If you spent any time on the internet in the early 2010s, you probably remember the chaotic, neon-drenched world of Monstro City. You’d adopt a monster, plant some Snapshackles or Dragon Daisies to attract Moshlings, and try to keep your room from looking like a disaster zone. But behind the adorable aesthetics and the catchy Bobbi SingSong tunes, there was always a shadow lurking. Specifically, a purple-gloved shadow. Dr. Strangeglove wasn't just some generic bad guy; he was the primary antagonist of the entire Moshi Monsters franchise, and honestly, his backstory is weirdly tragic.
A lot of people actually get the name wrong. They search for "Moshi Monsters Doctor Strangelove," likely because the character is a direct, tongue-in-cheek parody of the 1964 Stanley Kubrick film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. But in the world of Mind Candy’s hit game, he is Dr. Strangeglove—a name earned through a very specific, and quite painful, accident involving a hungry Moshling.
Who Exactly is Dr. Strangeglove?
Before he was the master of the Criminal League of Naughty Critters (C.L.O.N.C.), he was just a regular guy named Lavender Troggs. He wasn't born evil. In fact, he was a student at the Super Moshiversity, where he actually roomed with Elder Furi. Imagine that: the biggest hero and the biggest villain of Monstro City used to share a dorm.
Strangeglove was a brilliant student of Moshlingology. He was essentially a scientist, but everything changed during a routine encounter with a Musky Husky named White Fang. The Moshling didn't just bite him; it mangled his hand so badly he had to replace it with a mechanical, purple glove. As the lyrics in his own music video famously state: "A Musky mangled it and chewed it like a shoe / He thought it was some sausages so now this glove must do." It’s kind of funny in a dark way, right? His entire villain arc started because a small, fluffy dog-like creature thought his fingers were breakfast. That resentment grew into a full-blown hatred for all Moshlings. He didn't just want to capture them; he wanted to transform them into Glumps—brainwashed, mindless blobs that serve his every whim.
The Kubrick Connection: Parody or Coincidence?
The "Moshi Monsters Doctor Strangelove" confusion exists for a reason. Mind Candy was notorious for stuffing the game with pop culture references that went way over the heads of their target audience (the kids).
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- The Name: The play on Dr. Strangelove is obvious.
- The Gloved Hand: In the Kubrick film, Peter Sellers’ character has a black-gloved hand with a mind of its own (Alien Hand Syndrome). In Moshi, the glove is a mechanical replacement with mystical powers.
- The Persona: Both characters are "mad scientists" with thick, somewhat unidentifiable European accents. In Moshi Monsters: The Movie, Ashley Slater gave him a boisterous, hammy French-sounding voice that really leaned into the cartoon-villain aesthetic.
His Role in the Moshi Universe
Strangeglove wasn't just a static boss at the end of a level. He evolved as the game did. Originally, he was more of a mysterious figure working for C.L.O.N.C. under the leadership of "The Ugly." Eventually, he got tired of being belittled by his boss, quit, and took over the organization himself. He became more of an independent mastermind, a frustrated entertainer who just wanted the world to see his genius.
The Great Moshling Egg Heist
If you saw the 2013 film, you saw Strangeglove at his peak. He teams up with his bumbling, fish-headed sidekick, Fishlips, to steal the Great Moshling Egg from Buster Bumblechops’ museum. His plan? Use the Glump-O-Tron 3000 to hatch the egg into a giant, mutated Glump monster and take over Monstro City.
It’s classic villainy. But what makes him interesting is that he’s actually quite successful for most of the movie. He manages to capture almost all the main monsters—Katsuma, Furi, Luvli, Diavlo, and Zommer—leaving only Poppet and Mr. Snoodle to save the day.
Why He Still Matters to Fans
Strangeglove has a weirdly dedicated following. On sites like Tumblr and various fan wikis, he’s often referred to as a "Tumblr Sexyman"—a term for lanky, well-dressed, often British-coded villains that the internet fixates on.
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Why? Maybe it’s the design. He wears a teal trench coat, pinstriped pants, and a top hat where his eyes actually peek out from the top of the brim. It’s a bizarre, "object-head" style design that feels very unique. Or maybe it’s the fact that his motivation is so petty. He’s not trying to destroy the universe because of some grand philosophical disagreement; he’s just mad about his hand and wants everyone else to be as miserable as he is.
The Legacy of a Purple Glove
Even though the original Moshi Monsters web game closed its doors years ago, the legend of Dr. Strangeglove lives on through fan-run servers like Moshi Monsters Rewritten. Players still face off against him in the Super Moshi Missions, trying to stop his latest Glumping scheme.
Honestly, he’s one of the best-written characters from that era of "virtual world" games. He had a theme song that was actually a bop, a tragic (if silly) backstory, and a visual design that stayed with you. Whether you call him Lavender Troggs or "that guy from the Moshi Monsters Doctor Strangelove parody," there's no denying he was the heart of the game's conflict.
If you’re looking to dive back into the lore, here is what you should do next:
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- Watch the original music video: "The Doctor Will See You Now" is still on YouTube and it’s a masterclass in early 2010s flash animation and character building.
- Check out the Monstrous Biographies: If you can find a physical copy or a scan of the Dr. Strangeglove biography by Ruby Scribblez, it’s packed with details about his time at the Super Moshiversity.
- Look for the Movie: The 2013 movie is where his personality really shines, specifically his interactions with Fishlips, which are genuinely funny even for adults.
Strangeglove was the perfect villain for a world as wacky as Monstro City. He was just dangerous enough to be a threat, but just ridiculous enough to fit right in.
Actionable Insights for Moshi Fans:
If you're feeling nostalgic for the days of Monstro City, your first stop should be the community-driven archives. Search for the Moshi Monsters Encyclopedia or fan-led Discord servers where people are still uncovering old game files and cutscenes. Much of the lore regarding Strangeglove's early days at the Super Moshiversity was only ever available in limited-edition physical books, making those "Monstrous Biographies" the holy grail for lore hunters today.