Meme Overview

The 'One Does Not Simply Walk Into Mordor' meme is a well-known phrase from the 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. It features the character Boromir and is frequently used in image macros that play on the phrase by substituting different actions or locations.

Background

The phrase 'One does not simply walk into Mordor' comes from a pivotal scene in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's work. During the Council of Elrond, the need to destroy a powerful ring becomes evident, but Boromir highlights the dangers of such a quest by stating, 'One does not simply walk into Mordor.' He describes it as a heavily guarded wasteland filled with evil and peril.

How It Began

This iconic line from The Fellowship of the Ring was first popularized in an image macro format on the Something Awful forums on January 16, 2004. The meme typically features the phrase 'One does not simply X into Mordor,' where 'X' is replaced with another verb, adapting the phrase to various humorous contexts.

Meme Evolution

The meme saw significant attention starting May 3, 2004, with a YTMND page titled 'Drive Into Mordor.' Additional variations emerged, including 'One does not simply cowbell into Mordor' in September 2005, which garnered over 21,000 views. The meme has continued to flourish across platforms like Tumblr, Reddit, and Facebook, with instances appearing in pop culture, such as a reference in the animated series Gravity Falls in August 2015.

Notable Examples

Google Maps even acknowledged the meme, humorously reminding users that they cannot simply walk into Mordor when providing directions. Numerous variations and adaptations keep the meme alive and relevant in internet culture.