The eternal battle of theoretical physics in one image! Time-independent perturbation theory is the hot date you bring home to your parents—simple, well-behaved, and solvable before dinner. Meanwhile, time-dependent perturbation theory lurks in the shadows like that homework problem that made you question your life choices.
For the uninitiated: perturbation theory is how physicists solve problems they can't actually solve. Time-independent versions let you calculate stuff without worrying about that pesky fourth dimension. Add time dependence? Suddenly you're drowning in partial differential equations while questioning why you didn't just become an accountant.
The face transformation is every grad student halfway through their quantum mechanics final. Pure emotional damage.