springtime-2
Explanation
This comic is an epic, cosmic narrative told across many panels about the long-term fate of the universe and humanity's place in it. It begins with someone telling a story: the universe will expand until it's possible that intelligent life will emerge. Then humanity becomes angry and afraid, with God asking to destroy them, but they survive and spread across the galaxy. They meet other intelligent species, form alliances, and expand through the universe.
However, the comic takes a poignant turn: the universe is expanding and becoming less dense, meaning eventually the stars will burn out and the cosmos will become cold and empty. The characters realize "we will not be alive to see the great spring come" -- a reference to the idea of a cyclical universe where a new cosmic spring (perhaps a new Big Bang) might eventually occur.
The final panels reveal that "in the megayear of our passing, we will leave behind a message" -- and the punchline shows a message left behind in what appears to be a bottle or beacon, reading something like "Dear universe, we were here, we tried." The comic captures the grandeur and tragedy of cosmic time scales. It's both a sincere meditation on humanity's insignificance against the vastness of the universe and the poignant desire to leave some mark, however small, that we existed. The tone is more wistful and philosophical than most SMBC comics, using the "springtime" metaphor to suggest hope that something new might eventually bloom even after everything we know has ended.