The Underpants Gnomes first appeared in the Season 2 South Park episode 'Gnomes' in 1998. These characters follow a famously flawed three-phase business plan: Phase 1 is 'Collect Underpants,' Phase 2 is a total mystery represented by a question mark, and Phase 3 is 'Profit.' The meme became a global shorthand for satirizing business models, political plans, or any logic that lacks a clear middle step between a goal and its execution. It remains a staple in internet culture for highlighting missing links in complex systems or ridiculous entrepreneurial ideas.