The Weighted Companion Cube first appeared in Valve's 2007 masterpiece, Portal, as a utility crate used to solve puzzles in Test Chamber 17. Despite being an inanimate object, GLaDOS encourages the player to form a bond with it, only to force its 'euthanasia' in an incinerator at the end of the level to proceed. This moment became one of the most iconic instances of emotional manipulation in gaming history, turning the cube into a symbol of undying loyalty, loneliness, and tragic loss. In meme culture, it is often used to represent emotional support, intense attachment to inanimate objects, or the heartbreak of being forced to let go of something beloved.