The exact origin of this extended yaaaa recording is unknown, but clips built around one impossibly long yell have circulated on meme soundboards for years. The humour comes from duration rather than a catchphrase or famous scene, so creators reuse it as a generic scream meme alongside other reaction sounds like the scream meme. It stays popular because it needs no context, works muted captions aside, and can signal joy, fear or disbelief depending on the video placed underneath it.