The Elder Guardian was added to Minecraft in the 1.8 update in 2014 as the mini-boss guarding Ocean Monuments. Unlike regular Guardians, it does not attack with its laser when it curses, it applies Mining Fatigue III to nearby players so they cannot quickly mine through the monument. A ghostly image flashes across the screen alongside the sound. Clips of that moment spread through Let's Play and horror map videos, and the isolated curse audio became a reusable shorthand online for being hexed or trapped by a powerful enemy.