The 'Piranha Plant Gang' meme emerged following the unexpected announcement of Piranha Plant as the first DLC character for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in late 2018. While fans were expecting high-profile heroes, the addition of a generic stage enemy sparked a wave of ironic devotion and the 'Rise Up' slogan. The meme represents the underdog spirit of choosing a non-traditional fighter over legendary icons like Mario or Link. It quickly evolved into a community-driven phenomenon where players would post images of Piranha Plants or the 'Plant Gang' logo to signal their membership in this quirky subculture of the gaming community, celebrating the chaos of a potted plant taking on gods and monsters.