The Minions are adorable meme-fodder and have been since their debut in 2010’s Despicable Me. With their new movie out in theaters, YouTube channel North of the Border decided to craft some incredible clay figures of Bob, Stuart, and Kevin. But they are, as he calls them, “discount” Minions. And by discount, he apparently means nightmare-inducing snaggle-toothed monsters who have come for your soul. These are not the Minions we would want working for us or tucking our children into bed. But his craftsmanship when it comes to the zombie Minions is impeccable and, as horrified as you might be watching it, his attention to detail is compelling.
Considering the remarkable detailing of everything else, it’s unclear why Adam went with the zombie version of these Minions. He included tiny features like the screws around the edges of the goggles and fraying on the overalls. But then he made the horrid teeth and gums a focal point. I particularly loathed watching him paint the tongue. There, Adam layers on paint for a “multi-colored fleshy look.” Shudder.
If the YouTube channel’s North of the Border name isn’t enough to tip you off, this crafter is a Canadian named Adam. Another way to tell is that he apologizes a lot. “I’m sorry” is right there in the title and in the first 10 seconds of the video itself. Pronounced the Canadian way too, of course.
North of the Border videos include a list of materials, tools, and even filming equipment in case you want to recreate any part of this horrifying craft. There’s other clay creations too, like a realistic LEGO minifigure, as well as mashups like Hulk-Yoda and BB-8 Hulkbuster figures. All are amazingly executed but just a bit disconcerting.
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She strongly prefers her Minion, an 8-year-old dog that is her soul-mutt. Melissa also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.