The 2018 New York City Power Plant Explosion meme, colloquially known as the Astoria Borealis, stems from a real-life transformer failure at a Con Edison substation in Queens on December 27, 2018. The incident illuminated the night sky with an intense, otherworldly neon blue glow that was visible across the five boroughs. Social media immediately erupted with photos of the phenomenon, with users jokingly attributing the glow to an alien invasion, the arrival of Thanos, or a scene from Into the Spider-Verse. The meme is typically used to represent supernatural events, dramatic entrances, or 'main character energy' appearing in real life, making it a staple for capturing a surreal, cinematic atmosphere.