This short reaction phrase has become a staple online because what the hell was that is exactly what viewers are already thinking during strange clips. The doubled line mirrors real speech when someone is processing shock, which makes it feel more natural than a single exclamation. It circulates in meme edits, reaction compilations and short form videos as a universal response to jump scares, glitches, odd noises and out of context moments. Its brevity and clear confusion keep it reusable across genres without needing explanation.