The 'Where's That Damn Fourth Chaos Emerald?' meme originates from the 2005 video game Shadow the Hedgehog. During the game's opening sequence and various missions, Shadow expresses intense frustration while hunting for the powerful artifacts, resulting in this iconic and uncharacteristically edgy line for the Sonic franchise. The internet embraced the phrase due to its earnest delivery, the specific focus on the 'fourth' emerald, and the novelty of hearing a Sonic character use a mild swear word. It has since become a go-to template for expressing annoyance when searching for a missing object or poking fun at the gritty aesthetic of mid-2000s gaming culture.