I Thought You Were Stronger
![I Thought You Were Stronger meme.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/049/232/cover2.jpg)
Type: Reaction, Catchphrase, Pop Culture Reference,
Tags: invincible, i thought you were, mark grayson, angstrom levy, bloodied, blood, comic character, comic book, i thought you were stronger meme, tv show, cartoon,
![I Thought You Were Stronger meme.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/049/232/cover2.jpg)
Navigation |
About • Origin • Spread • Various Examples • Templates • Search Interest • External References • |
Editor's Note: This entry contains spoilers for the Invincible comic book series and its adaptation; read at your own caution.
About
I Thought You Were Stronger refers to a panel from the Invincible comic book series in which the character Mark Greyson / Invincible, covered in blood, makes a regretful comment after killing another character. Originally appearing in issue #33 of the series, the panel has been used as a reaction and a caption meme since September 2022. In early April 2024, the scene notably appeared in the animated adaptation of the series during season two's finale.
Origin
On June 28th, 2006, issue #33 of the American comic book series Invincible, created by Robert Kirkman, was published.[1] In the issue, the main character Invincible / Mark Grayson, fights pacifist turned villain Angstrom Levy, who threatens Invincible and his family. The fight ends in an alternate dimension where the two are teleported by Levy, with Invincible losing control and killing Levy by repeatedly punching him in the head. Standing above Levy's body, Invincible realizes that he killed his opponent and regretfully comments, "I thought… I thought you were stronger." (panels shown below).
![I Thought You Were Stronger (Two Panels) I THOUGHT YOU WERE-- I THOUGHT-- I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/906/cb3.jpg)
On April 5th, 2024, episode eight, titled "I Thought You Were Stronger," of season two of the animated adaptation of the series premiered.[2] The scene in which Invincible kills Angstrom and says the same line appears in the episode (shown below, 3:37 mark).
I thought you were… I thought… I thought you were stronger…
On September 6th, 2022, X[3] / Twitter user @worldofcardbord used the panels in a Everyone Beats Homelander post, marking its first known use in a meme, with the post gaining over 70 reposts and 1,700 likes in two years (shown below).
![Super heroes with no kill rules after punching Homelander one time. Subjectively Bad @worldofcardbord Replying to @ShadowknightPK Super heroes with no kill rules after punching Homelander one time. 8:40 PM Sep 5, 2022 Twitter for Android I THOUGHT YOU WERE-- I THOUGHT-- I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/910/af9.jpg)
Spread
On September 6th, 2022, the panel saw more use within the Everyone Beats Homelander trend. For example, on September 6th, X[4] user @worldofcardbord posted a caption meme that received over 7,900 retweets and 126,000 likes in two days (shown below, left). A same-day Reddit repost of the post received over 6,500 upvotes in the /r/TheBoys[5] subreddit in six months.
On January 20th, 2023, X[6] user @just_buka used the image in a post comparing the strengths of Deku from My Hero Academia and Homelander, with the post garnering over 7,400 reposts and 118,000 likes in one year (shown below, right).
![99.9999% of fictional characters after fighting homelander Pooh Brew @PoohsBrew 99.9999% of fictional characters after fighting homelander 8:19 PM - Sep 6, 2022 Twitter for Android I THOUGHT YOU WERE- THOUGHT-- I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/911/3b9.jpg)
![Deku after hitting homelander once @justbuka on Bluesky @just_buka Deku after hitting homelander once I THOUGHT YOU WERE-- I THOUGHT-- I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/912/309.jpg)
The format saw more use in 2023 and 2024. For example, on June 21st, 2023, X[7] user @kjicrow22 posted the image with the caption "What boss fight made you like this?", with the post gaining over 5,700 reposts and quotes, and 10,000 likes (shown below, left). On November 18th, Redditor Evoxrus_XV posted a Dungeons & Dragons meme based on the second panel, which received over 2,900 upvotes in the /r/dndmemes[8] subreddit in five months (shown below, right).
![What boss fight made you like this? Kevin Journey Infinity The Milla Fan!! @kjicrow22 What boss fight made you like this? I THOUGHT YOU WERE-- 12:28 AM Jun 22, 2023 4.6M Views I THOUGHT-- I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/913/18d.jpg)
![I messed up guys my bad... | /r/dndmemes When you try DMing for the first time after a year of being a player and design a Oneshot for your friends only to realise that they do not minmax their characters like you do and you made the enemies too strong. }, J I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/703/133/1af.png)
The format saw a spike in popularity following the release of the Invincible animated series episode with the scene in early April 2024.
Various Examples
![skibidi toilet after attacking goku pipca @angelNichijou skibidi toilet after attacking goku I THOUGHT YOU WERE-- I THOUGHT-- E I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER. 1:37 AM ⚫ Jul 9, 2023 37.5K Views](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/916/aa6.jpg)
![This line was not delivered in the show the way I always read it in my head Jake! C2E2 SOON @Vaughanilla This line was not delivered in the show the way I always read it in my head 3:01 AM Apr 5, 2024 1.9M Views I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER. ...](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/925/f86.jpg)
![Web of Shadows Spider-Man after using Insomniac Spider-Man as a skateboard: Kai/tlyn @coelakaith Web of Shadows Spider-Man after using Insomniac Spider-Man as a skateboard: VE arash_naz @arashide - Mar 2 Who would win in a fight? 5:35 AM - Mar 3, 2024 80.6K Views I THOUGHT YOU WERE-- I THOUGHT-- D I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/924/db1.jpg)
![I Thought You Were Stronger (Godzilla Version) I THOUGHT YOU WERE-- I THOUGHT-- I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://a.kym-cdn.com/assets/blank-b3f96f160b75b1b49b426754ba188fe8.gif)
![All Might after wiping the JJK verse M1das M @M1das_OW2 All Might after wiping the JJK verse StepNut @StepNya Dec 28, 2023 Replying to @StepNya Prime Toji and current Maki (JJK) VS All Might (MHA) 7:20 AM Dec 28, 2023 549.3K Views I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/922/2e9.jpg)
![Me After Hospitalizing My Uncle Me after hospitalasing my uncle the first time I fight back against him after a lifetime of abuse I THOUGHT YOU WERE-- THOUGHT-- VE I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/915/3bf.jpg)
Templates
![I Thought You Were Stronger (Two Panels) I THOUGHT YOU WERE-- I THOUGHT-- I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/906/cb3.jpg)
![I Thought You Were Stronger (Single Panel) I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRONGER.](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/789/907/22f.jpg)
Search Interest
External References
[1] Wikipedia – Invincible
[2] Invincible Wiki – I Thought You Were Stronger
[3] X – @worldofcardbord
[4] X – @worldofcardbord
[5] Reddit – Homelander isn’t as strong as people think tbh
[6] X – @just_buka
[7] X – @kjicrow22
[8] Reddit – I messed up guys my bad…
Entry Editors ( 2 )
Tags: invincible, i thought you were, mark grayson, angstrom levy, bloodied, blood, comic character, comic book, i thought you were stronger meme, tv show, cartoon,
Comments ( 3 )
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