Minion On the Cross / Crucified Minion

Submission 5,029

Part of a series on Minions. [View Related Entries]

About

Minion On the Cross or Crucified Minion refers to a series of memes, photos and artwork depicting a Minion nailed to or otherwise strung up on a cross, often with a crown of thorns on its head like Jesus Christ. The earliest known depiction of a Minion on a cross was posted online in 2015 by Dolan Dark. In May 2024, several 3D animated renderings of a crucified Minion were popularized on TikTok through a series of videos in which TikTokers read from nearly identical scripts about the Minion image, its origins and about how a Minion did not die on the cross for your sins, but that Jesus did, reminding viewers that Jesus loves them.

Origin

On July 7th, 2015, meme creator Dolan Dark posted a photo to Facebook^[1] of a plush Minion burning on a cross, writing, "This is what all Minions deserve," garnering over 1,200 reactions and 300 shares in nine years (shown below, left). That day, Dark posted a screenshot of the post to X^[2] and a now-deleted comment on the post criticizing Dark for burning the minion, followed by a long-form response comment by Dark explaining why he burned the Minion (shown below, right). This is the earliest known image of a Minion on a cross.

Spread

The image gained viral spread over the following years, inspiring further images of crucified Minions and memes using the image. For example, on January 15th, 2019, X^[3] bot @ShitpostBot5000 posted a meme using the image that gained over 6,500 likes in five years (shown below).

On June 24th, 2021, Facebook^[4] user and artist Américo Cruz posted a 3D rendering of a crucified Minion wearing a crown of thorns, writing, "In Minion we trust…," garnering over 700 shares and 280 reactions in three years (shown below).

The image gained viral spread, also inspiring memes throughout the early 2020s. On June 26th Redditor u/Chanx_x123 posted an edit of the image to /r/orslokx,^[5] adding the label "the Snyder cut" to the bottom, garnering over 120 upvotes in three years.

A YouTube^[6] video using the image was posted on July 2nd and the unaltered image was posted by X^[7] user @UnhingedTwit on November 29th, 2021, garnering over 15,000 likes in three years. On April 8th, 2023, Tumblr^[8] user minionresearch posted the image, garnering over 7,000 notes in a year.

2024 TikTok Trend

In early May 2024, Christian TikTokers began posting videos riffing off of the 3D rendering of the Minion on the cross by Américo Cruz. In the videos, which all use nearly identical scripts, they talk about how an animator "messed around" and made the image, then explain that a Minion did not die on the cross for your sins, but that Jesus did. The earliest known example was posted by TikToker^[9] @pastorjoshpan on May 2nd, 2024, garnering over 7,700 views in three months (shown below).

So there was this animator and he was messing around one day when he suddenly created a Minion who died on the cross. And you can see, he even put a nail through the three fingered hand and even put a crown of thorns on the Minion's head. But look, let me tell you something. A Minion didn't die for you. A Minion didn't pay the price of sin for you and me that we deserve. But Jesus did. Why? Because Jesus loves you. And if you think a Minion died for you, then keep on scrolling. But if you know that Jesus died for your sins, type 'wonderful savior' and smash that subscribe button.

The videos continued to appear on TikTok over the following weeks, with many of them using very similar scripts. On May 8th, TikToker^[10] @traci_coston posted a similar video that gained over 70,000 views in three months (shown below, left). On May 31st, TikToker^[11] @paulnthoba posted a video like this, garnering over 100,000 views in three months (shown below, right).

On June 23rd, 2024, TikToker^[12] @gut_tube posted a video reacting to one of the videos, garnering over 150,000 views in two months.

On August 2nd, X^[13] user @blephin_ posted a video scrolling through several examples of the videos, garnering over 37,000 likes in three days. On August 4th, X^[14] user @ChiefofIsaac posted a similar video, garnering over 44,000 likes in a day (shown below). The latter video was originally posted by TikToker^[15] @osua4real, garnering over 80,000 views in a day.