List of references (Demoman)

Due to the comedic style of Team Fortress 2 and Valve's humor, the game often includes references, usually in a humorous fashion. There are many sources, including games, movies, and music; even jokes that have developed within the game and its community have been included. Below is a list of references specific to the Demoman class, most of which are related to Scotland, the home country of the Demoman.

Achievements

Beat Me Up, Scotty Use a critical swing with the Eyelander to kill 5 enemy players.

"Beam me up, Scotty" is a phrase from Star Trek given by Captain Kirk to the operator of the Enterprise's transport system, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, when he needs to teleport back to the ship. Scotty himself is Scottish like the Demoman. Interestingly enough, the exact words "Beam me up, Scotty" were never actually spoken on-set. The closest Captain Kirk (William Shatner) ever came to speaking those words was "Beam me up, Mr. Scott" in the film Star Trek IV.

Blind Fire Destroy an Engineer building that you can't see with a direct hit from your Grenade Launcher.

"Blind fire" is when a person fires a weapon from behind an object and does not reveal themself. In doing so, the person usually does not know where they are aiming and is thus shooting "blindly". Of course the Demoman's ability to see is imperfect at the best of times.

Bloody Merry Provide an enemy player with a freeze cam of your smiling face.

"Bloody Mary" was the nickname given to Queen Mary I of England due to the hundreds of religious dissenters she had burnt alive. Note that "Bloody Mary" can also refer to a cocktail or to a ghost of western folklore.

Brainspotting Decapitate 50 enemy players.

Trainspotting is an iconic 1996 film set in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Bravehurt Kill 25 players defending a capture point or cart.

A reference to the 1995 film Braveheart, set in 13th century Scotland.

Caber Toss Bounce an enemy into the air and kill them before they land.

The caber toss is an event practiced at the Scottish Highland Games involving the tossing of a large wooden pole called a caber.

Cry Some Moor! Destroy 50 buildings.

The Heavy sometimes shouts "Cry some more!". This achievement is a reference to the fact that both the Demoman and the Heavy share the same voice actor, Gary Schwartz. "Moor" is a very old generic term for a black person; it is also a name for high altitude grassland with acidic soil, common in the Scottish Highlands.

Double Mauled Scotch Kill 2 people in a single sticky jump.

This is a reference to double malt Scotch whisky, which is made by blending two single malts. To "maul" someone is to beat them up, usually causing savage wounds in the process.

Glasg0wned Kill 25 Scouts and Pyros with the Grenade Launcher.

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, and ranked third in population within the United Kingdom. The achievement is a portmanteau of Glasgow and "0wned", a phrase commonly used in gaming to refer to an individual being shamed, usually by getting killed, by another player.

He Who Celt It Use the Sticky Launcher to kill an enemy player via environmental damage.

"He who smelt it, dealt it" is often used as a counter against the accusation that one farted, instead directing the blame at the person who complained about it first (since they would be closer to the supposed source). The Celts were a people of Iron Age Europe. The six remaining modern-day Celtic Nations are Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and Brittany.

Highland Fling Sticky jump a really long way...

The Highland Fling is one of the oldest of the dances that originated in the Gaelic Highlands of Scotland.

Kilt in Action Kill 500 enemy Soldiers.

This is a play on the phrase Killed in Action, or "KIA", which is used to describe a soldier who has died on the battlefield.

The kilt is a traditional knee-length garment originating in 16th Century Scotland.

Laddy Macdeth Kill 50 enemies with direct hits from the Grenade Launcher.

Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare, which gives a fictional portrayal of a historical Scottish thane by the name of Macbeth. In the play, Macbeth's wife is only ever referred to as "Lady Macbeth".

"Laddie" is a Scots word for a young boy.

Left 4 Heads Decapitate 4 players with only 10 seconds between each kill.

The name of this achievement is based on Valve's co-op shooter Left 4 Dead. Valve may be making a parody or reference to the pornographic film based on Left 4 Dead, crudely titled Left 4 Head.

Loch Ness Bombster Kill an enemy player with stickybombs within 5 seconds of them teleporting.

The Loch Ness Monster is an alleged animal purportedly inhabiting Scotland's Loch Ness. Evidence of its existence is largely anecdotal, with minimal, and much disputed, photographic material and sonar readings, as there has not been any physical evidence uncovered as of 2012. Local people, and later many around the world, have affectionately referred to the animal by the diminutive "Nessie" since the 1950s.

Operation High Dive Parachute 19.47 miles.

Operation High Dive was a test of high-altitude parachutes using dummies and was a precursor to Project Excelsior, the latter setting a jump altitude record of 19.47 miles.

Pipebagger Kill at least three players with a single detonation of stickybombs.

Reference to the Great Highland Bagpipe, a Scottish musical instrument.

Robbed Royal Destroy 100 enemy stickybombs with the Scottish Resistance.

Robert Roy MacGregor, often simply called "Rob Roy", was a famous Scottish outlaw and folk hero from the late 1600s and early 1700s. He is frequently referred to as the Scottish Robin Hood, and is the namesake of the Rob Roy cocktail.

Scotch Guard Kill 3 enemies capping or pushing a cart in a single stickybomb detonation 3 separate times.

The Scots Guards are a regiment of the British Army.

A guard is also a term for the conductor on a train.

A crotch guard is a piece of equipment used by athletes to, quite literally, guard their crotches.

Scotch Tap Glory in the slaughter of your enemies using the Eyelander.

A play on the phrase Scotch Tape.

Second Eye Provide an enemy player with a freeze cam of you shaking your rump.

This obviously reflects the fact that the Demoman only has one eye. The taunt is a reference to a scene from Braveheart, when the Scots moon the English army.

Shorn Connery Decapitate a cloaked Spy.

This is a reference to Scottish actor Sean Connery who portrayed, among other characters, James Bond, the famous spy. He is also known for his role as Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez in the film Highlander. "Shorn" is the past participle of "shear", which is the act of cutting a sheep's wool off. Sheep farming is an important industry in the Scottish highlands.

Slammy Slayvis Woundya Decapitate an enemy Soldier who is brandishing the Equalizer.

Sammy Davis, Jr was a well known singer and dancer who became internationally famous for his Broadway performances. The reference to the Demoman comes from his role in the original Ocean's 11, where he plays Josh Howard, a former military demolitions expert turned garbage truck driver. Also of note is that in 1954, 6 years prior to Ocean's 11, Sammy Davis Jr. lost his left eye in a traffic collision. Unlike the Demoman, he elected to be fitted with a glass eye.

Something Stickied This Way Comes Kill 30 players with air burst stickybombs.

This is a play on words from a quote from the Shakespearean play Macbeth, which gives a fictional portrayal of the historical Scottish thane Macbeth. The quote, "Something wicked this way comes," is spoken in Act IV, Scene 1 by the Second Witch as Macbeth approaches.

Spynal Tap Kill 20 Spies within 5 seconds of them sapping a friendly building.

A 'spinal tap' is a colloquial name for a lumbar puncture, a medical procedure involving the insertion of a needle into the spine to collect fluid for diagnostic testing.

This may also be a reference to the cult rock-umentary This Is Spinal Tap.

Sticky Thump Using the Scottish Resistance, kill 3 players in separate explosions without placing new stickybombs.

"Ecky thump" is a northern English phrase that is exclaimed during a moment of surprise.

Tam O'Shatter Destroy 5 enemy Engineer buildings during a single ÜberCharge from a Medic.

This is a reference to "Tam o' Shanter", a poem written by the Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1790.

Tartan Spartan Do 1 million points of total blast damage.

Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours, particularly associated with Scotland.

The Spartan Army was one of the most feared military forces in world history.

The Argyle Sap Blow up an Engineer, his sentry gun, and his dispenser with a single stickybomb detonation.

Argyll (Pronounced Ar-guy-l) is a region on the western coast of Scotland, historically written as Argyle. In earlier centuries, the entire west coast of the country was sometimes referred to as Argyll.

The High Road Sticky jump onto a cap point and capture it.

This is a reference to The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond, a well-known traditional Scottish song published in 1841. The first line of the chorus is:

"Ye’ll tak’ the high road and I'll tak' the low road,

An' I'll be in Scotland afore ye".

It is purported to tell the story of a dead soldier who will arrive home by the "low road" before his living comrade arrives home by the "high road".

There Can Be Only One Decapitate your nemesis.

This is a sentence repeated throughout the film Highlander, suggesting only one immortal will survive the age-old "game" of decapitation that they play.

The Scottish Play Get a melee kill while sticky jumping.

Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare, which gives a fictional portrayal of an historic Scottish thane by the name of Macbeth. Ever since the first showing of Macbeth, it has been alleged that speaking the play's name aloud is unlucky. Supposedly, Shakespeare used real witchcraft spells as he was writing the play, and to utter the phrase "Macbeth" while in the theater incites bad luck upon all parties involved. There are countless tales of accidents and even deaths during production runs of Macbeth. Thus, it is customary to refer to it simply as "The Scottish Play".

The Targe Charge Charge and kill someone with your shield bash.

A targe is a small shield that was used by the Scottish Highlanders up to the 18th century. The Highlanders were famous for their charges. A single-handed claymore would be held in the right hand and used to stab the enemy, the targe would be strapped to the left arm and used to parry sword or bayonet blows, and a small dagger held reversed in the left hand and overlapping the targe would be used to slash.

The Stickening Kill 3 Heavies from full health with a single stickybomb detonation.

In the film Highlander, the Quickening is the phenomenon which occurs when an immortal decapitates another, acquiring the sum total of their power, knowledge, experiences, and skill. The second Highlander film is also subtitled "The Quickening".

Three Times a Laddy Dominate three Engineers.

"Three Times a Lady" is a 1978 single by the funk and soul band The Commodores.

"Laddie" is a Scots word for a young boy.

Well Plaid! Kill 10 enemies while assisting or being assisted by another Demoman.

A plaid is a pleated cloth often worn with a kilt, made from the same tartan and worn over the shoulder, fastened at the front. In the USA, "plaid" can also refer to any cloth with a checked pattern, similar to tartan.

Weapons

Ali Baba's Wee Booties

Ali Baba is a fictional character from the story "Ali Baba & the Forty Thieves", which is featured in the book One Thousand and One Nights, and whose name is the inspiration for the Demoman's One Thousand and One Demoknights item pack.

"Wee" is a Scots word meaning "small".

Bootlegger

Bootlegging was originally the act of concealing hip-flasks of alcohol in the legs of boots.

Bottle

The Demoman's Bottle is branded "XXX"; this typically means strong Moonshine, an illegaly-brewed beverage.

Chargin' Targe

A targe is a small shield that was used by the Scottish Highlanders up to the 18th century.

The Highlanders were famous for their charges. A single-handed claymore would be held in the right hand and used to stab the enemy, the targe would be strapped to the left arm and used to parry sword or bayonet blows, and a small dagger held reversed in the left hand and overlapping the targe would be used to slash.

Eyelander

The Eyelander is a reference, both in name and design, to the film Highlander; specifically the character of Connor McLeod (last of the clan McLeod). In the film, when one immortal decapitates another, he acquires the sum total of their power, knowledge, experiences, and skill similarly to how the Eyelander works in the game.

The Eyelander, which is a two-handed claymore, also bears close resemblance to the sword thought to have been used by William Wallace.

The "eye" part is a direct reference to the Demoman's cycloptic nature.

Half-Zatoichi Soldiers and Demos; Can duel with katanas; For a one-hit kill.

Zatoichi is a fictional character who appears in many Japanese films. He is a very able swordsman, despite being blind.

The "half" part of the name comes from the fact that the Demoman is only blind in one eye.

Loch-n-Load

"Lock and Load" is a cliché originating from the process of preparing a weapon for firing.

"Loch" is a Scots and Scottish English word for a lake. It is pronounced similarly to "lock", but the "k" is softened.

Loose Cannon

"Loose cannon" is a term for a person who has little to no self control.

Nessie's Nine Iron

The Loch Ness Monster is an alleged animal purportedly inhabiting Scotland's Loch Ness. Evidence of its existence is largely anecdotal, with minimal, and much disputed, photographic material and sonar readings, as there has not been any physical evidence uncovered as of 2012. Local people, and later many around the world, have affectionately referred to the animal by the diminutive "Nessie" since the 1950s.

A nine iron is a type of golf club. The modern 18 hole game of golf was invented in Scotland, the Demoman's homeland.

Scottish Handshake

This weapon's name is a reference to the myth that a Scottish person will usually greet others with physical violence, due to their stereotypically aggressive nature.

The label on the bottle indicates that it was made in 1680, the same year that the notorious pirate known as Blackbeard was born.

The original name of the Scottish Handshake was the Scotland Shard, a pun on Scotland Yard.

Scottish Resistance

This weapon's name is a reference to the period of extended Scottish insurrection against English rule after being invaded in 1296, culminating in two major wars fought from 1296-1328 and 1332-1357 (not to be confused with the Jacobite rebellions).

Ullapool Caber High-yield Scottish face removal. A sober person would throw it...

Ullapool is a small town in the Scottish Highlands. It is also the Demoman's birthplace.

A caber is a large wooden pole used in the caber toss, an event practiced at the Scottish Highland Games.

Cosmetic items

Aladdin's Private Reserve Originally owned by some punk kid in Syria, this Arabian wish-granter is a lamp full of liquid courage. Simply rub, think liquory thoughts, and pour. Warning: don't think about anything else while rubbing, or you might not get booze.

Aladdin refers to a story in the collection of folk tales titled One Thousand and One Nights, in which the main character finds a similar lamp which contains a genie.

A private reserve is a set of bottles generally of higher quality set aside by the manufacturer of alcohol to sell for special occasions.

A Whiff of the Old Brimstone Your enemies will clap in delight at the cartoonish innocence of these old-timey bombs, making it that much sweeter when you blow their arms off.

The name of this item is a reference to the end of Meet the Demoman, when the Demoman declares "I'll be waiting on ya with a whiff of the ol' brimstone!"

Carouser's Capotain Suffer not a sentry to live.

A carouser is a participant in a noisy, lively drinking party or one who consumes plentiful amounts of alcohol - this is obviously a reference to the Demoman's drinking habits.

The description is a reference to The Bible, Exodus 22:18, which is often translated as "Suffer not a witch to live", referring to the Puritans and their practice of executing those accused of witchcraft. It also refers to World of Warcraft, the original inspiration of this item.

Conjurer's Cowl I put on my wizard's hat.

The description is a reference to the phrase "I put on my robe and wizard hat", originating from an IRC discussion by a user named bloodninja which became popular on the internet.

Dangeresque, Too? Splash the pot with all you got.

These are a reference to Strong Bad's low-budget, Ed Wood-esque action series Dangeresque, where they are worn by his sidekick, Homestar Runner.

Demoman's Fro

The Demoman's Fro, with its small size and headband, closely resembles the afro worn by rock legend Jimi Hendrix.

Glengarry Bonnet

The Glengarry bonnet is actually a traditional boat-shaped hat without a peak. This hat more closely resembles a Balmoral bonnet, which was worn by several Scottish military regiments until they all switched to the Glengarry in 2006.

Hair of the Dog

The name of this hat refers to the colloquial term "hair of the dog that bit you", referring to the act of consuming an alcoholic drink to relieve the effects of a hangover.

Mask of the Shaman An invincibility mask made by the Ancients. It hasn't worked in a long, long time.

This is modeled after the mask worn by the nomads in the game From Dust.

A shaman is an individual who is believed to have a mental connection to a spiritual world.

Pickled Paws

"Pickled" is a slang term for drunkenness.

Private Eye

In film and television, Sherlock Holmes is often depicted as wearing a similar deer-stalking hat, though he never did in any of the original novels.

"Private eye" is a term for a private investigator.

Reggaelator Every little thing is gonna be alright.

The description is a reference to Bob Marley and the Wailers' song "Three Little Birds".

Rimmed Raincatcher Because there's no alliteration like alliteration with an 'ARR!'

Hats of this style are commonly associated with pirates. With his eyepatch, the Demoman somewhat resembles a stereotypical pirate.

Samur-Eye One-eyed scottish drunk; Dons his helmet for battle; Blacks out, misses war.

The Samur-Eye is a replica of the helmet worn by the samurai lord Date Masamune. The item description makes a reference to Date Masamune's nickname, The One-eyed Dragon. This nickname refers to the fact that Date Masamune also wore an eyepatch, although the Demoman's eyepatch is on the other eye.

Snapped Pupil Be honest, lads. Ya cannae even tell, can ye?

The item's name is a reference to the film Apt Pupil.

Tam O' Shanter

Tam o' Shanter hats are named after a character in a poem written by Scottish author Robert Burns in 1790.

Tavish DeGroot Experience Hey, Joe, where you going with that sticky launcher in your hand?

The name of this hat is a reference to English rock band The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

The description refers to a specific song, Hey Joe, often covered by the band.

Tippler's Tricorne Three sharp corners mean one sharp hat. Don't poke your eye out.

The description is a reference to the common phrase when handling sharp objects: "don't poke your eyes out", and the fact that the Demoman has only a single eye.

Hats of this style are commonly associated with pirates. With his eyepatch, the Demoman somewhat resembles a stereotypical pirate.

Taunts

Grenade Launcher

Also works with Pain Train, Loch-n-Load, Iron Bomber, Loose Cannon, or Scotsman's Skullcutter equipped.

This taunt is a reference to the belief that a "true Scotsman" wears nothing beneath his kilt.

Scottish Resistance

The taunt the Demoman performs with this weapon active is a reference to a scene from Braveheart, when the Scots moon the English army.

Responses

Dominating a Soldier

"Lot o' good that Soldier trainin' did ya! I'm drunk!"

This is a reference to the Training new players are encouraged to go through when they first launch the game, which includes two portions for Soldier.

Dominating a Pyro

"Go home, lassie; men are fightin' here!"

"Lassie" is a Scottish term for "girlie", which is also a part of Valve's running gag of not revealing the Pyro's gender.

Dominating a Demoman

"It is the Dominatening!"

"Welcome to the Dominatening!"

These quotes are references to the film Highlander. The Quickening is the phenomenon which occurs when one immortal decapitates another, acquiring the sum total of their power, knowledge, experiences, and skill. The second Highlander film is also subtitled "The Quickening".

"Dominated! I feel everything! I know everything!"

In Highlander, the main character Connor McLeod speaks this line when he is possessed by the Quickening, absorbing the knowledge and power of his defeated adversary.

Dominating a Heavy

"DOMINATED, ya blubbery Bolshevik!"

The Bolsheviks were a faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, and were the driving force behind the Russian revolution in 1917.

"Little too much caber-tossing pie down yer own throat, eh, chubby?"

The caber toss is an event practiced at the Scottish Highland Games involving the tossing of a large wooden pole called a caber.

Dominating a Medic

"DOMINATED, you Teutonic nursemai-(belches) Ahh... hah."

The Teutons were an ancient Germanic tribe.

Dominating a Sniper

"DOMINATED, ya headshottin' Judas!"

Someone who is traitorous or unpopular is often referred to as a "Judas", after Judas Iscariot, the apostle of Jesus Christ who betrayed Him.

Other responses

"Freeeedooooom!" - at round start or "Battle Cry" voice command.
"Freeeedooooom!" (said differently than the above) - upon resurrection with a Reanimator.
"Freeeedooooom!" (said differently than the above two) - while head-butting during the Skullcracker taunt.

In the film Braveheart, William Wallace shouts "Freedom!" in the last moments before his execution.

"Aye, me bottle o' scrumpy!" - after a Bottle kill.

Ciders made in the West Country of England are often called "scrumpy", from "scrump", a local dialect term for a small or withered apple. The archaic spelling cyder is sometimes used, but as a marketing ploy rather than authentic usage. A popular brand of cider is named Scrumpy Jack.

"There can be only one...eye." - after a decapitation kill on another Demoman.
"There can be only one!" - after a decapitation kill.

This is a sentence repeated throughout the film Highlander, suggesting that only one immortal will survive the age-old "game" of decapitation that they play.

"Unicorn brothers! Tonight, we pony prance in HELL!" - starting a round with the Magical Mercenary equipped.

This is a reference to the 2006 movie 300, where King Leonidas prepares for the final battle against Xerxes and commands his forces "Tonight, we dine in hell!"

[Slurred] "Just bought two tickets to the gun show, and I'm not givin' 'em to ya; I'm goin' with your tickets (laughs, falls asleep, then wakes up) Wha-?" - after killing a Soldier

This line is a reference to the 2004 movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, with Ron saying that "The only way to bag a classy lady is to give her two tickets to the gun show, and see if she likes the goods." The line above, as said by the Demoman, is a reversal of Ron's line in the film.

"I came here to kick ass and have two eyes! And I'm all out of eyes! Well, half out."

This is a reference to a famous quote from Duke Nukem 3D. Which is based off a quote from the 1998 movie They Live.

Media

Meet the Demoman

"One crossed wire, one wayward pinch of potassium chlorate, one errant twitch ... and kablooie!"

Potassium chlorate is a chemical compound commonly used in fireworks and explosives. As the Demoman says, it is a highly volatile substance and can spontaneously combust if not handled carefully.

"I'm a grim bloody fable...with an unhappy bloody end!"

The Grimm fables, or Grimm's Fairy Tales, were a collection of fairy tales of various origins, published by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the Brothers Grimm, in 1812. Though retellings, the themes and endings of the original tales were changed dramatically, becoming more friendly and less dark in nature. The original endings were quite often far from a "happily ever after" and often quite unpleasant, as the Demoman is keen to remember.