The sound comes from the Star Wars films, where blasters are the main energy weapons used by heroes, troopers and bounty hunters across the saga that began in 1977. Their charging and firing noises were created with layered mechanical and electronic effects that became iconic in science fiction. Online, short clips of the cocking and power-up sound were isolated for soundboards and edits, spreading through gaming videos, fan films and memes where a quick sci-fi weapon cue is needed without using the full laser blast.