Grue

A shadow-wielding leader who anchors the Undersiders against chaos.

In the web novel Worm, Grue is the supervillain alias of Brian Laborn. Unlike many heroes or villains defined by grandiose ambitions, Brian's motivations are grounded in protecting his found family and navigating the brutal reality of their world through strategic leadership.

Quick Facts

Real name: Brian Laborn

Lore & Background

The SOURCE identifies Grue strictly as a supervillain named Brian Laborn within the Worm web novel. The only confirmed narrative element is his designation as a member of the Undersiders and his identity as Brian Laborn.

Reader's Guide

Grue is the alias for Brian Laborn, a supervillain appearing in the web novel Worm. He is associated with the Undersiders.

Geographical Diversity

The name Grue anchors a variety of distinct locations across multiple continents, primarily concentrated in Norway. In the Innlandet county, it identifies a specific municipality that serves as a hub for local infrastructure, including the Grue Stadion and the historic Grue Church, which was notably damaged by fire. The geographical footprint extends to neighboring Akershus county, where small villages named Grue exist within both Eidsvoll and Nes municipalities. Additionally, a river flowing through north-west Italy bears this name. These diverse places share only their designation, ranging from populated municipal centers to isolated natural features like islands and waterways.

Fictional Manifestations

In the realm of storytelling, Grue emerges as a multifaceted antagonist or entity across different genres. Most notably, it represents a terrifying, predatory monster within the Zork series of interactive fiction computer games, where players must navigate dark environments to avoid its deadly presence. In the role-playing game setting of Freedom City for Mutants and Masterminds, Grue is reimagined as an entire alien race with its own culture and capabilities. The web novel Worm introduces a supervillain named Grue, whose real identity is Brian Laborn, adding a layer of human complexity to the moniker. These fictional iterations transform the word into a symbol of danger or otherworldliness, distinct from its real-world geographical origins but equally memorable within their respective narratives.

Linguistic and Philosophical Concepts

Beyond physical places and characters, Grue holds significant weight in philosophy and linguistics. Philosopher Nelson Goodman coined the term as part of a portmanteau with 'bleen' to illustrate his famous new riddle of induction, challenging how humans categorize color and predict future events based on past observations. This concept ties into broader linguistic debates regarding the blue-green distinction in language, exploring how different cultures perceive and name colors. Furthermore, the term appears in ornithology as a reference to cranes, which belong to the Grue family of birds. In the context of science fiction fandom, an influential fanzine titled Grue was published by Dean Grennell, contributing to community discourse. These abstract uses demonstrate the word's utility in exploring cognitive frameworks and specialized fields.

Historical and Penal References

The term also surfaces in specific historical and penal contexts with stark implications. In the Arkansas penal system, 'grue' served as a colloquial name for an early form of nutraloaf, a unappetizing food mixture served to prisoners, a practice highlighted in the 1978 legal decision Hutto v. Finney regarding prison conditions. On a more community-focused note, Grue IL stands as a sports club rooted in the Grue Municipality in Norway, representing local athletic endeavors. These varied associations link the word to both the harsh realities of incarceration and the creative output of notable artists.