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It's all over. Pepe the Frog and his chilledsmirk are no longer.

Created by cartoonist Matt Furie more than a decade ago, the drowsyfrog went on tobecome the poster boy of pro-Trump legions due tosome obscure mechanism only the internet can generate. Today, the once peace-loving frog has been symbolically killed off by his own creator.

Over the weekend, Matt Furie shared online a somberdrawingshowing the amphibian alone in a coffin with only his most iconic portrait looming over him.

A symbolicway toexpress his frustration and disgust with his character's parallel life which had become synonymous with racism and xenophobia Pepe's deathis above all a defeat for Furie.

Faced with internet trolls and the rise of white supremacism, the cartoonist had no choice but to let the characterpass on.

Pepe the Frog was born on MySpace in 2005 asone of the main characters ofthe comicBoy's Club.Starting off life as a simple cartoon, Pepe was then shared all over the web as the "feels good, man" meme whichshowed him quietly taking a leak with his pants around his ankles.

The innocent frog was then disfigured at the hands of the extremist groups populating 4chan, who decorated him with Nazi symbols orTrump's (and, more recently, Marine Le Pen's) haircut.

In turn, this led to Pepe being included in the Anti-Defamation League's blacklistof hate symbols, despite Furie's attempts toreclaim the spirit of his artwork from the clutches of the far-right thieves.

In November 2016, a few days before Trump's final victory, Matt Furie launched an initiative to "save Pepe," encouraging users to flood Twitter with images of the original Pepe via the #SavePepe hashtag. Unfortunately, it didnt work, the alt-right being particularly active and coordinated on social networks.

By putting an end tohis creation's tumultuous life, Matt Furie hasacknowledged the overwhelming power of online communities. With a heavy heart, he describes his characterescaping from him as "a nightmare,"and says that Pepe was once just a "peaceful frog-dude".

Farewell Pepe, martyr of the internet: we will neverforget your sacrifice.

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Science, data, culture et galjades. Internet est mon glise.

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Pepe The Frog Killed Off By Creator Following Alt-Right Appropriation - Konbini US