Pinkamena is the fan-created darker version of Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, a name fans gave to the pony when she drops her cheerful persona and becomes obsessive and unhinged. The character grew popular in the show's online fandom through fan art, creepypasta stories and edits, where her laugh became shorthand for that change in personality. It spread as meme creators reused it outside the fandom, and it remains popular because the contrast between a cute cartoon pony and a chilling laugh makes the joke land instantly, even for viewers who have never watched the show.