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Protagonists Choose the Worst Option When Finding a Body

This meme is a two-panel collage that satirizes a common trope in crime, mystery, and thriller media: when protagonists discover a dead body, they often make the illogical, self-sabotaging choice of picking up the murder weapon (which can incriminate them) instead of immediately contacting law enforcement. The top panel features a classic two-button dilemma template: a red button labeled 'Grab the murder weapon' and a blue button labeled 'CALL THE AUTHORITIES', with a hand positioned to press the logical blue option. The bottom panel subverts this expectation, showing a live-action character from the 2021 film *The Suicide Squad* (labeled 'THE PROTAGONIST') enthusiastically reaching for the red 'Grab the murder weapon' button instead. The humor stems from exaggerating and calling out this overused, unrealistic plot device, which frustrates viewers who recognize the obvious logical choice the character ignores.
Make

Dialogue

Button Label
Grab the murder weapon
Button Label
CALL THE AUTHORITIES
Meme Label
THE PROTAGONIST

Text content

Protagonists when they discover a body

Overview

This meme is a two-panel collage that satirizes a common trope in crime, mystery, and thriller media: when protagonists discover a dead body, they often make the illogical, self-sabotaging choice of picking up the murder weapon (which can incriminate them) instead of immediately contacting law enforcement. The top panel features a classic two-button dilemma template: a red button labeled 'Grab the murder weapon' and a blue button labeled 'CALL THE AUTHORITIES', with a hand positioned to press the logical blue option. The bottom panel subverts this expectation, showing a live-action character from the 2021 film The Suicide Squad (labeled 'THE PROTAGONIST') enthusiastically reaching for the red 'Grab the murder weapon' button instead. The humor stems from exaggerating and calling out this overused, unrealistic plot device, which frustrates viewers who recognize the obvious logical choice the character ignores.

Origin notes

The top panel uses the widely popular 'two-button choice' meme template, a format commonly shared on social media platforms like Reddit, Twitter/X, and TikTok to present humorous or relatable dilemmas. The bottom panel is a repurposed screenshot from the 2021 DC Extended Universe film The Suicide Squad, featuring the character Rick Flag (portrayed by Joel Kinnaman) in a scene where he reaches for an unexpected option. This meme is a remix of these two elements, created by a user to mock media tropes, and would typically be shared on pop culture-focused communities like r/memes or r/movies on Reddit, or on Twitter/X among film and meme enthusiasts.

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