HitchBOT was a Canadian social experiment designed to see if a robot could safely hitchhike across the world. After successfully navigating Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands, the robot began its journey across the United States in 2015, only to be found destroyed and decapitated in Philadelphia just two weeks later. This sudden and violent end to the project became an instant viral sensation, turning HitchBOT into a symbol for the 'wild' reputation of Philadelphia sports fans and residents. The meme is frequently used to illustrate the 'Expectation vs. Reality' trope, contrasting the robot's innocent mission with the harsh reality of its demise.