Nyan Cat began as a 2011 YouTube video pairing a pixel cat with a Pop-Tart body flying through space to a catchy vocaloid song, and it quickly became one of the defining memes of that era. This sound borrows the structure of the John Cena meme, where a dramatic announcement builds to an unexpected entrance. By replacing that payoff with the Nyan Cat tune, creators combine two well known internet references in a few seconds, which explains why the clip still works for quick reveals and nostalgic edits.