Last week, Paramount Pictures revealed the first trailer for the third live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie, and, if the memes are anything to go off of, it looks like fans are ready to dive in this December.
All this excitement around the trailer’s debut had seasoned Sonic fans remembering the last project from this cinematic universe, the Knuckles TV show on Paramount +, which featured a bizarre yet amusing scene centered on the “Flames of Disaster.” It blew up as a fandom meme, especially across Twitter.
Wade from the live-action Knuckles show becomes the star of a new meme
Since the trailer’s debut, Sonic the Hedgehog fans have been spreading this now-infamous “Flames of Disaster!” video all over social media. And with Knuckles making an appearance in the third movie’s trailer, fans are looking for and making their own throwbacks to the moment. The original scene already saw some degree of virality, thanks to Adam Pally’s line delivery, but things got even funnier when @ContendoYT posted a bluescreen version, making it even easier for others to create their own edits.
This kickstarted a slew of clever, hilarious and transformative memes that plagued Twitter and other social media websites. Fans of other franchises, like Super Mario Bros, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Crash Bandicoot, and Godzilla, also joined in the fun, especially because they could edit the meme into any scene that involves fire.
One of the most interesting aspects of this hilarious trend is that it even transcended the English language and reached users from all around the world, with several people creating memes with the Brazilian and Latin American dubs of the “Flames of Disaster!” scene. Sonic the Hedgehog fans all around the world came together in order to keep making this hilarious trend grow more and more.
So, what on earth are the “Flames of Disaster”?
To give more context: In the final episode of the Knuckles TV series, Wade Whipple (played by Adam Pally) excitedly exclaims, “The Flames of Disaster!” after the titular Knuckles the Echidna unlocks the power-up of the same name during the final battle. Even though this show first aired in April 2024, the new trailer of the third live-action Sonic the Hedgehog prompted fans of the franchise to remember this particular scene.
Some users, like @MrLag525, posted about this particular scene in May 2024, highlighting how Adam Pally’s delivery of the line, coupled with the expression he makes while saying it, makes it especially funny. But the meme became even more viral within the community after user @Jackeroni216 cleverly used it on another comedic Twitter thread. After that, everybody began using it in their own edits and memes, making it another bizarre internet staple, even among people who are not fans of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
What makes the “Flames of Disaster!” scene so funny?
As previously mentioned, there are several combined factors that make this meme really amusing for internet users, whether they are fans of Sonic the Hedgehog or not. Adam Pally’s delivery of the line is intentionally funny, and his expressions significantly enhance the comedy of the brief scene. But this is also one of those memes that has a lot of versatility, as it can easily be added to any scene that involves fire or explosions.
When the Knuckles live-action show debuted a few months ago, nobody expected this insignificant meme to become such a big internet trend, but perhaps it’ll improve the reputation of such a divisive show. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 comes out on December 20, 2024, so only time will tell if a moment from said film is going to become a meme. Especially if Wade Whipple makes another appearance.
Published: Sep 5, 2024 10:24 am