This iconic clip originates from the 1996 sci-fi blockbuster 'Independence Day,' during the climactic final aerial assault against the alien invaders. The scene features the high-stakes communication between the command center and pilots like Major Mitchell, played by Adam Baldwin, as they attempt to destroy the city-destroying primary weapon of the mothership. The specific dialogue—'Has the target been destroyed?' followed by the somber 'Negative. Target remains'—captures a moment of absolute despair when a supposedly final blow fails to work. In the world of internet memes, this clip is the gold standard for representing persistent problems, resilient obstacles, or the failure of a 'fix' to actually solve a situation. It is frequently used to describe bugs in code that won't disappear, spiders that survive being hit with a shoe, or bills that remain high despite cutting expenses. The meme perfectly encapsulates the feeling of dread when you realize your best efforts weren't enough. Example captions include: 'When you hit the spider with a textbook and it just walks away' or 'Me checking my bank account after a weekend of being responsible.'