# Im Gonna Be A Dad > I'm Gonna Be A Dad," from The Last of Us Season 2 (May 2025), is a viral meme of Ellie cheerfully announcing she'll be a dad in response to Dina's pregnancy, sparking comedy and discourse over its tonal mismatch. "I'm Gonna Be A Dad" is a meme originating from a scene in Season 2, Episode 4 of HBO's *The Last of Us*, where Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey) cheerfully responds to Dina's pregnancy announcement with the line "I'm gonna be a dad." Released on May 4, 2025, the scene immediately went viral across X, Reddit, TikTok, and Instagram, with fans mocking the delivery as tonally off from the darker source material[1]. The meme sparked both comedy and heated discourse about the show's adaptation choices, generating hundreds of thousands of edits, reaction posts, and debate threads within days[4]. ## Origin On May 4, 2025, HBO aired the fourth episode of *The Last of Us* Season 2[4]. In the scene, Dina reveals her pregnancy to Ellie during a conversation at camp. Ellie processes the news, confirms Dina is no longer with Jesse (the baby's father, who is Asian), and responds with "I'm gonna be a dad"[4]. The reaction in the show contrasts sharply with the video game. In *The Last of Us Part II*, Ellie responds to the same revelation with shock and visible distress, reflecting her darker emotional state throughout the game[1]. Reddit user kh7190 described the gap: "She's overall happy and handling it pretty well, a far cry from the rage that carried her all the way north to seek revenge in the game. The vibe is all wrong"[1]. Showrunner Craig Mazin had hinted in pre-season interviews that Ellie and Dina's time together would get "unexpected," and had stressed that "authenticity trumps word-for-word recreation" when adapting the game[3]. - **Platform:** HBO (source scene), X / Twitter and Reddit (viral spread) - **Creator:** HBO / Craig Mazin (show writers), @RaffaJoey (TikTok sound creator), @amittensblight (early viral X post) - **Date:** 2025 ## Overview The meme centers on a brief exchange in *The Last of Us* Season 2, Episode 4. Dina tells Ellie she's pregnant with Jesse's baby. Instead of the shocked, conflicted reaction from the original *The Last of Us Part II* video game, the show's Ellie takes the news in stride and declares, "I'm gonna be a dad"[4]. The line's upbeat delivery clashed with what many fans expected from a story defined by grief and rage, making it instantly memeable[1]. The format works as both a reaction image (screenshots of Ellie's face paired with the quote) and an audio meme (the clip used as a TikTok sound for comedic setups)[2]. Text-based versions use the quote as a punchline for unexpected or absurd situations. ## How It Spread The scene went viral within hours of the episode airing. On May 4, 2025, X user @amittensblight posted edits of game scenes featuring Ellie and Dina with an Asian baby (referencing Jesse), pulling over 11,000 likes in roughly three weeks[4]. By May 5, X user @JonnyRoot_ called the episode the "wokest episode of TV of all time," singling out the dad line. That same day, TikTok creator @RaffaJoey uploaded the clip as an "original sound," and it caught fire immediately[2]. The Instagram Reels account tlouvideogame reposted the clip, racking up over 350,000 likes by May 5[2]. On May 6, X user @DramaAlert posted an image macro of the scene with the caption "HBO's 'The Last of Us' is getting backlash for going full WOKE," pulling over 88,000 likes in two weeks[4]. The same day, Reddit user u/Persepolissss posted an edit of Ellie as Kratos from *God of War* to r/TheLastOfUs2, captioned "I'm gonna be a dad," earning over 2,200 upvotes[4]. On May 7, a detailed criticism post by u/kimotheapple titled "'I'm gonna be a dad' is even worse than you could possibly imagine" hit 3,200 upvotes on r/TheLastOfUs2[4]. X user @TheOfficerTatum also posted the scene with the complaint, "Is it too much to ask to leave this WOKE nonsense out of entertainment?"[4]. The meme's biggest single viral moment came on May 9 when Reddit user u/DarkSpartan267 posted a Kevin James Smirking edit with Ellie's face, titled "I'm gonna be a dad?" to r/TheLastOfUs2. It pulled 69,000 upvotes[4]. X user @BillyM2k reposted the Kevin James version on May 10, where it hit 290,000 likes[4]. By May 11, Instagram user dark___humor_ reposted it as an image macro for another 88,000 likes[4]. On May 12, X user @DrClownPhD posted a version depicting Ellie as Sloth from *The Goonies*, earning 9,500 likes[4]. ## How to Use The "I'm Gonna Be A Dad" format typically works in a few ways: **Audio/video format (TikTok):** Record a selfie or reaction clip, overlay the Ellie audio. The first three seconds of her deadpan delivery set up the joke, then a visual cut or text overlay delivers the punchline[2]. Common setups include unexpected news, ironic reveals, or situations where being called "dad" makes zero sense. **Image macro format:** Screenshot Ellie's face from the scene with the quote as text. Often paired with a second panel showing a contrasting reaction or absurd context[4]. **Text-only format:** Drop "I'm gonna be a dad" as a non-sequitur response in group chats or comment threads when someone shares surprising or life-changing news. **Face-swap variant:** Replace Ellie's face with another character (Kevin James, Kratos, Sloth from *The Goonies*) while keeping the quote[4]. This version leans into the absurdist angle. ## Cultural Impact The meme reignited a long-running debate about how closely TV adaptations should follow their source material. Multiple outlets covered the backlash, with StarTeFacts arguing that the show's writers "misjudged the tone, turning a potentially powerful scene into an unintended lightning rod for criticism"[1]. The controversy also highlighted the pressures young actors face in the age of social media, where performances get scrutinized and memed in real time[5]. Ramsey's threat of legal action against meme creators, while unlikely to succeed, drew attention to the question of where online humor crosses into harassment[5]. Corporate marketing accounts got in on the trend too, with brands poking fun at unexpected product launches using the audio clip[2]. ## Fun Facts - The Kevin James face-swap version was reposted by @BillyM2k (Billy Markus, co-creator of Dogecoin), helping it reach 290,000 likes on X[4]. - Over 2,000 fan-made PNG templates were uploaded to Imgur and meme sites within weeks of the episode[2]. - Reddit's r/TheLastOfUs2 hosted a detailed post titled "'I'm gonna be a dad' is even worse than you could possibly imagine" that broke down frame-by-frame differences between the game and show versions[4]. - The TikTok sound format requires almost no editing skill, which helped it spread faster than most video memes. As one analysis noted: "No dance moves or elaborate editing: just record, overlay the sound, add captions, and post"[2]. - Fan discussions on Reddit included actual flowcharts mapping Ellie's emotional progression across both versions of the scene[3]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is "I'm Gonna Be A Dad"? It's a meme based on a line delivered by Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in *The Last of Us* Season 2, Episode 4 (May 4, 2025), where she cheerfully responds to Dina's pregnancy news by saying "I'm gonna be a dad"[4]. ### Where did "I'm Gonna Be A Dad" come from? The line comes from HBO's *The Last of Us* Season 2, Episode 4, aired May 4, 2025. It went viral on X, Reddit, and TikTok within hours[4]. ### What does "I'm Gonna Be A Dad" mean? In context, it's Ellie claiming a parental role for Dina's unborn child. As a meme, it's used as a punchline for unexpected situations or absurd announcements, playing on the dissonance of a female character declaring she'll "be a dad"[2]. ### How do you use "I'm Gonna Be A Dad"? On TikTok, overlay the audio clip on a reaction video. As an image macro, pair the screenshot with absurd setups. Or just drop the quote as a non-sequitur in comment threads[2]. ### Is "I'm Gonna Be A Dad" still popular? As of mid-2025, the meme is still actively being remixed across TikTok, X, and Reddit, with new variants appearing regularly and the broader Season 2 discourse keeping it in circulation[3]. ### Why was the line controversial? In the original *The Last of Us Part II* game, Ellie reacts to Dina's pregnancy with shock and distress, reflecting her darker emotional state. The show's lighter, upbeat version felt jarring to many fans[1]. ### Did Bella Ramsey respond to the memes? Yes. In a Variety interview on May 18, 2025, Ramsey called the memes "personal" and "infuriating," and urged their legal team to pursue action against those who profited from them[5]. ### Can Bella Ramsey actually sue over the memes? Legal experts say it would be very difficult. Defamation or harassment claims require proof of malicious intent and tangible harm, and parody/satire receive broad free speech protections in the U.S.[5] ### What was the most viral version of the meme? The Kevin James face-swap edit by Reddit user u/DarkSpartan267, posted May 9, 2025. It reached 69,000 upvotes on r/TheLastOfUs2 and 290,000 likes when reposted on X[4]. ### Why did some people call the episode "woke"? Critics framed the scene as forced progressivism, particularly the gendered aspect of a female/non-binary character calling themselves "dad." X users like @DramaAlert and @TheOfficerTatum posted viral complaints along these lines[4]. ### How did the TikTok version work? TikTok creator @RaffaJoey uploaded the clip as an "original sound." Creators overlay it on reaction videos, using Ellie's deadpan delivery as a setup before a visual or text punchline[2]. ### What did showrunner Craig Mazin say? Mazin hinted at standing by the creative choices, telling fans to "wait for the full story" and stressing that "authenticity trumps word-for-word recreation"[3]. ## References 1. [Bella Ramsey is furious after seeing a series of memes about her scene: "I'm gonna be a Dad". She demanded to sue individuals or organizations that intentionally teased her. - News]() 2. [I’m Gonna Be a Dad Meme: How Ellie’s Surprising Line Sparked a Viral F – WAHUP]() 3. ['I'm Gonna Be a Dad': The Line That Exposed The Last of Us Season 2's Biggest Problem, Explained - Startefacts.com]() 4. [I'm Gonna Be A Dad - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Rick Astley]() 6. [I'm Gonna Be A Dad - Urban Dictionary]() 7. [How Ellie's 'I'm Gonna Be a Dad' Line in TLOU S2 Shook the Fandom - TheLastOfUs.tv]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/im-gonna-be-a-dad Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library