A FAMILIAR MEME. A NEW CONTEXT.

Comic of the Failed Hookup

What this meme means

2017 comic meme built on a sharp plot twist: the protagonist is about to get intimate, but after noticing a framed photograph he silently leaves. The original author is unknown.

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Plot

The "comic with sex that didn't happen" belongs to the serial template-meme category, built on a sudden twist. In the classic version, a young man and a young woman come home together, the woman lies down on the bed, and the man is already starting to undress. At that moment he notices a framed photo on the wall or dresser that hints at the apartment owner's unusual tastes or views. In the final panel he leaves, while the woman watches him go.

The comic effect is built on expectation. The reader sees the familiar pattern of a romantic scene developing, but the resolution flips it: the reason for the rejection isn't dramatic and has nothing to do with conflict between the characters. It is decided by a random piece of decor. This structure allows the template to be used in all kinds of situations, since any detail can become the trigger for a sudden turn.

Origin

The original comic's author is unknown, and the exact date of first publication has not been established. The meme dates to 2017, which is consistent with the fact that the closest documented analog is described at the end of that same year. On December 10, 2017, the outlet Lenta.ru reported on a comic in which, instead of a framed photo, there was a picture of the Thai politician Suthep Thaugsuban. In 2013-2014 he led anti-government protests in Thailand, which is why the early version of the joke was referred to in discussions as the "Thai political crisis."

The outlet doesn't say who first posted the picture and gives no exact dates for its appearance. So it cannot be claimed that this particular version was the original source. The origin of the specific illustration in the catalog has not been established.

Spread

According to information from Lenta.ru, the picture became popular on Reddit. Users quickly began creating dozens of versions, inventing their own reasons why the protagonist might suddenly change his mind. The plot was easily transferred onto characters from films, TV series, and cartoons, as well as onto political and everyday situations.

Russian-speaking users joined this wave fairly quickly, and the template became fixed in meme generators. Such services have ready-made templates for similar comics with empty text boxes, and a great many works have been made on many of them. This helped the meme stay in circulation for a long time, even though each new version is less well-known than the first ones.

Why the meme became popular

The main reason for its popularity is the combination of expectation and absurdity. The meme works like a short story that the viewer finishes reading in a few seconds. Swapping out one object lets the story be rewritten without changing its structure, so the template easily adapts to the interests of different audiences.

In addition, the meme reflects a pleasure, common in internet culture, in rejection over nothing. A decision made for a strange reason turns into a stand-alone joke about the unpredictability of people and about how small things affect their actions. The humor doesn't require knowledge of a specific context, so the comic is understandable even to those who didn't follow the events that inspired the first version.

The image in the catalog

The catalog's description doesn't fully match the frame. The illustration shows a young man in a pinkish-lilac jacket and a red scarf quickly walking away against a background of gray walls and city buildings. Above hangs a framed picture of a blonde woman. There is no bed scene or moment of undressing in this image, so the frame conveys only the final part of the story.

There's a woman in the frame, not a politician, as in the version described by Lenta.ru. This could be one of the template's variations, but that has not been confirmed. The origin of this particular version has not been established.