Toasty began as an inside joke in Mortal Kombat II, released in 1993, when sound designer Dan Forden would pop up in the corner of the screen and say the word after a strong uppercut. Players soon hunted for the hidden appearance, and the phrase became shorthand for a move that was literally or figuratively on fire. Later Mortal Kombat games kept the gag alive, while streamers and meme makers borrowed it as a quick reward sound for wins, burns and impressive plays. Its Scorpion connection comes from the character's fire-based attacks and how fans pair the two in edits.