The 'Ironic' meme features Chancellor Palpatine from the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. During a pivotal scene, Palpatine tells Anakin Skywalker the 'Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise,' a Sith Lord who could prevent others from dying but was eventually killed by his apprentice. Palpatine concludes the tale with a sinister, satisfied smirk and the single word, 'Ironic.' The meme gained massive traction within the PrequelMemes community on Reddit as a way to highlight blatant hypocrisy or situations where someone is undone by their own actions. It remains one of the most recognizable reaction images for calling out life's most contradictory moments.