Chuck Norris memes, specifically Chuck Norris Facts, began circulating on the internet around 2005, starting on IRC channels and the Something Awful forums. These hyperbolic claims about the martial artist's superhuman strength and masculinity quickly became a global phenomenon. Unlike traditional visual-only memes, these are text-heavy jokes often superimposed over a photo of Norris looking tough. The meme effectively transformed the action star into an immortal internet deity, defining the blueprint for the 'overpowered hero' trope in digital culture.