What is It's an Older Meme, But It Checks Out?

"It's an Older Meme, But It Checks Out" is a catchphrase and reaction image derived from Admiral Piett's line in Return of the Jedi, used to vouch for an outdated meme reference.

Where did It's an Older Meme, But It Checks Out come from?

The source is a scene from Return of the Jedi (1983) in which Admiral Piett tells Darth Vader "it's an older code, sir, but it checks out". Reddit user iwan_w adapted the line for meme use on July 17, 2012.

What does It's an Older Meme, But It Checks Out mean?

It signals that a reference someone posted is old, but the poster is defending it as still worth using.

How do you use It's an Older Meme, But It Checks Out?

Reply to a dated meme with the Piett screenshot or the phrase, swapping "code" for "meme" or whatever fits the thread.

Is It's an Older Meme, But It Checks Out still popular?

It became one of the go-to comment replies for dated references after its 2013 and 2014 spread, boosted by George Takei's Star Trek adaptation.

It's an Older Meme, But It Checks Out

2012catchphraseclassic

Published September 2, 2026

"It's an Older Meme, But It Checks Out" is a catchphrase and reaction image derived from Admiral Piett's line in the 1983 film Return of the Jedi1. Reddit user iwan_w first swapped "code" for "meme" in a July 2012 comment2, and by 2014 the Piett screencap was the internet's shorthand for vouching for an aging reference.

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Overview

The gag works by adopting the voice of a slightly harried Imperial officer, using Piett's cadence to bless a reference someone else might dismiss as stale. When a commenter drops a joke from an earlier era of internet culture, another user replies with the Star Wars screenshot or the phrase "It's an Older Meme, But It Checks Out," confirming that the reference is old but still valid5.

The template pairs the Piett still with two-line dialogue captions that swap "code" for "meme," "reference," or whatever variable the thread calls for. An animated GIF variant loops the actual Return of the Jedi scene with parody subtitles between Vader and the officer3. The format travels well outside its original franchise: George Takei promoted a Star Trek image macro version, keeping the punchline while trading Endor for a bridge crew4.

Gallery

Origin & Background

Platform

Reddit (initial meme use) / Imgur (viral spread)

Creator

iwan_w

Date

2012

The source line comes from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, released May 25, 1983. In the scene, Han Solo's strike team flies a stolen Imperial shuttle toward Endor. Vader asks whether the incoming ship has provided a code clearance, and Admiral Piett answers, "it's an older code, sir, but it checks out," waving the ship through1.

The rewrite that gave us "It's an Older Meme, But It Checks Out" showed up on Reddit on July 17, 2012, when user iwan_w replied to a joke about the "I Herd U Like Mudkips" meme with "It's an older meme, sir, but it checks out"2. Swapping one word turned Piett's line into a running gag about the shelf life of internet jokes.

How It Spread

On July 28, 2013, Imgur user Valkor posted a screen capture from the Piett scene captioned "It's an older meme, sir / but it checks out." The image became the default reaction pull for the format5.

George Takei carried the joke onto Twitter on June 26, 2014, sharing a Star Trek-themed image macro with the caption "It's an older meme, but it checks out." Within nine months the tweet counted more than 1,300 favorites and 760 retweets4.

On September 13, 2014, Redditor pdmcmahon posted an animated GIF of the Piett scene to /r/gifs, layering parody dialogue between Vader and the officer over the actual clip. The post pulled upwards of 4,100 votes and about 300 comments within five months3.

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How to Use This Meme

Drop the Piett screencap or the phrase under a comment that references an aging meme. Common convention keeps the two-line rhythm intact, with a follow-up format of "it's an older [X], sir, but it checks out"2. The joke lands best when the underlying reference actually is dated, since the whole point is acknowledging its age while defending it.