The sound comes from Plants vs. Zombies, the tower defense game released by PopCap in 2009, where the Ice-shroom is unlocked later in the campaign and used once to freeze all zombies on the lawn. Its blast became a familiar shorthand in gaming videos because the effect is so readable: ice, slow motion, and brief safety from a wave. As clips moved to soundboards and short-form edits, creators kept using it for any instant freeze moment, even outside PvZ footage.