headcanon, web media, reality viruses, the dot-egg era (captioned for the TVTropes impaired)
Headcanon: Homestar Runner's world is almost completely[1] immune to the Tommy Westphall Virus[2].
The exact source of this protective effect is unknown, but is suspected to be a combination of factors including: (a) high continuity (b) low canon consistency (c) well-mediated contact with our reality via the Lappy et al (d) a 30-year waiting period for most "RL" media references (e) some unknown property of Strong Sad's "Blue Ones"[3] and (f) Garbledina[4].
[1] Free Country did test positive during a routine TWV exam[5] in 2003, but did not develop any symptoms except for Shark-Tooth Bubs.
[2] named for Tommy Westphall, a disabled child from a TV series that turned out to be taking place entirely as his dying dream; the "virus" brings every other fictional universe his show crosses over with into the same collapsing reality bubble -- yes, our reality is theoretically inside of it!
[3] if you don't know, you probably shouldn't ask 😱
[4] GRAW MAD! GRAAAAW MAD! DARRRRRRRRGH!
[5] Also headcanon: these TWV examinations are administered free of charge as a charitable service by Mr. Peabody. Yes, that Mr. Peabody-- or at least, one of his 12 regenerations![6]
[6] You do NOT want to fuck with the War Peabody. (Whispered rumor has it that the one on television was the War Peabody.)
re: headcanon, web media, reality viruses, the dot-egg era (captioned for the TVTropes impaired)
@Phorm That is a good point. It's not so much that the HRverse never crosses over with anything else, though, but that it never turns malignant and will never trap them inside that snowglobe. But now that you mention it, I wonder if the awesome burnination power of Mighty Trogdor might not also be a factor...
Or could it be? Could this all be the gift of the S Is For Sucks Dragon? What a twist ending!
re: headcanon, web media, reality viruses, the dot-egg era (captioned for the TVTropes impaired)
@Phorm (Intriguingly, Sweet Cuppin Cakes is NOT immune to Westphall-like effects. However, it's already taking place inside of a jar of ranch dressing in Senor Cardgage's fridge and thus can not enter The Snowglobe.)
headcanon, web media, reality viruses, the dot-egg era (captioned for the TVTropes impaired)
@zebratron2084
While very little has managed to penetrate into Free Country USA, I feel like it should be noted that Trogdor has managed to escape into other continuities multiple times... Or maybe Trogdor just managed to emerge into our reality, and what we see in other continuities is a reflection of THAT Trogdor, from our world? Uncertain.