# Is This Your King > Is This Your King? is a 2018 snowclone meme sourced from Killmonger's Black Panther fight scene, where users swap "king" for other nouns to mockingly critique disappointing figures or concepts. "Is This Your King?" is a snowclone meme based on a line shouted by the villain Killmonger during a fight scene in the 2018 Marvel film *Black Panther*. The format took off on Twitter in March 2018, with users swapping out "king" for other nouns to mock disappointing or underwhelming things. It became one of the breakout meme formats tied to the film's massive cultural moment. ## Origin The line first appeared in a trailer for *Black Panther*, which hit theaters in February 2018[1]. On March 20, 2018, Twitter user @TheyWant_Nolan posted a screenshot of the Killmonger scene with the caption "Is this your spring?!?!?" The tweet was a jab at disappointing spring weather, and it blew up fast, pulling in more than 20,000 retweets and 41,400 likes within two days[1]. - **Platform:** Twitter - **Creator:** @TheyWant_Nolan (original viral tweet) - **Date:** 2018 ## Overview The meme uses a screenshot of Erik Killmonger (played by Michael B. Jordan) from *Black Panther*, mid-shout during a dramatic confrontation with T'Challa. In the film, Killmonger yells "Is this your king?" to undermine T'Challa's authority in front of the Wakandan people[3]. The screenshot captures Killmonger's intense, mocking expression, which makes it a perfect reaction image for calling something out as a letdown. The format works as a phrasal template. Users replace "king" with whatever they want to roast: a paycheck, a sports team, a weather forecast, a meal. The punchline lands because Killmonger's delivery drips with contempt, making even mundane complaints feel dramatic[1]. ## How It Spread The format spread rapidly across Twitter in the days after @TheyWant_Nolan's post. Users grabbed the Killmonger screenshot and plugged in their own targets. Twitter user @VizyLarence posted "Bills: Is this your paycheck?" which racked up over 24,000 retweets and 36,000 likes in just 24 hours[1]. The template was simple enough that anyone could use it, and the *Black Panther* hype gave it extra momentum. On March 27, 2018, the Daily Dot covered the meme's spread across the platform[3]. Their article highlighted a tweet by @Phil_Lewis_ featuring a cat dressed up as Killmonger, showing the format had already moved beyond straightforward text jokes and into photo edits[1]. The meme thrived during late March 2018 as one of several *Black Panther*-inspired formats circulating on Black Twitter. ## How to Use The format follows a simple pattern: 1. Take the Killmonger screenshot from *Black Panther* (arms outstretched, face twisted in mocking disbelief). 2. Write a caption using the structure "Is this your [noun]?" where the noun is something disappointing or underwhelming. 3. Common targets include paychecks, weather, sports teams, meals, or anything that fails to live up to expectations. ## Cultural Impact "Is This Your King?" rode the wave of *Black Panther*'s cultural impact in early 2018. The film was a landmark release for Marvel and for Black representation in blockbuster cinema, which meant its dialogue, characters, and imagery were all being turned into memes at a rapid pace. Killmonger proved especially meme-friendly because Michael B. Jordan's performance was both intense and quotable. The "Is This Your King?" format was covered by outlets like the Daily Dot within a week of going viral[3]. ## Fun Facts - The original viral tweet by @TheyWant_Nolan was about bad spring weather, not anything related to the film's plot[1]. - @VizyLarence's "Bills: Is this your paycheck?" variation nearly matched the original tweet's engagement within a single day[1]. - The meme format is a textbook snowclone, where one word in a fixed phrase gets swapped out to create new jokes. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Where did "Is This Your King?" come from? Twitter user @TheyWant_Nolan posted the first viral version on March 20, 2018, captioning a Killmonger screenshot with "Is this your spring?!?!?" to complain about the weather[1]. ### What does "Is This Your King?" mean? In the film, the line challenges T'Challa's worthiness as a ruler. As a meme, it's used to mock anything that doesn't live up to expectations, from small paychecks to bad weather[1]. **How do you use "Is This Your King?"** Post the Killmonger screenshot with a caption following the format "Is this your [noun]?" The noun should be something underwhelming or disappointing[1]. ### Is "Is This Your King?" still popular? The format peaked in March-April 2018 alongside *Black Panther*'s theatrical run. It still surfaces occasionally, particularly when new Marvel content drops or when the template fits a timely joke[3]. ### Who is Killmonger? Erik Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan, is the main antagonist of *Black Panther* (2018). He challenges T'Challa for the Wakandan throne and delivers the iconic line during their conflict[1]. ### Why did the meme go viral so fast? *Black Panther* was one of the biggest cultural events of 2018, and Black Twitter was already deep into meme-making around the film. The "Is This Your King?" template was dead simple to use and fit any situation where something was a letdown[1]. ## References 1. [6-7 meme]() 2. [Is This Your King? - Urban Dictionary]() 3. [Is This Your King? - Know Your Meme]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/is-this-your-king Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library