What is Trogdor? The Story of the Burninator

Trogdor the Burninator is a significant figure from the era of early internet animation, evoking nostalgia for the Flash cartoons and memes of the early 2000s. Born from a simple, comedic premise, the dragon’s design and story spiraled into a cultural touchstone that captured a massive audience.

The Origin of the Burninator

Trogdor was created in the 58th installment of “Strong Bad Email,” a popular series on the Homestar Runner website. In the email, titled “dragon,” the character Strong Bad responds to a fan request to draw a dragon. What followed was a memorable, step-by-step guide where his comically specific instructions formed the character’s unique look.

Strong Bad began with a simple “S” for the dragon’s body, followed by a “more different S.” He then closed the top to form the head and added distinctive features. He used “consummate V’s” for teeth and spiky spines, or “spinities,” along the back, and finished the face with angry eyebrows. The drawing was given wings, making it a “wing-a-ling” dragon, and famously, a single “beefy arm” for good measure.

The drawing session also gave birth to the character’s theme song. As Strong Bad drew, he spontaneously sang a heavy metal anthem describing the dragon’s destructive purpose. The song, with its driving rhythm and lyrics about “burninating the countryside,” was an unplanned element that became inseparable from the character. This combination of unique art and impromptu music solidified Trogdor’s popularity.

The Legend of Trogdor

Following his creation, Trogdor’s lore was expanded through an in-universe video game on the Homestar Runner website. This Flash game let users control the dragon and fulfill his destiny as the “Burninator.” The game established Trogdor’s activities in the world of Peasantry, cementing catchphrases from his theme song into early internet culture.

The gameplay was straightforward, with players navigating Trogdor through a grid-based countryside. The objective was to “burninate” everything in sight, including peasants and their thatched-roof cottages. This central mechanic directly translated the theme song’s lyrics into a playable experience.

Players also had to avoid knights who roamed the landscape attempting to defeat Trogdor. To win, a player had to burninate all the cottages without being stopped by these foes. The game’s simple and addictive nature made it immensely popular, elevating Trogdor from a one-off drawing to a character with his own lore.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Trogdor’s popularity quickly transcended the Homestar Runner website, establishing him as an internet meme and an emblem of 2000s web culture. His image and the catchphrase “burninate” became widespread, appearing on merchandise like t-shirts and hoodies. These items were reportedly the top-sellers in the site’s store, showing how the character resonated with the online community.

The character’s influence extended into mainstream pop culture. An extended version of his theme song was included as a bonus track in the video game Guitar Hero II. This inclusion introduced Trogdor to a massive new audience outside of the Homestar Runner fanbase. His name and imagery also appeared in other media, demonstrating a reach uncommon for web-based characters.

Trogdor’s enduring appeal was evident decades later. In 2018, the creators launched a Kickstarter for “Trogdor!! The Board Game,” a cooperative game where players help the dragon burninate the countryside. The campaign was a major success, reaching its funding goal within hours and ultimately raising nearly 20 times the initial amount sought.