There are very few writers in the world who manage to create a fictional universe that is so memorable and so unique that it earns it's own clever nickname. And there are even fewer writers in history who have such a distinctive storytelling voice, and such an unusual fictional playground that they like to operate in, that their imaginary universe winds up being named after them. But that is exactly the case when it comes to television and film writer extraordinaire, Joss Whedon.
Joss Whedon is undeniably best known for his work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but the number of TV and movies that he has made his mark in are incalculable and insane. Joss Whedon is massively talented and great at working with other people's material, but he is at his best when he's working within the Whedonverse. Here are the 10 best memes about Joss Whedon's very own 'verse.
A Real Killjoy
Whatever anyone may think of Joss Whedon, he does deserve credit for being way ahead of the curve on that trend of shockingly killing beloved characters in the perfect way to just break the audience's hearts into a million pieces.
Apparently, Joss understands that people just love to suffer and be emotionally tortured, so he reveled in the process of building up a character that the entire audience loved so deeply and then snatching that character away as cruelly, and coldly, as possible. But to be fair, everyone still remembers those character deaths today, even if they cried themselves to sleep because of it.
The Executioners
You know it seems like George R.R. Martin must have Joss Whedon beat when it comes to absolutely slaughtering his characters.
However, Joss clearly has the edge is in allowing the deaths of his characters to be drawn out enough, with enough of a goodbye speech beforehand, that instead of being a death that causes the audience to drop their jaws with shock, Joss has already taken the audience through the entire five stages of grief by the time the death actually happens, making it even more painful. And poor J.K. Rowling never had a chance against these two, but as a children's book writer that's probably a good thing.
Pick Your Squad
See, it's a trick question because none of these tables are real. So, so tragically not real. Most Whedonverse fans would want to be sitting at literally every table here, but the only idea in this little graphic that seems to have the slightest possibility of becoming an actual reality is the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff, and even that looks to be more of a reboot of the franchise than an actual spinoff.
There's no reason people can't keep dreaming though, now that Joss seems to be fully done with the Marvel and DC comics films, fingers crossed he actually gets back to playing around in his own universe for a while.
A Relatable Moment
Is that possibly why he loves to murder all of the imaginary people that he creates? Because he can't kill people in real life? To be honest, if everyone in the real universe was anything like everyone in the Whedonverse then that would give us all a reason to go outside and socialize every once in a while. But when your expectations are raised to heroes who are impossibly quick-witted then it's easy to see why reality might be so disappointing.
However, if Joss' dislike of real-life people is what drives the creation of his characters, then please keep on hating.
Nerd Confusion
Well in fairness to Andy Dwyer and the rest of the people in the world who don't know the difference between Whedon and Wheaton, they are kind of brothers from another fangirly mother. And out of all of the people in the world to be mistaken as, the two of them could have much worse comparisons made.
But for anyone who still can't quite tell the difference, the most obvious answer would probably be that if you recognize his face, it's probably the actor, Wil Wheaton. If it's just some ginger man who you've never seen before, it's most likely Joss Whedon.
The Cancellation Curse
Thank god at least a few of Joss Whedon's TV shows have gotten at least half a decade's worth of seasons but in retrospect, it is actually a little shocking, bizarre, and sad that Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the only series of Whedon's that didn't get a sudden or premature cancellation.
However, one of Whedon's biggest strengths as a creator is his ability to be way ahead of his time. That definitely explains why his fan base is so strong and his work has such a long-lasting impression, but the downside to that is that they don't have the contemporary longevity that they deserve.
There's No Excuse
If anyone on earth has managed to make it to the double digits in age and has not yet seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer in its entirety then society as a whole has failed them. The Whedonverse is vast and wide, and it does encompass a literal universe and multiverse, however, let's be real. Buffy the Vampire Slayer IS the Whedonverse in so many ways.
Everything that is memorable, unique, and iconic about Joss Whedon's work is embodied in BtVS, and it's not just essential TV viewing if you're a fan of Joss Whedon, it's essential TV viewing for anyone who likes TV.
Are We Laughing Or Crying
Anyone who is unfamiliar with the Whedonverse would probably be surprised that his material is some of the funniest TV shows and movies ever made. But anyone who is a fan of the Whedonverse knows that the humor is what makes his work so amazing and unique.
Which is, of course, why his characters will be quipping even when they're hurt, maimed, or on the verge of death. But what Whedon hits on here without actually stating it outright is something that most would think is obvious, and that a lot of creators lose sight of – that entertainment is supposed to actually entertain people.
Revised History
Is there anything so wrong with this idea either though? If the whole world is willing to watch the rewritten story of good old honest Abe as a literal vampire hunter, then why exactly can't Mary Todd Lincoln be a vampire slayer? Although taking that idea even further might make it even better.
Vampire slayers are the chosen ones, some of the most extraordinary women who have ever lived. So who's to say that maybe someone like Amelia Earhart, Jane Austen, or even Cleopatra also happened to be a slayer in addition to a woman who revolutionized the non-monster world?
Girl Power
What's so great about this particular meme is that every man, woman, and child who grew up being entertained by the Whedonverse knows exactly what it's talking about, and it is so wonderfully, or sometimes tragically, true.
Watching a bunch of TV shows and movies where there isn't just one token girl character surrounded by a bunch of guys was a truly revolutionary idea at the time, and having a bunch of dynamic and unique chicks changing, and even saving, the world was a huge deal. And that is exactly why so many of Joss Whedon's female characters are still icons years, and even decades, after they were created.