The 'Bait Used to Be Believable' meme features a simplified, stylized illustration of Hornet from the upcoming game Hollow Knight: Silksong, depicted smoking a cigarette with a look of profound disappointment. It originated within the Hollow Knight community as a reaction to constant 'leaks' and fake release date announcements for the long-awaited sequel, eventually evolving into a broader internet reaction used to dismiss obvious 'engagement bait' or low-effort trolling. The meme often incorporates the ASCII shorthand '-|' to represent Hornet's silhouette and has become the ultimate tool for signaling that a post is too transparently manipulative to be taken seriously.