SO I M WRITING YOU A TICKET FOR DRIVING ALONE IN THE CARPOOL LANE YOU RE GOING TO FEEL REAL FUCKING STUPID WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE TRUNK
This image is a two-panel meme featuring a character known as Skeletor, from the 'Masters of the Universe' series, engaging in a humorous exchange with a police officer. In the first panel, Skeletor is behind the wheel of a car, and the police officer is standing beside the car's window, writing a ticket. The text above Skeletor reads, "SO I'M WRITING YOU A TICKET FOR DRIVING ALONE IN THE CARPOOL LANE."
In the second panel, the camera angle shifts to capture Skeletor's confident retort as he presents his driver’s license to the officer. The text above Skeletor at this moment says, "YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL REAL FUCKING STUPID WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE TRUNK." This line suggests a hidden element that would ostensibly justify Skeletor's use of the carpool lane, presumably because the carpool lane requires more than one person per vehicle.
The humor in the image arises from several factors. First, Skeletor's character is typically associated with villainy and dark plots, not mundane traffic violations, so seeing him engage in such an ordinary issue is an amusing juxtaposition. Additionally, the confident and slightly defiant manner in which he speaks to the officer creates a comical tension, as the audience is left to imagine what or who could possibly be in the trunk.
The implied punchline is that whatever is in the trunk should count as a passenger, something that the audience recognizes is probably going to be an unconventional or absurd justification in keeping with Skeletor’s character. The comedic effect is heightened by the profanity in Skeletor's response, which adds an unexpected layer of irreverence to the scenario.
Moreover, the use of the carpool lane violation—a common and often frustrating experience for many drivers—provides a relatable context that adds to the meme’s humor. People may find it funny because it plays off their own experiences with traffic laws and the desire to cleverly circumvent them, even though the specifics are left to the viewer's imagination.
Lastly, the visual component of this meme, where the dark and fantastical character of Skeletor is placed into the real world dealing with an everyday situation, entertains the viewer by creating a situation that is both relatable and absurd. It's this mash-up of the everyday with the fantastical that gives the meme a broad appeal and a surprising twist. SO I M WRITING YOU A TICKET FOR DRIVING ALONE IN THE CARPOOL LANE YOU RE GOING TO FEEL REAL FUCKING STUPID WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE TRUNK
