If you spent any time on the weirder corners of the internet during the late 2010s, you probably saw it. A distorted, low-quality screengrab of Patrick Star from SpongeBob SquarePants. He looks manic. Terrifying, honestly. The caption usually reads some variation of "kill that thing Patrick" or "kill it Patrick." It’s one of those internet artifacts that feels like a fever dream.
Memes have a weird shelf life. Some, like the "Distracted Boyfriend," become part of the corporate lexicon and die a slow death in LinkedIn posts. Others, like kill that thing Patrick, thrive because they are genuinely unsettling. They tap into a specific type of "cursed image" energy that doesn't really go away. It just evolves.
Where did kill that thing Patrick actually come from?
Most people assume this is some lost episode or a creepypasta creation like Squidward’s Suicide. It’s not. It’s actually from a real, aired episode of SpongeBob SquarePants called "Nature Pants." This was way back in Season 1, Episode 9. In the scene, SpongeBob decides to give up his civilized life to live among the jellyfish. Patrick, distraught and spiraling into a bit of a breakdown, tries to hunt him down to bring him home.
The specific frame used in the meme happens when Patrick is chasing SpongeBob with a net. For a split second, his face contorts into this wide-eyed, toothy, predatory expression. It’s a classic piece of "squash and stretch" animation that looks hilarious in motion but becomes nightmare fuel when you hit the pause button at exactly the right millisecond.
The internet didn't discover this immediately. It took years for the screengrab to circulate on platforms like Tumblr and Reddit. By the time it hit Twitter (now X) and TikTok, the context of the episode was basically gone. It became a reaction image for when someone posts something so "cringe" or horrifying that the only logical response is for Patrick to put it out of its misery.
The psychology of the "Cursed" Patrick meme
Why do we keep coming back to this?
Think about the character of Patrick Star. He’s usually the lovable, dim-witted best friend. He’s pink, round, and relatively harmless. When you take a character that represents childhood innocence and distort them into something aggressive, it triggers a "subversion of expectations" response. It’s the same reason people find "Evil Elmo" memes funny.
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The kill that thing Patrick image works because it captures a raw, unhinged emotion. We’ve all seen a take on social media that was so bad it made us want to reach for a giant jellyfish net. It’s the ultimate "delete this" response.
There's also the aesthetic of the image itself. It’s grainy. It’s often deep-fried—a process where the contrast and saturation are cranked up until the image looks like it’s been through a microwave. This "low-fi" quality adds a layer of irony. It signals that the person posting it isn't taking things seriously, but they are definitely annoyed.
How the meme evolved over time
Memes aren't static. They’re like viruses; they mutate to survive.
Initially, the meme was just the image and the text. But then, the community started remixing it. You’d see Patrick’s face photoshopped onto movie villains or horror icons. You’d see it used in "storytime" TikToks where the creator is describing a situation that went horribly wrong.
Interestingly, it also crossed over into the gaming community. You’ll see it pop up in Discord servers for games like Roblox or Minecraft whenever a player encounters a glitched character model that looks particularly disturbing. It’s become a shorthand for "this shouldn't exist."
I remember seeing a thread on a popular forum where users were trying to find the highest-resolution version of the image. The irony? A high-res version would ruin it. The blurriness is part of the charm. It’s supposed to look like a frame from a cursed VHS tape you found in an attic.
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Why Spongebob memes never seem to die
SpongeBob is the undisputed king of the meme world. "Mocking SpongeBob," "Imagination SpongeBob," "Caveman Spongebob"—the list is endless.
- Universal Language: Almost everyone under the age of 40 grew up watching this show. We know the characters’ personalities intimately.
- Expressive Animation: The early seasons relied heavily on hand-drawn, expressive cels. These animators weren't afraid to make the characters look ugly for a joke.
- Relatability: As we get older, we realize we aren't SpongeBob anymore; we're Squidward. Or, in the case of kill that thing Patrick, we’re the person who has finally reached their breaking point with the internet’s nonsense.
Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the show, was a marine biologist and an artist. He understood the "gross-up" shot—a technique popularized by shows like The Ren & Stimpy Show. These shots zoom in on a character's face to show grotesque detail: pores, veins, stray hairs. While the Patrick meme isn't a formal "gross-up," it shares the same DNA. It’s the intentional use of ugliness to create a comedic reaction.
Addressing the misconceptions
Some people think the kill that thing Patrick meme is associated with some dark, hidden meaning or a "lost episode" creepypasta. I’ve seen YouTube videos with millions of views claiming the frame was "banned" or that it only appeared in certain regions.
None of that is true.
It’s just a funny frame from a popular cartoon. The internet loves to manufacture mystery where none exists. If you go back and watch "Nature Pants" on any streaming service today, you’ll see the frame. It’s right there, around the 8-minute mark. It’s not hidden. It’s not a conspiracy. It’s just good, old-fashioned animation.
Actionable ways to use (and understand) the meme today
If you're a creator or just someone who likes to stay current with internet culture, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding this specific niche of memes.
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Check the context before you post.
The "kill it" sentiment is usually hyperbolic. It’s used for lighthearted "cringe" content. Using it in a serious or sensitive debate can come off as aggressive or tone-deaf. Know your audience.
Embrace the low quality.
If you're making your own version, don't try to make it look professional. Use a basic photo editor. Add some grain. The "unpolished" look is what gives it credibility in meme circles.
Look for the "Squash and Stretch."
If you're looking for the next big meme, watch old cartoons. Look for those split-second frames where a character's face does something impossible. That’s where the gold is buried.
Understand the "Cursed" aesthetic.
This meme belongs to a subgenre of humor that finds joy in the slightly disturbing. It’s not for everyone, but understanding why it works can help you navigate online spaces like Reddit or 4chan where this language is the norm.
The longevity of kill that thing Patrick proves that you don't need a high-budget marketing campaign to stay relevant. You just need a relatable emotion and a very, very weird facial expression. It’s a reminder that no matter how much the internet changes, some things—like a pink starfish losing his mind—are timeless.
To really get the most out of this meme culture, start paying attention to the "accidental" art in your favorite shows. You’ll be surprised at how many memes are hiding in plain sight, just waiting for someone to hit the pause button.
Next Steps for Deepening Your Internet Culture Knowledge:
- Audit your reaction folder: Look at the images you use most often. Are they from a specific era of animation? Understanding your own patterns helps you predict what will trend next.
- Trace the source: Next time you see a "cursed" image, try to find the original episode or clip. It’s a great exercise in digital literacy and often reveals a lot about how memes are decontextualized.
- Explore the "Gross-up" history: Look into the history of Ren & Stimpy or Flapjack to see how grotesque animation became a staple of modern humor. It gives you a much deeper appreciation for why frames like the Patrick one exist in the first place.
The internet is a weird place. It's better to embrace the weirdness than to try and make sense of it all. Just keep your jellyfish net handy.