New Photo Meme: Vadering
Story by:
Jenni Chasteen
For a brief stretch in spring 2013, Kamehameha-ing was soooo last week. (Literally, we’d talked about it last week.) The next photo meme on the scene was Vadering, which brought Darth Vader’s signature Force choke into the group-photo business.
What Is the Vadering Photo Meme?
One person holds out a hand in Vader’s familiar gesture, while another appears to float nearby, reacting as though an invisible grip has caught them. The resulting photo is pretty awesome in a “Look at me! I’m a huge Star Wars nerd!” kind of way.
The Floating Part Is a Photo Illusion
Contemporary coverage explained the trick: the apparently levitating person was caught mid-jump. The photo froze the moment, making a short hop look like supernatural suspension. The choke was acted, not real contact between the participants.
Like the Dragon Ball-inspired pictures that preceded it, Vadering turned a familiar fictional power into a freeze-frame gag. The dramatic pose supplied the story; the timing supplied the special effect. No Death Star budget required.
A Very 2013 Internet Moment
By April 3, 2013, sites including Laughing Squid were covering the trend, with examples circulating on Reddit, Twitter, and Instagram. The official Star Wars Twitter account had also shared the joke on April 1. Even the galaxy far, far away apparently had time for a photo fad.
So which meme had more staying power? Wait, scratch that! Better question: who would win in a fight? Goku or Darth Vader? My money’s on… well, neither, because they both die.
http://www.facebook.com/vaderingforce