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What's With All The 'Bootleg Metal Sonic Plush' Memes? The Viral 'Hue Hue Hue' Meme Explained
The Sonic the Hedgehog fandom is extremely prominent online, and right now, they're propelling memes about a bootleg Metal Sonic plush into the mainstream.
The memes, which feature the plush laughing like "hue hue hue," have been around for a few years now but are reaching new heights after the success of the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie.
So what exactly is the Bootleg Metal Sonic meme, why does he say, "hue hue hue," and how did the plush become a meme? Here's what you need to know.
What Is The 'Bootleg Metal Sonic Plush' and 'Hue Hue Hue' Meme?
Since at least the late 2010s, a photo of an obviously bootleg Metal Sonic plushie doll has been going around social media. As early as 2021, fans of Sonic started using this doll, which features an elongated nose, as a reference for funny fan art and memes.
The doll is notably sought-after by the biggest Sonic fans despite being a bootleg and a bad representation of the character overall.
At the end of 2024, a YouTuber known as "T4thDoH" took the meme to new heights when they posted a video consisting of the plush over a stripped-back version of the song "Stardust Speedway" from Sonic CD. This version of the song features only the vocal track, which sounds like "hue hue hue."
The video went viral on Instagram and was followed by numerous other posts from the same creator using the same image and song, which spread throughout the fandom.
How Is The 'Bootleg Metal Sonic Plush' and 'Hue Hue Hue' Used In Memes?
Throughout January and February 2025, the bootleg Metal Sonic plush and the "hue hue hue" song have become massive memes.
Some of these memes are video edits, in which the Metal Sonic plush is edited into various scenarios, with the stripped-back song acting as a backing track. Other memes apply the plush to tried-and-true meme formats.
On Twitter and Reddit, many artists are drawing fan art that depicts Metal Sonic as the bootleg Metal Sonic plush. The art tends to show Metal Sonic with his signature over-long nose and speech bubbles reading, "hue hue hue."
Ultimately, the memes are meant to be silly and nonsensical and they're taking over the fandom for that very reason.
For the full history of the Bootleg Metal Sonic Plush, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
