Gollum Meme Template
The Gollum meme uses the hunched, wide-eyed creature from the Lord of the Rings franchise to express obsessive desire, internal conflict, or the pitiful state of wanting something desperately. It is commonly used to depict an 'addiction' to trivial things or to mock the extremes people go to for minor rewards. The character's dual nature also makes him popular for 'two sides of my brain' style formats.
Caption this template- Category
- Situation Meme Templates
- Size
- 395 x 394 px
- Format
- Image
- Price
- Free, no sign up
Where the Gollum meme comes from
Gollum is a CGI character voiced and motion-captured by Andy Serkis in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003) and later The Hobbit films. The character originated in J.R.R. Tolkien's novels and is defined by his obsessive love for the One Ring, which he calls 'my precious.' Screencaps and renders of Gollum began circulating as reaction images in the early 2010s.
How to caption the Gollum meme
Put whatever you're supposed to want up top (e.g., 'sleep'), then let Gollum reach out for what you actually can't stop pursuing (e.g., 'one more episode at 3am'). A close-up of his wide eyes also works on its own, labeled with the one thing someone in your life is dangerously obsessed with. Open it in the meme generator, or read how to make relatable memes for more.
Gollum caption ideas
Need a starting point? Try one of these on the Gollum template, then make it your own in the meme generator.
- Top: sleep / Gollum: just one more episode at 3am, precious
- Top: my savings account / Gollum: a midnight cart full of stuff I don't need
- Top: the salad I meal-prepped / Gollum: the gas station snacks, my precious
- Top: focusing on the deadline / Gollum: refreshing the group chat every 30 seconds
- Top: going to bed early / Gollum: starting a new game 'for just ten minutes'
Best uses for the Gollum template
Use the Gollum template when the joke fits a situation format and the image can explain the feeling before the reader finishes the caption. It is strongest for relatable everyday moments, before-and-after jokes, and social observations.
This blank is 395 x 394 px and is a still image, so place the most important words where they stay readable after a feed crop. The near-square frame is flexible for feeds, group chats, Reddit, and Discord.
The sample captions leave room for a setup and a punchline without turning into a paragraph. Before exporting, read the caption once without looking at the image; if it still needs a long explanation, switch to a simpler setup or a more obvious related template.
Caption patterns to try
| Pattern | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Top: sleep / Gollum: just one more episode at 3am, precious | This works because it gives the reader a specific situation instead of a vague label. |
| Top: my savings account / Gollum: a midnight cart full of stuff I don't need | This pattern keeps the setup concrete, which helps the template carry the reaction. |
| Top: the salad I meal-prepped / Gollum: the gas station snacks, my precious | This is a useful direction when you want the punchline to feel personal or self-aware. |
Common mistakes with this blank
- Writing a caption that explains the whole joke instead of letting the Gollum image do part of the work.
- Placing text over the most expressive part of the image, especially faces, gestures, signs, or the main action.
- Using three different ideas in one meme. This template works better when it points at one clear situation.
- Exporting before checking the meme at phone size. If the smallest words blur together, shorten the caption first.
