What Is The 'Emo Kid Clutching Gun' Meme And Where Is It From? TikTok's Viral 'Emo Kid Holding Back' Meme Explained

TikTokers have brought a 2011 Polish film back into the spotlight with a series of viral memes known as "emo kid clutching a gun." The memes are used by TikTokers to express their frustrations over arguably minor inconveniences and they're popping up all over FYPs right now. But where does the scene come from and why is it so popular? Here's what you need to know.

What Is The 'Emo Kid Clutching Gun' Meme?

The "emo kid clutching a gun" meme, also known as "emo kid holding back," comes from the 2011, award-winning Polish film Sala Samobójców. The movie is about a popular student who adopts an emo lifestyle after rumors regarding his sexual orientation go around the school. In one scene, he brings a gun to school but holds himself back from taking it out, instead walking away from the situation.

In July 2024, TikTokers took this scene and decided to melodramatically use it alongside captions about resisting the urge to take drastic action against an arguably minor inconvenience. The earliest known meme to use the format is covered in popular TikTok copypastas, the user expressing how annoying they find these copypastas. The memes are most often set to the song "hansen" by wokeups.

How Is 'Emo Kid Holding Back' Used In Memes?

The meme became popular on TikTok fast, with dozens of examples popping up on the app in a short few days. Mostly, the video is used under captions joking about holding back from taking extreme action against a minor inconvenience. A lot of these inconveniences relate to school, such as getting projects on the first day, having to listen to students yapping in the morning or being asked to introduce yourself to the class.

The format has become so saturated on TikTok that some users are recreating the video and making parodies out of it. These meta-memes make a statement about how popular the meme has become, despite being around for such a short period of time.

For the full history of Emo Kid Holding Back, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.