You would have had to be living under a rock to not know that 2016 was one of the worst years for global news. But where there is tragedy, there’s also room for some unhinged comedy; and the internet, like always, came through in our darkest hours with some of the best memes to date. Here’s our round-up for the year:
Be Like Bill
The meme that kicked off 2016 was the perfect outlet for internet users to unleash their passive-aggressive taunts on their unsuspecting friend circles. The meme went on to become so popular that it inspired the same meme in various languages and even a counter-meme, Don’t Be Like Bill.
Harambe
If you don’t know who Harambe is you were probably on a spaceship orbiting Mars. After Harambe’s tragic, unjust demise, the internet exploded, driving parents and animal rights activists to an endless debate as to whether it was ethically right to sacrifice an animal in order to save a child that had fallen into its enclosure. From memes to merchandise to an influx of US election votes, Harambe proved once and for all that gorillas trump toddlers.
Arthur’s fist
If one image could accurately encapsulate our collective despair/frustration/anger at having been put through 2016, it’s probably Arthur’s clenched fist.
Sad Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds conquered 2016 pretty early on with Deadpool, giving us one of the best superhero films ever. But Taylor Swift came along and had to ruin all the fun when sometime in the middle of the Hiddleswift romance (if you don’t know what this is about, you’re one lucky person), Swift arranged for her BFFs, including Blake Lively (Reynolds’ better half), to pose with their significant others for a couples photo. Reynolds’ face is all of us looking at this picture.
Biden and Obama
The bromance of the year played out over the Joe Biden and Barack Obama memes, otherwise lovingly called the “Jobama” or the “Petty Biden” memes. The perfect relief for most from the news of Donald Trump being elected to office, the imaginary conversations between these two have been priceless.
Me at the Beginning of 2016 vs End of 2016
This particular meme catches our fancy because it subverts all the pain and disillusionment that we went through this year into a meme that’s meant to make us all laugh, while we’re all crying oh-so-hard inside. No other meme could better describe the physical, emotional and financial toll 2016’s taken on us.
Evil Kermit
Kermit memes have come and gone. But the one that hit this November, of Kermit facing off with his own “evil” hooded doppelganger, will probably have the longest life of them all. Because deep down inside, aren’t we all Evil Kermits pretending to be good?
