Did Furiosa Inadvertently Repopularize Huffing?

Fire up your V8 Interceptor and strap in for an exciting thrill-a-minute journey into my theory of the etymology of the trendy new label for inhaling volatile organic compounds—formerly known as “huffing”: the latest teenage sensation the hip kids now call, “chroming!” Take that, hula hoop!

Chroming: A New Name for an Old Habit

Chroming—the recreational inhalation of toxic fumes from aerosol paint cans—formerly known as ‘huffing’ has resurfaced under this shiny new name. But why chroming? The roots of the term trace back to Australia in the early 2000s, where inhalant abuse became widely associated with chrome-colored paints specifically.

Could interest in Furiosa (2024) and the renewed attention on Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) have given this dangerous practice a fresh coat of cultural relevance? The films’ striking imagery—particularly the War Boys spray-painting their teeth silver (or “chroming their grilles”) as a ritualistic preparation for entering their promised car-themed Valhalla—may have unintentionally rebranded chroming. This has transformed it from a niche, risky behavior into a symbol of dystopian rebellion, especially given the gritty, anarchic spirit of the films’ visual and thematic elements.

The Australian Origins and Mad Max Inspiration

Although the name “chroming” originated well before Fury Road, appearing in Australia around 2006 as slang for inhaling chrome-based paint fumes, formerly “huffing”, Mad Max may have tapped into this grim reality. The chrome-spraying ritual of the War Boys isn’t just a visual flourish—it could reflect real-world chroming practices, either consciously or subconsciously incorporated by the film’s creators.

Australia, being the birthplace of both the term chroming and the Mad Max franchise, suggests that the gritty, post-apocalyptic world of the films may have drawn inspiration from actual cultural practices. And though the War Boys aren’t seeking a euphoric high, their ritual taps into the power and glory associated with chrome, mirroring the psychological escape that real-world chromers pursue.

Citizen Ruth Would Be Proud

Tangentially, Citizen Ruth (1996), starring Laura Dern, involves huffing and predates the rise of Australian chroming. Ruth, a voluntary huffer, prefers silver paint as her escape from a harsh life. Her addiction might seem absurd, but it foreshadows the very real attraction to chrome-based paints in later trends. Both Ruth and the War Boys are drawn to the idea of escape, albeit for different reasons—Ruth seeks to numb her existence, while the War Boys embrace a chrome-covered death.

While Ruth’s addiction is portrayed as reckless and pitiable, there’s a bizarre commonality in the way silver or chrome paint seems to lure those seeking an altered reality, whether in a modern social critique or a dystopian wasteland. It’s as though chrome itself represents both degradation and glory—a contradictory symbol that spans genres and eras.

The preference for silver and chrome paints in huffing, as seen in both Citizen Ruth and the real-world phenomenon of “chroming” in Australia, is not just about aesthetics. These paints contain higher levels of solvents like toluene and acetone than other tinted spray-paints, chemicals necessary for creating their reflective, metallic finishes. The solvent content is critical for achieving the desired shiny effect, but it also makes these paints particularly potent for inhalant abuse, providing an intense high. In both Ruth’s case and the Australian chroming trend, the choice of silver or chrome paint reflects a practical preference based on chemical composition, rather than just visual appeal. The connection between Ruth’s silver paint addiction and Australian chroming lies in this shared chemical basis—both exploit the potent, fast-evaporating solvents required to achieve that metallic sheen, making it the choice of connoisseurs of huffing, who seem to have established an enduring affinity for silver or chrome paint, even across time, geography, and fictional universes.

I can almost see the reviews:

Dupli-Color ECS101007 Instant Enamel Metallic Automotive Paint – Chrome Spray Paint – 11 oz. Aerosol Can

Piquant notes of toluene with a refreshing acetone finish. Its bouquet opens with hints of cyclohexane and ethylbenzene, creating a heady, head-numbing mix that’s hard to resist. An excellent vintage—should cellar well for years. Pairs delightfully with a crinkled paper bag or a tattered hoodie. Brain damage has never smelled so good!

In the end, one might say: Citizen Ruth would be proud of Furiosa. Both films present silver paint as a tool for self-destruction, though Furiosa raises the stakes, embedding it into a mythos of sacrifice and glory.

What is Chroming in the Film?

In Furiosa and Mad Max: Fury Road, the War Boys engage in a ritual of spraying chrome-colored paint onto their teeth before embarking on suicide missions. Accompanied by the exclamation “witness me!”—a cry for recognition and remembrance—the act not only prepares them for death but also serves as a communal affirmation of loyalty to Immortan Joe and their shared belief in an automobile-themed Valhalla. It elevates their status, securing their legacy within the group.

From a young age, War Pups—the proto-War Boys—are indoctrinated with the belief that dying in battle will deliver them to Joe’s auto-themed Valhalla, a paradise filled with the shiny chrome grilles of triumph. In their desolate world, chrome plating represents unattainable luxury and status, a shimmering symbol of beauty and power. More than mere decoration, chrome becomes a potent symbol of immortality and faith—an escape from their grim, barren reality.

While the films don’t explicitly show the War Boys huffing, it’s unlikely that spraying volatile chemicals directly into their mouths occurs without some inhalation. The War Boys appear visibly affected—perhaps intoxicated by the ritual’s symbolic power, or just as likely, by the fumes they’re breathing.

Immortan Joe manipulates this ritual to deepen their devotion and dull their senses. By incorporating the chrome-spraying ritual into his mythology, he not only glorifies their sacrifice but ensures compliance through a combination of ideological control and chemical manipulation. Chrome thus becomes a bridge between their harsh existence and the mythic afterlife they long for—a passage paved with loyalty, violence, and metallic allure.

Valhalla and Joe’s War Boys: Co-opting Norse Mythology

Immortan Joe’s manipulation of the War Boys’ fearlessness draws heavily on Norse mythology, specifically the idea of Valhalla, the Viking warrior’s paradise where fallen heroes were rewarded with eternal glory. In Mad Max: Fury Road, Joe cleverly repurposes this belief, convincing the War Boys that dying in battle will lead them to a “shiny and chrome” afterlife—a twisted version of Valhalla. This belief strips them of any fear of death, transforming them into zealous, self-sacrificing soldiers.

For the War Boys, the concept of glory in death becomes absolute. Whether they survive battle or perish, they view themselves as winners—either continuing to fight for Joe in life or securing a place in his promised paradise. This mindset renders them virtually unstoppable, as their focus on an eternal reward makes them fanatical and fearless in the face of pain or death.

Joe’s exploitation of ancient myths, coupled with his control through the chroming ritual and the associated fumes, makes his War Boys tragically powerful soldiers, bound by ideology and addiction. In this world of constant survival, Joe’s promise of a chrome-coated afterlife secures their compliance, much like how Odin’s Valhalla inspired Vikings to fearlessly charge into battle. Odin would be proud.

If Not Furiosa, Then Why the New Name?

With Furiosa currently in the spotlight and sparking renewed interest in Mad Max: Fury Road, it’s easy to speculate that the War Boys’ ritual of spraying chrome onto their mouths may have influenced the resurgence of the term “chroming.” In both Furiosa and Fury Road, the ritual is never fully explained, leaving much to the audience’s interpretation. While the films clearly symbolize themes of death, sacrifice, and glory, the lack of explicit detail invites viewers—especially younger ones—to speculate about the ritual’s deeper meaning and psychological effects.

While neither Furiosa nor Fury Road intended to repopularize chroming, their cultural influence may have given this risky trend a shiny new name—one that, despite the films’ darker message, resonates with youth rebellion.

Distressingly, lacking Ruth’s expert guidance and experience, kids today aren’t even limiting themselves to chrome spray paint; they’re experimenting with anything stinky—pedestrian substitutes like nail polish (the Boon’s Farm of huffing)—leaving connoisseurs appalled. Eastwood’s Almost Chrome Paint – Aerosol, once the Australian Cabernet Sauvignon of “chroming” choices, has fallen by the wayside. What does Peachy Breeze Insta-Dri Nail Polish even have to do with chrome?! Fuck you, TikTok! No respect for the classics. No respect for their elders or tradition anymore.

What’s Wrong With Kids These Days? – A Timeless Question

From ancient Greeks grumbling about rebellious youth to today’s parents baffled by TikTok trends and “chroming,” it seems the world is always headed straight to hell in a handbasket—and always has been! (P.S., I am not a crackpot!)

Take us Boomers, for instance. We had wholesome amusements like—sniffing airplane glue, smoking pot, dabbling in LSD (things got a little hazy after that)—but we turned out just fine. Today’s kids, though? Chroming? Inhaling aerosol fumes? Now that’s just plain reckless! Of course, our parents worried just as much about our glue-sniffing and pot-smoking, but they were just repressed worrywarts. Not wizened beacons of concern.

What’s the Point?

Who knows why teens do self-destructive things? No one—except maybe Odin, the ancient Greeks, or Immortan Joe. Apparently, even in the future, teenagers are still bonkers.

Of course, I’m speculating. And maybe I’m just chroming a turd here, but the connections between Furiosa’s chrome ritual and the reappearance of huffing as ‘chroming,’ given their simultaneous popularity, seem plausible.