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MonkaW in Twitch chat is a popular emote and if you have Better Twitch TV (BTTV) emotes on, you must have noticed it in various livestreams. MonkaW in Twitch chat is essentially a more zoomed-in version of monkaS, which depicts Pepe the Frog. The emote, like many others on the platform has its own story behind its inception but it also has a bit of controversy attached to it. Here is everything you need to know about the origins of monkaW and why Pepe the Frog is seen as a controversial figure in some parts of the world.
The origin of MonkaW in Twitch chat
The origin of monkaW in Twitch chat is connected to monkaS. The original MonkaS chat was added to 4chan all the way back in 2016. It was then added to the FrankerFaceZ Twitch extension in 2016. Over the years, the emote has been modified and a zoomed in version of the monkaS emote is now known as monkaW. The new variant of the emote was added in 2018 to the Twitch BTTV extension and it is also a part of FrankerFaceZ's extension suite.
What does monkaW mean in Twitch chat
The original monkaS emote is an abbreviation for monkaScared. MonkaW is essentially the same emote’s zoomed-in version. MonkaS and monkaW can be used interchangeably and Twitch chat usually uses the emote during tense moments. The original monkaS emote was uploaded by Twitch user MonkaSenpai, which is what inspired the name of the original emote. Most Twitch Emotes that have a W at the end including LULW and KEKW are zoomed in versions of existing emotes.
The origins of Pepe the Frog and why associated emotes can be controversial
Twitch chat’s monkaS emote might seem harmless to a majority of the streaming community and its viewers but it is quite controversial outside Twitch. The frog featured in the monkaW emote in Twitch chat is known as “Pepe the Frog”, a character that appeared in the 2005 comic Boy’s Life by Matt Furie. The comic depicts Pepe and his friends as college students who play video games, have pizza, and smoke marijuana.
In 2008, in one of the comic strips, Pepe responded to a question about his bathroom habits with “feels good, man”. It eventually turned into the FeelsGoodMan emote on Twitch and a number of other emotes including monkaW and monkaS were based on Pepe.
Some people and groups have morphed the character with a Hitler mustache and have added anti-Semitic messages. The emote has been associated with anti-Semitic groups in the recent past despite it being a completely harmless cartoon when it was created. Pepe was added to the Anti-Defamation League’s Hate Symbol Database as a hate symbol. In the streaming community, the emote is not seen as controversial, but using it in other forums might not always be ideal.
