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"The Army will grow until it cannot be ignored. The people are hungry for change, and they will have it."

"This army prepares not for destruction, but for creation. This army trains not with weapons, but with imagination. We are engaged not in a war of fear but in a war against fear. And together, we can fan the burning flames of passion, talent, vision and creativity in a cold world."
Dr. Steel

"Toy Soldiers Unite" is the official club website/club name for the Army of Toy Soldiers, the fan club of the latenote  great Doctor Steel. The Army satirically mimics fascist uniforms, flags and propaganda to satirize armies that seek to crush free will and freedom of expression - the opposite of TSU's intent - all in the name of fun. Although Dr. Steel was apparently forced into retirement, the Toy Soldiers continue to march forth, carrying on his work and spreading the ideals of making fun one's first priority, discovering one's creative potential and building a Utopian Playland.

Not to be confused with the movie Toy Soldiers, or the video game Toy Soldiers.

Their digital bunker is here. Sign up and help them make over the world into a Utopian Playland!


Tropes they display:

  • Battle Cry: Originally, the Toy Soldier rallying cry was simply a chant of "Dr. Steel! Dr. Steel!" Since Steel's retirement, "Toy Soldiers Unite!" is often used in its place.
  • Black Shirt: In a deliberate parody of fascist paramilitary organizations, the Army of Toy Soldiers wear black uniforms.
  • Brainwashed: Happily. With mind-control cookies. And cupcakes!
  • Cheshire Cat Grin: All of Dr. Steel's robots had one. Steel's robot design was adopted as the symbol of the Toy Soldiers, and their new official logo is the grinning robot head.
  • Cyberpunk: New uniform concepts on the site have a more cyberpunk/post-apocalyptic look, compared to the more traditional dieselpunk uniforms.
  • Diesel Punk: See Steampunk, below.
  • The Engineer: In 2013 the Toy Soldiers added an Engineer regiment to the existing Soldier, Nurse and Toy Scout regiments.
  • Fanservice: A lot of the female uniforms perform this function.
  • Fictional Holiday:
    • The Toy Soldiers celebrate "Toy Soldier Day" every March 4th, or the nearest Saturday to it (usually by going to the nearest Disney theme park).
    • Often they also change the names of common holidays to reflect Toy Soldier interests. While Steel was active, these would be holidays such as "Steelmas", but since his retirement Toy Soldiers might also refer to the holiday as "Toymas",
  • Girl Scouts Are Evil:
    • A segment of the Army of Toy Soldiers are called "Toy Scouts". An all-female regiment, they occasionally assist Dr. Steel during stage performances - and distribute mind control cookies.
    • Since Steel's retirement, the Toy Scout regiment has been opened to all genders.
  • Goggles Do Nothing: Since many of them are Steampunks, a lot of Toy Soldiers wear goggles.
  • Hospital Hottie:
    • The Army has "Nurses" (members that dress in sexy nurse uniforms). When Dr. Steel was active, some of these nurses would attend him - both on stage and other public appearances and in several of his videos.
    • Since Steel's retirement, the Nurse regiment has been opened to all genders.
  • The Igor: Dr. Steel's robot servants were all hunchbacks. The Army has adopted Dr. Steel's iconic robot as their symbol.
  • Mass Hypnosis: The Toy Soldiers are not above using mind control cookies to achieve their ends. Mmmmmm tasty obedience!
  • Nonuniform Uniform: While Dr. Steel did give the Toy Soldiers a general guideline for uniforms, he also encouraged incorporating individual expression into them, resulting in a myriad of interpretations on the theme.
  • Passing the Torch: In his final letter to the Toy Soldiers, Dr. Steel claimed that he was forced to give up being Dr. Steel, and everything that went with that name. But in one last act of defiance, he handed ownership of his fan club, Toy Soldiers Unite, to his fans, that they could continue on.
  • Podcast: The Army has several regular and semi-regular ones, now all grouped together on YouTube as "TSU-TV".
  • Pineal Weirdness: One of the current leaders of the site posts a semi-regular broadcast to the club called "The Pinecone Broadcast", after Dr. Steel's contention that the pineal gland ("because it looks like a pinecone") was the seat of creativity.
  • Putting on the Reich: Subverted: the "Toy Soldier" uniforms satirically mimic and playfully deconstruct the uniforms of fascist paramilitary groups. The Toy Scouts uniform in particular is reminiscent of Hitler Youth or S.A. uniforms.
  • Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: Dr. Steel turned his fanbase, which largely consists of Steampunks, Rivetheads, Goths, nerds, geeks and other assorted "misfits", into an army.
  • Red and Black and Evil All Over: Inverted: The Toy Soldier color scheme, until around 2011, was black with red (and yellow) accents. Somewhat justified, as they are a parody of evil organizations. (Since the Doctor's retirement, use of red has been diminished.)
  • Rushmore Refacement: In The Dr. Steel Show Episode 2, a team of Toy Soldiers call Dr. Steel from the top of Mount Rushmore, informing him of their plans to alter Lincoln's head to look like Dr. Steel. It doesn't quite go according to plan...
  • Scout-Out: The Toy Scouts in the Army of Toy Soldiers.
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here:
    • In July 2011 it was announced that Dr. Steel had decided to retire. His fan club, however, continues on, having become more of a creative community in recent years anyway.
    • Averted, as it was apparently a forced retirement.
  • Steampunk: Since Dr. Steel was largely a steampunk musician, a majority of the Toy Soldiers are steampunk, although their uniforms reflect a generally more Diesel Punk aesthetic.
  • Strange Salute: In several of his propaganda posters, Dr. Steel is shown saluting with his fist over his heart, looking up and (usually) to his right (toward a better future?). This has become the de facto salute of the Toy Soldiers.
  • Utopia Justifies the Means: Played perfectly straight—Dr. Steel wanted to deconstruct all of society to create a Utopian Playland. The Toy Soldiers are continuing on with that goal.
  • Waving Signs Around: Toy Soldiers have resorted to these tactics in high-density areas like Hollywood Blvd.
  • We Need a Distraction: In "The Dr. Steel Show" Episode 2, the Toy Soldiers deploy a "distraction division" of girls washing cars in bikinis so that their activities will go unnoticed.

Alternative Title(s): Army Of Toy Soldiers

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