The term 'ratchet' evolved from a regional slang variation of 'wretched' to a mainstream internet descriptor for behavior that is flamboyant, unrefined, or unhinged. In the world of gaming, 'Ratchet' refers to the iconic Lombax protagonist from the Ratchet & Clank series, whose expressive facial animations have frequently been captured as reaction images. Whether used to describe chaotic social situations or to celebrate the nostalgia of early 2000s platforming, the Ratchet meme serves as a versatile tool for expressing disbelief, mischief, or sheer audacity in digital conversations across social media platforms like X, TikTok, and Reddit.