Grant Gustin Next To Oliver Queens Grave — Grant Gustin kneeling beside Oliver Queen's gravestone displaying peace sign.

Grant Gustin Next To Oliver Queens Grave

2020Image macro / object labelingclassic

Published March 24, 2026

Also known as: Oliver Queen's Grave · Arrowverse Gravestone Meme

Grant Gustin Next to Oliver Queen's Grave is an image macro and object labeling meme based on a behind-the-scenes photo from the *Arrow* series finale. Taken on the set of the January 2020 episode "Fadeout," the image shows *The Flash* actor Grant Gustin kneeling beside a prop gravestone for Oliver Queen while flashing a peace sign at the camera. The photo spread across Reddit within hours, spawning thousands of edits where users replace Gustin's face and the gravestone with labels representing anything from dead software to dead relationships.

object labeling exploitable templates dc comics viral photo memes

Overview

The meme uses a single photograph: Grant Gustin, dressed in a suit for a funeral scene, crouching beside a prop gravestone that reads "Oliver Queen." He's grinning and throwing up a peace sign, creating a sharp contrast between the somber setting and his goofy energy. This tonal mismatch made the image a perfect template for internet humor. Users edit labels over Gustin and the gravestone to represent any situation where someone celebrates or stands casually next to something dead, outdated, or defeated.

The format works because it's visually simple and emotionally clear. One party is alive and unbothered. The other is dead. The comedy comes from what you assign to each role.

Origin & Background

Platform
Instagram (original photo), Reddit (viral spread)
Key People
Echo Kellum, Grant Gustin
Date
2020

The photo was taken during production of "Fadeout," the series finale of The CW's *Arrow*, which aired on January 28, 20203. The episode dealt with the aftermath of Oliver Queen's death during the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover, and Grant Gustin appeared as Barry Allen attending his friend's funeral3. On that same day, *Arrow* cast member Echo Kellum posted the behind-the-scenes photo to Instagram, where it picked up more than 56,000 likes in under three weeks4. The original image also included other cast members Katie Cassidy, Juliana Harkavy, and Rick Gonzalez, though the cropped version featuring only Gustin became the meme2.

Kellum's original Instagram post has since been deleted, but a screenshot was preserved on Know Your Meme2.

How It Spread

The meme moved fast. On January 28, 2020, the same day as Kellum's Instagram post, Reddit user psp8199 shared the image on r/FlashTV, where it earned over 2,100 upvotes at 98% approval4. Hours later, user buff730 posted it to r/memes with the caption "When the guy who stole your girl dies," pulling in more than 39,000 upvotes and 360 comments4.

Object labeling edits started appearing within 24 hours. On January 29, a variation by user ItsP3anutButt3r placed the Google Chrome logo over Gustin's face and the Internet Explorer logo on the gravestone, collecting over 29,000 upvotes4. Two days after that, a version hit Facebook's Marvel Shieldposting group, racking up 2,800+ reactions in a single day4.

The template kept circulating well beyond its first week. A *Rick and Morty* edit placed Rick's head over Gustin while a dead Morty occupied the grave, and countless other fandoms and pop culture matchups followed1. By 2021, *Arrow* star Stephen Amell weighed in on the meme's staying power with a blunt post on X (formerly Twitter): "Could everyone who repurposes this photo kindly f*** off"2. The reaction was understandable. Amell had led *Arrow* for eight seasons, and the most memorable thing about his character's farewell turned out to be a behind-the-scenes gag photo from someone else's show1.

The meme saw another wave of attention in 2023 when Amell drew criticism for his comments about the SAG-AFTRA strike, prompting users to recirculate the unedited gravestone photo2.

How to Use This Meme

The format typically follows a simple two-label structure:

1

Find a pairing where one thing is alive/winning and another is dead/losing. Think rival products, competing fandoms, old vs. new technologies, or personal situations.

2

Label Gustin (the standing/crouching figure) with whatever is thriving or winning.

3

Label the gravestone with whatever is dead, outdated, or defeated.

4

Post. The peace sign does the rest of the comedic work.

Cultural Impact

At FanX Salt Lake Pop Culture & Comic Convention in 2023, Gustin encountered a fan cosplaying as Oliver Queen's grave, complete with brown paper at the base to simulate dirt1. Gustin immediately dropped into the pose, and fan @garylizaso shared the recreation on Instagram1. The comments section lit up with reactions like "Hahaha made my day thank you" and "You won the internet. Full stop"1.

The recreation highlighted the split between the meme's two key figures. Gustin leaned into the joke, while Amell wanted it gone. As Screen Rant noted, by recreating the image, Gustin technically put himself among the people Amell had told to "kindly f*** off"2. Whether Amell's feelings have softened since his 2021 post is unknown, but the contrast between the two actors' reactions became its own minor storyline in Arrowverse fandom2.

X user @jaybxrb captured the general sentiment: "Remember when grant gustin gave us the best meme of the decade"1. The template's longevity comes from its versatility and lack of topicality. Unlike memes tied to a specific news event, this one works for any "one thing thriving while another thing dies" scenario1.

Fun Facts

The *Arrow* series finale "Fadeout" was the show's 170th episode and was written by showrunners Marc Guggenheim and Beth Schwartz3.

Echo Kellum, who posted the original photo, played Curtis Holt / Mr. Terrific on *Arrow* and returned as a guest star for the series finale3.

The finale's closing scene involving a green-glowing box discovered by John Diggle was a tease for a potential Green Lantern storyline that never materialized3.

Grant Gustin's character Barry Allen attended Oliver Queen's funeral alongside Kara Danvers (Supergirl), Sara Lance, and several other Arrowverse regulars3.

Derivatives & Variations

Chrome vs. Internet Explorer

— Google Chrome's logo over Gustin, IE logo on the grave. One of the first and most popular edits, with 29,000+ Reddit upvotes[4].

Rick and Morty edit

— Rick Sanchez's head on Gustin, dead Morty in the grave[1].

Marvel Shieldposting variants

— Various Marvel-themed edits that spread through Facebook fan groups[4].

2023 convention recreation

— Fan @garylizaso cosplayed as Oliver Queen's grave, and Gustin recreated the original pose at FanX Salt Lake[1].

SAG-AFTRA strike resurgence

— The unedited photo recirculated in 2023 after Amell's controversial comments about the actors' strike[2].

Frequently Asked Questions