Fourth Wall Breaks

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Literally breaking the fourth wall.

Sometimes, the characters break the fourth wall by displaying awareness that they are in an Internet cartoon.

Fourth wall breakages are common in Strong Bad Emails; Strong Bad often addresses the viewers, and references to his "email show" are made. Some of these supposed "fourth wall breaks" may be explained by assuming that Strong Bad has a live webcam show in which he answers e-mails, or that he is talking to an imaginary audience, but in other instances the characters actually refer to the fact that they are in cartoons, which is a real fourth wall break. Excluding Strong Bad Emails that involve a character addressing the viewers, here is a list of fourth wall breakages in the toons.

Contents

Fourth Wall Breakages

Big Toons

  • DNA Evidence: Homestar does a voiceover for the "previously on homestarrunner.com" part.
  • Weclome Back: All of the characters punch in on a time clock after returning from vacation. Marzipan wonders whether anyone has been "taking care of the website." Homestar Runner says "It's time to get this www-dot-show back on the road-dot-com."
  • Shopping for Danger: Silent Rip informs Gunhaver the "Cheat Commandos Headquarters playset is under attack". At the end, Gunhaver screams, "Next episode, Blue Laser! Next episode!"
  • Where's The Cheat?: While reassuring Strong Mad, Strong Bad says "Don't worry, big guy. We'll cut to a montage. I mean, find The Cheat."
  • In Search of the Yello Dello Old Version: The TV announcer says that the Yello Dello is "the most rare and beautiful bird in this entire cartoon." (In the New Version, the announcer is a narrator for the whole toon instead of a TV announcer living in the Homestar universe)

Shorts

Holiday Toons

  • Trogday 08: Strong Bad scolds "you internet types" for ruining Trogdor, as well as "zombies, pirates, ninjas and Strong Bad."
  • Toikey TV: Gunhaver informs the other Cheat Commandos that all they got was "another lame Thanksgiving special."
  • Fan Costumes '07: Strong Bad mentions that Crack Stuntman is a character who voices a character from a cartoon (Cheat Commandos) inside a cartoon (Homestar Runner).
  • Jibblies 2: Strong Bad refers to the cast of the Homestar Runner cartoons as "characters". Also, Strong Sad asks if there was a Jibblies 1, referring to the name of the toon.
  • Let us give TANKS!: Blue Laser Commander reminds Ripberger he was only available for a limited time with three proofs of purchase. Silent Rip says he's thankful for the "Blue Laser Thanksgiving action playset". All the Commandos and Blue Laser members sing "Buy all our playsets and toys!"
  • More Fan Costumes: Strong Bad comments that Coach Z, The King of Town and Marzipan are the least popular Homestar Runner characters.
  • Halloween Potion-ma-jig: Throughout the cold open, Homestar directly addresses the viewer. When he comes upon Homsar, he remarks "Oh, great. The secret guy." and then comments on the choices that Homsar "gives" him. Then when he reaches the Creepy Cliff, he refers to it as a "cool new background." Finally, in the Goblin ending, Marzipan declares the end of the scene.
  • Homestar Presents: Presents: Strong Bad informs the viewers that Homestar runs around frantically from Decemberween to New Year's; then, in the Easter egg, there is a poster on the wall that reads, "Left Out Characters' Support Group & Buffet."
  • Halloween Fairstival: In the Homsar easter egg, Homsar walks across all sides of the screen.
  • The House That Gave Sucky Treats: At the beginning of the toon, Homestar tells the viewers to "pick a treat and drag it on top of us". During the end discussion, Homestar asks if the viewers have voted yet (a feature for that year's toon) and then later requests that the characters repeat stuff they have already said to freak "them" out, indicating that the characters know they are being watched.

Strong Bad Emails

  • original: The entire email is about the "actor" playing Bubs being replaced.
  • the paper: Strong Bad claims he can remember the birth of The Paper "like it was about to happen in a wavy flashback," which follows this line.
  • from work: Strong Bad tells the viewers and/or a cameraman to shut up and complains that what he imagines doesn't appear while Homestar's imagination does become visible.
  • unnatural: Strong Bad talks to the camera as he performs a public service announcement.
  • strong badathlon: Whatsit gets on the camera.
  • 4 branches: Strong Bad says that he'll have to get more specific to be able to cover stupid Homestar ground in one email.
  • cliffhangers: Strong Bad tells the narrator to get to the resolution of the second cliffhanger.
  • road trip: Strong Bad declares the end of the email.
  • theme song: Besides the whole idea of a theme song for his show, Strong Bad says he gives the viewers "a new email song every freakin' week".
  • keep cool: Strong Bad interrupts the email (he rises up from below the frame) to explain the difference between Strong Badia and the rest of Free Country, USA. He then offers a high five. He also says "Note to viewers" before everything else.
  • senior prom: After Strong Bad says that he's "taking Delilelia to see David Coppafeel perform" and gets up, the camera zooms out to reveal him actually standing on the right side, causing him to jump out of view.
  • narrator: Strong Bad said that Strong Sad had made corrections in three emails in a row, the first two being secret identity and technology.
  • highschool: Strong Bad says that he was "probably just like other cartoons" in his high school days.
  • lady...ing: The Cheat displays a laserdisc of a Marshmallow's Last Stand-era Email. Strong Bad says: "Oh, yeah. Boy, those old cartoons still pack a wallop."
  • bottom 10: After the end of the email, Strong Bad acknowledges that there are no Easter eggs at the end.
  • dreamail: Strong Bad says "Allow me to ... hit you with the pink border", and after that a pink border appears on the screen instead of the routine border. At the end he admits he should have used a fluffy white cloud border instead.
  • part-time job: Strong Bad peeks around the edge of the black on his way to Bubs' Concession Stand.
  • animal: Strong Bad says that a man with a laptop computer comes "from the right side of the screen" and says goodbye to the viewers as The Paper starts to get impatient.
  • virus: The effects of the virus cause several fourth wall breakages.
  • extra plug: As Strong Bad tells the others to hold their poses, he reminds them that "it's going to be a long week."
  • old comics: Strong Bad says that he and Homestar were used in a comic that was printed at least 60 years ago. Since they are obviously not that old, he is pointing out the fact that he and Homestar are unaging cartoon characters.
  • crying: Strong Bad states (or rather sings) that he "will not sing an email song this week."
  • dangeresque 3: Strong Bad asks the audience to resist the urge to throw full wine bottles at the screen.
  • flashback: The size of the display area is purposefully extended and Homestar Runner is (and has apparently often been) "behind the black."
  • monument: Homestar peeks out from behind the black as he sings, "Here comes the Thnikkaman!"
  • video games: Strong Bad turns and yells directly at the camera saying "'Cause you can't control me!"
  • couch patch: Strong Bad points out that the couch patch is clearly already present in Homestar's flashback, and Homestar says he got confused about the title of the e-mail.
  • mile: Strong Bad tells the viewers that he won't answer an email this week. The Cheat creates one, complete with a loading screen.
  • stunt double: Strong Bad throws floppy disks at the viewers and then pretends to give and take them away.
  • the process: Strong Bad spends the whole cartoon explaining how his other emails were/would be done. He also says "you can usually click on certain words and make little pictures of dumb stuff pop up."
  • huttah!: The Cheat actually watches the email on his own computer.
  • island: When Yami Yugi asks what Strong Bad would do if he were stuck on a desert island, Strong Bad nonchalantly replies, "I suspect it would be like most cartoons". Later, Homestar imitates Main Page 3, with similar effects.
  • 50 emails: Strong Bad tells the viewers "Don't nobody go nowheres, I'll be right back."
  • your friends: Strong Bad states that he's giving the fans what they want.
  • little animal: Strong Bad talks about the people watching the e-mail at home.
  • stand-up: Strong Sad tells the viewers to come with him.

Games

  • Thy Dungeonman 3: If the player talks to some of the characters, they mention events that happened "screens" ago.
  • Stinkoman 20X6: When 1-Up requests Stinkoman's help, Stinkoman says that he already helped him in Level 4. At the beginning of Level 6, Stinkoman appears to be playing his own game. At the beginning of Level -0, Stinkoman addresses the player while he's stuck sad inside the wall. Also, at the end of Level -0, Stinkoman says he has to get through Level 9 and Level 10 to get to 1-Up and Pan Pan. Then, at the opening cinematic of level 9, the Shadowy Figure says, "So he thinks he can get to level 10, eh?"
  • Peasant's Quest: If Rather Dashing talks to the second "Haldo" brother and says "Haldo" without talking to the first one (the one at the booth), he will say, "What'd you read that in PQ Stragedy Guide? Go talk to my brother first." On a related note, if the player types "throw baby" before the baby has been acquired, the game will say that the player must have "misread the walkthrough on GameFAQS." Also, if "get broom" is typed in Naked Ned's house, the game will say, "No no. The broom is in the foreground and you can't take things in the foreground. You don't see me all typing 'get browser window', do you?" Also, when at the inn, the inn "takes up the entire screen."
  • Blue Laserdisc Challenge: If you succeed in beating the game, Gunhaver bellows, "Next state-of-the-art laserdisc game, Blue Laser! Next state-of-the-art laserdisc game!!"

Teen Girl Squad

  • Issue 13: The Ugly One comments to Narrator Strong Bad on the creativity (or lack thereof) of her demise.
  • Issue 11: Cheerleader is seen reading the script for the issue, and asking how "uggs" is spelled.
  • Issue 10 (Easter egg): Cheerleader says it's their "Tenth Issue-versary".
  • Issue 8: Cheerleader sings "It's over! It's over! Strong Bad says it's over" at the end of the issue.

DVDs

Other

  • The Limozeen Advantage: Teeg Dougland informs Limozeen that they have been relegated to DVD bonus content.
  • Podstar Runner: In the original ending video for the emails and music videos, Strong Bad asks, "What am I doing in this tiny box?" and shatters the screen trying to get out. In the 2008 ending, Strong Bad leaves a "face print" on the iPod's screen and tells the viewer to use a "shimmy cloth".
  • Store: Most of the thank you messages break the fourth wall, especially the "bonus" message.
  • Not the 100th Email!!!: References to the 404 page and the user poking around the site.
  • Strong Sad: On Strong Sad's character page, he complains about making a "character page" and later runs his finger down the left side of the screen.
  • Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 8.0: Homestar says, "This is Homestar Runner from HomestarRunner.com".
  • First Time Here?: Sets the stage for fourth wall breakages, especially when Strong Bad says "I'm the real reason you're here" and asks people to "check him out".
  • Where the Crap Are We?: Strong Bad beats the left side of the screen.
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