Have you ever watched a movie or a TV show and facepalmed at the characters' dumb decisions? If so, you might relate to the "Is he stupid?" meme, a viral catchphrase that mocks the plot holes and illogical actions in various media franchises.
The meme is used to question why the characters did something that seemed stupid or unnecessary. It usually features an image of a character in a tricky or dangerous situation, followed by the caption that asks, "Why doesn't he/she just do X? Is he/she stupid?" This usually involves a simple solution that would have easily solved the problem but was either not possible or not thought of by the character.
The Origin of the Meme
The meme started as an ironic joke on Reddit in May 2022 when a user posted an image of a scene from the TV show Better Call Saul and pretended not to understand what was going on. The user captioned the image with, "I was watching BrBa and got to this scene, 'Why the does Gus give a shit if Walt can cook a chicken? Is he stupid?'"
I was watching BrBa and got to this scene, ¿Why the does gus give a shit if Walt can cook a fucking chicken? ¿Is he stupid?
byu/Lebind inokbuddychicanery
The post was a deliberate misunderstanding of the scene, as Gus Fring was actually talking about Walter White's meth quality, not his chicken skills.
The meme gained widespread attention in February 2023 when another user posted an image of a scene from the video game Batman: Arkham Knight and asked, "Why doesn't Batman just call the Justice League for help? Is he stupid?"
Why doesn't Batman just call the Justice League for help? Is he stupid?
by u/Encajado in BatmanArkham
The post received thousands of upvotes and comments on Reddit, sparking a trend of applying the meme to other media franchises, such as The Lord of the Rings, Mortal Kombat, One Piece, and more. The meme also reached Twitter, where users shared their own versions of the meme with different images and captions.
Variations of the Meme
As the meme became more popular, some users started to create variations of the phrase, such as "Is he/she smart?" or "Is he/she brave?" These variations were used to either praise or mock a character for doing something that is perceived as witty or courageous.
For example, one user posted an image of Ace from One Piece being executed by a Marine admiral and captioned it with, "Why didn't Ace just get up and leave? Is he brave?"
Why didn’t Ace just get up and leave? Is he stupid? pic.twitter.com/W8Wq69nfKa
— Samureye💫 (@Sxmureye) March 14, 2023
Why isn't Yamato a timber salesman already, is he stupid?
byu/SharinganBee77 indankruto
Short Anecdote
One of the most amusing examples of the meme happened when a user posted an image of a scene from the movie Avengers: Endgame on Twitter. The image shows Thanos snapping his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet, wiping out half of all life in the universe. The user captioned the image with, "Why didn't Thanos just double the resources instead of killing half of everyone? Is he stupid?"
The tweet went viral, receiving over 100,000 likes and retweets. However, it also caught the attention of Josh Brolin, the actor who played Thanos in the movie. Brolin replied to the tweet with a video of himself wearing a Thanos mask and saying, "No, I'm not stupid. I'm inevitable." He then snapped his fingers and ended the video, garnering over 200,000 likes and retweets.
In Real Life
The meme is not limited to media franchises; it can also be used for real-life situations or events that involve stupidity. Users have used the meme to comment on politics, sports, celebrities, or personal experiences.
Some examples of cultural references where the meme would fit are:
- Why did Messi miss that penalty? Is he stupid?
- Why did Kanye West run for president? Is he stupid?
- Why did my ex cheat on me with my best friend? Is he stupid?
In Conclusion
The "Is he stupid?" meme is a popular and humorous way to comment on the stupidity of characters or situations in various media or real life. It originated from an ironic joke on Reddit and spread to other platforms and fandoms. The meme has many variations and applications, offering a means to express opinions, humor, frustration, or amusement.
NASDANQ:DUMB
In the meantime, keep dancing through the meme-filled corridors of the internet, because you never know when the next viral sensation will appear, and we'll be here to celebrate it with you.
