# Sniper Elite Headshot > Sniper Elite Headshot is a late-April 2017 object-labeling meme from Sniper Elite 4's slow-motion kill-cam, depicting a bullet toward a soldier's skull, with users labeling bullet and head as opposing forces. Sniper Elite Headshot is an object labeling image macro built from a screenshot of the 2017 video game *Sniper Elite 4*, showing a bullet flying toward a soldier's skull in the game's signature slow-motion kill cam. The format took off on Reddit and iFunny in late April 2017, with users labeling the bullet and the soldier's head as opposing forces. It burned bright for about a week as one of r/dankmemes' hottest templates before fading. ## Origin *Sniper Elite 4* launched on February 14, 2017 as a third-person tactical shooter developed by Rebellion Developments[2]. The game's most distinctive visual feature is its kill cam, which activates on successful shots to show bullets traveling through enemies' internal anatomy in slow motion[2]. On April 26, 2017, iFunny user New_California_Republic posted a screenshot from the game showing a bullet heading toward a soldier's skull, titling it "This is adorable"[2]. This appears to be the earliest known use of the screenshot as meme material. - **Platform:** iFunny (first meme post), Reddit r/dankmemes (viral spread) - **Creator:** New_California_Republic (iFunny, first known meme use), Rebellion Developments (game developer) - **Date:** 2017 ## Overview The meme uses a screenshot from *Sniper Elite 4*'s X-ray kill cam, a game feature that plays a cinematic slow-motion sequence whenever you land a kill shot[2]. The image shows a bullet mid-flight, about to strike a soldier's exposed skull. Creators label the bullet and the soldier's head with text representing two opposing concepts, where the bullet is the dominant force and the skull is the thing about to get destroyed[1]. It works like a violent remix of the "Who Would Win?" format, but with built-in dramatic tension from the freeze-frame moment of impact[1]. ## How It Spread The format exploded four days later. On April 30, 2017, Redditor two_number_9s posted a version to r/dankmemes titled "When you democratically remove democracy," with both the soldier and bullet labeled "Turkey"[2]. The same day, Redditor Meemayl0rd submitted a variation labeling the soldier's head "Basic human rights" and the bullet "religion of peace"[2]. Within 48 hours, the two posts pulled in over 16,200 and 2,600 upvotes respectively on r/dankmemes[2]. Also on April 30, the Unilad Gaming Facebook page picked up the format, posting a version with the bullet as "video games" aimed at "Things I have to do this week"[2]. By May 1, Redditor skipperhi raised the stakes by photoshopping Shrek's head onto the bullet aimed at the soldier's head labeled "Smashmouth's chance at a normal music career"[2]. That post hit over 40,600 upvotes and 350 comments on r/dankmemes in 24 hours, making it the biggest single post in the format's run[2]. The meme's rapid spread prompted Redditor NOT_Gru to post an explainer request on r/OutOfTheLoop on May 1, 2017, asking what the format was about[2]. Cheezburger's Memebase ran a "Best Of" roundup of the format as it circulated through meme trading communities[1]. ## How to Use The template is straightforward: 1. Take the base screenshot of the bullet flying toward the soldier's skull from *Sniper Elite 4*'s kill cam. 2. Label the bullet with whatever force, concept, or entity you want to portray as dominant or destructive. 3. Label the soldier's head with the thing being destroyed, overwhelmed, or targeted. 4. The humor typically comes from the mismatch in scale, the inevitability of the outcome, or political/cultural commentary[1]. ## Fun Facts - The meme went from first appearance to peak virality in just five days (April 26 to May 1, 2017)[2]. - The most popular single post in the format (the Shrek edit) was upvoted at an 85% rate despite its 40,600+ score, suggesting it hit r/all and drew mixed reactions from non-r/dankmemes users[2]. - *Sniper Elite 4*'s kill cam feature, which makes the meme possible, was a signature mechanic across the entire Sniper Elite franchise, not unique to the fourth game[2]. - The format's peak happened entirely within the span of about 48 hours on Reddit[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the Sniper Elite Headshot meme? It's an object labeling image macro using a screenshot from *Sniper Elite 4*'s slow-motion kill cam, showing a bullet about to hit a soldier's skull. Users label both elements with opposing concepts[1]. ### Where did the Sniper Elite Headshot meme come from? iFunny user New_California_Republic posted the first known meme version of the screenshot on April 26, 2017, four days before it went viral on Reddit[2]. ### What does the Sniper Elite Headshot meme mean? The bullet represents a dominant or destructive force, and the soldier's head represents whatever is about to be overwhelmed. It's a visual shorthand for inevitable defeat[1]. ### How do you use the Sniper Elite Headshot meme? Label the bullet with one concept and the soldier's skull with another. The bullet should be the thing doing the destroying, and the skull should be what's getting wrecked[2]. ### Is the Sniper Elite Headshot meme still popular? No. The format peaked in late April to early May 2017 and burned out quickly. It was a brief but intense viral moment on r/dankmemes[2]. ### What game is the Sniper Elite Headshot meme from? *Sniper Elite 4*, a third-person tactical shooter released on February 14, 2017 by Rebellion Developments. The screenshot comes from the game's X-ray kill cam feature[2]. ### What was the most popular Sniper Elite Headshot meme? A version by Redditor skipperhi that photoshopped Shrek's head onto the bullet aimed at "Smashmouth's chance at a normal music career," earning over 40,600 upvotes on r/dankmemes[2]. ## References 1. [Best Of: Sniper Elite Headshot Memes - Memebase - Funny Memes]() 2. [Sniper Elite Headshot - Know Your Meme]() 3. [Glossary of video game terms]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/sniper-elite-headshot Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library