Headline : The Internet’s Obsession With Luigi Mangione Signals a Major Shift

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Luigi Mangione, currently the internet’s main character, probably isn’t who you think he is. Main characters are like that. As soon as someone achieves main character status, they become the screen onto which the world’s opinions and preconceptions get projected. Mangione, who was arrested Monday in connection with the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, fits that bill.

Prior to his arrest, Mangione was an unknown. Police had released a grainy security camera photo showing half of their suspect’s face, but beyond that all anyone knew was that someone had killed the CEO of a health insurance company—and that someone quickly became an online folk hero. He was painted as an avenger, a response to a health care system that had fallen short. Some called the mysterious suspect “The Adjuster.”

On TikTok, people performed ballads dedicated to whomever the shooter was. On Bluesky, they marveled over his ebike escape and the backpack found in Central Park full of Monopoly money that allegedly belonged to him. There was a look-alike contest held in New York City. On Spotify, there were dedicated playlists. Fanfic sprang up on Archive of Our Own.

Online, fans exist for almost everything and everyone. Following the shooting death of Brian Thompson, a fandom emerged around his suspected killer that seemed unifying in a way few others have been. He became an avatar that anyone who’d ever struggled with a hospital bill could understand.

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