Empire State Building climbers
Where it came from
From a 2010s viral video of someone riding a bicycle with a dramatic black cape flowing behind them. The clip became a meme template for representing trying to look cool while doing something absurd or failing spectacularly.
This is basically the physical embodiment of trying way too hard to be dramatic or cool. The image shows someone on a bike with a massive cape billowing behind them, which is objectively impractical and silly, but they're fully committed to the bit. People use this to represent that moment when you're attempting something with maximum effort and style but it's fundamentally ridiculous, or when someone's trying to flex but it's not landing. It's also perfect for when you're doing something that looks cool in your head but is actually a total mess in reality. The absurdity of the cape combined with the earnest energy makes it endlessly quotable and relatable.
Search interest, over time
↳ data courtesy of google trends
