Bark Souls and Dark Souls IRL edits emerged as a creative way for gamers to bring the punishing atmosphere of FromSoftware's 'Souls' series into the real world. By overlaying iconic UI elements—such as the massive health bar, gothic font boss names, and the 'You Died' screen—onto photos of pets, inanimate objects, or everyday situations, creators turn mundane moments into epic boss battles. The 'Bark Souls' specific trend often pays homage to Great Grey Wolf Sif, the sword-wielding boss from the original game, by giving domestic dogs legendary titles. These memes thrive on the contrast between the adorable or absurd subject matter and the intense, high-stakes aesthetic of Dark Souls difficulty.