The phrase 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Ruined a Whole Generation of Women' originated as a hyperbolic critique of the film's lasting impact on 2010s alternative culture and dating dynamics. While the movie itself is a beloved cult classic, the meme often targets the 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl' trope embodied by Ramona Flowers and the subsequent wave of young women who adopted her colorful hair and detached persona—or more accurately, the men who romanticized that archetype. It evolved from serious film essays into a self-aware joke used to describe anyone with dyed hair, chokers, and an interest in niche indie rock. Today, it serves as a nostalgic nod to early 2010s internet aesthetics and the specific brand of 'indie' identity that defined an entire era.