popeye
Explanation
The Joke
The comic reimagines the classic Popeye cartoon scenario where the spinach-fueled sailor punches his rival Bluto to win Olive Oyl's affections. Popeye is shown in his classic pose, having just punched Bluto, declaring "That'll teach ya to mess with my goyl, Bluto!" in his trademark accent. But the caption below reframes this triumphant moment with a darkly ironic observation: "Unwittingly, and in a move he would come to regret, Popeye establishes violence as an acceptable means of conflict resolution."
The joke is that Popeye's signature solution to every problem -- punching Bluto -- sets a terrible precedent. If violence is the accepted way to resolve disputes over romantic partners, then Popeye has essentially created a system where anyone stronger can take Olive Oyl from him, or where disputes will endlessly escalate through physical force.
The Humor
The humor comes from applying modern critical thinking about violence and conflict resolution to a cartoon that has always treated punching as a straightforward solution. In the original cartoons, Popeye's violence is presented as heroic and unambiguously good. Weinersmith's reframing points out the logical flaw: if might makes right, then Popeye has only won until someone mightier comes along. It is a commentary on how establishing violent norms tends to backfire on the people who establish them.
The votey panel shows Popeye saying "I teach you the Ubersailor" -- a reference to Nietzsche's concept of the Ubermensch (Superman/Overman), further connecting Popeye's philosophy of "the strong do what they will" to its uncomfortable philosophical implications.
References
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon character created by E.C. Segar in 1929, known for eating spinach to gain superhuman strength and fighting his rival Bluto (sometimes called Brutus) over Olive Oyl. The votey references Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of the Ubermensch (Overman) from "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" (1883-1885), which describes a superior human being who creates their own values beyond conventional morality. The phrase "Ubersailor" is a portmanteau of "Ubermensch" and "sailor."