The 'Brace Yourselves' meme features Lord Eddard 'Ned' Stark from the HBO series Game of Thrones, depicted with a solemn expression while leaning on his greatsword, Ice. Interestingly, the phrase 'Brace yourselves' is a popular internet misquotation; while 'Winter is coming' is the official motto of House Stark, Ned never actually utters the full meme phrase in the show or books. Since rising to fame in 2011, this template has become the internet's universal signal for any looming event or inevitable trend. It is frequently used to humorously prepare social media audiences for everything from seasonal weather changes and holiday shopping frenzies to an influx of specific types of posts.