What's The 'Predator Handshake' Meme? Carl Weathers And Arnold Schwarzenegger's 'Epic Handshake' Meme Explained

The number one Carl Weathers meme is the "Predator Handshake" meme, also known as the "Epic Handshake" meme. It's a still from the first Predator movie when Weathers' character and Arnold Schwarzenegger's character lock arms in an epic meet-up.

After learning of Carl Weathers' passing today, many want to honor the beloved actor's memory by reminiscing on this meme's history. Since its birth, the Predator Handshake has become one of the most recognizable meme templates ever conceived.

So, how did this meme start and why is it so popular to this day? Let's explain.

What Scene Is The 'Predator Handshake' Meme From?

The meme in question is from an opening scene in the 1987 Predator film. Arnold Schwarzenegger's character Dutch is shown in a bar where he sees Dillon, Carl Weathers' character, across the room. Dutch exclaims, "Dillon!" and the two meet in the middle for an awesome, bicep-heavy handshake that quickly turns into an arm wrestling match.

Who Started The 'Predator Handshake' Meme?

During the early days of YouTube, the Predator Handshake scene gained hilarious recreations, like one uploaded by YouTuber Kristian Odland way back in 2007. Video tributes to the scene became increasingly absurd as the years went by, like one posted by YouTuber ImKyserSoze that imagined a destructive aftermath.

However, the Predator Handshake meme is more commonly spread as an image. Plus, fan art recreations of the still have become some of the most notable backgrounds for text overlay captions. Memes using just the image template started on X, formerly Twitter, in 2018.

How To Use The 'Predator Handshake' Meme

To use the Predator Handshake meme template, one needs to understand that it represents unity. Successful meme creators add words and phrases to each arm that both have something in common. What they both share is then added in text to where the hands touch.

Adding text to different parts of a meme is a practice known as "object labeling." Over the years, object labeling has become a predominant method in meme creation and the Predator Handshake is one of the premiere examples of its prowess.

Of course, as the Predator Handshake meme became increasingly common on social media, meme creators got more creative and ironic. Modern usage of the template is embedded in avant-garde tendencies, evident in memes that add multiple arms or redraws that completely replace the characters involved.

For the full history of the Predator Handshake, be sure to check out our entry on the meme here for even more information.