Stefán Karl Stefánsson, the actor who played Robbie Rotten on Icelandic TV’s LazyTown, may have passed on. But a newly discovered video game statue seems to continue his legacy.
Eagle-eyed redditor Bringers took to the r/dankmemes subreddit last week with a tribute that would bring tears to any fan of the late Stefánsson: a special statue in the video game For Honor that appeared to be created in tribute to Stefánsson and his LazyTown character. The statue is called “Number One,’ and is captioned “In Memoriam – To our Number One villain.”
For Honor is a title from Ubisoft for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC that allows players to take on the roles of knights, samurai, and vikings, essentially charged with beating one another to a pulp. It’s the polar opposite of kid-friendly LazyTown, but the two are connected: Stefánsson voiced PvP opponent Berserker, as noted by the official For Honor Twitter account, in his native Icelandic tongue.
In terms of gameplay, the statue can be used as a signature item, or be the pose characters perform on the post-battle screen with stats and team information.
Our team and our community are saddened to hear of the passing of one of our great warrior voice actors. Stefán Karl Stefánsson voiced our (pvp opponent) Berserker. Our thoughts are with his wife and children.
— For Honor (@ForHonorGame) August 22, 2018
Consider a donation in his name here: https://t.co/gB4UqIcxiV pic.twitter.com/CDJFldxnY0
Stefánsson died at 43, following a long battle with bile duct cancer. He fought for two long years, always taking to social media to share his journey with his followers. Originally diagnosed with cancer in 2016, he eventually succumbed to the disease in 2018, leaving behind a legacy that would touch even video game developers and others in the creative community.
One of his best-known performances was taken from the kids’ live-action TV series LazyTown, in which Stefánsson played the role of Robbie Rotten. The show focused on 8-year-old Stephanie, who had moved to the town to help encourage the members of the community to lead more active lifestyles. Rotten was a villainous character who was always working to keep the citizens of LazyTown from exercising properly, opting for sluggish actions and lazing around.
It’s a show that’s attracted a ton of attention thanks to its surrealistic nature, Stephanie, and Rotten himself, and as such amassed Stefán Karl Stefánsson quite the following.
“We Are Number One” is one of Rotten’s signature songs and the very song that the For Honor tribute is name-checking with its heartfelt messaging. The tune, punctuated by Rotten’s signature dastardly intonation, is a real banger with punk and ska influences and is a fun, upbeat, and villainous song to dance to.
It, along with Rotten himself, spawned many a meme over the years. Stefánsson was aware of the memes and buzz on the internet surrounding Robbie Rotten and his infamous songs. He reached out often to share his thoughts on how creative fans were.
READ MORE:
- Robbie Rotten’s ‘We Are Number One’ was just named ‘Meme of the Year’
- ‘LazyTown’ actor, Reddit meme icon Stefán Karl Stefánsson dead at 43
- Stefán Karl Stefánsson’s family posts Robbie Rotten makeup tutorial
- Stefán Karl Stefánsson’s fans are trying to get him a posthumous YouTube honor
So far, there’s been no official announcement made regarding the heartfelt For Honor tribute. Ubisoft did not reply to a request for comment about the statue.
Tonight’s stream is dedicated to Stefán Karl Stefánsson. He brought life to my favorite Hero in For Honor and joy to many people around the world. RIP — https://t.co/aZzx0DRKPc https://t.co/nsh200UIl2
— Norgoz (@Norgoz) February 9, 2019
It remains, for now, an Easter egg bound to put a smile on fans’ faces should they meet up with Stefánsson again in-game –and call him Number One, just as he was meant to be.
