If you’ve been on the internet at all in the past year, you’ve probably seen the meme featuring a random LEGO® piece with the number 98989 emblazoned on it. But what does it mean? Where did this meme come from, and why is it so popular? Let’s investigate.
Lego Piece 98989 origin
The first recorded instance of the LEGO® piece 98989 meme was on a Reddit thread in August 2019. In that thread, Reddit user u/throwawaylegomeme posted an image of the piece with the caption “when you’re about to do something that will get you banned from r/lego.”
The post was met with confusion and skepticism by other users, but it nevertheless spawned a number of derivative memes.
Variations of the LEGO® Piece 98989 Meme
The most popular variation of the LEGO® piece 98989 meme features a picture of Shrek with the caption “when you’re about to do something that will get you banned from r/funkopop.” This version of the meme is popular because it playfully subverts expectations; in contrast to the wholesome image of Shrek, the caption suggests that the character is up to no good.
Other variations of the meme feature different Legos pieces or different characters altogether, but they all share one common theme: they use innocent-looking images to make humorous or subversive statements.
LEGO Piece 98989 Variations
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Conclusion
The LEGO® piece 98989 meme has been circulating on the internet for over a year now, and its popularity shows no signs of waning anytime soon. Whether you find it funny or just plain confusing, there’s no denying that this meme has taken on a life of its own. Who knows? Maybe one day we’ll even figure out what that mysterious number means. Until then, we can all just enjoy these silly memes for what they are: harmless fun.
