Thunder has been a staple of film, radio and stage sound design for decades because it instantly signals a storm, danger or a shift in mood without any dialogue. Recorded thunder effects are now widely shared online as short downloadable clips, and creators reuse them across YouTube, TikTok and gaming videos for weather scenes, horror edits and dramatic moments. Like a vine boom, it works as a sudden punctuation for a reveal, but its natural rumble feels more cinematic and less comic. Its familiarity is why it remains useful: everyone recognises the sound at once.