A FAMILIAR MEME. A NEW CONTEXT.

Name a Character Who Has Suffered More Pain Than Her

What this meme means

A close-up of Ellie, the heroine of The Last of Us Part II, under the challenge “Name a character who has suffered more pain than her.” A tweet from June 21, 2020 turned within hours into a mass contest in which users name heroes from games, films, and anime who went through even more.

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Where the challenge came from

The Last of Us Part II is a game by Naughty Dog, released for the PlayStation 4 on June 19, 2020. It continues the story of a world where humanity has been struck by a fungal infection; at the center of the plot is Ellie, who was a fourteen-year-old teenager in the first part and is a nineteen-year-old adult woman in the second.

Two days after the release, on June 21, 2020, a Twitter user posted a frame with her face and a caption in the spirit of “Name a character who has suffered more pain than her. I'll wait.” According to meme reviews, the post collected about 19,800 retweets and 15,800 replies. Within fifteen minutes people were suggesting rivals in suffering, and by evening the discussion had gone viral.

What is visible in the picture

The image is a close-up of a young woman: her face is smeared, there is dust in her hair, her brows are drawn together, and her gaze is heavy and focused. The background is dark and blurred, as in a game cutscene. This is not a scene from the story but a portrait of the heroine, and this format suits a short provocative caption well.

The second part's plot is not retold here: the game sharply divided its audience, and spoilers are not needed to understand the joke. It is enough to know that the heroine goes through a lot in the story, and many players perceived this as overkill or, conversely, as the authors' deliberate goal.

How the mechanic works

The phrase “I'll wait” turns a statement into a trap: the author is sure there are no rivals and invites opponents to prove otherwise. For the internet, this is a perfect pretext. Each reply is a small advertisement for a favorite character, and each counter-reply is a new competition.

Among those named in the replies were Clementine from The Walking Dead, the characters of the story “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream,” Doomguy, Kratos, Sebastian Castellanos, the Sole Survivor from Fallout 4, Gordon Freeman, and the main characters of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. The list came out funny precisely because real tragedies sat next to characters who suffer only from game mechanics.

Usage examples

“Name a student who has suffered more pain than I did during finals. I'll wait.” The caption moves the format to an everyday topic.

“Name a cat that has been bathed more often than this one.” A stern face in close-up makes it easy to find comic contrasts.

“Name a player who has taken on more bugs than I did with this patch. I'll wait.” This suits a gaming audience that gets the reference.

“Name a cook who has burned more fried eggs than I have.” Absurdity works better here than seriousness.

How to use the template

The formula “Name an X who has Y more than her. I'll wait” can be placed over any serious close-up face. It is important that Y be an exaggeration: the more mundane and minor the suffering, the funnier the contrast with the heroine's stern gaze.

Do not use the meme for conversations about real tragedies and violence: the formula jokes about competition, not about someone else's grief. And remember that the game stirs strong feelings in players: the caption should remain a joke, not a reason for arguments about the plot.