The monster appeared before its new name
The original edit was part of the album Fallout photo manipulations, published by user hieronymus7z on Imgur in August 2015. These works combined elements of the game universe with real surroundings. The Deathclaw is a recognizable dangerous creature from Fallout. Placed into a photograph of a building, it looks as though the post-apocalyptic world has suddenly come right up to an ordinary observer.
In spring 2018 the monster received a new role in a remake of a four-panel picture about types of friends. In place of one of the human characters they put the Deathclaw and captioned it in Cyrillic: “друг” (“friend”). In April the variant spread on Twitter and Reddit; among those who reposted it was PewDiePie. The photo manipulation, the caption, and the widened audience belong to different stages. The fame of the new name does not mean that the popular blogger created the original image.
Who stands in the doorway
The picture shows a large brown creature in a bright doorway. Dark parts of the room frame it, long claws hang in front of its body, and its head looks too big for a typical house guest. Behind it we see a ruined interior and another figure. At the bottom is the single word “ДРУГ” set in large letters with a dark outline.
This is neither a picture of a friendly pet nor a photo of an existing animal. A recognizable game monster is placed into a different setting. However, the caption invites viewers to perceive it as an acquaintance who has simply come to the door. Its movement toward the viewer may look threatening, but the short name assigns the visitor a social role in advance and creates the expectation of perfectly ordinary communication.
One word changes the creature's character
The joke is built on the mismatch between name and appearance. Claws, horns, and a massive body promise danger, while the word “friend” promises closeness and trust. One can attribute to the monster care, embarrassment, a request, or a wish to spend time together. The absurdity intensifies if those around accept it as a regular member of the company and never discuss the fact that it barely fits through the door.
Cyrillic helped form a separate meme name. In English-speaking circles the spelling Apyr appears, arising from reading the familiar shapes of Russian letters as Latin ones. Thus the word stops being simply a label for a buddy and starts sounding like the name of a specific strange character. For a Russian-speaking viewer the original meaning stays obvious, so the contradiction between the monster and friendship is read at once.
A buddy who can enter any story
The figure is also convenient for replacing characters in other memes. It is placed in the spot of a desired guest, a caring interlocutor, or a person who is supposed to look sweet. The image nevertheless keeps its disturbing look. The calmer the new role, the more the viewer notices the difference between the expected person and the creature from Fallout.
This humor does not require explaining the monster's game biography each time. It is enough to know that we are looking at a frightening image that has been entrusted with a human duty. A small caption lets one stage a meeting, and the recognizable silhouette links it to Friend's other appearances. It becomes an independent participant in online scenes, able to remain dangerous in appearance and friendly in intent.
Three visits from Friend
The first invented variant captions the doorway frame: “Stopped by to return the keys you forgot yesterday.” A threatening appearance gets a caring reason. The visitor could frighten the whole entrance hall, but is busy with a small favor for an acquaintance.
In the second scene Friend has come to a birthday party and is holding a tiny gift bag. Caption: “They said not to bring anything big.” It literally fulfilled the request regarding the gift, although it remains the main large object of the celebration itself.
The third example places the creature beside a notice recruiting for a choir: “Friend wanted to sing quietly, but everyone liked the bass.” The frightening appearance becomes a misleading first impression, and the unusual participant receives an unexpectedly peaceful task. Here what amuses is the others' readiness to include it in ordinary life without any further questions.
