The Gradient meme format rose to prominence alongside the popular 'Gradient' mobile app, which famously offered celebrity look-alike and DNA ancestry filters. The internet quickly took these AI-generated comparisons and turned them into comedy by showcasing absurd transformations—ranging from celebrities morphing into inanimate objects to people evolving into memes. It is primarily used to illustrate a progression or a drastic (and often inaccurate) change between two points. This template allows users to satirize the concept of 'becoming' something else, making it a versatile choice for highlighting funny comparisons or ironic character arcs.