ew memes have taken social feeds by storm as quickly as the “I’m gonna be a dad” craze, which mashes up a curt, off-kilter lip-sync of Ellie from HBO’s The Last of Us into countless reaction videos across TikTok and beyond TikTokInstagram. Packaged as a TikTok “original sound” by @RaffaJoey and remixed by fans within days, it has already racked up millions of plays and inspired hundreds of thousands of duets and stitches TikTokTikTok.
1. Origins: TikTok Upload & Instagram Surge
On May 3, 2025, TikTok creator @RaffaJoey uploaded the clip—featuring Ellie’s deadpan “I’m gonna be a dad?”—as an “original sound,” and it instantly caught fire. Two days later, tlouvideogame reposted it on Instagram Reels, where the reel amassed over 350 K likes by May 5, 2025 TikTokInstagram. Creators quickly looped the snippet to set up jokes about everything from unexpected exam grades to surprise promotions.
2. Reddit Reaction & Fan Debate
On Reddit, r/TheLastOfUs2 users debated whether the line came from an unreleased clip or was pure fan edit—sparking threads like “I’m gonna be a dad? Meme” that drew thousands of comments in late May 2025 RedditX (formerly Twitter). Similar discussions popped up in Facebook fan groups, with members hilariously asking, “Did Ellie really say that?” and “No, you’re a potato” mash-ups trending 🌐 FacebookFacebook.
3. Format & Typical Set-Ups
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Audio hook: The first three seconds of Ellie’s line, often followed by silence, let captions—or a sudden scene cut—deliver the punch-line.
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Visual style: Shot-reverse-shot selfies, reaction faces, or anime clips create contrast with the stoic audio.
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Labeling: Text overlays like “When your phone autocorrects ‘pregnant’ to ‘parenting’” instantly reset context for comedic effect MemedroidTikTok.
4. Viral Variations & Fan Remixes
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Kevin James edit: TikTokers splice the line over The Last of Us fan art featuring Joel and Ellie—then replace Ellie’s face with Kevin James for absurdist humor TikTokFacebook.
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Baby announcement mash-ups: Pregnancy-reveal TikToks now play the clip right before the “big news” moment, jokingly foreshadowing the reveal.
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Sports chokes: Fans tag the audio onto highlight reels of last-second game losses, with Ellie’s flat delivery contrasting players’ dramatic reactions.
5. Why the Meme Resonates
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Dissonance: A female character proclaiming “I’m gonna be a dad” delivers an instant brain-freeze that cracks users up.
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Versatility: Plug in any two-part scenario—personal failures, surprising news, ironic life events—thanks to the built-in setup/punch format.
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Low barrier to entry: No dance moves or elaborate editing: just record, overlay the sound, add captions, and post RedditX (formerly Twitter).
6. Cultural Footprint
Within weeks, “I’m gonna be a dad” memes spilled over from TikTok onto Twitter (#LastOfUsS2 debate threads), Instagram, Reddit and even corporate marketing pitches poking fun at unexpected product launches FacebookTikTok. Fan artists have already uploaded over 2 000 fan-made PNG templates to Imgur and meme sites, cementing its place in the mid-2025 meme canon.
Ready to ride the trend?
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