Pedro Pascal is the internet’s new boyfriend for a reason. He’s the gift that keeps giving, whether it’s with his amazing body of work, his utter ownership of all social media, or just that ‘stache, Pascal always seems to be able to feed our every need. But it would be hard to argue which is his greatest contribution to our well-being — because it is undoubtedly the Joel Panic Attack Meme.
In episode five of The Last of Us Pascal’s character, Joel, begins to suffer visibly from the years-long effects of surviving an apocalypse and finding himself yet again in danger of losing someone he loves. But the captured footage of those attacks? They just may be a reason to change the show’s name from The Last of Us to All of Us.
Here are just a few reasons why the Joel Panic Attack Meme is the Swiss army knife of memes.
First of all, let’s just talk about basic meme utility — Joel’s panic attacks are everybody who made it to the end of an episode of The Last of Us. Tense, anxious, and let’s face it, a little verklempt. You rep for all of us, Anxiety Joel.
But the Joel Panic Attack can also be used for the Worst of Us — when the biggest jerk in your life points out something correct? It’s time for a meme.
It comes in handy when you do that thing you did accidentally.
Or on any given Thursday.
Or when you have to go all the way back up the stairs because you forgot your phone.
Or when you go all the way back up the stairs and you realize you just went all the way back up the stairs.
When someone makes you be entertaining.
When you have to use your phone to call someone as if we were still living in the Middle Ages.
And finally, when you realize you have less than three weeks left with Joel and Ellie before saying goodbye for a whole season.