Consummate V's

Trogdor's "teeth, spinities, and angry eyebrows" are illustrated using consummate V's.

Consummate V's are a graphic element used by Strong Bad in his illustration of Trogdor in the Strong Bad Email dragon. One of the more distinctive steps in the drawing instructions, the term (or even just the adjective "consummate") is frequently recalled when discussing Trogdor as well as on occasions where Strong Bad is demonstrating other illustrations.

The drawing tutorial in "dragon" is a pastiche of Ed Emberley's drawing instruction books;^[1] Emberley's guides broke down complex objects like dragons into basic shapes like triangles or V's. Note that Trogdor's scales are not illustrated with consummate V's,^[2] rather, they are "regimented U's".^[3]

Appearances

• Email dragon — Strong Bad instructs viewers to use consummate V's to draw the dragon's "teeth, spinities,^[4] and angry eyebrows". He expresses disapproval at Coach Z's "Wormdingler" drawing for not using "consummate" V's.
  • Email rock opera — The word chosen from dragon was "consummate".
• Trogday 08 — Strong Bad sings that The S is for Sucks Dragon uses "constabulate V's".
  • In an Easter egg, Coach Z opines that the Wormdingler "[doesn't] need no Consummate V's to be my bride".
• 8-Bit is Enough —
  • Strong Bad asks the Innkeeper about Trogdor, describing the dragon as having "teeth that look like consummate Vs".
  • Rather Dashing says that in all his attempts to kill Trogdor, he has never been able to even scratch a consummate V.
• Shopify Store — The Trogdor zip-up hoodie listing describes "two pockets for holding extra spinedies and consummate V's".
• Email sbemail 206 — The fake Trogdor beefy arm backpack is said by the announcer to have "secret com-pockt-ments for all your consummate V's".
• Eagle — Strong Bad draws "tiny, semi-consummate V's" on the wings.
• Large Bean (toon) — Strong Bad uses consummate V's to draw a collar on a shirt.
• Guitar — The guitar Strong Bad draws is dubbed a "custom 13-string Les Gibsonez Exploding Consummate V", in reference to the Gibson Flying V.

Consummate V's feature in Trogdor!! The Board Game.

• Trogdor!! The Board Game — The box features the tagline "A cooperative game of Burnination, Majesty, and Consummate V's." Action card "Consummate V's" allows players to move Trogdor diagonally (typically, Trogdor can only be moved in the four cardinal directions).
  • The highest-tier reward available on the Kickstarter, a handcrafted wooden gameboard and box, was called the "Consummate Level".
  • Trogdor!! The Board Game (video) — The aforementioned tagline and card appear in this promotional video.
  • Stack 'Em to the Heavens! — The game's box art is shown.
  • Magicks and 'Mergencies Expando Deck — Emergency Card "Singular Consummate V" allows Trogdor to be moved one space diagonally.
    • Expando Deck Promo — The "Singular Consummate V" card is featured.
• Trogdor Was A Man — The bridge repeats the chant "Get consummate", culminating in "Consummate V's".
• Trogday Micro Game — The website announcement invites the player to "Celebrate 19 years of majesty and consummate V's and maybe feel really old, too!"
• Decemberweenvent Calendar (Day 23) — Strong Bad complains that "There's not a consummate V in sight!" upon seeing Cheap As Free's off-model illustration of Trogdor.

References

1. ^  See dragon (DVD commentary) and Georgia Tech (2007). Emberley was also mentioned at NYU (2005) and PAX East (2018).
2. ^  @StrongBadActual tweet (28 Dec 2016)
3. ^  As posted to Twitter on January 10, 2018 and December 6, 2019.
4. ^  Variously spelled as "spinedies" (posted to Twitter on December 28, 2016 and December 6, 2019, Trogdor Zip Hoodie description), "spinities" (posted to Twitter on January 10, 2018, July 13, 2018, and January 25, 2019), or "spineties" (Fangamer Trogdor Plush description).