Thulsa Doom and Adeptus Mechanicus shouldn’t be invited to parties together… A Warhammer Meme

A Clash of Ideologies

This meme brilliantly combines three different universes—Warhammer 40K, Conan the Barbarian, and King of the Hill—to create a humorous clash of philosophies. In the top panel, the iconic villain Thulsa Doom from Conan the Barbarian delivers his infamous line: “Steel isn’t strong, boys, flesh is stronger!” This phrase, in his world, represents the power of will and devotion over mere weapons. The line is humorously repurposed here to contrast against the mechanized, flesh-rejecting philosophy of the Adeptus Mechanicus from Warhammer 40K. The image is edited to make it seem like Thulsa Doom is presenting this argument to the world, unknowingly challenging the deeply held beliefs of the Machine Cult. This sets up the comedic contrast for the second panel.

The Displeased Tech-Priests

In the lower panel, characters from King of the Hill react to this declaration, with a clever twist. Instead of a normal suburban backdrop, the window behind them reveals Tech-Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus, clad in their signature red robes, mechanical augmentations, and eerie skull-like visages. The joke lies in the extreme opposition between Thulsa Doom’s statement and the beliefs of the Mechanicus, who see flesh as weak and machine as superior. Their presence behind the window makes it seem like they overheard this heretical claim, and if they had emotions—something they strive to suppress—they would be furious. The King of the Hill characters provide the perfect reaction, emphasizing the absurdity of the situation with a deadpan remark. This visual contrast between the mundane and the grim darkness of Warhammer adds to the comedic impact.

Humor Through Crossover Chaos

This meme works so well because it mashes together completely unrelated franchises, yet their themes clash in a way that makes perfect comedic sense. Conan the Barbarian is all about the strength of the human body and willpower, while Warhammer 40K’s Adeptus Mechanicus fully rejects the flesh in favor of machine perfection. Adding King of the Hill into the mix, with its suburban American humor, serves as the perfect grounded perspective, making the surreal combination feel even funnier. The phrase “If those Tech-Priests had feelings, they’d be very upset” lands perfectly, as the Mechanicus strives to remove emotion in favor of cold logic and data. The meme succeeds in playing with extreme contrasts, making it a memorable and hilarious crossover that fans of multiple franchises can appreciate.