The Epic Handshake meme uses an image of two muscular arms clasped together in a firm handshake. Text labels are placed on each arm (representing two different groups, people, or ideas) and on the clasped hands in the center (representing something they agree on or have in common)1. The format works like a visual Venn diagram: two separate, often opposing circles that overlap on one specific point8.

The humor comes from pairing groups that normally have nothing to do with each other and finding one absurd or unexpected thing they both agree on. A classic example: "Anti-vax moms" and "Responsible bartenders" shaking on "Not giving shots to kids"1. The bulging biceps from the original film scene add to the joke, implying both sides hold their positions with extreme conviction8.

The Epic Handshake crossed over from meme communities into mainstream social media use by the late 2010s. Brands adopted the format for marketing campaigns, leveraging its recognizability to make corporate messaging feel more approachable6. The template worked particularly well for brand accounts because it communicated collaboration without requiring much context9.

The meme also found use as a tool for political and social commentary. Its structure naturally lends itself to pointing out hypocrisy or shared-but-unspoken truths between opposing groups8. Reddit's r/PoliticalHumor and similar communities used it frequently to highlight bipartisan absurdities9.

Merchandise featuring the handshake image appeared on T-shirts, posters, and mugs9. The format was referenced in discussions of meme culture in educational and media analysis contexts, often cited as a prime example of the object-labeling meme genre6.

The path from 80s action movie to meme staple took roughly three decades and two distinct phases. The first phase was all about the video. From 2007 through about 2013, the Epic Handshake lived primarily on YouTube as remix and parody material4. Creators spliced it with other movie footage, swapped in different music tracks, and generally treated it like any other classic film clip ripe for editing. The original scene's absurd machismo made it easy to work with. Two guys trying to crush each other's hands while pretending it's a friendly greeting is inherently funny, and the close-up camerawork practically begged for recontextualization3.

The Daily Dot noted that after the fan art uploads of 2012, "the fun seemed to be over and people went back to creating SpongeBob memes"3. The handshake entered a quiet period. But internet memes don't always die; sometimes they just wait for the right format.

The second phase started around 2017-2018 when the object-labeling format exploded across Reddit11. Users took the watercolor and chalk drawings, overlaid three text labels, and discovered a near-perfect template for a very specific type of joke: the "strange bedfellows" observation8. Two groups that would never normally be in the same room, finding exactly one thing to agree on. The rigid three-part structure (left arm, right arm, handshake) made the format instantly readable while keeping the barrier to entry low9.

The format's flexibility proved remarkable. Political memes paired opposing parties agreeing on enjoying three-day weekends8. Gaming communities used it to unite rival fanbases over shared complaints. Niche communities on Reddit adapted it daily for hyper-specific in-jokes9. The visual punch of the muscular arms made every version feel weighty, even when the shared agreement was completely trivial8.

By 2019, TikTok users had begun incorporating the format into video content7. The meme also spread across international communities, since the visual format required little text and crossed language barriers easily9. Meme generator platforms reported the Epic Handshake among their most-used templates, and the format became a staple of brand social media accounts looking to seem relatable6.

A fun footnote: the Daily Dot pointed out that a Dutch soccer player created a series of epic handshakes in 2015, noting the coincidence with Schwarzenegger's character name3. The meme's reach extended to art circles too. Rory Dean's original 2012 watercolor painting wasn't created as a meme template at all. It was a sincere art piece that the internet co-opted3.