Borderlands 2 pop culture references


 * A random citizen will sometimes say 'I'm missing the new episode of Constable What!' A reference to what sounds like a parody of 'Doctor Who'
 * In a certain area of the map, there is a small tent at the bottom of a cliff. If you jump of the cliff to this tent, audio will cue and a Double Rainbow will appear. Double Rainbow
 * Sometimes in Sanctuary a random Crimson Raider will say, 'This is no planet for old men'. Referencing the thriller movie "No Country for Old Men".
 * There is a quest where you have to pretend to be a pizza delivery man and deliver pizza to a sewer system in which 4 mutants that are color coded with turtle shells obviously referencing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Their names are Lee, Dan, Ralph, and Mike. In the same quest, there is a room that has 6 lights on one of the walls, they'll be a combination of red and green. You must pull the 4 switches/levers in the room to turn all lights green. Once done, an enemy called Flinter will appear, which is another reference to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
 * There is a Bandit Shotgun called Thre Dog. The text says 'Because one barrel ain't enough, and two is too few.' This is referencing the character Three Dog the radio broadcaster from the Bethesda game Fallout 3. Both of these reference the song "One" by the band Three Dog Night.
 * By doing a certain quest, you can unlock a skin called "Why So Serious?". It is green, white, and purple and is a reference to Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in the film "The Dark Knight."
 * When opening a certain cardboard box In Elle's Garage in The Dust Handsome Jack will yell: 'What's in the box? What's in the box??'. There is a female head in the box and a gun. The gun is named: 'Neutralizing Gwen'. A reference to the movie Se7en.
 * There is a head skin for Salvador called 'Breaking Bald' this is a reference to the TV show "Breaking Bad" and the skin makes Salvador look like the series main character Walter White.
 * One of Maya's available costume skins is named "Slice of Fried Gold" which is a reference to zombie-action-comedy flick "Shaun of the Dead."
 * On one of the tables there is a pizza with Moxxi's picture on it. In the bottom right hand corner there is a barcode to scan with a smart phone. When scanned you get a quote: "Wise man say forgiveness is divine but never pay full price for late pizza.- Captain Picard".
 * In Liar's Berg, one of the buildings is named "Fillion's Ammunition & Arms". Nathan Fillion is an actor who was in the show Firefly which had a similar 'space western' setting.
 * A Citizen in Sanctuary can say 'I was playing this Echo Sim where you could jump into trucks with your mind. Pretty much the best thing ever.' This is a reference to writer Anthony Burch's love for Driver: San Francisco.
 * The same citizen may also mention an ECHO Sim called "The Gang that Wore Purple". This is a reference to a famous early twentieth century bootlegging gang in Detroit, the Purple Gang. The game Saint's Row has a similar reference.
 * After completing the quest "The Cold Shoulder" for Scooter in the Fridge, if you enter the room where Laney emerged you are taken through an area filled with rats. At the end there is a location called the 'Rakk Cave' where you fight Rakkman, who throws boomerangs and uses smoke bombs. This is a reference to Batman and the Batcave. He will occasionally shout 'I AM...RAKKMAN!'
 * Midget rats say 'Allez cuisine'. This is in reference to the show "Iron Chef America" In which the chairman introduces the 'secret' ingredient followed by the saying to start it off.
 * A possible pop culture reference: at the beginning of the game Claptrap says "allons-y" which The Doctor from Doctor Who is known to say.
 * The thief rats, on occasion, call out "The fear!" when attacked. This is a reference to the same named boss from "Metal Gear Solid 3".
 * In The Highlands, if you go into the Hyperion base, with the mortar, you can go around and behind it onto a hidden path (will usually be a big black undiscovered spot on your map) where lies a tent. If you approach the tent, Claptrap will then speak to you regarding a "double rainbow" and if you look out to the distance, you can also see it and get a trophy/achievement
 * In Sanctuary there is a townsperson outside the Crimson Raider HQ that can say 'I used to be a Vault Hunter like you, until I took a bullet to the knee'. A reference to Skyrim's guard arrow to the knee.
 * Far into the story, Brick will give you a mission named 'Rocko's Modern Strife'. This is a reference to an old cartoon called "Rocko's Modern Life"
 * In the bottom left of the Tundra Express there is a Developer Chest under the cliff, similar to the one in the first game.
 * At Ellie's Garage in The Dust, you receive a quest from a Buzzard Pilot named Loggins. This is a reference to the movie "Top Gun". When you speak to him he will say 'I'm in the Danger Zone!' which is a reference to the song "Highway to the Danger Zone" (performed by Kenny Loggins) and will yell "Goose! GOOSE!" and when you turn in the mission he will say 'You can be my wingman any time.'
 * While in Tundra Express, Mordecai gives you the mission The Good, The Bad, and the Mordecai, which is a reference to the Clint Eastwood western film "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly".
 * In the quest to put the power of the Happy Pig Motel, the objectives contain "Find Steam Valve", and "Find Gearbox". This is a reference to VALVe, and its platform Steam, and Gearbox, the developer. A similar set of objectives appeared in a stage of one of the first gearbox games, Half Life: Opposing force.
 * In Sanctuary, Crazy Earl will say 'It's dangerous to go alone, Jerkwad!' Which is a reference to the famous Legend of Zelda quote.
 * The quest "Mighty Morphin" is a reference the the 90s children's show "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers"
 * Somewhere in the Wildlife Exploitation Preserve, there is a skag named "Tumbaa" and a stalker named "Pimon". This is a reference to Timon and Pumbaa from the movie "The Lion King".
 * By completing a specific quest you will earn a shield that references the movie "The Boondock Saint's 2" saying 'The second is better.' and referencing the main characters tattoo's "Veritas and Aequetas".
 * The challenge 'Say Watt Again!' is a reference to the crime film Pulp Fiction's character Jules Winnfield who uses this line during an interrogation.
 * Zer0's Eyes of a Snake skin is a reference to Snakes Eyes from the G.I Joe series.
 * The challenge 'U (No)mad bro?' Is a reference to the internet meme 'U MAD BRO?'
 * Echo's found in Lynchwood bandit's named 'John' and 'Barrowmen' reference to Dr. Who and Torchwood actor John Barrowman paying Jack Harkness
 * In the Caustic Caverns, there is a small island with an NPC named Solitaire sitting on a ledge in front of a bonfire. A white phantom is sitting in front of the bonfire. This is a reference to the video game Dark Souls, with Solitaire being a reference to the knight Solaire of Astora.
 * Shooting Handsome Jack before he finishes his long tirade at the end of the game gives you the 'Cool Story, Bro' Achievement/Trophy. It is a reference to the phrase used in sarcastic response to a lengthy or off-track story.
 * In Sanctuary's Crimson Raiders HQ in the room with all the monitors there is a Facebook easter egg featuring Roland, Lilith, Brick, and Mordecai
 * Sometimes, while fighting where goliaths spawn, a green muscly goliath will spawn called Muscles. he resembles a certain comic book character. This is a reference to the comic book character "The Hulk".
 * When using Zer0's Decepti0n, he sometimes says, "How hilarious. / You just set off my trap card -- / Your death approaches." in reference to Yu-Gi-Oh, and the phrase often used on the Internet.
 * Sometime through the storyline you will get a mission from Scooter to find his cannibalistic girlfriend Laney White, when you find her she is shacked up with 7 midgets. This a reference to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. If you enter the back room where you find her, you will see 7 beds and a double bed for her.
 * At one point in the game a list of names of workers who recently died will be read aloud. The names include the first 4 actors to play the Doctor on the British Science-Fiction show Doctor Who.
 * There is an enemy in Eridium blight named "King Mong" a reference to the movie, King Kong and there is also an enemy named "Donkey Mong" who throws barrels and wears a tie. He is a reference to Donkey Kong and killing him awards you the " Definitely an Italian Plumber" achieve ment/trophy.
 * When he has been seen, Zer0's display will sometimes show an exclamation point---a reference to the Metal Gear series of games.
 * Sometimes, Goliaths will say, "Welcome to die!", a reference to the infamous line spoken by Magneto in the 1992 X-Men arcade game.
 * Inside bandit buildings three red eyes may be seen, this may be a reference to a Korean webtoon called "tower of god" where said red eyes are the symbol of the ruling government.