The Rake is one of the internet's most enduring creepypasta characters, first conceptualized on the 4chan /x/ board in late 2005. Designed as a collaborative project to create a new urban legend, it is described as a pale, hairless, and crouched humanoid creature with large, needle-like claws. While originally intended to inspire genuine fear through 'first-hand accounts' and grainy sightings, The Rake eventually evolved into a versatile meme template. Today, it is frequently used to represent late-night anxiety, sleep paralysis, or the feeling of being watched, often leaning into 'relatable' horror or ironic humor regarding sleep deprivation and internet subcultures.