Things That Look Like Among Us Crewmates

About

Things That Look Like Among Us Crewmates refers to a series of image macros depicting various objects and images that resemble the crewmate from the video game Among Us. In memes, many of these typically appear alongside text expressing insanity and frustration over seeing the character in everyday life. The meme is closely related to absurd Among Us formats like Amogus and was popularized on Reddit in late 2020 and early 2021.

Origin

Around August 2020, the videogame Among Us started to trend and grow in popularity, becoming one of the most played and streamed games on Steam and Twitch that year.^[6] Among Us has received widespread social and traditional media attention, helping it become one of the most well-known videogames across the world.

On October 9th, 2020, Redditor /u/Pitvabackla posted an image macro of a fire alarm that looks like the red imposter to /r/AmongUs^[3] without directly saying that was their reason, assuming viewers would understand (shown below). The post gained over 21,000 upvotes in four months and is one of the earliest
notable posts likening an everyday object to a crewmate.

This post inspired others to share images of objects that resembled crewmates to the subreddit. For example, later that day, a now-deleted user posted an image macro of a trash can that looks like the red crewmate to /r/AmongUs,^[7] implying that the subreddit's users would get it when they see it in the text, garnering over 26,000 upvotes in the same span of time (shown below, left). On October 20th, /u/The-Uncrustable uploaded an image of a McDonald's chicken nugget that resembles a crewmate to /r/AmongUs,^[8] garnering over 490 upvotes in four months (shown below, right).

Occasional posts on /r/AmongUs^[14][15] continued to liken objects to crewmates over the next year, some garnering considerable attention. Among Us has spawned numerous meme formats, which have come to rely on increasingly absurd humor as time goes on (see Amogus, Sus Jerma, Among Drip). Things That Look Like_ Among Us_ is an extension of these absurd memes, playing off the fact that Among Us has been popular for so long.

Spread

On February 9th, 2021, /u/Aullidoo_S_Phapp posted a video to /r/AmongUs^[9] in which the top halves of the Teletubbies vanish, revealing their bottom halves to look like Among Us crewmates, garnering over 14,800 upvotes in two weeks (shown below).

On February 13th, Twitter^[1] user @floppafriday tweeted, "im gonna go insane" along with an image of the Champion logo, and another of the Champion logo rotated clockwise 90 degrees, making it somewhat resemble an Among Us crewmate (shown below, left). The post gained over 75,900 likes and 7,300 retweets in 10 days and is one of the earliest posts to link objects that look like crewmates with cries for help and implied insanity. On February 15th, Reddit user /u/Jackeg74 posted an image macro parodying They Did Surgery On A Grape by making the grape resemble the crewmate to /r/AmongUs,^[10] garnering over 14,500 upvotes in a week (shown below, right).

A number of posts following the format became popular on the Among Us subreddit over the next week, spreading to other social media platforms through reposts. On February 15th, Redditor /u/hudsolo2 posted an image macro to /r/AmongUs^[2] showing /u/Pitvabackla's red crewmate fire alarm photo along with text claiming insanity, garnering over 4,600 upvotes in four days (shown below).

On February 18th, Redditors /u/waffles_yesyes made a post titled, "I can't take it anymore I want to be free of this pain" along with an image of a Minecraft map generating in the shape of a crewmate to /r/AmongUs,^[11] garnering over 8,400 upvotes in four days (shown below, left). Later that day, Redditor /u/comrieion posted, "I tried to watch Family Guy to get my mind off stressful things. Now it’s worse…" along with a screenshot from Family Guy showing two men with very high pants, slightly resembling crewmates, to /r/AmongUs^[12] garnering over 2,800 upvotes in the same span of time (shown below, right).

On February 19th, Redditor /u/MorpheusMan posted an image to /r/AmongUs^[4] likening the red book on a Minecraft bookcase to a crewmate under the title, "Please some fucking put me out of my misery this fucking game has ruined how my brain works," garnering over 16,000 upvotes in a day (shown below, left). On the same day, Redditor /u/NotGTJ69H posted an image macro to /r/AmongUs^[5] likening a door hanger to a crewmate, titling the post, "the voices, they are getting louder and louder every day," garnering over 8,300 upvotes in a comparable span of time (shown below, right).

On February 20th, Instagram^[13] user @unfriendlymemepage posted a version of the Mom Can You Give Me Money? format referencing the meme, garnering over 3,700 likes in two days (shown below).

Lego Piece 26047

On March 1st, 2021, TikToker^[16] @boyfriend.xmi uploaded a video recording of their phone as they make a Google search for "lego piece 26047" over the on-screen text, "when lego piece 26047 is sus" (shown below). The piece is revealed to somewhat resemble an Among Us imposter. The video garnered over 223,000 views in six days. Later that day, it was uploaded to YouTube^[17] by Itsbagboy, garnering over 10,000 views in a comparable span of time.

On March 2nd, Redditor u/DaBuilder_Bob uploaded an image of the lego piece in question to /r/memes,^[18] titled "Dont look up lego piece 26047 guys…," garnering over 180 upvotes in five days and combining "Things That Look Like Among Us Crewmates" with the Don't Go to X, Worst Mistake of My Life format.

On the same day, YouTuber^[19] propigskillz uploaded a video titled "Lego piece 26047 is sus…" using the Sweaty Speedrunner format, garnering over 39,000 views in five days (shown below).

On March 4th, Instagram^[20] user @the_maymays_reloaded uploaded an image macro of Family Guy character Peter Griffin running from a plane under the text, "Don't look up lego piece 26047 worst mistake of my life" garnering over 23,800 likes in four days (shown below, left). The piece was reposted on Instagram^[22] a number of times over the course of the next few days, garnering thousands of additional views. On the same date, Twitter^[21] user @etrnl_classic posted a Squidward's Suicide image with similar text, garnering over 700 likes and 100 retweets in the same span of time (shown below, right).

New variations of the format continued to pop up across social media platforms over the next few days as search interest increased (example shown below).

Lego piece 26047 was also the subject of further YouTube^[23][24] edits (shown below, left and right).

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References