The 'Dark Souls Nope' meme originates from the 2011 action-RPG masterpiece Dark Souls by FromSoftware. In this iconic gaming moment, the 'Chosen Undead' (controlled by the player) enters a new area—often the Skeleton graveyard or a boss fog gate—only to be met with overwhelming odds or a terrifying foe. Rather than fighting, the character performs a deliberate 180-degree turn and walks away in a silent, perfectly timed retreat. This clip is the ultimate visual shorthand for 'instant regret' or 'recognizing a bad situation.' It is commonly used to represent social anxiety, realizing a task is too difficult, or encountering a massive 'red flag' in real life. Whether it is seeing a pile of dishes or an unread work email, the 'Nope' represents the wisdom of self-preservation. Example captions include: 'Me entering the kitchen and seeing my roommates arguing,' 'When you check the price tag after falling in love with a jacket,' and 'Walking into a 4:45 PM meeting on a Friday.'