The Flash's Grant Gustin Recreates The Arrowverse Gravestone Meme & It's Incredible
If you've been on the internet since 2020, there's a good chance you've come across the "Grant Gustin Next to Oliver Queen's Grave" meme. It's a behind-the-scenes image of Grant Gustin getting a little goofy while filming a scene for the Arrowverse where he's kneeling next to the gravestone while giving the camera a peace sign. Countless people have put their own spin on the format, including a "Rick and Morty" variation where Rick's head is placed over Gustin's while a dead Morty is in the grave. It's proved to be a particularly resilient meme as it's still getting used years later, which is why people are delighted to see Grant Gustin recreate it.
While attending FanX Salt Lake Pop Culture & Comic Convention 2023, Gustin met with some fans, one of whom was cosplaying as Olive Queen's grave, complete with brown paper at the bottom to simulate the dirt. Upon seeing this, Gustin knew what he had to do, and as a result, @garylizaso was able to post a picture on Instagram of the actor recreating his famous pose. The comments are flooded with people utterly delighted to see what a good sport Gustin is, writing things like, "Hahaha made my day thank you" and "You won the internet. Full stop." The only thing people are more interested in is a video showing the actor's reaction to seeing the cosplay for the first time.
Grant Gustin likes the meme more than Stephen Amell
It's kind of funny that the thing people probably remember the most from the "Arrow" finale is the meme with Grant Gustin. Maybe that's the reason Oliver Queen actor Stephen Amell doesn't have such fond feelings for it. Granted, it's his character's grave, but he didn't mince words when he posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2021, "Could everyone who repurposes this photo kindly f*** off." Harsh words, but it was kind of understandable where he was coming from. He led "Arrow" for eight seasons, with the show culminating in Oliver Queen's death and his time as the protector of Starling City (and the multiverse at large) coming to an end.
On the other hand, it is just a meme, and it's one people enjoy more than most. Plenty of memes get a laugh out of the internet for a couple of weeks and are then promptly forgotten. It takes genuine art and creativity to keep a meme going for years — they can't all be Harambe, after all. Something about this one has struck a chord, as evidenced by X user @jaybxrb's statement, "Remember when grant gustin gave us the best meme of the decade."
It's versatile. It's hilarious. And it avoids a level of topicality that hinders its longevity better than many other memes. It truly is one of the finest memes of all time — even if Stephen Amell would like to see it go away.