The 'Sonic Blank Stare In The Dark' meme originates from the opening cinematic of the 1993 game Sonic CD, which featured high-quality animation produced by Toei Animation. The specific image captures a moment where Sonic appears out of the shadows with a wide-eyed, expressionless gaze directly into the camera. While originally intended to be a high-energy introduction, internet culture repurposed the frame to represent feelings of shock, judgment, or existential realization. It gained significant traction on platforms like Twitter and TikTok, often used alongside eerie music or to depict a 'thousand-yard stare' reaction to cringeworthy or disturbing real-life situations.