Oko, Thief of Crowns became an instant internet legend following its release in the 2019 Magic: The Gathering set, Throne of Eldraine. The card's +1 ability, which transforms any artifact or creature into a generic 3/3 green Elk, proved so suppressive that it led to bans across almost every competitive format. The meme evolved from player frustration, symbolizing anything that is needlessly simplified, neutered, or 'Elked' out of existence. Whenever something powerful or important is suddenly rendered irrelevant, the MTG community jokingly attributes it to Oko’s transformative powers, turning the card into a mascot for game imbalance and chaotic transformation.