Gru's Plan

2018Exploitable multi-panel comicclassic

Also known as: Gru's Presentation

Gru's Plan is a 2018 four-panel exploitable meme featuring *Despicable Me's* Gru unveiling a flip-chart scheme that absurdly backfires by step three, leaving Gru staring bewilderedly at his own board.

Gru's Plan is a four-panel exploitable meme template featuring the supervillain Gru from the 2010 animated film *Despicable Me* presenting a plan on a flip chart1. The format broke out on Reddit in March 2018 after u/FieldMarshalSixDans posted a screencap version to r/deepfriedmemes2. The joke structure follows Gru through three steps of a plan, where the third panel reveals an unintended or absurd conclusion, and the fourth panel shows Gru looking back at his own board in confusion.

despicable me memesexploitable templatesmulti panel memesplan goes wrong memesbait and switch memes

Overview

The meme uses four screenshots from *Despicable Me*, a film produced by Illumination Entertainment in which Steve Carell voices Gru, a supervillain who hatches a scheme to steal the moon2. In the original movie scene, Gru presents his plan via a flip chart to a man on a television screen and discovers someone has hidden a drawing of him sitting on the toilet among his presentation pages1.

The meme format works by letting the creator fill in each of the three presentation panels with text. The first two panels set up a logical, sensible plan. The third panel breaks the logic with something absurd, self-defeating, or unexpectedly honest. The fourth panel, where Gru turns around and stares at the board with a confused or horrified expression, sells the punchline. The template's appeal lies in that moment of dawning realization: Gru is surprised by his own terrible plan.

*Despicable Me* hit theaters on July 9, 20102. The presentation scene became the raw material for the meme nearly eight years later. On March 9, 2018, Reddit user FieldMarshalSixDans posted a four-panel version using screencaps from the scene to r/deepfriedmemes1. That same day, u/dankbob_memepants_ cross-posted it to r/memeeconomy, where it picked up over 18,000 upvotes and 250 comments within 24 hours1.

Origin & Background

Platform
Reddit (r/deepfriedmemes, r/memeeconomy)
Key People
u/FieldMarshalSixDans, u/dankbob_memepants_
Date
2018

*Despicable Me* hit theaters on July 9, 2010. The presentation scene became the raw material for the meme nearly eight years later. On March 9, 2018, Reddit user FieldMarshalSixDans posted a four-panel version using screencaps from the scene to r/deepfriedmemes. That same day, u/dankbob_memepants_ cross-posted it to r/memeeconomy, where it picked up over 18,000 upvotes and 250 comments within 24 hours.

How It Spread

The format spread fast across Reddit's meme ecosystem. On March 11, 2018, user very_niceu uploaded a Nazi-themed parody to r/dankmemes that pulled in upwards of 21,000 upvotes within a day. The same day, charizard77 posted a daylight savings time version to r/memes that collected over 4,600 upvotes, while 4k60fpsHDR posted an education system edit to the same subreddit that gathered more than 6,000 upvotes.

By March 12, the template was already spawning meta-humor. A Droste effect version, where the meme recursively contained itself, appeared on r/MemeEconomy. That same day, Redditor Pawaaar- posted an animated GIF version to r/me_irl that blew up with over 32,000 votes and 230 comments in just six hours.

The meme got a mainstream signal boost on March 14, 2018 when PewDiePie featured Gru's Plan in episode 12 of his *Meme Review* series alongside other trending formats like "Peter Hurts His Knee". The video pulled millions of views in its first day.

How to Use This Meme

The Gru's Plan template follows a simple four-panel structure. The first two panels show Gru pointing confidently at his presentation board, each containing a step of a plan that makes sense. The third panel is where the twist lands: a step that contradicts the plan, reveals a flaw, or says something absurd. The fourth panel shows Gru turning back to look at his board with a bewildered expression, as if he didn't write that himself.

Common uses include: - Plans that start logical but end in self-sabotage ("Step 1: Study for the exam. Step 2: Open the textbook. Step 3: Watch YouTube for 6 hours. Step 4: *confused Gru*") - Ironic life decisions where the bad outcome is the point - Political or social commentary where the third panel exposes a contradiction

The format typically works best when the third panel's absurdity catches you off guard but feels inevitable in hindsight. Blank templates are widely available on meme generator sites.

Cultural Impact

Gru's Plan became one of the defining presentation-style meme templates of 2018 and helped establish the broader category of "plan goes wrong" formats. The meme drew from a then eight-year-old movie, showing how animated films can generate meme templates long after their theatrical run. PewDiePie's coverage on *Meme Review* pushed the format beyond Reddit's meme subreddits into YouTube's broader audience.

The template's versatility made it popular across different online communities. Its straightforward structure, where creators only need to fill in three text fields to make a joke, lowered the barrier for participation. The format also contributed to a wave of multi-panel exploitable memes that dominated Reddit in early 2018.

Fun Facts

The original movie scene that inspired the meme involves Gru discovering a crude drawing of himself on the toilet hidden in his presentation, not an actual plan gone wrong.

The meme went from first post to PewDiePie coverage in just five days (March 9-14, 2018).

The GIF version by Pawaaar- hit 32,000 votes in six hours, making it one of the fastest-growing posts on r/me_irl during that period.

*Despicable Me* was the first feature film produced by Illumination Entertainment, the studio that later created the Minions franchise.

Derivatives & Variations

Animated GIF version:

Redditor Pawaaar- created a GIF edit posted to r/me_irl on March 12, 2018 that became one of the format's viral highlights[1].

Droste effect version:

A recursive, self-referencing version appeared on r/MemeEconomy on March 12, 2018, where the meme contained itself within its own panels[1].

Deep-fried variants:

The meme's origin on r/deepfriedmemes meant early versions featured the heavy saturation and distortion typical of that subreddit's style[1].

Frequently Asked Questions

References (2)

  1. 1
    Despicable Me (film)encyclopedia
  2. 2
    Gru's Plan - Know Your Memeencyclopedia

Gru's Plan

2018Exploitable multi-panel comicclassic

Also known as: Gru's Presentation

Gru's Plan is a 2018 four-panel exploitable meme featuring *Despicable Me's* Gru unveiling a flip-chart scheme that absurdly backfires by step three, leaving Gru staring bewilderedly at his own board.

Gru's Plan is a four-panel exploitable meme template featuring the supervillain Gru from the 2010 animated film *Despicable Me* presenting a plan on a flip chart. The format broke out on Reddit in March 2018 after u/FieldMarshalSixDans posted a screencap version to r/deepfriedmemes. The joke structure follows Gru through three steps of a plan, where the third panel reveals an unintended or absurd conclusion, and the fourth panel shows Gru looking back at his own board in confusion.

despicable me memes exploitable templates multi panel memes plan goes wrong memes bait and switch memes

Overview

The meme uses four screenshots from *Despicable Me*, a film produced by Illumination Entertainment in which Steve Carell voices Gru, a supervillain who hatches a scheme to steal the moon. In the original movie scene, Gru presents his plan via a flip chart to a man on a television screen and discovers someone has hidden a drawing of him sitting on the toilet among his presentation pages.

The meme format works by letting the creator fill in each of the three presentation panels with text. The first two panels set up a logical, sensible plan. The third panel breaks the logic with something absurd, self-defeating, or unexpectedly honest. The fourth panel, where Gru turns around and stares at the board with a confused or horrified expression, sells the punchline. The template's appeal lies in that moment of dawning realization: Gru is surprised by his own terrible plan.

*Despicable Me* hit theaters on July 9, 2010. The presentation scene became the raw material for the meme nearly eight years later. On March 9, 2018, Reddit user FieldMarshalSixDans posted a four-panel version using screencaps from the scene to r/deepfriedmemes. That same day, u/dankbob_memepants_ cross-posted it to r/memeeconomy, where it picked up over 18,000 upvotes and 250 comments within 24 hours.

Origin & Background

Platform
Reddit (r/deepfriedmemes, r/memeeconomy)
Key People
u/FieldMarshalSixDans, u/dankbob_memepants_
Date
2018

*Despicable Me* hit theaters on July 9, 2010. The presentation scene became the raw material for the meme nearly eight years later. On March 9, 2018, Reddit user FieldMarshalSixDans posted a four-panel version using screencaps from the scene to r/deepfriedmemes. That same day, u/dankbob_memepants_ cross-posted it to r/memeeconomy, where it picked up over 18,000 upvotes and 250 comments within 24 hours.

How It Spread

The format spread fast across Reddit's meme ecosystem. On March 11, 2018, user very_niceu uploaded a Nazi-themed parody to r/dankmemes that pulled in upwards of 21,000 upvotes within a day. The same day, charizard77 posted a daylight savings time version to r/memes that collected over 4,600 upvotes, while 4k60fpsHDR posted an education system edit to the same subreddit that gathered more than 6,000 upvotes.

By March 12, the template was already spawning meta-humor. A Droste effect version, where the meme recursively contained itself, appeared on r/MemeEconomy. That same day, Redditor Pawaaar- posted an animated GIF version to r/me_irl that blew up with over 32,000 votes and 230 comments in just six hours.

The meme got a mainstream signal boost on March 14, 2018 when PewDiePie featured Gru's Plan in episode 12 of his *Meme Review* series alongside other trending formats like "Peter Hurts His Knee". The video pulled millions of views in its first day.

How to Use This Meme

The Gru's Plan template follows a simple four-panel structure. The first two panels show Gru pointing confidently at his presentation board, each containing a step of a plan that makes sense. The third panel is where the twist lands: a step that contradicts the plan, reveals a flaw, or says something absurd. The fourth panel shows Gru turning back to look at his board with a bewildered expression, as if he didn't write that himself.

Common uses include: - Plans that start logical but end in self-sabotage ("Step 1: Study for the exam. Step 2: Open the textbook. Step 3: Watch YouTube for 6 hours. Step 4: *confused Gru*") - Ironic life decisions where the bad outcome is the point - Political or social commentary where the third panel exposes a contradiction

The format typically works best when the third panel's absurdity catches you off guard but feels inevitable in hindsight. Blank templates are widely available on meme generator sites.

Cultural Impact

Gru's Plan became one of the defining presentation-style meme templates of 2018 and helped establish the broader category of "plan goes wrong" formats. The meme drew from a then eight-year-old movie, showing how animated films can generate meme templates long after their theatrical run. PewDiePie's coverage on *Meme Review* pushed the format beyond Reddit's meme subreddits into YouTube's broader audience.

The template's versatility made it popular across different online communities. Its straightforward structure, where creators only need to fill in three text fields to make a joke, lowered the barrier for participation. The format also contributed to a wave of multi-panel exploitable memes that dominated Reddit in early 2018.

Fun Facts

The original movie scene that inspired the meme involves Gru discovering a crude drawing of himself on the toilet hidden in his presentation, not an actual plan gone wrong.

The meme went from first post to PewDiePie coverage in just five days (March 9-14, 2018).

The GIF version by Pawaaar- hit 32,000 votes in six hours, making it one of the fastest-growing posts on r/me_irl during that period.

*Despicable Me* was the first feature film produced by Illumination Entertainment, the studio that later created the Minions franchise.

Derivatives & Variations

Animated GIF version:

Redditor Pawaaar- created a GIF edit posted to r/me_irl on March 12, 2018 that became one of the format's viral highlights[1].

Droste effect version:

A recursive, self-referencing version appeared on r/MemeEconomy on March 12, 2018, where the meme contained itself within its own panels[1].

Deep-fried variants:

The meme's origin on r/deepfriedmemes meant early versions featured the heavy saturation and distortion typical of that subreddit's style[1].

Frequently Asked Questions

References (2)

  1. 1
    Despicable Me (film)encyclopedia
  2. 2
    Gru's Plan - Know Your Memeencyclopedia