Originating in the mid-2000s on imageboards like 4chan and Something Awful, 'Jesus Christ, it's a lion, get in the car!' began as a piece of ASCII art featuring a lion made of text characters. The phrase quickly became a catchphrase for any situation involving sudden, panicked realization or unexpected danger. It eventually evolved into a photo-based meme format where the text is overlaid on images of lions in odd places or even completely unrelated, harmless animals. The meme is a staple of early internet 'leetspeak' culture and random humor, celebrated for its frantic energy and nostalgic value in the meme community.