A very cursed image of Plankton from SpongeBob has become one of the biggest relatable memes of the year over on TikTok.

The meme, fittingly named Cursed Plankton, is based on a photoshop that was posted online way back in 2010 and became most notable for its association with the "Plankton Got Served" creepypasta.

But where did the meme come from and how is it being used on TikTok? Here's what you need to know about the cursed image macro meme.

What Is The 'Cursed Plankton' Meme?

Back in April 2010, Deviant Art user Moopintot posted an eerie photoshop of Plankton to the site, titling the post "Plenkton." The image gives Plankton pitch-black eyes and a mouth and a face full of wrinkles and lines, giving it a very dark aura.

Over the next decade, the image became closely associated with the creepypasta "Plankton Got Served," which is about a disturbing, fictional lost episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. The image has been used in countless videos and pieces of content about the creepypasta. Now, in 2024, it's extended its reach to TikTok.

How Is 'Cursed Plankton' Used In Memes?

In August 2024, TikToker @planktongemendo started posting the cursed Plankton image over the sound of a ghostly moan every day. These videos largely went under the radar until the October 2nd upload, which went viral in December.

That month, TikTokers began attaching captions about gross, annoying or undesirable things happening to them to the image, using cursed Plankton to represent their feelings about the incident. The format went viral as a relatable meme that month, inspiring tons of examples under the ghostly moaning sound.

While many often wonder where the ghost sound comes from, its original source is unknown. Some commenters claim it's from a ghost sound effect video on YouTube, however, it is unclear which video it is sourced from.

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For the full history of Cursed Plankton, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.