Leeroy Jenkins

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Lore & Background

Leeroy Jenkins was originally a player character created by Ben Schulz in Blizzard Entertainment's multiplayer online video game World of Warcraft. The character was popularized in a 2005 viral video of game footage. In the video, having been absent during a discussion of a meticulous battle plan, Leeroy returns and ruins it by charging into combat while shouting his name as a battle cry. The video became an Internet meme. In response to the meme, Blizzard added Leeroy Jenkins into World of Warcraft as an official non-player character and as a minion card, and later as a cosmetic item in the online card game Hearthstone. In March 2022, Leeroy Jenkins debuted as a playable mercenary character in Hearthstone's Mercenaries game mode.

In Their Own Story

The original video, titled Leeroy!!, was released by the World of Warcraft player guild "Pals for Life" to video-sharing site Warcraftmovies on May 11, 2005. The video features a group of players discussing a detailed battle plan for their next encounter: The Rookery in Upper Blackrock Spire. As they lay out the plan, 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, Solakar Flamewreath. This plan is ruined when Leeroy returns and, ignorant of the strategy, utters "Let's do this!" then immediately rushes headlong into battle shouting his own name in a stylized battle cry. As he runs in, one of the companions says "oh my God, he just ran in." After his companions sit silent for a moment in disbelief, they try to save him, but the chaotic nature of the fight leads into everyone being killed by the swarm of hatching dragon whelps. The guild chastises Leeroy for rushing into the fight without any planning, to which he retorts, "At least I have chicken!"

Reader's Guide

In Hearthstone, Leeroy Jenkins is a Legendary card from the game's Classic set. The card uses the same art as that of the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, which was released on October 25, 2006, with art by Mike Krahulik of Penny Arcade fame. In March 2022, Leeroy Jenkins debuted as a playable mercenary character in Hearthstone's Mercenaries game mode. The card is known for its aggressive playstyle, often used as a finisher in many decks. Its effect and stats make it a high-risk, high-reward card that can turn the tide of a match when played correctly.

Did You Know?

• The original video was released on May 11, 2005, by the guild 'Pals for Life' on Warcraftmovies.
• Leeroy's battle cry in the video is 'Let's do this!' followed by shouting his own name.
• The phrase 'At least I have chicken!' became widely mimicked after the video went viral.
• In 2008, Blizzard added an achievement to World of Warcraft called 'Leeeeeeeeeeeeeroy!' that awards the title 'Jenkins' to players who kill 50 rookery whelps within 15 seconds.
• During Overwatch's World of Warcraft collaboration, Torbjörn Lindholm received a voiceline calling out his own name in a similar fashion to Leeroy.