Sometimes a meme about a work, that wasn't in the work before, catches the eye of the people responsible for that work, and they decide to actually put it in the work. Note that this is not one work referencing another work's memes, which would just be a Shout-Out.
Can be an in-joke for an Ascended Fanboy character, or a Promoted Fanboy who makes sure it'll be in the show. Can also be a result of Approval of God, where the creator would approve of fanworks and memes derived from the source material.
Now just to tell if an example fits:
Not an example: M. Bison (Vega in Japan) saying "Of course!" in any Street Fighter material. It could reference the Running Gag in The Nostalgia Critic, but Bison still actually said it in the 1994 film. At best, it's a Mythology Gag.
Proper example: Bison saying the line in the context of Take Over the World. That's because this was not the context of the original line, but how it was repurposed by The Nostalgia Critic.note
A Sister Trope of Ascended Fanon, Meme Acknowledgment, Continuity Nod, Mythology Gag (the latter two are references to things that were in the work).
Compare Watch It for the Meme, Appropriated Appellation, Pandering to the Base, Official Fan-Submitted Content.
Not to be confused for a work making a Forced Meme itself.
Ascended Meme has been suggested to play 2 roles. Click below to see other actors suggested for each role, and vote for who you think would play the role best.
