The 'Edgy' meme subculture thrives on the fine line between genuine rebellion and satirical 'cringe.' It typically characterizes individuals or fictional characters who adopt a dark, brooding, and often overly serious persona to appear mysterious or cool. While it took off in the early 2000s through emo and goth internet forums, it evolved into a self-aware parody format in the late 2010s, often featuring characters like Shadow the Hedgehog or Reaper. Today, 'edgy' is used both to describe provocative humor that pushes boundaries and to mock those who try too hard to seem dangerous or profound on social media platforms.