The Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain memes primarily revolve around the protagonist, Venom Snake (Punished Snake), and the game's heavy themes of revenge, loss, and identity. One of the most prominent variations involves Snake staring blankly into the distance, often paired with the song 'The Man Who Sold the World' or the iconic quote 'I'm already a demon.' These memes gained significant traction after the game's 2015 release and saw a massive resurgence in the early 2020s on TikTok and Twitter. They are typically used to express silent realization, a transformation after a difficult experience, or the 'thousand-yard stare' associated with modern internet irony.