The Azure Window Collapse meme stems from the real-life 2017 event when the famous limestone arch on the island of Gozo, Malta, collapsed into the sea during a heavy storm. While the event was a tragedy for local tourism, the internet quickly adopted the 'before and after' footage as a visual metaphor for sudden, irreversible loss or the fragility of stability. It is typically used to represent a situation where something that seemed permanent—like a relationship, a career, or mental health—is suddenly gone due to a single unforeseen event. The template serves as a poignant, often self-deprecating way to illustrate how quickly life can change from a scenic masterpiece to an empty horizon.