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The 'Darkest Timeline' meme is inspired by the concept of multiple universes as described by multi-verse theory, suggesting numerous realities where various events occur simultaneously. This meme specifically gained traction from its use in the TV show Community, where a hypothetical scenario led to the worst of all possible outcomes. The template typically features images or descriptions of dismal or unfavorable scenarios in one part, often contrasting with better outcomes or the set-up scenario in another.
The concept of multiple universes, or the multi-verse, was first introduced by physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1952. He suggested that his equations might describe many different histories occurring at the same time, as documented in his talk in Dublin, Ireland (Erwin Schrödinger - Multiverse). The specific phrase 'Darkest Timeline' was popularized by an episode of the TV show Community, titled 'Remedial Chaos Theory', which aired on October 13th, 2011. In this episode, various alternative realities unfold after character Jeff Winger rolls a die to decide who should collect a pizza order. This leads character Abed to warn of creating six different timelines. Each timeline is explored, with especially disastrous events unfolding when Troy goes to get the pizza, a scenario that Abed labels as 'The Darkest Timeline'. This phrase was further explored in the show in various episodes, capturing the essence of the worst possible outcomes in these alternative timelines. The episode and concept are documented on the show's dedicated wiki (Community - Darkest Timeline) and further illustrated in this YouTube clip of the episode.
Origin: 2011
AI Memes is a free online meme maker that lets you create viral memes with custom text, images, and AI-powered editing tools.
You can browse our growing library of popular meme templates, quickly caption images, videos, or GIFs in Caption This, or design completely custom image memes from scratch in our free-form editor with extra AI tools like Magic Prompt, Magic Face Swap, Magic Erase, and Magic Face.
The platform includes three main tools:
Text is fully customizable with font selection, weight controls, colors, and styling like outlines and italics. Each text layer has its own opacity slider, and you can drag text around the canvas or drag layers in the sidebar to control which elements appear on top. Add as many text boxes as you need with the "Add Text" button.
Upload and layer additional images onto your meme with the "Upload Image" button. Each image can be repositioned, resized, and have its opacity adjusted. Paste images directly with CMD/CTRL + V for quick edits.
Enable custom headers above your media with adjustable colors and heights—perfect for adding context or reaction text. This works in both Caption This and when editing templates from the meme library.
Yes! Use Caption This to add text, headers, and captions to videos and animated GIFs. Simply upload your video or GIF file, add your customizations, and download the finished meme. The tool preserves the animation and exports your captioned video or animated GIF ready to share.
You can also upload your own videos and animated GIFs in Caption This to add captions and text overlays. The meme template library features hundreds of popular image templates that open in the same editor with all the same customization options.
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Yes! There are tons of use cases to use AI Memes for outside of memes. The tools work great for any image, GIF, or video editing needs. Create tutorial screenshots with text annotations, add subtitles to explainer videos, design eye-catching YouTube thumbnails, caption product demos, build Instagram story templates, or create branded video content for your business. If you need to put text or images on media quickly, AI Memes has you covered.
AI Memes supports PNG, JPG, and WEBP images, MP4 videos, and animated GIFs. Your download will match your upload format—bring us an image, get an image back; bring us a video, get a video back; bring us a GIF, get a GIF back.
No account required! You can start creating memes immediately without signing up. Simply visit any tool, upload or select a template, customize it, and download. However, creating a free account gives you access to features like saved projects and your meme creation history. Upgrading to AI Memes Pro removes the AI Memes watermark from your downloads and unlocks tons of powerful AI features in the full editor.
