Is the ghoul dead
Definition
A viral pop culture question from the Fallout TV series (Amazon Prime Video), specifically referencing season 2, episode 5, where viewers question the fate of the iconic character 'The Ghoul'—a irradiated, cowboy-hat-wearing survivor played by Walton Goggins—after a shocking plot twist.
Figuratively, a witty idiom for doubting the permanent downfall of something or someone notoriously hard to kill, much like a ghoul from the Fallout universe who keeps shambling on despite all odds.
Examples
After the nuke hit, the wasteland survivors huddled around the crater and muttered, 'Is the ghoul dead?' only for his hat to bob up from the rubble moments later.
My New Year's resolution to ghost social media? Three weeks in, and the notifications are back—is the ghoul dead, or just playing possum?
The villain monologued about his unbeatable plan, but the hero popped up unscathed, prompting the sidekick to deadpan, 'Is the ghoul dead?'
Fans refreshed the episode discussion thread at 1 AM, united in one frantic query: 'Is the ghoul dead?' as theories exploded faster than a mini-nuke.