The 'Don't Give Me Hope' meme is taken from a heartfelt scene in the 2019 Marvel blockbuster Avengers: Endgame. In the scene, Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) tracks down a disillusioned Clint Barton (Hawkeye) and suggests there is a way to reverse the events of 'The Snap' and bring back his family. Barton, weary from grief, utters the line to protect himself from the pain of a potential failure. The meme took off shortly after the film's release, becoming a universal shorthand for scenarios where someone is presented with a slim chance of success—such as a sports team making a late-game comeback or a long-awaited sequel being rumored—and chooses to remain cynical rather than face disappointment.