Introduction

The meme 'You Are My Hero, Elon' features a drawing of Elon Musk created by Reddit user u/Watchieboy. This fan art has sparked both mockery and admiration across the internet.

Background

The phrase 'You Are My Hero, Elon' originates from an infamous piece of fan art by Reddit user u/Watchieboy, depicting Elon Musk. The artwork has been widely ridiculed online, while also finding a home among Musk's supporters and the cryptocurrency community.

Meme History

On March 8th, 2019, Reddit user u/Watchieboy shared a drawing of Elon Musk in the /r/drawing subreddit, seeking feedback and criticism. The post garnered 81 points and 26 comments over five years, largely focusing on the drawing's inaccurate proportions. Four years later, on March 5th, 2021, Twitter user @davfilmsx3 reposted the drawing with the caption 'You are my hero, Elon,' leading to significant engagement with over 220 retweets and 3,300 likes.

Meme Evolution

On July 1st, 2021, Twitter user @A7imd shared the artwork in response to Elon Musk in a thread on X, prompting Musk to reply, 'It's like looking in a mirror.' This interaction received over 14,000 likes. Shortly after, on July 5th, 2021, @Crypt0men's post featuring the phrase 'Elon I drew you' went viral, drawing Musk's attention and accumulating over 27,000 likes, 2,000 retweets, and 450 bookmarks within a year. By January 13th, 2022, the Facebook page 'Things That Are Not Aesthetic' reposted @davfilmsx3's tweet, gaining 24,000 likes in two years.