The Legend Of Lord Humongous

Disclaimer: This article originally appeared on Moviepilot and has been edited for publishing on Vocal.

In 1979, the world was introduced to George Miller's nihilistic vision of future Australia in Mad Max. This was a world on the rack but not yet ruined, being slowly overrun by sadistic biker gangs led by monsters like the Toecutter.

One of Miller's greatest successes in that low budget movie was to get over how fragile law and order actually is. There was some semblance of justice to counter the creeping death and anarchy in the form of "The Bronze" and from the opening frames with "The Nightrider" giving his own eulogy during the pursuit. This was a world where outlaws and myths were quickly taking over as reality and courts, law and order were finally eroding.

The movie is most famous for introducing the world to Max Rocktansky, the best of what was left of The Bronze, a man who once everything was taken from him became "Mad Max" and he began his own personal descent into hell, as the world around him did likewise.

Released in 1981, the sequel Mad Max 2/The Road Warrior showed Max a distance away from that descent. Five years after being thrust into his new life, we see Max almost a veteran of it, he is now numb to the horrors he sees daily and is all about survival.

On its initial release, particularly in North America, few were even aware this was a sequel until they saw the images from the earlier movie and even then many hadn't seen it. The narrated intro fills in the gaps, but it barely makes Max sympathetic, however by referring to him as "a shell of a man" it almost excuses many of his actions which are all out of self-interest throughout the movie, indeed only the Feral Kid (who would be about the same age as his own son would have been) manages to get anything from him that could be seen as a gesture, by giving him a music box, perhaps the only true gesture of the film? Or is it?

Max is held up as a great example of an anti-hero, but that's not hard for a movie where nearly everyone will screw each other over. The Gyro Captain is more than happy for a snake to kill someone so he can get their gas and belongings, Papagallo is more than happy to renege on the deal a dead man made to try to gain advantage over a clearly dangerous stranger although his grip on his flock is slipping. Even the young girl is ready to leave her "family and friends" with the Gyro Captain till her change of heart.

There is one character who actually seems not to be like that, and it's the one character most would refer to as the villain...but even if Miller didn't intend it at the time, there is a great deal of evidence to back up that he is the one decent character in the film, and for a reason.

I am talking of course about Lord Humongous, the gigantic, hockey mask-wearing "Ayatollah Of Rock N' Rolla".

Many are swayed by his promises of "safe passage" and that he keeps his word. Most tellingly, at the crucial moment, he has the chance to kill Max and doesn't?

It seems to be a simple miss at first but there is another potential reason he may have let The Road Warrior live... He ACTUALLY KNOWS Max!

How is this remotely possible? Because he was in Mad Max, and was at one time HIS boss.

Yes, there is a VERY compelling argument that says "Fifi" McAfee, the head of the Bronze at the time of Max's family's death became LORD HUMONGOUS!

WHAT? I hear you say?

There are a large number of subtle clues to his true identity throughout The Road Warrior but many are found in Mad Max, if you've not seen it, last chance for Spoilers!

During the events of Mad Max, Fifi spends a lot of the first movie trying to talk his star pupil Max into staying with his Bronze unit. When it becomes clear that Max has no desire to continue as a lawman, Fifi appeals to Max to become a "hero".

By this time, it is clear the world is going to change very soon and for the worse. Survival will become people's focus and hope will be a scarce commodity.

Fifi knows what is coming and that when it does only the strong and those strong enough to lead them will survive.

How do those people prove they can lead? By becoming known as "heroes", having legends and stories attached to them to build hope and faith in those chosen as their leaders. While Fifi doesn't do much in terms of action in Mad Max, it is clear he is fiercely respected by his men and has "done his time" as a legend of The Bronze.

When Fifi talks of "giving the people their heroes back" he is in fact saying "come with me Max...we can do this together". Max of course declines, citing his fear of losing his sanity. Ironically this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. It also seems that Max also suspects Fifi has already "gone".

When Max finally returns to the station to steal the Charger, and take down Toecutter's Gang we don't see Fifi. Was he at home? had Toecutter and co. already been there too?

We all know what happened to Jim "Goose" and Humongous has clearly had a similar burn-related trauma occur. It's entirely possible Fifi had already been attacked by the time Max went back, enough to deform him and wreck his voice, giving him the gravelly husky tones and mask of Humongous.

Both men are physically similar with bodybuilder physiques and one trait is very clear in both Fifi and Humongous and his gang, they are out and proud!

Fifi is arguably one of the first movie portrayals of a positive, leadership role model character as gay, while it's not overtly stated, his team know and are fine with it. Fifi clearly is a play on his surname and his sexual preference. Never for one second in Mad Max do you feel this guy isn't totally respected by the few men who have remained and feared by everyone else, especially the lawyer (who we'll get to) who represents Johnny The Boy, not many other movies of that time dared put a flamboyantly gay character in such a role, especially action movies.

Humongous' gang attack the refinery people at the start, but they are not like Toecutter's gang who rape male and female alike and defile their victims. a woman is killed, but quickly from a crash. It is the men who are made to be symbols on the front of the buggy's, in almost bondage fashion and when one is knocked out it is done so with an almost apologetic gesture. Humongous makes a lot of speeches about too much bloodshed and that he will keep his word. Because McAfee would keep his word and made similar speeches to Max, it's a big, big clue they are the same person.

How would a guy like Fifi gain such followers? He very likely knew a lot of them already before things went to the dogs. Someone like Wez is clearly someone he had some kind of dom/sub sexual relationship with (the leash is a dead giveaway) and they believe in him enough to follow his every command. Vernon Wells has said in interviews that the "Golden Youth" who is killed with The Feral Kid's boomerang is his son rather than lover, hence the grief and path of vengeance Wez undertakes.

As Humongous was a respected lawman once upon a time, who had been a "hero" then some would follow him perhaps at the start, but as "The Warrior Of The Wasteland" he would attract more.

Again we go back to him "comforting" Wez in his grief rather than putting the "mad dog" down permanently before he bites back. A ruthless killer wouldn't do that, but McAfee would. Fifi didn't berate Jim "Goose" when he fatally threatened Johnny The Boy in the first movie, he calmed him and placated the situation.

The flamboyance and storytelling of Lord Humongous is a big giveaway to his true identity. Fifi waxes lyrical to Max about the importance of heroes, how they can save people and they are sorely needed. He truly believes this and creates such a myth for himself, the proof is of the most important characters, but one dismissed as "comic relief".

The Toadie is the small, bespectacled man who gets on the mic and acts as a cross between Jimmy "Mouth Of The South" Hart and James Brown's hype man Billy Bird. He not only introduces his leader but lets everyone know they are in the presence of greatness. Humongous has more nicknames than Muhammad Ali, the size and a look that matches his name. He wanted Max to share this with him, but in his absence, The Toadie simply builds the causing shock and awe to those who see him

It's very likely the Toadie is that lawyer from the first movie who so infuriated him, they're roughly similar, small mousy men with glasses. When society crumbles, the first place someone like him would go to someone like Fifi, who they know can protect them. As a lawyer, he'd be used to lying and telling stories, so he becomes Humongous' own personal ring announcer, much as a lawyer would talk of his client to a jury. When he loses his fingers and everyone laughs, could it be that the gang know what he once was and feel it deserved karma?

Another piece of evidence is the relatively high level of the equipment and clothing worn by the gang. Most appear to be in Bronze gear re-purposed. Fifi would know where to get all the equipment needed from other Bronze outposts/stations and pick up some more ex-lawman recruits once the world really had gone to hell. Indeed he could go to every Bronze station and gut it for valuable gear, if anyone was left there they would follow him on rank and reputation if they didn't, he could take them down.

The final piece of this puzzle, that seals the true identity of Lord Humongous is the moment mentioned at the start. Humongous' shoots at Max and either misses or changes his mind at the last moment and shoots the engine block of the truck instead.

No guy with THAT gun (clearly a special Bronze or military issue) is going to miss that shot at close range unless he chooses to. Damaging the engine block beyond repair would also be counterproductive as the gasoline would be stuck in one area that would need defending rather than the useful mobility of the tanker.

It is clear he recognizes his former ally at the wheel and decides to buy time by shooting the engine. Perhaps he is shocked Max is alive, or has a sudden flash of hope. Wez of course has other ideas due to the aforementioned death of his son and it's ironic that both he and Humongous end up dead as a result.

At this point, Humongous is gone, he can escape and regroup his gang to make another attack. Why would he go back?

Maybe he wanted to save his old friend from Wez who he knows won't stop? Maybe he wants to have another crack at the peaceful solution by revealing his identity to Max who would then convince the convoy of his word being trustable.

Sadly we never find out as Wez and Humongous both are killed by Max, who realises he was the decoy.

One piece of information that does enhance the likelihood of this is that the original plan for Humongous was that he was Jim Goose, Max's badly burned former best friend. When that couldn't work, why not shift it to another of Max's friends?

As with all fan theories, it's open to debate. I personally enjoy this theory and feel it enhances both movies. It is just a shame it wasn't paid off, but that is also something heroes often face...their potential being tragically sacrificed for the greater good.

Let me know in the comments what you think of this theory and if you'd like to see more of them!