Something that you have to know about me, Pandas, is that I’m a geek, through and through. From books, movies, and TV shows to anime, manga, tabletop top games, and video games, I’m a fan of it all. I love exploring new worlds and immersing myself in adventures. Video games, especially, have been an important part of my life since I was a kid, helping spark my interest in storytelling and the fantasy genre as a whole. For me, they were—and always will be—gateways into someone else’s imagination that helps expand my own. So when it comes to discussing games and anything related, I know a little something.

One of the most satisfying things that you can encounter in any video game is the sense of wonder and shock you get when the situation takes an unexpected turn. Say you just defeated a really difficult boss after having seen the GAME OVER screen flash at you a dozen times. You’re euphoric. You punch the air. You’re the best! That’s when your smile fades, as you realize, the boss is getting back up and has another health bar. Cue some epic music, the fight’s far from over.

This is where the r/2healthbars subreddit comes in. An online community of nearly half a million members, the online community documents bizarre, funny, and odd examples of the so-called ‘2 health bars’ phenomenon. It occurs when you think you’ve defeated a video game boss only for it to start a new phase with another health bar. Scroll down for some of the sub’s best pics, upvote your fave ones, and remember—don’t you dare go hollow, dear Pandas.

More info: Reddit | Wiki

#1 How Are They Already On The Textbook If They Are Posing For It

Image credits: ricbah

#2 Today My Boyfriend Accidentally Broke The Ear Off Of His Dog Statue, Which He’s Had For Twelve Years, And Discovered Another Smaller Dog Inside… I Have So Many Questions

Image credits: TheLawsy

#3 Fish Mascot Has More Layers Than It Seems

Image credits: TharamanXav

Though things might seem clear and simple, r/2healthbars isn’t focused on content that is simply a photo of two identical or very similar things next to each other. The subreddit’s mods explain that at the core of the subreddit lies the idea of transformation.

“We are about one thing that exists, that thing gets defeated, that thing has a physical or perceived transformation, and that thing, after this reveal/transformation, reveals a second layer of life (a new health bar),” they explain. Or, as they summed things up: “One item, four steps.”

#4 It's A Me

Image credits: PM_ME_YOUR_PETS___

#5 Chain Link Icicles

Image credits: djSanta1

#6 A Case For The Case

Image credits: Hampusfredrik

Currently, the subreddit is home to just over 494k members. The community has grown to such a size in just over 4 years, since having been founded in late March, 2017.

For any fresh-faced redditors who are thinking of joining r/2healthbars, you should definitely have a thorough read through all of their rules. The moderators have even typed up a handy wiki with various clarifications. It’s detailed and will most likely help you get settled in quicker.

#7 This Tree Has Been Adding Layers Of Another Tree Every Year

Image credits: saurabhred

#8 Cockatwo

Image credits: Xarben

#9 This Town Hall Has A Mascot Of Itself

Image credits: reddit.com

Naturally, all the content that you share on r/2healthbars has to be relevant to the subreddit. However, there might be some confusion about where exactly the line lies between photos that fit the spirit of the community and images that, for whatever reason, fall short of this.

The moderators stress the fact that all of the photos need to have a “physical or perceived transformation” that then reveals a second layer, aka “a new health bar.” Duplicates of the same thing don’t technically count as being in line with r/2healthbars.

#10 He’s My Step Son

Image credits: meemee-man

#11 My Aging Shift Knob And A Perfectly Good One Lurking Underneath !

Image credits: ripyurballsoff

#12 Baby’s First Baby

Image credits: ieo-killer-tofu

What you need to focus on is a single thing, one item that transforms, not two items that are independent of each other. “One layer of life can't exist at the same time as the other, one has to be defeated,” the mods explain.

Even though something might be ironic, like two coffee shops of the same brand being next to each other, it doesn’t automatically mean that it’s worthy of r/2healthbars. The subreddit has a neat list of things that might sound like they fit the spirit of the sub but should be avoided.

#13 Someone Tried To Break Into An Auto Parts Store Near My House

Image credits: cyborgwaffle

#14 A Ship Shipping Ship Shipping Shipping Ships

Image credits: ThatYodaGuy

#15 Mandarin Double Time

Image credits: HoleyBody

Things that should be avoided include: someone or something holding a thing that is holding a thing; two people wearing the same thing, pictures of a thing next to itself, a sticker under a sticker, a mask under an identical mask, or a camera attached to a camera. Unfortunately, doors behind doors also don’t count!

As the subreddit has grown to quite a size, the moderators have started taking a different approach to what kind of content they let through and which posts they remove. Currently, they’re focusing on increasing the number of high-quality photos and filtering out low-effort and/or low-quality content.

#16 Cute²

Image credits: aXeSwY

#17 Japanese Mascot Kumamon Putting His Face Through His Own Cutout

Image credits: reddit.com

#18 Grandma And Grandma

Image credits: _xParagon

“Content posted on our subreddit should resemble something new and original. It's low effort when you have posted something that is comparable to, but is not as good as, already existing content on the subreddit,” they explain.

If something looks dull, unappealing, or generally brings the quality of the community down, the mods have the power to remove it. “In this past year, this sub has grown in size. No longer are the days when literally all the posts were about ‘seeing double’ of something. In fact, we are trying to move forward from that kind of content. In the past, we didn't remove low-quality content because that would ultimately kill the sub. Now is the time for change,” they explain their reasoning.

#19 My Headphones With An Adapter Actually Already Had The Correct Piece Screwed Under The End

Image credits: fishboy1215

#20 Burburguer

Image credits: esssssto

#21 This Candle Which Makes A New Candle From Its Melted Wax

Image credits: blueraider615

Some examples of low-effort posts include: double-labeled items, boxes in boxes, packages in packages, glasses over glasses, double notebook covers, smaller versions of fruits and vegetables inside one another (alas, a favorite of mine), and anything food or drink-related. Screenshots of any kind also don’t count.

#22 The Dog's Ear Is Another Dog

Image credits: davideftw

#23 Just Incase You Didn’t See The First One

Image credits: t0mmy66

#24 Pulling Up The The Flooring In My Porch To Reveal More Flooring

Image credits: reddit.com

Which of these photos did you enjoy the most, dear Readers? Have you seen anything recently that would be a perfect fit for r/2healthbars? What’s the most surprising video game boss fight that you’ve ever encountered? Share your thoughts below. Oh, and if you’re curious (and a small spoiler warning here), I’m a huge fan of what happens with the Guardian Ape boss in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. I think there’s hardly a better example of a boss that’d fit the r/2healthbars sub!