Skip to main content

Tribute to Marvel legend Stan Lee added as Easter egg to ‘World of Warcraft’

Stan Lee Tribute in World of Warcraft - Stormwind Patch 8.1.5

Legendary comic creator — and frequent Marvel movie cameo actor — Stan Lee passed away in November 2018, and though his appearances in films will soon come to an end, Blizzard Entertainment added a tribute of its own to World of Warcraft.

Spotted by the Twitter user “BasSchouten,” a character named Stanley can currently be found in Stormwind Keep if you’re playing on World of Warcraft‘s Public Test Realm.

Excelsior! @TerranGregory @TaliesinEvitel pic.twitter.com/9jplxvgEff

— Bas Schouten (@BS_Schouten) January 9, 2019

Wowhead subsequently confirmed the character’s appearance by visiting him in Stormwind Keep — you can see a video of the encounter above. Though he’s clad in Alliance armor to keep with the World of Warcraft setting, it’s clearly supposed to be Stan Lee. The character has white hair, glasses, and the comic creator’s mustache. Most telling, however, is that he will occasionally say his signature phrase: “Excelsior!”

It appears Stanley will be found elsewhere in the game as well, so those fighting the Horde should still have a chance to see him, but it’s unclear if he will be a permanent addition.

Just after Lee’s death, he made a cameo appearance in the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Though not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it received rave reviews for its animation, comedy, writing, and unique approach to the famous hero. Lee will also reportedly appear in Avengers: Endgame, the culmination of a cinematic universe that has been developed over more than a decade.

One of our favorite Lee cameos was in the Spider-Man video game for PlayStation 4, which released shortly before his death. Lee’s appearance as a restaurant employee is unexpected and heartfelt, and stands out as one of the best moments in the tremendous video game.

To date, Lee has cameo appearances in 20 different films for the Marvel Cinematic Universe alone, as well as four X-Men films, five Spider-Man films, two Fantastic Four films, Daredevil, The Incredible Hulk, and several television shows.

World of Warcraft is no stranger to celebrity tributes. In 2014, the game included a genie named “Robin” as a tribute to Robin Williams, who took his own life earlier that year. The character references several of Williams’ films, with Aladdin being the most prominent.

Editors' Recommendations

Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
Blizzard sues Sina Games for blatant Warcraft rip-off Glorious Saga
blizzard sues warcraft clone glorious saga world of battle for azeroth

Blizzard Entertainment filed a lawsuit against Sina Games over free-to-play Glorious Saga, which is a blatant rip-off of the long-running Warcraft franchise.

In the lawsuit, filed August 16 in a California court, Blizzard alleges that Glorious Saga is "almost entirely copied from the Warcraft games and related products," according to Polygon. The developer was seeking a court order to take down the game, in addition to maximum damages for the "serious and irreparable harm to Blizzard and its business" to the tune of $150,000 for each infringement.

Read more
Everything you need to know about World of Warcraft Classic
world of warcraft classic bugs actually features

World of Warcraft Classic has arrived, warping fans of the most iconic MMO of all time back to 2006. It reintroduces players to Azeroth as they remembered it, mimicking the look and gameplay systems of a time where WoW was quite different than it is today. Whether you're a longtime subscriber, someone who might want to jump back into the game, or a player thinking of trying WoW for the first time, we've compiled everything there is to know about World of Warcraft Classic right here.
How do I play?

World of Warcraft Classic is available now on PC and Mac. You can download the game client on Battle.net. As far as price, World of Warcraft Classic doesn't cost anything upfront. However, you need to have an active WoW subscription to play. Subscriptions are $15 per month, and if you already have a current WoW subscription you're good to go. A subscription covers both modern WoW and Classic. You can save money by purchasing a six-month subscription for $13/month or a three-month subscription for $14/month.

Read more
How to pick the World of Warcraft Classic class that’s right for you
WoW Classic Paladin pre-raid gear guide

Hailing from 2004, World of Warcraft Classic pioneered many staple MMO features the genre still holds close to its chest today. It's a game buried far in the idea of grinding, and it takes a long time to reach the max level. Any decision you make can either cost you dozens of hours of playtime or a heap of in-game money that isn't easy to come by.

Switching classes means creating a new character and starting from scratch, so it's important you find a class you enjoy playing before you put too much time into it. This WoW Classic guide should help you find a class that suits your playstyle and offer some helpful tips that can greatly reduce the time you spend leveling up.
Choosing your class in WoW Classic

Read more