The sound appears to come from Super Smash Bros. Melee, the 2001 GameCube fighting game, where fast attacks produce a brief whoosh when they connect with nothing. Ripped and reuploaded to soundboards, it became a shorthand reaction clip for gaming montages and meme edits, used to punctuate failed attacks, botched combos and missed opportunities. It endures because it is short, clean and instantly legible, needing no explanation from the viewer.