The "Astronaut Meme: Always Has Been" template features two astronauts in space, one looking at Earth and the other pointing a gun at the first. This meme originated from a 2020 webcomic by explosm.net titled "Ohio," where the first astronaut realizes Earth is entirely Ohio, and the second astronaut responds, "Always has been." The meme is used to humorously convey a "sudden realization" about an undeniable truth or a widely accepted but unacknowledged fact. It often highlights an ironic, absurd, or darkly humorous reality that, once revealed, makes the viewer question their previous understanding, reinforced by the unyielding "Always has been" response. It's popular for pointing out surprising insights or long-standing, often bleak, observations.