On December 22nd, 2017, tumblr user lesbian-cryptid made a text post commenting on the notion that other users in the Steven Universe fandom would be changing their icon to Lars Barriga in anticipation of the upcoming episode, 'Lars of the Stars'.

Inspired by this, tumblr user snapbacksteven titled it the Barrigapocalypse, and on December 30th, 3017, provided one icon for anyone to use to join in on the event. Said post garnered over 1,000 notes.

Over the course of the following week, roughly 250 users across tumblr and the SU amino had changed their icons, causing mass confusion for anyone not in the know. Barrigapocalypse has been compared to a cult, both by participants and outside viewers, and has spurred it's own tumblr tag full of memes.