The SpongeBob Imagination meme originates from the classic SpongeBob SquarePants episode 'Idiot Box,' which first aired in March 2002. In this scene, SpongeBob spreads his hands to create a magical rainbow while explaining to a skeptical Squidward how he and Patrick can have fun with just a cardboard box. The image quickly became a viral sensation, used primarily to mock people who are delusional or to offer sarcastic explanations for how things 'magically' work. It remains one of the most versatile and recognizable reaction images in internet history.