Franklin From 'GTA V' Combined With Baby Po From 'Kung Fu Panda' For 'Goodnight Old Friend' Memes

5 months ago 81

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About

Goodnight, Old Friend, also known as Goodnight, Ol' Fren, is a voice line spoken by the character Franklin Clinton in Grand Theft Auto V towards dead NPCs. The line went viral as the subject of memes, particularly on TikTok, in early April 2026. As a meme, the line is edited into freeze-frames of videos that show Franklin doing something in-game that results in a crash or deadly scenario. The line is often associated with an image of the character Po from Kung Fu Panda as a baby. The image has previously been used in versions of the Watching Child Po meme.

Origin

In 2015, at least two videos in which Franklin from Grand Theft Auto V says the line, "Goodnight, old friend," were uploaded to YouTube, including a video uploaded on May 22nd, 2015, and December 24th, 2015, garnering over 24,000 and 145,000 views, respectively, in 11 years. The line is originally in the game and is not a mod or addon.

One of the earliest known memes to use the audio was posted by TikToker @secretaccofaneditor on March 13th, 2026, garnering over 192,000 views in a month. In the edit, the audio is used over footage of a player being eaten by a shark.

@secretaccofaneditor good night old friend #viral #gta5 #dontflop #gta5clips #gta5_funny ♬ original sound – editzzbylli

Spread

On March 28th, 2026, TikToker @thebigsiah posted a video edit using GTA V footage where Michael calls Franklin and asks if he wants to go do something, and Franklin responds, "Goodnight, old friend," before Michael's car explodes, garnering over 112,000 views in a week.

@thebigsiah good night old friend #tuff #meme #fyp #gta #gta5 ♬ original sound – JosiahS

The meme spread over the following days, with TikToker @thebigsiah continuing to post videos following the format. Commenters began posting an image of a baby Po from Kung Fu Panda under versions of the meme.

For example, on April 2nd, 2026, TikToker @pickleburger27 posted the image under the original version of the meme, gaining over 4,300 likes in four days.

An image of baby Po from Kung Fu Panda. He says, "Goodnight old fren."

On March 30th, TikToker @thebigsiah posted another version of the meme that plays the audio clip before Franklin gets sucked into a tornado, garnering over one million views in a week.

@thebigsiah it isnt a gta video without goodnight old friend. #gta5 #gta #fyp #meme #tuff ♬ original sound – Sab trading

On April 4th, 2026, TikToker @pigeon.on.gta20144 posted a version of the meme that adds the Po reaction image to the end along with the freeze frame, garnering over 200,000 views in two days.

@pigeon.on.gta20144 Goodnight ole frien day 61 ans 62 #viral #fyp #gta5 #funny #goodnightoldfriend ♬ original sound – gtakay1

On April 5th, TikToker @newguynumber1fan posted a version of the meme about Franklin "airballing" when trying to hit on women, garnering over 77,000 views in a day.

@newguynumber1fan Goodnight ol friend 🤑 #gta5 #goodnightoldfriend #gta5clips #franklinclinton #funny ♬ original sound – Scott #1 fan