A Complete Guide to the Viral "Canon Event" Meme

Download Article

An in-depth look at this popular TikTok phrase

Co-authored by Aaron Makelky and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: March 3, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

What is a canon event?

|

Phrase Origins

|

How to Use

|

Video

If you’ve been on TikTok, you might’ve heard the phrase “canon event.” Users use the phrase to refer to life-changing events that shaped them into the people they are today. Typically, the trend is focused on lighthearted and embarrassing moments, though the phrase can refer to true significant events, as well. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the canon event trend, its origin, and how to use the phrase correctly.

Canon Event Definition

A canon event is something that happens to you that shapes and defines who you are. The phrase gained popularity with the movie Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse and quickly became a TikTok meme. Most users define their canon event as a formative or embarrassing shared experience.

Section 1 of 3:

What is a canon event?

Download Article

A canon event is a life-altering moment that makes you who you are. Having gained popularity after being featured in the movie Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse, a canon event describes a significant moment that must happen for your story to move forward. You cannot change it or you risk ruining the entire universe.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- While a canon event sounds important, TikTok users adapted the phrase to refer to embarrassing or awkward moments of their life. It’s a fun way to share funny or embarrassing stories with your friends and social media followers.
- Canon events also refer to shared experiences many people went through at one point or another.
- For example, you might say “I remember waiting up till midnight for the Twilight movies premieres. It was a canon event.”
- Or, “Do middle schoolers still wear bright blue eyeshadow? It used to be a canon event.”
- Influencer and content creator Aaron Makelky provides another example: “Some student examples are ‘Getting a Starbucks after school is a canon event for me’ or ‘Mr. Makelky wearing a sweater vest on Tuesdays is a canon event’ because I always wear them on Tuesdays. The joke is the universe or multiverse would be destroyed if canon events don’t get fulfilled.”^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Aaron Makelky
  Influencer & Content Creator
  
  Expert Interview}

Section 2 of 3:

Canon Event Origins

Download Article

1
The popular phrase was first used in Across the Spider-verse. The 2023 film follows Spider-Man Miles Morales as he seeks help from other Spider-People from across the multiverse. Because these characters are all versions of Spider-Man, they all have a “canon event” that led them to becoming the superhero. These events cannot be interfered with, as doing so would mess up the entire universe.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- For example, in most cases, Spider-Man’s “canon event” is losing Uncle Ben. If Uncle Ben never died, Peter Parker likely wouldn’t have become a superhero.
- The idea comes from the multiverse theory, which suggests there are infinite parallel universes in which we exist.
2
After the movie, TikTok users began posting their own canon events. Users started posting videos about their own canon events or watching the canon events of others. These were typically embarrassing or significant events from their childhood, like obsessively interacting with a boy band fandom or making an account on a website they probably shouldn’t.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- For example, someone might post a video saying, “Just saw a middle schooler make a Tumblr account (I cannot interfere. It’s a canon event).”
- Users may post a canon event video thinking their experience is unique, only to discover that many commenters relate and agree.

Section 3 of 3:

How to Use Canon Event on TikTok

Download Article

1
Talk about something embarrassing that happened to you. Many TikTok users use the canon event trend to tell their followers about something funny and embarrassing that happened to them. It may be a recent event or something that happened years ago that still makes you cringe when you think about it. Here are some examples:^{[5]
X
Research source}
- “My canon event is when I spilled ice cream all over myself in front of my crush.”
- “I still think of the time I ripped my pants at recess in the 5th grade. It was a canon event.”
- “My canon event is getting a nosebleed in the middle of an important presentation.”
2
Poke fun at a childhood rite of passage. As kids, we may think all of our experiences are unique, but as we get older, we learn we share a lot of them with many different people. Sometimes, you may even see children doing the same things today that you did 10 or 20 years ago, and you realize these are canon events. Here are some examples:^{[6]
X
Research source}
- “My younger cousins just made up a dance and performed it for the whole family. I cannot interfere. It’s a canon event.”
- “It’s a canon event to listen to My Chemical Romance once and enter your middle school emo phase.”
- “Just overhead some 13-year-olds talking about Harry Potter fanfiction. It’s a canon event.”
3
Post about something that changed your life for better or worse. While the canon event trend is mostly light-hearted, you may also choose to post a video about something that did drastically change your life, like getting accepted to your dream college or having a really toxic situationship. Here are some examples:^{[7]
X
Research source}
- “My canon event is when I agreed to date my high school boyfriend.”
- “My canon event was finally standing up to my controlling college roommate.”
- “Moving to New York alone at 18 is my canon event.”