The Protomen memes stem from the lore and aesthetic of the American rock band The Protomen, who created a tragic, dystopian reimagining of the Mega Man universe. Unlike the colorful source material, these memes leverage the dark, cinematic imagery found in their album art and live performances. They typically highlight themes of futility, heroic sacrifice, and the corruptive nature of power, often quoting iconic lyrics like 'Hope Rides Alone' or 'There are no heroes left in man.' Usage ranges from sincere appreciation of the band's narrative to ironic applications of their overly dramatic, operatic tone to mundane everyday struggles or other pop culture crossovers.