There's also some ShoutOutThemeNaming, which goes on its own entry on the work page.

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Baldur's Gate]]

* Boo is a reference to the Giant Space Hamsters of ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}''.
* Marl's voice-actor's opening lines ("You talkin' to me?") are taken from the film ''Film/TaxiDriver''. He also sounds a bit like Robert De Niro.
* Some say that Kivan sounds like Creator/ClintEastwood's character Film/DirtyHarry.
* Clicking on Khalid's portrait enough times will get him to say [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Porky Pig's]] "Th-th-th-that's all, f-f-folks!" and also "Ch-ch-ch-chia!".
* Clicking on Jaheira's portrait will eventually get her to say "By your command" in the style of the Cylons from ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978''.
* Clicking on Dynaheir's gets her to say "These boots were made for walking, and that's just what they'll do", after the song by Music/NancySinatra.
* When his morale fails, Garrick panickedly sings "[[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail Brave-brave Sir Garrick, Sir Garrick led the way/Brave-brave Sir Garrick, Sir Garrick ran away!]]"
** Garrick's got a couple more of these. When walking through a town, Garrick will also randomly sing, "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!", which is the first line of the opening song of ''Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood''. Another one occurs when your party travels to a forest. Garrick says the line, "I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree," which is the first line of ''Trees'' by Joyce Kilmer, which was also set to music (though Garrick won't sing it, he'll just say it for some reason).
** He will also say "Once more unto the breach, dear friends!" when the party attacks an enemy. This is a line from Shakespear's play ''Henry V''. Kinda appropriate for a bard to be quoting The Bard.
* In one area, the party comes across a kobold, a xvart, and a tasloi. None of them attack you on sight, so you may be inclined to talk to them. If you do, one of them says "[[Series/{{Newhart}} Hi, I'm Larry, this is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl]]." You can get them to give you their autographs on a scroll if you like.
* A character named "Lord [[{{Foreshadowing}} Foreshadow]]" extols the general awesomeness of nights in Neverwinter. ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' was still in development at the time of [=BG1's=] release.
* The Flaming Fist Mercenaries have a tendency to shout "[[ComicBook/JudgeDredd I AM THE LAW!]]"
* The game also has a character named Pallonia who mentions "a city where winter never rears its ugly head" that "will soon welcome the return of a multitude of citizens." ''Neverwinter Nights'' was also the name of an old MMORPG that shut down in 1997.
* In the field just south of Beregost, you can run into a character named Bub Snikt who can smell ogres nearby and claims that what he does ain't pretty. 'Snikt Bub' is a nickname of ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}...
** And of course, there's Wolverine's penchant for calling people 'bub', and 'snikt' being his claws' signature sound effect.
* Repeatedly clicking on Safana results in the sultry-voiced thief quoting Mae West, telling you "When I'm good, I'm very very good. But when I'm bad...I'm better," and "Between two evils, I always choose the one I haven't tried."
* Shar-Teel paraphrases a couple of quotes from ''Film/{{Predator}}'': "If it bleeds, I can kill it," and "I don't have time to bleed."
* The paladin Ajantis will sometimes tell you "My honor is my life." This is, word for word, the creed of Sturm Brightblade from ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}''.
* There's an NPC named Peter of the North (encountered during the wyvern hunt quest). Peter North is the screen name of a well-known adult film actor. In the game, Peter of the North calls himself a "master woodsman," just in case you thought it was a coincidence. In a bit of [[HarsherInHindsight]], given later allegations about him.
* In the last dungeon, you are confronted by a mage named [[Literature/TheWheelOfTime Rahvin who serves the Lion Throne]].
* In the city of Baldur's Gate there is a man named [[Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood McFeelie]] who, if spoken to, tells you about his speedy delivery.
* When Quayle offers to join the party outside Baldur's Gate, he says, "Surely this leads us a familial bond of sorts...." The player can then turn him down with the response, "[[{{Film/Airplane}} No, and don't call me Shirley]]."
* If you click on Xzar enough, he will ask you to [[Literature/OfMiceAndMen tell him about the rabbits]].
** Also, [[Film/SilenceOfTheLambs "I ate his liver with a nice chianti and some fava beans."]]
* On the third level of the Nashkel Mines, there's a stone bridge overlooking what seems to be a bottomless chasm (or a very deep lava pit). Now, [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings where have we seen that before]]?
* In the [[VideoGameRemake Enhanced Edition]] there's a GladiatorSubQuest in which at one point you have to fight a [[FriendToAllLivingThings Druid]] with a swarm of [[BigCreepyCrawlies giant spiders]] called "[[ComicBook/SpiderMan Parker]]". His specific fight is even called "Unfriendly neighbourhood Spider man"
* The password to the Baldur's Gate Thieves' Guild? [[Literature/FafhrdAndTheGrayMouser Fafhrd]].
* Some of the last fights of the Black Pits pits you against a party of ogres and a frost giant and then a collection of mages. The next fight after those two, against a mixed party, has the sorcerer who owns the pit comment that [[Film/ThePrincessBride you have bested his giants so you must be exceptionally strong, but you've also bested his mages so you must have studied]]. When you beat that fight, his only comment is "inconceivable!".
* Quayle sings about [[Film/TheWizardOfOz "wiling away the hours, conferring with the flowers, consulting with the rain."]]
* Dorn Il-Khan in the Enhanced Edition was betrayed by his former companions Dorotea and Senjak--a shout-out to a certain Dorotea Senjak of ''Literature/TheBlackCompany'' fame.
* When talking with a noblewoman in Baldur's Gate city, one of her random responces is:
--> [[{{VideoGame/Ultima}} Most interesting... After combining mandrake and nightshade, the world slows down and rabbits steal my pants. Lord Engles says that an Avatar is to blame but I think he's talking rot.]]
* Certain commoners in bars will sing lines from [[Creator/MontyPython The Lumberjack Song]] or a version of ''99 Bottles of Beer On the Wall''.
* The evil bard Eldoth's quotes are mostly variations on Creator/OscarWilde. For example, his "There is no good or evil, only the charming and the tedious" is based on a quote from ''Theatre/LadyWindermeresFan'': "It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious."
** With one exception: Eldoth's "There is no evil but stupidity" ''looks like'' a Wilde's quote, but actually it is from the works of Irish theosophist Charles Johnston.
* If you right-click on the tutors in Candlekeep enough times, they'll tell you to:
--> [[{{VideoGame/Gauntlet}} "Never let your warrior shoot the food."]]
* In ''Siege of Dragonspear'', [[spoiler:the entire [[PostClimaxConfrontation final confrontation with Corwin]] in the Baldur's Gate sewers at the end of the epilogue is one giant homage to the famous scene from ''Film/TheFugitive'' where Gerard confronts Kimble at the dam. The achievement for resolving the confrontation peacefully is even called "I Don't Care!"]]
* The "Wizzard Hat" (sic) in ''Siege of Dragonspear'' is a very clear reference to the cowardly wizard Rincewind from {{Literature/Discworld}}. "A wizard who runs away lives to run away another day!"

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Baldur's Gate II]]

* Garrick, an unrecruitable NPC in this game, is involved in a subplot that is very much like Theatre/CyranoDeBergerac.
** Just in case just the plot itself wasn't familiar enough, the Gnome who feeds him his lines is called 'Cyrando'.
* When the party investigates a string of bizarre murders in a remote village called Imnesvale, one of the potential culprits is an old legend about the Umar witch, living in the hills. Apparently, a trio of apprentice mages vanished into the hills some years ago while looking for the witch, leaving behind one of their journals. Sound familiar? The journal, which you can [[strike:get a copy of]] find multiple copies of, is called "[[Film/TheBlairWitchProject The Umar Witch Project]]".
* When the player discovers [[spoiler: Khalid's body]], Imoen says that [[BigBad Jon Irenicus]] forced her to [[Film/{{Manhunter}} look as he was torturing his prisoner, asking after each cut ''Do you see?'']].
** Relatedly, the Bridge District is terrorized by a SerialKiller with a CreepyBasement who takes the skin of his victims, much like Buffalo Bill of ''Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs''.
* If you decide to snitch on Jan, he'll be taken to prison and will plead with you to break him out, concluding with "[[Film/ANewHope Help me, CHARNAME, you are my only hope.]]"
* One of the things that Aphril sees when you talk to her in Spellhold is [[VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment a walking corpse talking to a pillar of skulls.]]
** Exclusive only to the Collector's and Enhanced edition of the game is another reference to Planescape: Torment which can be found as early as Chapter One through Deidre a merchant in the Adventurer's Mart who sells rare items that include Dak'kon's Zerth Blade and Vhailor's Helm.
* During one conversation, Korgan tells the PC "[[Music/{{Megadeth}} Killing is our business, and business be good]]."
* If you take Minsc along to visit the mayor of Imnesvale who tells you about the trouble the village is having and its possible causes, Minsc will exclaim, "[[Film/TheWizardOfOz Wolves? Ogres? Witches? Oh my!]]"
* In ''Throne of Bhaal'', the Spectator Beholder shows up again in Sendai's Enclave. He mocks Captain Egeissag by saying "Oh Captain, my captain!" (quoting ''Film/DeadPoetsSociety''). When asked why he's doing that (bearing in mind the Spectator is about as un-Beholder like as his race comes) he simply says he's always wanted to say that.
* Also in ''Throne of Bhaal'', when Captain Samand wishes to find the truth behind a recent crime in the city of Saradush, the player can respond with the immortal line: [[Film/AFewGoodMen "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!"]]
* In Athkatla's commercial district is a huge store of magical items. If you go to the top of the store, you'll find some pictures of Hank and Bobby, two of the characters in the 1980's WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons1983 cartoon. Clicking on them reveals that apparently all of the teens (or at least Hank, Bobby and Uni) never made it back to their own world, as they were eaten by Tiamat.
* A [[WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle moose and squirrel]] have been conspicuously caged together at the circus in Waukeen's Promenade.
* Doubling with ActorAllusion, but if you click Firkraag (voiced by Creator/JimCummings), he'll say, "[[Franchise/WinnieThePooh Oh... Bother]]."
* On the western side of Brynnlaw, there are two pirates having a disagreement of sorts which culminates in a fight to the death. After slaying his opponent, the victor humorously quips, [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons "Fairly warned be thee, says I]]."
* ''Black Pits 2'' features a battle against two demi-liches named [[VideoGame/StarControl Dogar and Kazon]].
* If you have both Korgan and Imoen in your party, one of their banters sees Imoen insulting Korgan by calling him a "gully dwarf", which he laughingly notes as a terribly low blow. Gully dwarves are a mentally stunted, degenerate strain of dwarves from the ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}'' setting, where all other dwarves revile and disdain them as stupid, filthy, primitive savages.
* One of Lord Firkraag's [[MookLieutenant Mook Lieutenants]] is a [[OurOrcsAreDifferent orog/deep orc]] called Chief [[VideoGame/DigDug Dig Dag]].
* Renald calls Yoshimo [[Franchise/SuperMario Yoshi]] at one point.
* In ''Throne of Bhaal'', if you have the Bard's Gloves ([[ItemCrafting needed to craft the Wondrous Gloves]],) Cespenar will proclaim "A glove? Only one? What is you, [[Music/MichaelJackson a rock star?]]"
* While being gnomes rather than dwarves the Underdark quest involving the svirfneblin awakening a Balor in their mining is almost certainly a reference to Moria and the Balrog in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''.
* In Throne of Bhaal, Haer'Dalis asks Sarevok to discuss his torture in Hell fo him to use as the narrative for a new work. He intends to calls it... ''[[Literature/TheDivineComedy Dalis' Inferno]]''.
* Lanfear, the wolfwere that kidnaps Safana in the second game, is named after a character in Robert Jordan's ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' series. Fittingly, she's also a murderous {{Yandere}} who attempts to kill off her beloved's [[LoveInterest other romantic interests.]][[note]]This is an indirect shout-out; the character was named after a user on the Baldur's Gate forums, but the user doubtless took the name from Wheel of Time in the first place.[[/note]]
* In Spellhold, there's a room where the PC can answer twelve riddles. One of these riddles: [[Literature/TheHobbit "Alive without breath, as cold as death; never thirsty, ever drinking, all in mail never clinking."]]
* In the Hidden Camp, one of the mages, "King" Gramm, is looking for his bird [[Videogame/KingsQuest Cidrick]].
* Another Throne of Bhaal example: Melissan The Red's name is almost certainly a reference to the character Melisandre from {{Literature/A Song Of Ice And Fire}}/{{Series/Game Of Thrones}} who is known in-universe as The Red Woman. It's especially appropriate since much like Melisandre, [[spoiler: Melissan is the high priestess of a god who is rather big on the use of human sacrifices, and seems to be a shining example of GodIsEvil.]] Notably, while [[AdaptationDisplacement the much more well known TV series]] wouldn't come out for more than a decade, Melisandre had already appeared in the books for three years by the time Throne of Bhaal was released.
* One for the Enhanced Edition: during the first part of Dorn's quest, when you have to kill a priest who happens to be officiating a wedding, Dorn will want more bloodshed and insist on killing the rest of the attendees. If Jaheira's in your party, she'll step in and ask what you think Gorion would say about this senseless violence. You have the option to respond with:
-->[[Series/BreakingBad "No more half measures, (CharName)."]]
* One for a quest from the popular mod Unfinished Business (which restores a lot of cut content). A guard approaches the party to accuse [[spoiler:Haer'Dalis of murder]], and Evil!Charname can assume they're the one being arrested:
--> [[UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar "I only butchered that village to save it."]]
* One of the random lines that Lilarcor the Talking Sword may spout when equipped is "My brother is a +12 Hackmaster!" -- this is an homage to ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable'', where main character Dave Bozwell's Player Character wields exactly that sort of magical sword.
** It also, by extension, counts as a shoutout to ''TabletopGame/HackMaster'', an AD&D retroclone RPG that was [[{{Defictionalization}} derived from the D&D parody game featured in that same comic]].
* Orc-like creatures called ogrons appear in a quest in Umar Hills. They are not from the base D&D monster manual, but a reference to the ''Series/DoctorWho'' creature of the same name.
* In ''Throne of Bhaal'' you can meet a NPC called [[Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian Nanoc the Barbarian]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Baldur's Gate III]]
* A number of background-based inspirational events happen to be these:
** "A Smile Better Suits..." for the Folk Hero is a reference to the well-known line "A smile better suits a hero" in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV''.
** "Brain Blast!" for the Sage is a reference to one of [[WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius Jimmy Neutron's]] {{Character Catchphrase}}s.
** "Heavy is the Head" for the Sage is from a famous paraphrase of the line "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" from ''Theatre/HenryIV''.
** "[[TheNeedsOfTheMany Needs of the Many]]" for the Acolyte is a reference to ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan''.
** "Not to Worry, I Have a Permit" for the Charlatan is a reference to a memetic Ron Swanson scene in ''Series/ParksAndRecreation''.
** "To Sleep, Perchance to Dream Tentacled Dreams" for the Haunted One is a reference to ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''.
** "Those for Whom the Bell Tolled" for the Acolyte is a reference to the novel ''Literature/ForWhomTheBellTolls''.
** "Trust and a Little Pixie Dust" for the Guild Artisan is a reference to ''WesternAnimation/PeterPan''.
** "Who Let the Gnolls Out" for the Haunted One is a reference to the Baha Men song "Who Let the Dogs Out".
** "Special Iced Arsenic... Brew?" for the Guild Artisan is a reference to the Special Iced Arsenic Cake in ''WesternAnimation/AsterixAndCleopatra''.
* The way the nerve clusters of the transponder aboard the nautiloid look and connect with each other calls to mind the ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' movies.
* The city proper has a [[Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender cabbage merchant]] ranting about how difficult it was to get his cargo past the checkpoint. He'll even get angry at you if you're playing a monk.
* One of the books you can find is titled [[Literature/{{Discworld}} "The Butler's Cane Has A Knob On The End"]].
* The Jack of All Trades achievement requires the player to take one level in every class, a reference to WebAnimation/PuffinForest and his infamous "Abserd" character who did just that.
* Several treasures are trapped with pressure plates, and players can [[WeightAndSwitch hot swap]] to [[Franchise/IndianaJones avoid them.]]
* The [=PS5=] "Launch Party" trailer by WebAnimation/{{Mashed}} features a cameo from four adventurers who look a lot like Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog and his friends: a blue-haired half-elf rogue, a blonde gnomish wizard in a yellow coat (Tails), an elf monk with red dreadlocks (Knuckles), and a pink-haired human paladin with a large warhammer (Amy Rose, [[ShownTheirWork whose armor looks just like the "Paladin Amy" skin from]] ''VideoGame/SonicDash'').
* In the "Launch Party" trailer, Karlach warns Astarion of the dangers of the multiverse, including one filled with "Badgers, as far as the eye can see!" Accompanying this is a vision of WebAnimation/WeeblAndBob's dancing badgers from their famous "Badger Badger Badger (Mushroom Mushroom)" video, dressed as [=DnD=] classes.
* One gnome standing alone near the windmill in Rivington comments that he used to be scared of windmills as a child, [[Literature/DonQuixote thinking they were actually giants waving their arms threateningly]].
* One of the Stone Lord members has a warhammer called [[Music/CannibalCorpse Corpsegrinder]].
* At one point, Karlach lights up a cigar, much like another [[Film/{{Hellboy|2004}} big red broken-horned devilspawn]].
* If the party talks their way into Cazador's palace, the charmed guard will welcome them with, "[[Literature/{{Dracula}} Enter freely and of your own will]]".
* A shield that can be looted in the Stormshore Tabernacle is called the [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Shield of Shielding]], a reference to the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' episode "[[Recap/GravityFallsS2E13DungeonsDungeonsAndMoreDungeons Dungeons, Dungeons & More Dungeons]]" which featured an AffectionateParody of ''Dungeons & Dragons''.
* If the dialogue option noting that the mind flayer parasite is supposed to protect Astarion from light is chosen upon resurrecting him from being killed by the Solar Lance, he'll sarcastically remark that there's apparently a limit to this ability "Somewhere between a nice summer's day and [[WesternAnimation/MegaMind the full, concentrated power of the sun]]!"
* Repeatedly clicking on Astarion can reveal he's apparently a fan of Creator/{{Edgar Allan Poe}}:
-->'''Astarion:''' "[[{{Literature/TheTellTaleHeart}} Villains! Dissemble no more! I admit the deed! Tear up the planks! Here, here! It is the beating of his hideous he]]-- [[{{BloodyHilarious}} Oh. That's his brain. Where DID I leave that heart?]]".[[/folder]]
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