Grus Height Copypasta

2018Copypastaclassic

Also known as: Gru Is the Most Powerful Being in the Universe · Gru's Height

Grus Height Copypasta is a 2018 viral copypasta using pseudo-scientific calculations to argue that Gru from Despicable Me is 14 feet tall and the universe's most powerful being.

Gru's Height Copypasta is a viral text block that uses pseudo-scientific calculations to argue that Gru from the *Despicable Me* franchise is 14 feet tall and "the most powerful being in the universe." It first appeared on Tumblr in April 2018 and quickly spread across Reddit and YouTube, spawning derivative copypastas and fan analyses that tried to debunk or extend the original math.

Overview

The copypasta takes a deliberately over-the-top approach to analyzing Gru's physical abilities. It starts with a simple premise: if Minions average 3.5 feet tall and Gru stands about four Minions high, then Gru is roughly 14 feet tall1. From there, the post breaks down a scene from *Despicable Me* where Gru dodges heat-seeking missiles, calculating that he must perceive and move fast enough that the missiles appear to travel at only 9.5 mph, about 0.5% of their actual speed1. It caps things off by noting that Gru punches a shark hard enough to shatter its spine, requiring over 3,000 newtons of force, equivalent to a 500-pound car hitting a wall at 30 mph1.

The whole thing reads like a math homework assignment written by someone who took fictional lore way too seriously, which is exactly what makes it funny.

On April 5, 2018, Tumblr user drkinfession published a post titled "Gru is the most powerful being in the universe, and here's why"4. The analysis used publicly available data about Minion heights (3.5 feet on average, per various fan wikis) and scaled up from there, applying real-world physics to animated movie scenes1. The post picked up steam fast on Tumblr, collecting over 30,000 notes4.

Origin & Background

Platform
Tumblr
Creator
drkinfession
Date
2018

On April 5, 2018, Tumblr user drkinfession published a post titled "Gru is the most powerful being in the universe, and here's why". The analysis used publicly available data about Minion heights (3.5 feet on average, per various fan wikis) and scaled up from there, applying real-world physics to animated movie scenes. The post picked up steam fast on Tumblr, collecting over 30,000 notes.

How It Spread

The copypasta jumped to Reddit two weeks later. On April 19, 2018, it showed up on r/theydidthemath, where it earned over 2,800 upvotes. The next day, it landed on r/copypasta with another 1,200+ points.

The biggest boost came on June 30, 2018, when YouTuber Slazo released a video breaking down the copypasta's math. That video pulled in over 1.9 million views. BuzzFeed picked up the story later that year, running a piece titled "Gru From 'Despicable Me' Is 14 Feet Tall, I Kid You Not," which walked readers through the height calculations with movie poster comparisons. The BuzzFeed article also pointed out that Lucy, Gru's wife, is even taller than he is, and that the oldest child comes up to Gru's waist, putting her at roughly seven feet.

The copypasta got a second life in December 2018 when a derivative text about Gru's anatomy (referencing the original 14-foot height calculation) started circulating. On December 28, 2018, Reddit user jimkaxon1 posted this version to r/copypasta, where it racked up over 7,600 points, actually outperforming the original on that subreddit.

How to Use This Meme

Gru's Height Copypasta works best when dropped into conversations about fictional character power levels, ridiculous fan theories, or any situation where someone is applying real-world logic to cartoon physics. The standard move is to copy-paste the full text into a thread, forum, or group chat without context. It hits hardest in discussions about "who would win" matchups or when someone asks a seemingly innocent question about animated movie characters.

You can also adapt the format for other fictional characters by:

1

Finding a known measurement in the character's universe (like a Minion's height)

2

Scaling the character's size based on that reference point

3

Applying real-world physics to an action scene to calculate absurd stats

4

Ending with a dramatic mic-drop line like "I rest my case"

Cultural Impact

The copypasta tapped into a broader internet tradition of applying hard math to fictional worlds, similar to r/theydidthemath content and "powerscaling" debates. BuzzFeed's coverage brought the calculations to a mainstream audience, with writer Audrey Worboys calling the growth rate from Minion-sized children to 14-foot adults "incredible and scary".

The Slazo video became a touchstone for the meme, and fan communities treated it as a canonical reference point. Later, a debunking post on the Trollpasta Wiki argued the original math was flawed because the 3.5-foot Minion figure came from an unreliable source. The counter-analysis used banana-to-Minion proportions to estimate Minions at closer to 2 feet tall, which would put Gru at a more reasonable (but still imposing) 8 feet. The debunking author noted that a shorter Gru would actually make his feats even more impressive: "The fact that he is shorter than we thought makes his strength even more incredible".

Fun Facts

The BuzzFeed article noted that the counter in Gru's kitchen would be about seven feet tall if the height calculations are correct, meaning even the furniture in the *Despicable Me* universe is gigantic.

The original Tumblr post was made on a Danganronpa kin confessions blog, of all places.

The Trollpasta Wiki debunker specifically called out Slazo by name, requesting "a part 2 of your Gru video" to correct the record.

According to the copypasta, Gru can perceive missile speed at just 0.5% of its actual velocity, meaning he processes visual information roughly 200 times faster than a normal human.

Derivatives & Variations

Gru's anatomy copypasta

— A December 2018 spin-off that referenced the original 14-foot height to make crude calculations about other aspects of Gru's body. It outperformed the original on r/copypasta with 7,600+ points[4].

"What If We Used 100% of the Brain" edit

— Reddit user malharsk98 combined the copypasta with the brain usage meme template, earning over 9,600 points on r/memes[4].

Banana-based debunking

— A Trollpasta Wiki post challenged the core 3.5-foot Minion constant by measuring Minions against bananas in trailer footage, arriving at a revised Gru height of 6-10 feet[3].

Photoshop parodies

— Various Reddit users created image edits playing on the copypasta's claims, including a post by zif_the_water_bear that picked up 440+ points[4].

Frequently Asked Questions

GrusHeightCopypasta

2018Copypastaclassic

Also known as: Gru Is the Most Powerful Being in the Universe · Gru's Height

Grus Height Copypasta is a 2018 viral copypasta using pseudo-scientific calculations to argue that Gru from Despicable Me is 14 feet tall and the universe's most powerful being.

Gru's Height Copypasta is a viral text block that uses pseudo-scientific calculations to argue that Gru from the *Despicable Me* franchise is 14 feet tall and "the most powerful being in the universe." It first appeared on Tumblr in April 2018 and quickly spread across Reddit and YouTube, spawning derivative copypastas and fan analyses that tried to debunk or extend the original math.

Overview

The copypasta takes a deliberately over-the-top approach to analyzing Gru's physical abilities. It starts with a simple premise: if Minions average 3.5 feet tall and Gru stands about four Minions high, then Gru is roughly 14 feet tall. From there, the post breaks down a scene from *Despicable Me* where Gru dodges heat-seeking missiles, calculating that he must perceive and move fast enough that the missiles appear to travel at only 9.5 mph, about 0.5% of their actual speed. It caps things off by noting that Gru punches a shark hard enough to shatter its spine, requiring over 3,000 newtons of force, equivalent to a 500-pound car hitting a wall at 30 mph.

The whole thing reads like a math homework assignment written by someone who took fictional lore way too seriously, which is exactly what makes it funny.

On April 5, 2018, Tumblr user drkinfession published a post titled "Gru is the most powerful being in the universe, and here's why". The analysis used publicly available data about Minion heights (3.5 feet on average, per various fan wikis) and scaled up from there, applying real-world physics to animated movie scenes. The post picked up steam fast on Tumblr, collecting over 30,000 notes.

Origin & Background

Platform
Tumblr
Creator
drkinfession
Date
2018

On April 5, 2018, Tumblr user drkinfession published a post titled "Gru is the most powerful being in the universe, and here's why". The analysis used publicly available data about Minion heights (3.5 feet on average, per various fan wikis) and scaled up from there, applying real-world physics to animated movie scenes. The post picked up steam fast on Tumblr, collecting over 30,000 notes.

How It Spread

The copypasta jumped to Reddit two weeks later. On April 19, 2018, it showed up on r/theydidthemath, where it earned over 2,800 upvotes. The next day, it landed on r/copypasta with another 1,200+ points.

The biggest boost came on June 30, 2018, when YouTuber Slazo released a video breaking down the copypasta's math. That video pulled in over 1.9 million views. BuzzFeed picked up the story later that year, running a piece titled "Gru From 'Despicable Me' Is 14 Feet Tall, I Kid You Not," which walked readers through the height calculations with movie poster comparisons. The BuzzFeed article also pointed out that Lucy, Gru's wife, is even taller than he is, and that the oldest child comes up to Gru's waist, putting her at roughly seven feet.

The copypasta got a second life in December 2018 when a derivative text about Gru's anatomy (referencing the original 14-foot height calculation) started circulating. On December 28, 2018, Reddit user jimkaxon1 posted this version to r/copypasta, where it racked up over 7,600 points, actually outperforming the original on that subreddit.

How to Use This Meme

Gru's Height Copypasta works best when dropped into conversations about fictional character power levels, ridiculous fan theories, or any situation where someone is applying real-world logic to cartoon physics. The standard move is to copy-paste the full text into a thread, forum, or group chat without context. It hits hardest in discussions about "who would win" matchups or when someone asks a seemingly innocent question about animated movie characters.

You can also adapt the format for other fictional characters by:

1

Finding a known measurement in the character's universe (like a Minion's height)

2

Scaling the character's size based on that reference point

3

Applying real-world physics to an action scene to calculate absurd stats

4

Ending with a dramatic mic-drop line like "I rest my case"

Cultural Impact

The copypasta tapped into a broader internet tradition of applying hard math to fictional worlds, similar to r/theydidthemath content and "powerscaling" debates. BuzzFeed's coverage brought the calculations to a mainstream audience, with writer Audrey Worboys calling the growth rate from Minion-sized children to 14-foot adults "incredible and scary".

The Slazo video became a touchstone for the meme, and fan communities treated it as a canonical reference point. Later, a debunking post on the Trollpasta Wiki argued the original math was flawed because the 3.5-foot Minion figure came from an unreliable source. The counter-analysis used banana-to-Minion proportions to estimate Minions at closer to 2 feet tall, which would put Gru at a more reasonable (but still imposing) 8 feet. The debunking author noted that a shorter Gru would actually make his feats even more impressive: "The fact that he is shorter than we thought makes his strength even more incredible".

Fun Facts

The BuzzFeed article noted that the counter in Gru's kitchen would be about seven feet tall if the height calculations are correct, meaning even the furniture in the *Despicable Me* universe is gigantic.

The original Tumblr post was made on a Danganronpa kin confessions blog, of all places.

The Trollpasta Wiki debunker specifically called out Slazo by name, requesting "a part 2 of your Gru video" to correct the record.

According to the copypasta, Gru can perceive missile speed at just 0.5% of its actual velocity, meaning he processes visual information roughly 200 times faster than a normal human.

Derivatives & Variations

Gru's anatomy copypasta

— A December 2018 spin-off that referenced the original 14-foot height to make crude calculations about other aspects of Gru's body. It outperformed the original on r/copypasta with 7,600+ points[4].

"What If We Used 100% of the Brain" edit

— Reddit user malharsk98 combined the copypasta with the brain usage meme template, earning over 9,600 points on r/memes[4].

Banana-based debunking

— A Trollpasta Wiki post challenged the core 3.5-foot Minion constant by measuring Minions against bananas in trailer footage, arriving at a revised Gru height of 6-10 feet[3].

Photoshop parodies

— Various Reddit users created image edits playing on the copypasta's claims, including a post by zif_the_water_bear that picked up 440+ points[4].

Frequently Asked Questions