture Science.
    • The book Thinking with Portals - A Memorandum on Proper Portal Usage can sometimes be found in Dalaran and is a reference to the motto of the game, "Now you're thinking with portals!", used by GLaDOS after completing certain objectives.
  • Sewer Shark
    • A sewer shark named "Segacedi" is located under the poison vendor in the sewers of Dalaran. This is a reference to the game Sewer Shark, released on the Sega CD add on for the Sega Genesis, also known as the Mega CD in European and Asian markets.
  • Starcraft
    • During the boss fight in Pit of Saron, Scourgelord Tyrannus shouts "Power... overwhelming!". This is a quote from the Protoss Archon unit in Starcraft, as well as the game's cheat command for invincibility.
  • Zero Wing
    • The achievement Set Up Us the Bomb (10/25) is a quote from the badly translated (Engrish) intro of the Mega Drive version of the game, including such lines as "Somebody set up us the bomb".

Movies[]

  • 300
    • An early death knight quest called N [55] Tonight We Dine In Havenshire is a reference to the movie 300 when Leonidas says "Tonight, we dine in Hell."
    • The Scourge archers seen early on in the Death Knight quest chain are called Sky Darkeners, referring to this exchange from 300: "Our arrows will blot out the sun!" "Then we will fight in the shade."
    • Also, the quest N [55] The Light of Dawn is considered to be a reference to the Battle of Thermopylae, since there being 300 defenders of the Light and 10,000 attackers from the Scourge.
  • Airplane!
    • On occasion, the Scarlet Peasants in the death knight starting area will say "I picked the wrong week to quit drinking" which is a memorable quote from Steve McCroskey (Lloyd Bridges). He also substitutes "drinking" for smoking, sniffing glue, and amphetamines.
  • Aliens
    • The achievement They're Coming Out of the Walls (10/25) is a line used by Pvt. Hudson in the movie Aliens.
    • Just after starting the encounter in Violet Hold, Lieutenant Sinclari says, "Prison guards, we are leaving!". This references the line by Cpl. Hicks, "Marines, we are leaving!"
  • American Pie
    • The quest This One Time, When I Was Drunk... refers to the constant anecdotes starting with "This one time, at band camp..." told by Alyson Hannigan's character Michelle in the 1999 teen comedy American Pie.
  • Apocalypse Now
    • The achievement I Love the Smell of Saronite in the Morning (10/25) is a play on the famous quote "I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It smell like...victory."
  • Army of Darkness
    • The Stormforged War Golems in the Storm Peaks drop an item that starts the quest N [80] Armor of Darkness, a play on the movie title.
    • The item [Mark "S" Boomstick] is a reference to Ash's Boomstick from the movie. The reagents [Walnut Stock] and [Hair Trigger] used in crafting it refer to the line, "It's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger."
    • The achievement Fail:Money achievement.png Shop Smart, Shop Pet...Smart refers to the S-Mart slogan repeatedly used by Ash: "Shop smart, shop S-Mart!" (It is more likely that this is a reference to the old slogan for the Pet Store named PetSmart)
    • The achievement Fail:Money achievement.png Hail to the King, Baby refers to one of the final lines from Ash to Sheila before kissing her.
  • Bambi
    • In Grizzly Hills, there are four NPCs located near each other with interesting names. These NPCs in question are one adult female deer named Mother of Bambina, a younger female deer named Bambina, a skunk named Flora and a small rabbit named Thudder. These four are clearly a reference to Bambi.
    • A hunter will come out and shoot Mother of Bambina, exactly what happens in the Disney film Bambi.
    • Whenever "Mother of Bambina", "Flora", and "Thudder" are killed, "Bambina" turns into "Vengeful Bambina" which makes her hostile to anyone and gives her a buff called "Bambina's Vengeance", increasing all her damage dealt by 2000% and attack speed by 150%.
  • The Big Lebowski
    • A questgiver named Donny in Howling Fjord gives the quest N [70] Out of My Element?. This is a direct reference to the character named Donny (played by Steve Buscemi) in The Big Lebowski. Several times in one of the major scenes, Walter Sobchak (played by John Goodman) tells Donny "You're out of your element!"
    • There is an NPC named Walt at the Explorers' League Outpost who gives the quest A [71] Iron Rune Constructs and You: The Bluff in which he says: "Walt at the Explorers' League Outpost in the Howling Fjord wants you to use the Iron Rune Construct's Bluff ability on Lebronski after you've walked on his rug". This is a clear reference to The Big Lebowski. In the movie, Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Lebronski) is visited by 3 thugs. One of them relieves himself on "The Dude's" rug, and several references are made about the rug through-out the movie. Also, after you've completed all the quests Walt has to give, when you open his chat window he says "The Dude over yonder is pretty upset about his rug". Phone's Ringin' Dude!
  • A Christmas Story
    • The [Red Rider Air Rifle] is an item obtained during the Winter Veil 2009 event. It is a reference to the Red Rider BB gun that the main character, Ralphie, wants for Christmas. The rifle will sometimes "backfire" causing the player to become stunned for a short period of time. The debuff is called Right in the eye! which is an obvious reference to the movie.
  • Full Metal Jacket
    • During the Death Knight starting quests in Acherus, at the early stage of creating your first rune blade, a book can be read near the runeforges with the text "This is my runeblade, there are many like it but this one is mine." This is an obvious reference to the mantra the Marine recruits are ordered to recite in Full Metal Jacket: "This is my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine". (Although this could be a movie reference, it could just as well be to The Rifleman's Creed of the U.S. Marine Corps.)
  • Galaxy Quest
    • Grubthor, a rare spawn in Silithus may be a reference to Alan Rickman's repeated line, "By Grabthor's Hammer, you shall be avenged!"
  • Glengarry Glen Ross
    • At the forge in Warsong Hold, the Grand Master Engineering trainer is named Chief Engineer Leveny, after Shelly Levene, one of the salesman in the real estate office, played in the movie by Jack Lemmon. The Goblin Siege Engineer's complaints about tools is similar to the complaints of the real estate salesman in the film complaining about their leads: "These tools are junk!" and "How do they expect us to craft with these things?" They also ask about a meeting they are being made to attend, which turns out to be with Blakelow, who abuses the engineers ("You call yourself a crafter, you son-of-a-gnome?") and challenges them to a crafting contest ("As you all know, first prize is a [Turbo-Charged Flying Machine]. Anyone want to see second prize? Second prize is some [fused wiring]. Third prize is YOU'RE FIRED!"), ending in an exortation to "Always be crafting!" similar to a speech in the film by Alec Baldwin.
  • Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark
    • In the Drakil'jin Ruins of Grizzly Hills, Harrison Jones reprises his role from Zul'Aman as a tribute to Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford. His dialogue in the quest N [75] Dun-da-Dun-tah! includes several movie references, and the quest name itself refers to four notes of the famous Indiana Jones theme.
    • The achievement Snakes. Why'd It Have To Be Snakes? has its name origin from an quote found in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
  • Jurassic Park
    • During the Horde version of H [74] The Battle For The Undercity, when you clear to the outer ring of the Undercity, Varimathras yells "Clever girl..." at Sylvanas. This is a direct quote from the film version of Jurassic Park. Just before Robert Muldoon is killed by velociraptors, those are his last words.
  • John Carpenter's Vampires
    • In the quest A [71] Absholutely... Thish Will Work!, which you get in Howling Fjord, you're asked to give a Vrykul prisoner a plague cure. Eventually, he explodes and one of the guards says "I didn't know they could do that." In the movie after one of the vampires explodes one of the characters says "You didn't tell me they could do that. I didn't know they could do that."
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
    • Arthas, as the Lich King, bears a near perfect resemblance to the Witch-king of Angmar as depicted in The Return of the King.
    • In the quest H [80] It's All Fun and Games, you're asked to destroy the The Ocular, which floats above Shadow Vault's spires. The Ocular bears a strong resemblance to the eye of Sauron atop the tower of Barad-dûr from Lord of the Rings: Return of the King film.
    • The Lich King's helmet has spikes on the top like those on Sauron's. The Lich King and his undead minions want to kill all living things not under his power, just as Sauron wants his army to take down all living things not under his power.
    • Angrathar the Wrathgate appears to be based on the Black Gate of Mordor the only major way of getting into Mordor, and in World of Warcraft Angrathar is the only real entrance into Icecrown. They are also both of the same design, made of a black metal with spikes coming out, and feature a large battle outside them.
  • The Matrix
    • The flavor text of [Crude Eating Utensils], found in Rusted Prisoner's Footlocker, says "There is no spoon." This is also a cheat in Warcraft III that allows you to never run out of mana.
    • During the quest A [72]  Projections and Plans, if you stand in the enter of the floating platform on the Glittering Strand area of Dragonblight, you'll see the falling symbols in the same effect as the opening title sequence in the Matrix: Reloaded. Before or after this quest, your character stands on a shield that prevents you from standing on the platform.
  • A Mighty Wind
    • The zeppelin that transports you between Orgrimmar and Warsong Hold, The Mighty Wind, is a reference to the Christopher Guest film "A Mighty Wind".
  • Monty Python and the Holy Grail
    • After defeating the Black Knight (whose name is taken from this film), you get the achievement It's Just a Flesh Wound, which is a reference to the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The Black Knight gets his arm cut off and says the line "It's Just a Flesh Wound".
  • Pinocchio
    • In Dalaran, there is a placed called Wonderworks. The shopkeeper is named Jepetto Joybuzz, which sounds like the name of the man who made Pinocchio.
  • The Princess Bride
    • The NPC Father Inigo Montoy is involved in some quests in Light's Hope Chapel and is also hinted to be the real identity of Thel'zan the Duskbringer in A [73] An End And A Beginning. In the movie The Princess Bride, Inigo Montoya was the name of the Spanish swordsman who helped Wesley.
  • Pulp Fiction
    • The quest A [70] Zedd's Probably Dead is a reference to the movie Pulp Fiction. It is the name of one of the pieces of music from the movie, and also a character named Zed who gets killed, after which Bruce Willis's character exclaims 'Zed's dead, baby. Zed's dead.'"
  • Scarface
    • When you fight Gal'darah he will sometimes summon rhinos. While doing that he says "Say hello to my BIG friend!" which is a reference to Scarface's "Say Hello To my LITTLE friend!".
    • The quest H [71] Bury Those Cockroaches! in the Borean Tundra is a reference to Tony Montana's line: "I bury those cockroaches!".
    • While fighting Salranax the Flesh Render in the quest N [79] The Air Stands Still, the orc death knight Munch also uses the line "Say hello to my little friend!" before summoning his ghoul.
  • Star Wars
    • Scourgelord Tyrannus shares the Sith name of Count Dooku from the Star Wars franchise. Also, both serve a dark master (Lich King and Emperor Palpatine respectively)
    • The quest B [50] Echo Three is a reference to Star Wars: Episode V. The quest giver asks you to check on a sensor that was set up to inform Everlook of the yeti movements in the area. When you interact with the box, it teleports you into the depths of a cave. You will be hanging upside down in a chunk of ice. A "raid warning" will appear telling you to chop the ice to free yourself. When you do, you drop to the floor and there is a huge yeti named Icewhomp who you have to kill. "Echo three to Echo seven; Han ol' buddy, do ya read me?" -Luke Skywalker, Star Wars Episode V
  • Superman II
    • The item Zod's Repeating Longbow has "Kneel before him" in the flavor text. This is a reference to the movie's main villain, General Zod, who makes the President of the United States (and later tries to make Superman) bow before him with the phrase, "Kneel before Zod."
  • Sweeney Todd
    • Jelinek Sharpshear, the goblin proprietor of the Stormwind Barber Shop, was named "Sween Neetod" in the Wrath of the Lich King beta. The skeletons of his victims are still hidden beneath a floorboard on the second story of the shop, next to his trusty razor.
  • The Shadow
    • In the quest H [74] The Battle For The Undercity, King Wrynn says "I know what evil lurks in the heart of orcs", a take off from the comic book, movie, and radio program called The Shadow. His catch line, which still has its place in the American Lexicon, is "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men".
  • The Silence of the Lambs
    • The Ebon Blade Prisoners in Jotunheim (freed for the quest N [80] Ebon Blade Prisoners) occasionally make a remark along the lines of "It takes the key and opens the cage," similar to Buffalo Bill's "It places the lotion in the basket."
  • This Is Spinal Tap
    • In Howling Fjord, you receive a quest called A [71] It Goes to 11... which is a reference to the movie This Is Spinal Tap, in which the guitarist is asked why he doesn't just make 10 louder on his amp, he replies "But it goes to 11...".
    • Going along with this reference, the achievement in Pit of Saron named Fail:Money achievement.png Doesn't Go to Eleven refers to the same quote about the amp, this time joking that it doesn't go to eleven.
  • The Terminator
    • In Wintergarde Keep, during the quest A [72] Flight of the Wintergarde Defender, your character says "Come with me if you want to live". This is a running line from The Terminator series. Kyle Reese (played by Michael Biehn[1] tells this to Sarah Connor (played by Linda Hamilton[2] in the first movie. In the second movie, a terminator (played by Arnold Schwarzennegger[3] repeats this line to Sarah Connor, while in the television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles[4] the line is reprised by Summer Glau[5] in her role as Cameron Philips, a terminator modeled after captured freedom fighter Allison Young who was sent back (of course) to protect John Connor.
    • The description for the warrior talent Bladestorm is inspired by a quote from Kyle Reese when he tries to explain the threat posed by the Terminator.
    • In Utgarde Pinnacle at the very beginning of the instance within the room with all the gold, jewels and gems with skeleton mobs, to the left just as you walk in is the terminators endoskeleton arm. Miles Dyson used that arm to make the neural-net processor for Cyberdyne Systems Corporation who later developed Skynet, the military system that launches a nuclear strike and wages war on human life in the future.
  • They Live
    • When Macalroy in Valgarde offers the "Hell has Frozen Over" quest, he says "Report to Vice Admiral Keller just northwest of here and let him know that you're all out of bubble gum" which is a reference to the 1988 movie They Live[6] in which the character Nada, played by "Rowdy" Roddy Piper[7] announces "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of bubblegum"[8]
  • Wing and a Prayer
    • The quest N [80] A Wing and a Prayer in the Oculus is likely a reference to the 1944 war movie of nearly the same name.

Television[]

  • The 6 Million Dollar Man
    • In Howling Fjord at the Explorer's League quest hub, an NPC named Walt gives you two quests. One is called "We Can Rebuild It" and the other is called "We Have the Technology". In the old TV show The 6 Million Dollar Man, there's a character named Dr. Walter Ellis. Also, the memorable quote from the show was "We can rebuild you, we have the technology."
    • At the Scalding Pools, nearby Fizzcrank Airstrip, the Fizzcrank Mechanognomes can be seen saying: "The flesh is weak. We will make you better, stronger...faster.". This is another quote from the show's introduction.
  • Bewitched
    • One of the clerks in the shop Sisters Sorcerous in Dalaran is named Endora Moorehead. On the 1960s TV show Bewitched, the mother of Samantha Stevens was named Endora, and was played by Agnes Moorehead. Another sister, Hagatha Moorehead, probably refers to Samantha's (seldom-seen)aunt Hagatha. No word on where her other aunt, Enchantra, has got to.
  • Deadliest Catch
    • The fishing achievement, Deadliest Catch, is probably a reference to the popular Discovery Channel television program of the same name.
    • In Tol Barad Peninsula, there is a killable NPC named Captain P. Harris, an Undead Pirate style character surrounded by small crab, a direct mention to the recently passed Alaskan Crab Fishing Captain Phil Harris (fisherman)
  • Dirty Jobs
    • An NPC named "Dirty" Michael Crowe appears in Dustwallow Marsh and sells fish.
  • Doctor Who
    • In Borean Tundra, there is a Quest Item named The Ultrasonic Screwdriver (quest item). This is a reference to the Sonic Screwdriver.
    • The entirety of the Mechagnomes is a reference to the Cybermen. The way they're made by "Decursing" gnomes (similar to the way the Cybermen "Upgrade" people), the way Gearmaster Mechazod considers what he's doing to be a gift of immortality, to a few of the Mechagnomes quotes are all indications to this.
    • Chromie talks to you in the same manner as the Doctor, she'll tell you she met you many times before when you first meet Chromie in Andorhal, but when you skip the Intro in Culling of Stratholme once you've beaten it before, She'll make a statement similar to the Doctor's due to her constant time traveling of claiming she's never met you before, this directly reflects the relationship between the Doctor and River Song who live in reverse time lines.
    • In N [75] Mystery of the Infinite In the same fashion as "the Doctor" who likes to give out a quirky bit of advice to someone who'll be important in the future that makes no sense to anyone but the Doctor, Future You will say to you the following...

Future You whispers: Listen. I'm not supposed to tell you this, but there's going to be this party that you're invited to. Whatever you do, DO NOT DRINK THE PUNCH!

  • The Facts of Life
    • A guard in the Underbelly of Dalaran is called Natalie Tootiblare, a reference to three of the main characters in the series: Natalie Green, Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey, and Blair Warner.
  • Firefly
    • In Amber Ledge of Borean Tundra, Initiate Mehrtens sells an item which you can use to torture a previously captured mage. One of the lines he says is "Are you trying to meet the real me?", a reference to a line Mal says while being tortured in the episode War Stories, and this line, as the whole torture, is in turn a reference to the works of Xiang Yu.
    • In Amberpine Lodge of Grizzly Hills, Saffron Reynolds can be found on the upper floor; she is a reference to Saffron, a con artist who was briefly married to Mal Reynolds. She is a poison vendor, a hint to how she drugged up Mal with a poison on her lips. Next to her is Yolanda Haymer, another name later used by this woman.
  • Futurama
    • Professor Putricide's quotes come straight from Professor Hubert Farnsworth. "Good News, Everyone!"
  • Grizzly Adams
    • In the harbor town of Venture Bay located in Grizzly Hills, you can find a male human NPC named "Grizzly" D. Adams with a bear cub by his side. This is a obvious reference to the original movie The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams which later became a TV series.
  • Top Chef
    • The Alliance Cooking Grandmaster Trainer in Dalaran is named Katherine Lee, a reference to Katie Lee Joel, the host of Season One of Bravo TV's hit series Top Chef and a cookbook author. Some people mistakenly believe this is a reference to Kathie Lee Gifford, who actually has nothing to do with cooking.
    • The Horde Cooking trainer in Vengance Landing is named Thomas Kolichio. A clear reference to Top Chef Master Judge Tom Colicchio.
  • Lost
    • In Bittertide Lake is a small island with a hatch with the Lost numbers incremented by one: 5 9 16 17 24 43.
  • MacGyver
    • In Howling Fjord (60,61) is McGoyver who is building an airplane, clearly a reference to MacGyver.
  • Saturday Night Live
    • A book in Acherus: The Ebon Hold (the Lich King's floating necropolis and starting area for Death Knight characters) lists various Death Knight trainees and their fates. The player's character is named on the last significant page with a note saying "Need more cowbell", a reference to a Christopher Walken sketch that the development team must have really, really liked.
  • Seinfeld
    • In Badlands, in the town Fuselight-by-the-Sea there is an npc on a hill next to the questgiver to direct you to Fuselight, who is standing in front of a small crowd of engineers. His name is Cramer and his "weird" hairstyle bears a strking resemblance (as well as the anaglamation of his name) to the goofy character Kramer from Seinfeld.
  • Sesame Street
    • Some of the hungering dead near Wintergarde Keep in Dragonblight say "NOM! NOM! NOM!", a term used to describe eating, coined by the Cookie Monster.
  • The Simpsons
    • In the Death Knight starting area, the quest "N [55] Nowhere To Run And Nowhere To Hide" sends you to kill Mayor Quimby, an obvious reference to Joseph Fitzgerald O'Mally Fitzpatrick O'Donnell "Joe" Quimby, better known as "Diamond" Joe Quimby, the mayor of Springfield. The title of the quest is also a possible reference to the KISS song "Nowhere to Run," though it could also be a reference to the song "Slaughter your World," which is part of the LookingforGroup comic by Ryan Sohmer and Lar Desouza.
    • In the Borean Tundra while questing for D.E.T.A you ride one of the neutral mammoths in the area, once mounted the Mammoth's name appears as "Stampy" a reference to Bart Simpson's pet elephant of the same name.
    • The achievement Crazy Cat Lady (10/25) is most likely a nod to the series' infamous Crazy Cat Lady, which is in turn a reference to the stereotype of old women who own or shelter a lot of cats. There is also a woman in Elwynn Forest called Donni Anthania who has the title <Crazy Cat Lady> - another reference to this character and the stereotype.
    • [Unblinking Eye] might be a reference to one of the Stonecutters' initiation rituals in Homer the Great (which all, except the last one, consist of the blindfolded initiate being paddled on the ass by a line of people)
  • South Park
    • In Howling Fjord, the Valgarde defenders are armed with rifles. Before killing approaching NPCs they yell "It's coming right for us." A reference to an early South Park episode dealing with the Second Amendment. It was explained that with the new changes in government you could only fire your weapons in self defense, therefore, hunters could legally shoot anything by claiming self defense, but only after yelling "It's coming right for us."
    • While not quite making it into The Burning Crusade (as it was renamed [Gladiator's Slicer]), the [The Sword of a Thousand Truths] was introduced as a drop in the new Naxxramas, and renamed [Slayer of the Lifeless], complete with the flavor text, "Foretold by Salzman," both obvious nods to the "Make Love, Not Warcraft" episode.
    • The PvP achievement Fail:Money achievement.png Make Love, Not Warcraft is a reference to the South Park episode of the same name, where the South Park gang play World of Warcraft. The achievement requires you to the same thing that Stan did to his dad before he died.
    • Xevozz in Violet Hold sometimes says "Profit!" when killing a player. This 'slay' line is the third of three in the game files. This is a reference to the Unterpants Gnomes and their business plan.
  • Star Trek
    • Sailor Picardo and Sailor Philips, deckhands of the Kraken (the boat that ferries Alliance players from Stormwind to Valiance Keep) are likely to be references to actors Robert Picardo and Ethan Philips, who played the characters of The Doctor and Neelix on Star Trek: Voyager.
    • In Borean Tundra, there are gnomes called Fizzcrank Mechagnome. While they are fighting you they say "We are Mechagnome...resistance is futile" and "You will be assimilated or eliminated." This is of course a play on the Borg.
    • Datalore Smallsphere, a Gnome trades good seller who resides at Harkor's camp in Grizzly Hills, is a reference to the 'twin brother' androids, Data and Lore, created by Dr. Soong.
  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
    • The achievement I Could Say That This Cache Was Rare (10/25) is a reference to the series' theme song.
  • Unhappily Ever After
    • In the quest Mr. Floppy's Perilous Adventure, Mr. Floppy, Emily's pet rabbit, is in reference to the sitcom Unhappily Ever After which ran on the WB from 1995–1999.
  • Voltron
    • One of the phases of Mimiron is named "V-07-TR-0N", a reference to the anime robot Voltron. Additionally, the achievement title Fail:Money achievement.png And I'll Form the Head! gained when looting Mimiron's Head is a quote from the show.
    • It is also interesting that the Jewelcrafting mounts introduced in Mists of Pandaria come in 4 colors (Red, Yellow, Blue, Green), and then a fifth (Black) which can only be crafted with the original 4 mounts as mounts. This is clearly a direct reference to Voltron.
  • X-Files
    • In Dragonblight are two NPCs named Agent Skully (a female Forsaken in disguise) at New Hearthglen and Deathguard Molder (a male Forsaken) at Venomspite. These two are obvious reference to the two main characters of X-Files — Dana Scully and Fox Mulder.
    • Brann Bronzebeard in Storm Peaks sometimes says "The truth is out there".
  • Xena: Warrior Princes
    • Zena <Wodin's Warrior Kitten>, the pet of Wodin the Troll-Servant at the Amphitheater of Anguish in Zul'Drak is a reference to the series and its main character. Additionally, Woden (Odin) is a norse god, while Xena once was a favorite of Greek war god Ares.

Music[]

  • Audioslave
    • Farmer Torp at Warsong Farms Outpost gives you a quest called "Bring 'Em Back Alive", which is also the title of a song on Audioslave's self-titled debut album. (It is at least as likely, though, to be a reference to the 1930 Frank Buck book, or the 1932 movie, or the 1982 Bruce Boxleitner TV series, all of which have the same title.)
  • Avenged Sevenfold
    • Avatar of Freya gives you a quest called "Returned Sevenfold". Also, one of the rewards from this quest is called "Signet of the Avenging Heart". Taking parts from the title and the reward, you end up with the name of the band. However, it's also very likely that it's a reference to the Book of Genesis, in which God states that Cain (after he is banished from Eden) will be avenged sevenfold if he is harmed.
  • Bob Dylan
    • Prior to The Cataclysm, Commander Ashlam Valorfist could give you the quest "All Along the Watchtowers," a direct reference to the Bob Dylan song, in which you were required to light the watchtowers in Andorhal aflame.
  • Depeche Mode
    • In the Death Knight class starting area, when Death Knight NPC's are spoken to they may utter the phrase "suffer well", which could be a reference to the Depeche Mode song "Suffer Well' from the album "Playing the Angel".
  • Emilie Autumn
    • There is a male undead Grand Master Enchanting Trainer called Emil Autumn (who can be found in Howling Fjord), a possible reference to the musician.
  • George Fisher
    • The NPC Gorge the Corpsegrinder in Borean Tundra is a reference to the singer George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher of the Metal Band Cannibal Corpse.
  • Guns N' Roses
    • The achievement Lose Your Illusion (10/25) is a reference to the double album Use Your Illusion.
    • N [30] Welcome to the Jungle is a reference to the first track of the album Appetite for Destruction.
  • James Brown
    • Bronjahm <Godfather of Souls> is the first boss of the Forge of Souls dungeon. Besides 'Bronjahm' being a corruption of the name, James Brown was known as the 'Godfather of Soul'. In addition, the game music changes to a more upbeat melody when the boss is engaged, and his loot and an achievement for his heroic mode are references or direct quotes of song titles.
  • Megadeth
    • Bronjahm <Godfather of Souls>, the first boss in the Forge of Souls dungeon, casts a spell named Tornado of Souls referring to the song.
  • Muse
    • The achievement Supermassive (10/25) is a possible reference to the bands' hit "Supermassive Black Hole".
  • Nelly
    • The achievement Getting Cold in Here (10/25) is a reference to the song Hot in Herre, whose lyrics go "It's gettin' hot in here / So take off all your clothes"
  • Ozzy Osbourne and Korn
    • In Grizzly Hills, you receive the quest N [75] See You on the Other Side. This is a reference to both Ozzy Osbourne's song of the same name and/or Korn's 7th studio album.
  • Pink Floyd
    • The quest A [71] The Delicate Sound of Thunder given by an NPC named Walt in the Howling Fjord is a reference to Pink Floyd's album of the same name.
    • Mobu, the goblin engineer at Garrosh's Landing in Borean Tundra, occasionally says "I wanna go home... Take off this uniform and leave the Horde!", which is a line from the song Stop on The Wall (but Pink says "show", not "Horde").
    • On the border between Hillsbrad Foothills and Silverpine Forest there is a questgiver called High Executor Darthalia who gives the quest H [20] Welcome to the Machine. The first part of the description says "Come in here dear <boy/girl>, have a cigar. You're gonna go far and fly high as a ranking officer of the Forsaken.", which is a reference from two of the songs on the Wish You Were Here album. Welcome to the Machine and Have a Cigar.
  • Run DMC
    • In Borean Tundra, you receive a quest called N [72] The Nefarious Clam Master.... In the quest you must defeat Clam Master K, a reference to the late Jam-Master Jay of Run DMC.
  • Spice Girls
    • In any Cooking Daily Quests you will receive a "Small Spice Bag" for your trouble. In these bags you have a chance to get an item called "Baby Spice" which "Reduces the target's size by 50% turning them into a baby". This is a reference to Emma Bunton, one of the girls in Spice Girls, better known by the name Baby Spice.

Literature[]

  • Beowulf
    • Drottinn Hrothgar at Hrothgar's Landing, named after him, is a reference to the Danish King Hrothgar, a character in the epic poem Beowulf.
  • Bhagavad Gita
    • Deathbringer Saurfang's enraged quote, I have become...DEATH!, is a reference to this Hindu scripture. This particular quote was made well-known from its usage by J. Robert Oppenheimer upon observing the detonation of the first atomic bomb, where he said "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds".
  • The Chronicles of Amber
    • Watcher Corwin in Duskwood is probably a reference to prince Corwin of Amber, the main protagonist in the first half of the Chronicles
  • Cthulhu Mythos
    • The crazed dwarves in the Howling Fjord's Whispering Gulch speak of "that which must not be named". While it could be a reference to Harry Potter (see above), it might also refer to The King in Yellow from the Lovecraftian worlds together with the various tomes of "Things Men was Not Meant to Know" found therein.
    • The Faceless Ones (such as Herald Volazj) are quite similar to descriptions of Cthulhu, and are at least influenced by the mythos. Sometimes they also say "Shur'nab... shur'nab... Yogg-Saron!", which is a reference to Shub-Niggurat, another God from Lovecrafts Pantheon.
    • The achievement In His House He Waits Dreaming (10/25) is a reference to a ritualistic chant of the Ctulhu cult: "In his house at R'lyeh dead C'thulhu waits dreaming."
    • Pretty much all lore associated with the Old Gods is an obvious homage to Lovecraft.
    • In the quest N [70] Have They No Shame? in Coldarra players are asked to retrieve a book called [Berinand's Research] from The Nexus. A yellow note on the book reads "Notes on the Arcanomicron" which is most likely a reference to the fictional book Necronomicon in Lovecraft's works.
  • Dr Seuss
    • The quest H [71] Green Eggs and Whelps in New Agamand is a play on the Dr. Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham.
    • During the Feast of Winter Veil in-game holiday, you receive a daily quest, "You're a Mean One...", where you must go to Hillsbrad Foothills and kill "The Abominable Greench". This is a play on Dr. Seuss' "How The Grinch Stole Christmas".
  • Harry Potter
    • The crazed dwarves in the Howling Fjord's Whispering Gulch speak of "that which must not be named". This is a reference to the main antagonist of the Harry Potter novels, Voldemort, who was referred to as "He Who Must Not Be Named".
  • J. R. R. Tolkien
    • [Mrgl Blade] is a selectable reward upon completion of the Borean Tundra quest N [71] Escape from the Winterfin Caverns. This is a reference to the Morgul-Blade that the Witch-King of Angmar uses to stab Frodo at Weathertop in Tolkien's novel The Fellowship of the Ring.
  • Norse Myth
    • References to the Norse Mythologies are numerous throughout Northrend: The Vrykul are reminiscent of Norsemen (AKA: Vikings), their beliefs in fighting for the Lich King and being chosen is similar to dying in battle and going to Valhalla, where the Val'kyr serve the same role as the Valkyries, albeit in an evil fashion. The two Titan Pantheons, Aesir and Vanir, are references to the pantheons of Gods in Norse myth, the Æsir and the Vanir. The Titan watches of Azeroth, Loken, Thorim, Freya, Hodir and Mimiron, are base off of Loki, Thor, Freyja, Hod, and Mimir respectively, and their stories and backgrounds are all fairly similar.
  • Shakespeare
    • For the quest H [71] Parts for the Job, you have to purchase a [Fresh Pound of Flesh] from the travelling salesman Anton. In The Merchant of Venice, the merchant Antonio guarantees for a loan of his friend Bassanio from the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who hates Antonio and demands "a pound of flesh" cut from the merchant's body should he be unable to repay the loan in time. When Antonio's ships are lost at sea, he goes bankrupt, but the removal of the pound can be prevented. The Forsaken Anton, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have any problems giving away "fresh" flesh.
  • The Wizard of Oz
    • The quest N [80] I'm Smelting... Smelting! in Icecrown is a play on the famous last words of the Wicked Witch of the West when she is doused in water: "I'm melting... melting!".

Comics[]

  • Order of the Stick
    • In the new expansion, three characters have been introduced bearing names similar to those of the popular fantasy webcomic, Order of the Stick[9]. These characters include Big Roy, Cavalier Durkon, and Haley Copperton.
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
    • In the sewers of Dalaran, beneath some pipes and near some glowing green ooze, there is a rat surrounded by four baby turtles, an obvious reference to Splinter, Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
  • X-Men
    • In Dragonblight, during the quest Slay Loguhn, you are tasked with killing a Wolvar named Loguhn. This mob's name is a sound-alike to Logan, the civilian identity of Marvel X-Men's Wolverine character. The presence of blade-talon fist weapons (bone claws) on Loguhn's hands further enhances their similarity.
  • Hägar the Horrible
    • Elder Muahit wants you to kill Heigarr the Horrible in the quest The Tides Turn. This is a reference to the Dik Browne comic strip character Hägar the Horrible.

Sports[]

  • The Horde flight master in Light's Breach is named Danica Saint, a reference to American auto racer Danica Patrick via Saint Patrick. Danica Saint's appearance also resembles Danica Patrick.

Other[]

  • The Surge Needle in western Dragonblight looks very much like the Space Needle in Seattle, including the rotating top platform.
  • Element 115, a quest item in A [74] Riding the Red Rocket, has been given the temporary name Ununpentium, and is considered to be in the center of an "island of stability" in the midst of volatile elements. To date (29 Jan 2009) the most stable isotope, Uup-299, has not been synthesized.
  • Annie Bonn, an NPC at Scalawag Point, is named for the 18th century Irish pirate Anne Bonny.
  • Iron Eyes, a taunka NPC in Taunka'le, is named for Iron Eyes Cody. Cody is best remembered as the 'crying Indian' in the 1970s series of antipollution commercials sponsored by Keep America Beautiful. Iron Eyes gives the H [71] Cleaning Up the Pools, asking the player to help remove discarded machinery from the nearby geyser pools.
  • Algalon the Observer is likely named after the star Algol, also known as the "Demon Star" and traditionally considered an ill omen due to its unusual trait of inconsistent brightness.
  • The daily quests A [80 Daily] Breakfast Of Champions take their name from the breakfast cereal Wheaties.
  • The quest A [74] Riding the Red Rocket could be a reference to the Toronto, Ontario transit slogan "Ride the Rocket".

References[]

  1. ↑ Michael Biehn at the Fail:Icon-imdb-22x22.png Internet Movie Database
  2. ↑ Linda Hamilton at the Fail:Icon-imdb-22x22.png Internet Movie Database
  3. ↑ Arnold Schwarzennegger at the Fail:Icon-imdb-22x22.png Internet Movie Database
  4. ↑ Mall:IMDb title
  5. ↑ Summer Glau at the Fail:Icon-imdb-22x22.png Internet Movie Database
  6. ↑ Mall:IMDb title
  7. ↑ "Rowdy" Roddy Piper at the Fail:Icon-imdb-22x22.png Internet Movie Database
  8. ↑ Mall:IMDb title
  9. ↑ Giant in the Playground: Order of the Stick #1
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