The Viper meme stems from the introduction of the serpentine enemy in the 2016 tactical game XCOM 2. Replacing the 'Thin Man' from previous installments, the Viper quickly became a focal point for the community due to its lethal 'Tongue Pull' ability and its distinctively humanoid design. This led to a bifurcated meme culture: one half focuses on the punishing RNG of the game—specifically missing high-percentage shots against them—while the other half leans into the 'Snake Waifu' internet subculture. The template is widely used to express the pain of tactical errors or to humorously acknowledge the unexpected fan-following of an alien antagonist.