The Story Behind The Evil Kermit Meme: How A Muppet Scene Became The Internet’s Inner Demon
The Evil Kermit meme, featuring Kermit the Frog facing off against his sinister doppelgänger, has taken the internet by storm as the ultimate depiction of inner conflict.
Born from a scene in Muppets Most Wanted, this meme humorously captures the battle between our rational selves and our impulsive, mischievous urges.
From Twitter to Reddit, it’s become a go-to for confessing bad decisions with a laugh.
This article dives into the meme’s origins, meaning, viral spread, and why it remains a cultural staple.
1. What Is the Evil Kermit Meme?
What Does the Meme Depict and How Is It Used?
Evil Kermit is an image macro that features two Kermits: the wholesome Kermit the Frog and a hooded, dark-robed version of Kermit often labeled “Me” and “Evil Me.”
In this meme format, the wholesome Kermit represents the choices we should make and Evil Kermit is the small devil voice saying we should make a bad decision that is often self-destructive.
Basically, it is a type of conversation, the wholesome Kermit is trying to rationally suggest a good choice, while the Evil Kermit is always talking him into some bad or self-destructive behavior.
The Evil Kermit meme appeals to lots of people because it can perfectly illustrate a moment where someone is in inner conflict like when they struggle with studying vs. bingeing an entire season of something on Netflix.
What connects the Evil Kermit meme with the audience is a raw, honest take on moments we do not feel so noble.
Is This the Internet’s Favorite Representation of Self-Sabotage?
Is Evil Kermit the ultimate self-sabotage meme?
It very well could be, as it is an excellent representation of the internal struggle between choosing to be self-disciplined versus giving in to temptation, showcasing the innate falsehood of self-sabotage that relates to many people globally.
Furthermore, the Evil Kermit meme has made its way around the internet quickly, appearing across various platforms in a relatable way for many people to resonate with someone who has ignored their better judgment.
2. Where Did the Evil Kermit Meme Come From?
The Moment from Muppets Most Wanted
The meme is derived from the 2014 movie Muppets Most Wanted, where Kermit confronts his evil twin, Constantine, an international criminal who bears a striking resemblance to Kermit.
A dramatic still photo from the scene where Kermit and Constantine face one another—Kermit looking earnest and Constantine concealed in shadow—serves as a complete distraction for meme creators.
The scene’s campy tone, combined with the glaring difference in color and tones between Kermit and Constantine made the still approximately ripe for internet usage, as ScreenRant specifies in their review of Muppets Most Wanted.
When It Went Viral
Beginning in late 2016, the Evil Kermit meme began to take off first on Tumblr and Twitter (formerly X).
An example of this is a post from a Tumblr user named “fandom-stoll-my-life”, which was captioned “Me: Go to bed / Evil Me: Refresh Twitter one more time”, which went viral, according to Know Your Meme.
The meme’s success in a very relatable way to similarly caption two choices, such as be healthy and go to the gym or eat an extra slice of pizza, aided in its virility on social networks.
3. What Does the Meme Actually Mean?
The Appeal of Duality
The Evil Kermit meme works well because it reflects the universal conflict between good intentions and bad decisions.
It is the internet’s self-disclosure about those obvious choices to act in self-defeating ways.
The moral apple on one shoulder and the chaos demon on the other – whether it’s putting off a deadline or engaging in a guilty pleasure, Evil Kermit captures the essence of duality for everyone.
Daily Dot elaborates on why memes with Evil Kermit are so successful, and that the best-performing internet memes replicate universal human experience.
The Internet’s Take on the “Id”
The Evil Kermit meme brings the id to life. As Sigmund Freud would suggest, the id is the part of the psyche that is impulsive and pleasure-seeking.
Evil Kermit captures that silly inner voice, e.g. Order take out instead of cooking – why not? The psychological attribution of Evil Kermit is all done with Muppet humour and becomes relatable on many levels.
4. Popular Formats and Caption Styles
Classic Dialogue Format
The most recognizable Evil Kermit format is a classic two-panel dialogue style, where the first panel, “Me,” is a rational Kermit who makes a suggestion about doing something sensible.
The second panel, “Me to me,” shows Constantine, Kermit’s evil counterpart, who rejects the good idea with a reckless suggestion.
For example: “Me: I should go to sleep early tonight / Me to me: Stay up and watch three hours of true crime you’ve already seen before.”
The captions communicate relatable day-to-day struggles through memes, whether they be dieting (you’ll be fine with a bit more ice-cream), to doom scrolling on social media, which helped fuel the popularity of this meme-style on X and Reddit, among other platforms.
Variants and Meme Edits
The Evil Kermit format also led to a plethora of spin-offs like “Evil Spongebob” or “Evil Mario,” where other fictional characters replicate the same idea of duality.
Pop culture remix styles, like Evil Kermit combined with Marvel or video-game references, and workplace humor about irresponsible email management, have kept the format refreshed also.
A popular Reddit post that went viral, on r/memes, titled “Me: Save money / Me to me: Buy another Funko Pop” earned thousands of upvotes.
5. How the Meme Spread Across Platforms
Platform Evolution
The meme diffused differentially between platforms.
On Twitter, it occupied threads about procrastination or romantic relationships and was commonly reposted by users like @MemeLord420 to enhance its virality.
Tumblr was popularly explicating it under darker, introspective humor.
Reddit provided flourishing communities in r/memes, offering fresh captions daily.
TikTok later incorporated it throughout audio remixes utilizing Evil Kermit and timing them to trending sounds.
Community Use
From creators to overthinkers, the meme resonated with everyone who has battled with their inner demons.
Gamers particularly enjoyed portraying moments with “Me: Play one match / Evil Me: Stay up until 3 AM.” The meme’s versatility ultimately made it widely applicable for digital confessions across communities.
6. Will the Evil Kermit Meme Endure?
Longevity in Reaction Meme Culture
The Evil Kermit meme is timeless, since inner turmoil will never go away.
As long as people face temptations and battle their bad decisions, the Evil Kermit meme will have fresh captions and new settings. Its simplicity will help it remain relevant and easily adapt to future trends.
Ranking Among Introspective and Duality Memes
Evil Kermit joins the ranks of the top introspective reaction memes with other companions like Distracted Boyfriend, Change My Mind, and This is Fine.
The duality and self-reflection aspect of Evil Kermit places it in a permanent role in reaction meme culture, as referenced in BuzzFeed’s memes of 2017.
Conclusion
From a dramatic Muppets Most Wanted scene to a viral sensation, the Evil Kermit meme has become the internet’s favorite way to laugh at our inner demons.
Its origins in 2016, relatable humor, and spread across Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok show the power of a simple image to capture universal truths.
Whether you’re battling procrastination or just giggling at your own flaws, Evil Kermit is here to stay, whispering bad ideas with a Muppet-sized smirk.
