The Empty Stonks meme is a versatile variation of the original 'Stonks' image, which features the surreal 3D head known as Meme Man against a stock market background. While the classic version became a viral sensation in 2017 to satirize bad financial investments, the 'Empty' variant provides a clean canvas for broader irony. It is frequently used to represent situations where someone expects a gain but receives nothing, or to create entirely new puns based on the iconic character's stoic expression. It remains a staple of internet surrealism and business-themed humor across platforms like Reddit and Twitter.