The 'Why Do I Hear Boss Music' meme originates from the sandbox adventure game Terraria, specifically referencing the text prompts and sudden orchestral shifts that signal a powerful boss's arrival. It first gained traction on Reddit around 2018 as a way to describe real-life situations that suddenly become overwhelmingly difficult or threatening. The template typically features a screenshot of a character looking confused or terrified, paired with the iconic caption. It is widely used to humorously convey the realization that one has made a terrible mistake or is about to face a challenge they are totally unprepared for.