It’s been five years since the second season of Westworld premiered, and while the show has since concluded, its impact on popular culture lives on. One of the most notable legacies of the show is its vast array of memes, which have been shared and re-shared countless times on social media. In this article, we’ll take a look back at some of the most memorable Westworld Season 2 memes and explore what made them so popular.
The “Is This Now?” Meme
One of the earliest and most enduring memes to come out of Westworld Season 2 was the “Is This Now?” meme. This meme featured a screenshot of Bernard (played by Jeffrey Wright) looking confused and disoriented, with the caption “Is This Now?” superimposed on top. The meme quickly went viral, with people using it to express their own confusion or disorientation in various situations.
One Twitter user, @jenniferrmorgan, summed up the appeal of the meme by saying “The ‘Is This Now?’ meme perfectly captures that feeling of existential dread we all experience from time to time. It’s funny, but also kind of relatable.”
The “Akane No Mai” Meme
Another popular meme from Westworld Season 2 was the “Akane No Mai” meme. This meme featured a screenshot of Maeve (played by Thandie Newton) and Akane (played by Rinko Kikuchi) dressed in traditional Japanese garb, with the caption “Akane No Mai” (which translates to “Dance of Akane”). The meme was often used to express excitement or anticipation for something, with users saying things like “Me waiting for the weekend like…” or “When you finally get to see your favorite band live.”
Some fans of the show were critical of the meme, however, arguing that it was a reductive or even offensive portrayal of Japanese culture. One Reddit user, u/samurai_ken, wrote “As a Japanese person, I find the ‘Akane No Mai’ meme to be pretty cringe-worthy. It reduces our culture to a cheap punchline.”
The “The Door” Meme
Arguably the most iconic meme to come out of Westworld Season 2 was the “The Door” meme. This meme featured a screenshot of Bernard standing in front of a door, with the caption “What Door?” superimposed on top. The meme was a reference to a pivotal moment in the season finale, in which Bernard realizes that he himself is responsible for the creation of the park’s host-replacing technology.
The “The Door” meme was particularly popular among fans of the show, who praised it for its clever use of a key plot point as a punchline. One Twitter user, @westworld_memes, wrote “The ‘The Door’ meme is a perfect example of how memes can take something serious and make it funny without losing the essence of what made it impactful.”
The “Maeve’s Superpower” Meme
Another popular meme from Westworld Season 2 was the “Maeve’s Superpower” meme. This meme featured a screenshot of Maeve using her mind control abilities, with the caption “Maeve’s Superpower: Looking at someone for 2 seconds and knowing their entire life story.” The meme was often used to poke fun at people who overshare or reveal too much personal information too quickly.
Some fans of the show were critical of the meme, however, arguing that it trivialized Maeve’s character and her struggles to gain agency and autonomy. One Reddit user, u/westworld_lover, wrote “I feel like the ‘Maeve’s Superpower’ meme misses the point of her character. She’s not just a mind reader, she’s a complex and nuanced character with her own goals and motivations.”
Conclusion
Overall, the memes from Westworld Season 2 were a testament to the show’s enduring popularity and cultural relevance. While some fans were critical of certain memes for their portrayal of characters or cultures, most agreed that the memes added an extra layer of enjoyment and engagement to the show. As one Twitter user, @westworldfanatic, put it “The memes from Westworld Season 2 were like a gift that kept on giving. They made me laugh, they made me think, and they made me appreciate the show even more.”
