The Game of Thrones meme phenomenon is primarily anchored by the iconic 'Brace Yourselves, Winter is Coming' image featuring Ned Stark. Interestingly, Sean Bean's character never actually says the words 'Brace yourselves' in the HBO series; he simply utters the Stark house motto, 'Winter is coming.' The meme first gained massive traction around 2011, evolving into a versatile template used to warn others about an impending event—usually something annoying, overwhelming, or seasonally inevitable like holiday shopping or exam weeks. Beyond Ned Stark, the series has birthed a vast ecosystem of viral moments, including Jon Snow’s 'You know nothing' and Daenerys’s sarcastic squint, cementing the show's legacy as a cornerstone of modern internet culture.