Dungeons & Dragons

A game of D&D. From left to right: Chinese Boy, Cubert, Indian Boy, Bender, Dwight. Dwight is the Dungeon Master, i. e. game leader.

Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated D&D) is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in 1974. The game is set in an everchanging fantasy world where the Dungeon Master (the game leader) creates the world and the events around it, either entirely through imagination or with a storybook. The players all play one specific character in a group, that goes off for various different adventures. A game can go on either for just a few hours, or for many years, with the characters developing until death.

The game has been referenced on multiple occassions in the Futurama universe, most prominently in Bender's Game, to the degree that late D&D creator Gary Gygax himself has guest starred in the show.^(2ACV12)

Dungeons & Dragons in Futurama

Gary Gygax makes an appearance in "Anthology of Interest I", and "Bender's Game" is dedicated to his memory.

• "How Hermes Requisitioned His Groove Back" (2ACV11)
  
  • The Central Bureaucracy is guarded by a Beholder, a monster of D&D lore.
• "Anthology of Interest I" (2ACV16)
  
  • Gary Gygax, the creator of D&D, appears in the episode as a guest, and makes multiple references to D&D, including asking "Anyone want to play Dungeons & Dragons for the next quadrillion years?" after the universe is destroyed.
• "Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles" (4ACV09)
  
  • The Professor's gargoyle friend Pazuzu is a reference to a monster in D&D lore.
• The Beast with a Billion Backs
  
  • Pazuzu makes another appearance.
• Bender's Game
  
  • Cubert, Dwight, Chinese Boy and Indian Boy teaches Bender how to play D&D.
  • Bender becomes obsessed with the game, going hamoc, a reference to the 1980s critisicm of the game, claiming it encouraged Satanism and violence.
  • Cornwood, the kingdom built from Bender's imagination, holds references to D&D, including the Geysers of Gygax, an obvious reference to Gary Gygax.
  • In the climax, Fry says "So it has all come down to this... a dungeon, and dragons", upon which Dr. Zoidberg exclaims "I didn't see it coming!"
  • The film is dedicated to Gary Gygax, who passed on prior to its release, and the film list him as a special guest, featuring a clip from his appearance in "Anthology of Interest I" post credits.
• "Lethal Inspection" (6ACV06)
  
  • The Beholder from "How Hermes Requisitioned His Groove Back" makes a cameo in the Central Bureaucracy.

Image Gallery

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  The Beholder is a monster from the D&D lore.

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  Gary Gygax makes an appearance in "Anthology of Interest I", and "Bender's Game" is dedicated to his memory.

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  The Professor's gargoyle friend Pazuzu is a reference to a monster in D&D lore.

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  A game of D&D. From left to right: Chinese Boy, Cubert, Indian Boy, Bender, Dwight. Dwight is the Dungeon Master, i. e. game leader.

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  Cornwood includes several references to D&D, including the Geysers of Gygax.

Additional information

Quotes

Gary Gygax: Greetings! It's a [He rolls his dice.] pleasure to meet you!

Stephen Hawking: Great, the entire universe was destroyed!
Fry: Destroyed? Then where are we now?
Al Gore: I don't know but I can tell you where we're not. The universe.
Nichelle Nichols: Eternity with nerds. It's the Pasadena Star Trek convention all over again.
Gary Gygax: Anyone want to play Dungeons & Dragons for the next quadrillion years?

Chinese Boy: [After defeating a monster.] Who needs girls?!

Appearances

• "How Hermes Requisitioned His Groove Back" (2ACV11)
  
• "Anthology of Interest I" (2ACV16)
  
• "Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles" (4ACV09)
  
• The Beast with a Billion Backs
  
• Bender's Game
  
• "Lethal Inspection" (6ACV06)