The wolf meme—and its many extensions —has become a multifaceted emblem for Gen Z and beyond, as a reflection of collective feelings, a tool to explore identity, and a canvas for internet humor.

If cat memes dominated the 2000s, and the internet was obsessed with doge-like dogs in the 2010s, then the 2020s' unofficial internet mascot is the wolf. Illustrations of the animal staring ...