“Elmo Rise,” “Hellmo, “ “Elmo on Fire, “ and the “Elmo Meme” are all names given to the viral sensation that features a picture of a version of Elmo superimposed onto a flaming background. But where did this legendary meme originate?
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Despite the Internet being a vast, nebulous chasm of information, we have uncovered the roots of the Elmo Fire meme — and it’s probably not what you would expect.
As we continue celebrating “Hellmo,” let’s explore why it still resonates with audiences today, delve into some theories behind its creation, and look at how people have reimagined the beloved mascot from Sesame Street.
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Origins of the “Elmo Fire” Meme
Despite Sesame Street videos focusing on fire safety, like “Elmo Visits the Firehouse” (2002), the meme has little to do with a specific episode. Instead, an edible version of the Elmo character inspired it.
The image of Elmo used in the meme originates from a cake entry provided in 2012 to Cakewrecks — a website dedicated to photo submissions of epic cake fails.
Alongside a questionable Scooby Doo, and a disturbing Dora the Explorer, the final baked treat on the list features a distressed-looking imitation of Elmo popping out of a birthday present.
Image credits: cakewrecks.com
One year later, in 2013, user @teruteru666 reposted Cakewrecks’ image of the confectionery on Tumblr. Captioned simply as “rise,” receiving over 250,000 notes (likes, shares, or comments).
Image credits: @teruteru666
The meme we recognize today, with the distressed-looking Elmo and the flames behind him, dates back to 2014. Posted as a GIF on Tumblr by @gnarville, the caption reads, “All hail Hellmo, our dark lord of the internet.” It also includes the tags “Elmo,” “Satan,” “birthday,” “666,” and “cake.”
Image credits: @gnarville
What motivated @gnarville to create a GIF? It's possible that @gnarville drew inspiration from the classic 1985 film St. Elmo’s Fire and made a literal version featuring Elmo and flames.
Image credits: imdb.com
It could also be a subtle reference to the dangerous atmospheric phenomenon named St. Elmo’s Fire, a continuous electric spark often seen by sailors and pilots (The Weather Channel) (1).
This rare luminescent glow sometimes appears on ship masts, wing tips, propellors, church towers, or power lines. When it occurs, crackling and hissing noises can also be heard (Brittanica) (2).
Image credits: shutterstock.com
While @gnarville’s original meme only garnered 845 notes, other users’ subsequent shares, likes, and comments grew. From here, the popularity of “Elmo Rise” meme flourished on platforms such as Tumblr, Reddit, and X.
What was once the sweet, innocent resident of 123 Sesame Street, beloved by children worldwide, quickly became one of the most recognizable memes. Elmo was no longer just for toddlers.
Unsurprisingly, memes about the origin of “Hellmo” have emerged, often using the well-known phrase, “I was today years old when I found out...”
In 2020, a user named @Jen created a meme highlighting the candy-inspired origin of “Elmo Rise.” Thankfully, someone captured a screenshot of their creation because the original post is no longer accessible due to the user’s privacy settings.
Image credits: unknown
Evolution of the Meme
Initially, the “Elmo Meme” was a nod to popular culture, allowing users to draw attention to the humor in a situation for entertainment and more serious commentary. Many used images or GIFs to replace written comments or messages.
Due to the inherent nature of text communication, facial expressions and body language are missed. In 2015, JSTOR’s resident linguist, Chi Luu, suggested that reactionary GIFs provide the gestures used in body language alongside well-known pop culture references (3).
According to Luu, “Because these emotional responses are often well-worn tropes from film and narrative, based on a culture’s knowledge of nonlinguistic cues, they can be more easily shared and understood.”
The Elmo Fire meme is the perfect way to convey a feeling that we carry on despite any mayhem around us. With bulging eyes and a look of panic, Elmo raises his arms in defiance of the flames surrounding him, suggesting that he will prevail.
Since the original debut in 2014, many have taken “Elmo Rise” and added text and additional images to create new memes. A quick search on Tenor or Imgflip showcases a wide range of wit and artistic talent, with some examples earning nearly 30,000 likes.
Image credits: imgflip.com
The “Elmo on Fire” meme’s popularity also extends to YouTube. Though not the first to do so, YouTube user @GianniMatragrano created an extended version of the original GIF in 2020 that received over 58,000 views. It’s only thirteen seconds long and contains humorous yet colorful dialogue.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRiOeggL0Mw[/embed]
With the growing success of AI that converts text to image, many people have taken “Hellmo” to new heights. Anyone can use this software, often for free, to create their “Elmo Rise” versions. Using programs like DALL·E 2, anybody can create the perfect “Elmo on Fire” for any situation.
Image credits: George × DALL·E
Influence on Meme Culture
“Elmo Rise” may remind some people of the iconic “this is fine” meme by illustrator KC Green (4). The resilient hound first appeared in 2013 as part of a webcomic and featured a similar theme.
Like “Elmo on Fire,” the beloved hound is surrounded by flames. However, with a look of slight consternation, he states, “This is fine.” Like Elmo, the dog indicates everything will be fine despite the chaos surrounding him.
Funnily, we found a feature for both characters by the online creator @weee.haha on the Wallpaper.com page.
Image credits: @weee.haha
“Elmo on Fire” no longer solely features on platforms such as Tumblr, Reddit, and X but appears on Meta and TikTok. When words don’t capture how you feel, you can use an Elmo surrounded by flames for text messages, WhatsApp, iMessage, and other instant message platforms.
Some people took the “Elmo on Rise” to the extreme on YouTube; there are videos of Elmo toys being destroyed by flames, as in the example below where Tickle Me Elmo is doused in a flammable liquid and being set alight.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYGhmJD9LKc[/embed]
Noteworthy Examples of Elmo Fire Meme
For over 10 years, “Elmo Rise” has allowed users to express various emotions, reactions, and responses. The extensive use of the meme has resulted in some genuinely imaginative creations.
For instance, on Instagram, @cocobellycakes recreated the Elmo meme as a cake with an actual fire in July 2024. The caption doesn’t suggest she realized that a cake is where it all began.
Another example shows Pinterest user @24haleej showing she had a replica of the original cake for her thirteenth birthday.
Image credits: Elizabeth
Bands like Loud Luxury have included the “Elmo on Fire” meme during concerts. In January 2024, a concertgoer captured the moment and posted it to TikTok.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@happynosee/video/7321033697002523950[/embed]
Over the past few years, several people have used “Hellmo” as inspiration for everything from creative makeup and nail art to Halloween costumes, sharing their results on various platforms.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@pictorialartgallery/video/7262103843989638446?q=%23fireelmo&t=1730629535054[/embed]
Image credits: @taytayhuggs
In October 2024, “Elmo Rise” became the star of Halloween jack-o-lanterns, with Reddit posts featuring stencils for carving and images of finished products.
Image credits: Nikittele
Image credits: mementodory
Reddit user @RecordingOk9089 has even asked for advice on recreating the meme for an easy DIY costume.
Image credits: RecordingOk9089
Meanwhile, YouTuber @TemmerTunes created a dark-humor song about Hellmo in 2021, aptly named the “On Fire Meme (Song).” The tune garnered over 342,000 views and nearly 400 comments.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta5Mv4b4lyg[/embed]
“Elmo Rise” merchandise appears in marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon. Shoppers can find anything from cross-stitch patterns, stickers, and Croc charms to t-shirts and mugs.
There’s even a cryptocurrency token known as “Hellmo” (HMT), although its current value seems quite dubious. At the time of writing, one “Hellmo” token was worth just $0.00000457 (Birdeye) (7).
References
- DeWeese, Chris. “Weather Words: ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’.” The Weather Network, November 6, 2023 | https://weather.com/news/weather/news/2023-11-06-weather-words-st-elmos-fire
- The Editors. “Saint Elmo’s fire.” Encylopaedia Brittanica, July 20, 1998 | https://www.britannica.com/science/Saint-Elmos-fire
- “Reaction meme.” Fiveable. | https://library.fiveable.me/key-terms/language-popular-culture/reaction-meme
- Luu, Chi. “All the Feels: the Morphology of Reaction Gifs.” JSTOR, March 16, 2015 | https://daily.jstor.org/the-morphology-of-reaction-gifs/
- George x DALL·E. “elmo looking despondent while his laptop bursts into flames, as a meme.” DALL·E 2. | https://labs.openai.com/s/Eqy1rSKlyRbzIyKWSq3DO5V1
- Green, KC. “On Fire.” Gunshow, January 19, 2013 | https://gunshowcomic.com/648
- "HMT." Birdeye. | https://birdeye.so/token/3WmQzxrStJQZ73YG6HdcJAxqC4YJnkJyP3VKoQy4QiEu?chain=solana