If you’ve spent any time on the weirder corners of the internet, specifically the parts that archive 2000s sitcoms like they’re sacred scrolls, you’ve hit it. It’s that scene. You know the one. Joshua Jackson, post-Dawson’s Creek but pre-Fringe, standing in a community college classroom. He’s wearing a vest. He’s looking way too intense for a guest spot. And then he says it with a weirdly aggressive level of confidence: "It’s going to be a maze."
Except it wasn't just a maze.
In the world of Community, specifically the episode "Aerodynamics of Gender," this line wasn't supposed to be the enduring legacy of the show. It was a throwaway gag about a secret garden, a trampoline, and a racist groundskeeper. But the internet doesn't care about original intent. We care about the "wait, what?" factor.
Honestly, the moment it's going to be a maze left the mouth of Joshua Jackson’s character, Joshua, it transformed from a scripted line into a permanent piece of digital shorthand for "this took a dark turn I wasn't ready for."
The Accidental Birth of a Swastika Joke
Let’s be real for a second. Community was always a show that played with fire. Dan Harmon and his writing room loved deconstructing tropes, but "Aerodynamics of Gender" (Season 2, Episode 7) went somewhere most network sitcoms wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. Jeff and Troy discover a "secret garden" on campus that houses a magical trampoline. It’s their Zen place. Their sanctuary.
Then Joshua appears.
He’s the groundskeeper. He’s chill. He’s welcoming. He seems like the ultimate "cool guy" archetype. When he mentions his plans for the garden's future, he drops the line: it's going to be a maze. He’s even sketching it out on a whiteboard. But as he draws, the realization hits the audience—and the characters—at the exact same time. He isn't drawing a hedge maze. He’s drawing a swastika.
It’s a brutal, sudden pivot. One second you’re watching a show about a magical trampoline, and the next, you’re staring at a guy who casually admits to being a white supremacist because he thinks "some are just natural jumpers." The humor comes from the sheer, jarring whiplash of it.
Why the Internet Can't Let Go of Joshua Jackson’s Vest
There is something inherently funny about Joshua Jackson. He has this "earnest leading man" energy that he brings to everything. Even when he’s playing a secret Nazi on a cult-classic sitcom, he plays it with 100% sincerity.
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That's why the clip goes viral every few months. It's the contrast. You have Pacey Witter—the dream guy of an entire generation of WB viewers—casually explaining a hate symbol as if he’s describing a new landscape architecture project.
The meme usually follows a specific pattern. Someone posts a video or an image that starts off wholesome. Maybe it’s a DIY project that’s going slightly off the rails. Maybe it’s a design fail where lines are crossing in ways they shouldn't. And then, inevitably, someone in the comments drops the gif. It's going to be a maze.
It’s a way of saying, "I see where this is going, and it’s bad." It’s the ultimate "red flag" meme.
The "Community" Effect and the Longevity of Meta-Humor
You’ve got to wonder why a show that went off the air years ago still dominates the lexicon. It’s because Community wasn’t just a show; it was a logic puzzle. The writers knew that the phrase it's going to be a maze would stick because of how it was framed.
Think about the visual timing.
- The setup: Joshua is a nice guy.
- The reveal: The vest comes off to reveal a tattoo, or the drawing starts to take shape.
- The punchline: The absolute deadpan delivery of the "maze" line.
Most sitcoms would have had the characters scream or run away immediately. Community let the awkwardness breathe. It let the audience sit in the discomfort for a beat too long. That beat is where memes are born.
In 2026, we’re seeing a massive resurgence in what people call "cringe-core" or discomfort comedy. Shows like The Bear or Succession use it for drama, but Community used it for world-building. Joshua wasn't just a one-off villain; he was a reminder that the world of Greendale was fundamentally broken.
Is it Actually Offensive? (The Nuance Check)
Whenever you bring up a joke involving a swastika, people get nervous. Rightfully so. But the "it's going to be a maze" moment is often cited by TV critics—including writers at The A.V. Club back in the day—as an example of how to do "taboo" humor correctly.
The joke isn't the symbol. The joke is the idiocy of the person using it. Joshua thinks he's being profound. He thinks he’s part of some elite group of "natural jumpers." The show makes him the butt of the joke by highlighting his absolute lack of self-awareness. He’s a loser.
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This distinction is why the meme has survived. It’s not used by hate groups; it’s used against people who are accidentally or intentionally making a mess of things. It’s a satirical weapon.
How "It's Going To Be A Maze" Functions in Modern Slang
If you’re using this in a text thread, you aren't literally talking about a maze. You’re likely responding to:
- A corporate rebranding that looks suspiciously like a disaster.
- A friend who is overcomplicating a simple task.
- A floor plan that makes zero sense.
- Any situation where someone is trying to "fix" something but making it infinitely worse.
It has evolved. It’s basically the 2020s version of "That escalated quickly."
Tracking the Meme’s Digital Footprint
If you look at Google Trends for the phrase, you’ll see spikes every time Community hits a new streaming service. When it landed on Netflix, the "maze" search queries skyrocketed. People who hadn't seen the show since 2010 were suddenly reminded of the vest-wearing Joshua.
It’s also a staple on Reddit. r/community practically runs on this quote. But it has leaked out into r/DesignFails and r/CrappyDesign too. It’s become a universal signal for "stop what you are doing before this gets weird."
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What We Get Wrong About the Scene
A lot of people remember it as Joshua drawing on a chalkboard. He wasn't. He was drawing on a white flip chart, which somehow feels more "corporate retreat" and makes the whole thing weirder.
Also, people forget that Troy (Donald Glover) and Jeff (Joel McHale) actually enjoyed the trampoline even after they knew Joshua was a "racist groundskeeper" for a few seconds. The episode is really about how people are willing to overlook glaring flaws in exchange for personal comfort. That’s a pretty deep theme for a show that also featured a monkey living in a vent.
Actionable Takeaways for Using the Meme
If you want to use it's going to be a maze in your own content or social interactions, there’s a bit of an art to it.
- Wait for the visual cue. The meme works best when there is a literal drawing or a physical layout involved.
- Know your audience. This is a deep-cut Community reference. If they haven't seen the show, they might just think you’re actually talking about hedges.
- Check the tone. Don't use it in genuinely hateful contexts. The whole point is to mock the absurdity of the "maze" excuse.
- Watch the clip again. Seriously. Joshua Jackson’s delivery is a masterclass in unintentional comedy. He doesn't wink at the camera. He plays it straight. That’s why it works.
If you’re ever in a situation where you’re trying to explain a complex plan that feels a little "off," just remember: maybe don't draw it on a whiteboard. Unless you want someone to hit you with the gif.
Next Steps for the Community Obsessed
To truly appreciate the layers of this joke, go back and watch "Aerodynamics of Gender" in the context of Season 2. It’s the same episode that introduced "Mean Girls" Abed, which is a total tonal shift from the trampoline B-plot. Seeing how the writers balanced the high-concept parody of Top Gun (the trampoline scenes) with the "it's going to be a maze" reveal shows just how peak the writing was during that era.
Keep an eye out for the vest. Once you see the vest, you know the maze is coming.