Leave it to Guilty Gear to spawn one of the weirdest fighting game memes on the internet. You don’t even have to have spent time in Strive subreddits to have seen the Jack-O’ Pose (aka Jacko Pose or Jack-O Crouch) meme. Despite first appearing in 2019, this meme refuses to quit, much like the Marshal Fighter despite getting melted by a Behemoth Typhoon. From default defensive move to IRL montage menace, this quirky crouch has gotten more laughs than a Quan Chi fatality. Here’s what you need to know about the Jacko Pose meme.
What Is the Jacko Pose Meme?
(Updated on May 21st, 2024 – updated images and meme explanation)
In most fighting games, crouching is the easiest way to avoid high punches and kicks that would otherwise catch your favorite fighter right in the face. Most crouches are just that: crouches. Of course, an eccentric like Jack-O’ Valentine would have to have something more eccentric. Compared to every other crouch in Guilty Gear Strive, the Jacko Pose felt so weird and unnecessary that players immediately seized on it for memes. It didn’t take long before people were attempting the pose IRL, and the legend of the Jacko Pose grew with every successful (or hilariously botched) attempt.
One of the meme’s most famous examples was the “Absolute Queen” video by content creator Munchyjr, which used a bait-and-switch to swap in Potemkin, the walking fortress from Zepp, doing Jack-O’s crouch. In time, the parody spread, resulting in countless fictional characters getting drawn into the action. There’s even an Among Us version. For whatever reason, the Jacko Pose hit players harder than a Forever Elysion Driver and Helldivers memes combined. We’re just happy the Gear Maker’s servant is getting the love she deserves.
Guilty Gear Strive is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
