Lack of Visible Arms
From Homestar Runner Wiki
One of the ultimate mysteries in the Homestar Runner body of work is that Homestar Runner, Marzipan, The King of Town, Homsar, and many other characters all lack visible arms and hands. In spite of this, they have the ability to pick up and carry objects. The most common explanations for this phenomenon are that they either have invisible arms or can manipulate objects with some kind of psychokinesis. Some suggest the latter over the former, as these characters' articles of clothing rarely have holes where arms would normally be. Usually none of the other characters seem to pay attention to this curiosity, although sometimes their lack of arms is referenced.
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References
- Armless Invaders — Homestar is the titular "armless invader".
- Email vacation — Strong Bad imagines, in a hypothetical email from Monkey D, "How does Homestar pick stuff up if he's not wearing any Marzi-pants?"
- Email action figure — Homestar's action figure box reads "No arms! Like real life!"
- The Interview — Strong Bad refers to Homestar as a "no-armed whitey".
- Email fingers — Homestar makes himself a pair of fake arms.
- Strong Bad is a Bad Guy — Strong Mad starts to tell Homestar that he doesn't have arms, but is cut off by the end of the cartoon.
- Stinkomanual — Level 5's intro reads, "1-Up takes matters into his own, um, torso!"
- No Hands On Deck! — Homestar's lack of hands, which comes with his lack of arms, is referred to in the title and in a newspaper headline within the toon.
- Sketchbook — Homestar is seen doing a push-up and the caption reads, "no handed-style!"
- DNA Evidence — Upon being told that the DNA analysis will cost "an arm and a leg", Marzipan replies "Not a problem." (see also below)
- Email more armies — Homestar remarks that by joining the Homestarmy, one can have a career in the "no-armed forces".
- Ever and More! — Strong Bad and The Cheat (who have perfectly visible arms) practice Homestar's and the King of Town's secret "handshake" (see below) by putting their hands on their hips and bobbing up and down.
Oddities
- In Search of the Yello Dello — Marzipan slaps Homestar across the face, leaving a visible handprint.
- In the commentary, Strong Bad says that Marzipan has really nice hands and Homestar replies, "Yeah, I suppose she does."
- In Search of the Yello Dello New Version — Marzipan asks if the oven mitts Strong Bad is wearing are hers, but she would not need oven mitts if she has no hands.
- The Reddest Radish — Marzipan knocks on the door of Homestar's house with her head, despite the fact she could have used her invisible arms/telekinetic powers instead.
- Likewise, in 3 Times Halloween Funjob, Homestar knocks on Marzipan's door with his head, although this could be due to his silliness, or possibly because he's holding his bagful of candy with both "hands".
- A Jumping Jack Contest — The Announcer proclaims that Homestar has completed the most jumping jacks despite the fact it would be hard to tell if he ever stopped clapping his "hands."
- Homestarloween Party Coach Z has fingers throughout the episode.
- Email halloweener — Homestar wears boxing gloves on his feet and an oven mitt on his head.
- Homestar vs. Little Girl 2 — When Puppet Homestar plays tag with Little Girl, he touches her with his head.
- Email the bird — Strong Bad flips Homestar off, and after Homestar replies "Right back atcha," Strong Bad exclaims, "He just gave me the bird!"
- Email your friends — When Strong Bad asks Marzipan to hold out her hands, she just says she doesn't want to. Of course, she may be aware that Strong Bad is preparing to hand her a saw blade.
- Email the show and Main Page 19 — Homestar holds a microphone and sorts through a stack of index cards at the same time. This action could require more than two hands.
- Strong Bad Sings — One of Strong Bad's songs is titled "This One Time I Saw Homestar Punching a Kitten in the Throat".
- Email marzipan — Strong Bad remarks that "Marzipan can't keep her hands offa" him, although this could be just a figure of speech.
- Email time capsule — Homestar is able to manipulate the box, box lid, and wig all at the same time.
- Secret Song (video) — Puppet Homestar plays the piano with both his invisible hands and the side of his head.
- Puppet Jam: Everybody Knows It — Puppet Homestar gives high fives to They Might Be Giants.
- Arcade Game, and emails credit card, 50 emails, and anything — Homestar can type on a keyboard. Also in anything, he is able to lift and pour a bottle of soda on Strong Bad's computer.
- Similarly, in the King of Town Email (reached via the King of Town Main Page), the King of Town is heard typing on the keyboard of the broken Tandy 400.
- Puppet Jam: Apple Juice Blues - Homestar says, "my arm really really hurts," though it is probably Matt Chapman speaking about his own arm.
- Strong Bad's Character Video — Homestar stands in line to receive a high five from Strong Bad.
- Biz Cas Fri 1 — When Homestar "helps" Strong Bad with his spreadsheet, Homestar types with his head, when he could type with his "hands" in 50 emails, anything, and Arcade Game.
- Email extra plug — Homestar is tied with an extension cord around his torso in a position normally used to secure someone's arms.
- Email highschool — Teenage Homestar sings "Shaking hands with my man" in Strong Bad's doodle memory/hazardous guess.
- Strongest Man in the World — Homestar gives Pom Pom a high five.
- Lappynapped! — The King of Town refers to himself as "Furious Fingers."
- Ballad of the Sneak — The Homestar Runner is seen with crutches after the Sneak "dropped him from his flying machine".
- Email strong badathlon — Homestar, the champion of the Greco-Roman Homestar Crud-Out-of-Beating event, takes swings at himself. Visible air disturbances show where his extremities are traveling.
- Email your funeral — As Homestar enters Marzipan's house, we see him hang up a coat with sleeves.
- Date Nite — When Marzipan and The Cheat go out for their date, he offers her his arm to escort her, and she apparently holds it as they walk.
- DNA Evidence — When Homestar, while wearing a trench coat, lifts the glass of DNA evidence to drink it, the right arm of the trench coat raises as though he has an arm, but he seems to lack shoulders. (see also above)
- Ever and More! — Homestar and the King of Town can be heard slapping hands as they demonstrate their "secret handshake."
- Main Page 24 — Homestar asks "How many fingers am I holding up?"
- Quality Time — Both Homestar and Marzipan are able to manipulate the cardboard versions of each other from several feet away. Marzipan is also able to both play guitar and manipulate Cardboard Homestar at the same time.
Other Apparently Invisible Body Parts
Coach Z's Face
Various references are made to parts of Coach Z's face that are not visible to the viewer:
- The Best Decemberween Ever — Coach Z is seen drinking mouthwash.
- A Jorb Well Done — When Marzipan is trying to teach Coach Z how to say "job", she tells him to make his mouth into an "O". Coach Z also blows his whistle.
- The Luau — Coach Z, Bubs, and Pom Pom are seen eating marshmallows. (Pom Pom also does not appear to have a mouth, and Bubs's mouth appears to be a solid wall of teeth.)
- Email couch patch — Coach Z pukes in the couch rip.
- Scrolling Shooter Games Menu — 20X6 Coach Z appears to speak by wiggling his eyebrow.
- Happy Fireworks — Coach Z says he once shoved an M-80 up his nose.
- Fall Float Parade — Coach Z claims to have "fairly good teeth".
- Email narrator — Coach Z claims a napkin has his "snot balls" on it, and Bubs tells him he doesn't even have a nose.
- Sbemail 150?!? — Strong Sad mentions wanting to pour black coffee over Coach Z's head so it "continually streams down his mouthless face". (This later happens in an alternate universe Easter egg.)
- Email trading cards — Coach Z spits on one of his cards.
- Email cliffhangers — The Thnikkaman tells Coach Z "I'll render you toothless!"
- Sbemail 169 Deleted Scene — Besides a round nose, a mouth on Coach Z's face is present in the "storyboards".
Strong Bad's Nose
Similarly, references are occasionally made to Strong Bad's nose, even though he does not appear to have one.
- Emails gimmicks, new hands, and unused emails — Strong Bad makes a sniffing noise.
- Email autobiography — In his autobiography tape, Strong Bad claims that "milk and cookies shot out my nose!"
- Email big white face — Strong Bad acts like he's holding his nose when near The Poopsmith.
- Email alternate universe — Stinkoman calls Strong Bad "big nose", then refers to his nose.
- Email old comics — The Castlefunnies characters, including Strong Bad, are all drawn with large noses.
- Sick Day — Strong Bad asks The Paper if he could blow his nose on it.
- Email keep cool — Strong Bad has smeared sunscreen where his nose would appear.
- In yes, wrestling, he wears sunscreen in the same spot as one of the Wild Vacationers.
- Sbemail 169 Deleted Scene — Strong Bad and Coach Z are drawn with small, round noses.
- Email web comics — The Strong Bad-like character in the GamerJox webcomic is drawn with a nose.
Strong Bad's Hair
Strong Bad sometimes acts as though he has hair, despite the fact that his head is a Mexican wrestling mask.
- Email marzipan — Strong Bad appears to comb his hair before talking to Marzipan.
- Strong Bad is in Jail Cartoon — Strong Bad wears a hairnet.
- One Two, One Two — Strong Bad wears a shower cap.
- Emails looking old, concert — Strong Bad wears a towel on his head.
Marzipan's Legs
While sometimes Marzipan does not appear to have legs, a few other 'toons claim otherwise.
- Email stand-up — Coach Z thanks Marzipan for her wonderful clogging.
- The House That Gave Sucky Treats — A rip in Marzipan's Joey Ramone costume reveals that she has no legs.
- Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 7.0 — Bubs tells Marzipan that Coach Z got that kick in the crotch she sent him just fine. He may however have been reporting that he had just kicked Coach Z in the crotch himself at Marzipan's request.
- Main Page 17 and Email highschool — 20X6 Marzipan and Highschool Marzipan are portrayed with long, thin legs (though the latter occurs completely within Strong Bad's doodle memory).
- Email date — Marzipan complains that Homestar won't stop kicking her in the shins. In the DVD commentary, she tells the Brothers Chaps she doesn't really have legs.
- That A Ghost — Old-Timey Marzipan's skeleton shows bones throughout her skirt.
- Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 14.2 — Coach Z asks Marzipan to get ready for shin team tryouts.
- DNA Evidence — Bubs informs Marzipan that the cost of analyzing the DNA evidence is "an arm and a leg." Marzipan then responds by telling him it's "not a problem."
- Fan Costumes '07 — Strong Bad tells Homestar "You wish Marzipan had legs like that! Or... legs."
Ears
None of the main characters appear to have ears, yet they still act as though they do.
- Email sibbie — Strong Sad wears earbuds to listen to his iPod.
- Email impression — In a tape recording, Strong Sad tells Strong Bad to stop flicking his ear.
- Strong Bad wears cool shades and sunglasses in multiple emails, starting with stunt double (as Dangeresque). These shades are apparently held on his head by invisible ears.
- Homestar and The Thnikkaman also wear sunglasses in several toons.
- Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 9.2 — On Message 1, Homestar re-listens to his old message from Marzipan under the tutelage of Pom Pom's keen ears.
- Email extra plug — The Cheat puts his hands to both sides of his head as though covering his ears when walking near Strong Bad's loud 'Lectric Boots. He also uses glowsticks to plug his ears.
- Email alternate universe — Tiny-Handed Strong Bad attempts to dig to China with his ears.
- Email keep cool — Strong Bad mentions that, after eating, you must have an ear candling before re-entering the pool.
- Halloween Potion-Ma-Jig — Bubs covers the space where his ears would be when Homestar attempts to sing for a stirring utensil.
- Happy Hallow-day — Coach Z wears earrings as part of his costume, which seem to stick to the side of his face as opposed to piercing his skin.
Other
- Email the bird — Strong Bad, Pom Pom, and Homestar give the bird, even though none of them have visible fingers.
- Strong Bad proceeds to flip people off in several toons.
- Decemberween Short Shorts — Homestar wears a towel around his neck as though he has shoulders.
- Email underlings — When Strong Bad tells Homestar he has cilantro stuck between his teeth, Homestar says "teeth?" as if he is shocked by the idea that he has any.
- Email original — Bubs says "if I had thumbs, I'd be sticking 'em up my armpits right now".
See also
Characters With No Visible Arms
These characters have no visible arms, yet have been observed manipulating objects:
Debatable Characters
These characters lack visible arms, but have never been seen manipulating objects:
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