‘We All Got Played’: QAnon Followers Implode After Big Moment Never Comes
Topline
As Joe Biden was sworn in as president, QAnon followers finally saw their hope for the “storm”—when President Donald Trump would bring down the “deep state” and expose a far-reaching child-sex trafficking ring—disappear, leaving followers of the unhinged conspiracy theory in despair and searching for answers, while one of the most prominent adherents gave up.
Protesters interact with Capitol Police inside the U.S. Capitol Building on January 06, 2021 in … [+]
Getty Images
Key Facts
On their big day, QAnon adherents fractured into two groups on popular far-right message boards, with some realizing their crackpot conspiracy theory was a fraud, while others tried to somehow keep the hope alive.
Ron Watkins, the founder of 8chan suspected to be behind the conspiracy theory itself, conceded shortly after Biden was sworn in, telling his supporters it was time for believers to keep their “chins up” and “go back to our lives.”
Up until the final minute of Trump’s presidency, some QAnon adherents were cheering for Trump to do something spectacular, with one user instructing fellow followers Wednesday morning to “pray” because the next five hours would “determine the fate of the world.”
That optimism unraveled for some as the day wore on, especially after Trump did not mention his so-called plan to take over the U.S. in his final speech at Joint Base Andrews, with one user lamenting on Telegram that “it simply doesn’t make sense that we all got played.”
Others sought to move the goalposts, picking out messages from Trump’s speech and Eric Trump’s farewell post on Twitter as signs of hope.
By midday, a new spin to the conspiracy theory gripped the far right message boards: Biden was their savior all along, a twist multiple QAnon influencers threw their support behind.
“Biden is Q” a post on the donald.win read, while others brushed aside that theory and urged believers to stick with Trump.
Key Background
At noon on Wednesday, QAnon followers believed Trump would announce through the emergency broadcast system that “the storm” had come, so goes the wacky conspiracy theory. Democrats and other members of the deep state would be arrested, and Trump would continue being president.
What To Watch For
After the clock struck noon and Biden officially became president, some message boards turned increasingly vitriolic. “It’s over and nothing makes sense…absolutely nothing,” one user said. ““He sold us out,” another believer wrote. “It’s revolution time.” Some of the big name QAnon influencers were unswayed, however. “We have just witness the biggest crime ever committed in the history of the United States all on live television,” @MajorPatriot, a prominent QAnon influencer who Trump retweeted multiple times before his account was suspended by Twitter, said on Gab, moments after Biden was sworn in.
Crucial Quote
“So far, Q believers seem to be in shock over Joe Biden actually being sworn in and becoming president,” Mike Rothschild, who recently published a book about conspiracy theories and tracks the QAnon conspiracy online, told Forbes Wednesday. “This type of failure was something that most of them never allowed to penetrate their minds, so to see it happening – and them rendered powerless to stop it – is truly jarring.”
Tangent
Some QAnon followers believed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was part of the “plan.” When Trump opted not to pardon Assange before leaving office Wednesday, many QAnon adherents were disappointed.
Surprising Fact
QAnon message boards lit up during Trump’s farewell speech after some believers noticed there were 17 flags around the stage. The number 17 is code for QAnon followers as the letter “Q” is the 17th letter of the alphabet.
Further Reading
All The Times Trump And His Allies Winked At QAnon Before Its Followers Stormed The Capitol (Forbes)
Increasingly militant ‘Parler refugees’ and anxious QAnon adherents prep for doomsday (NBC News)
Trump Didn’t Pardon Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange And His Supporters Aren’t Happy (Forbes)
*** This article has been archived for your research. The original version from Forbes can be found here ***
