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Half-Life 2 Water Hazard IRL at Lincoln Memorial

This edited meme superimposes the first-person perspective of the airboat from the iconic *Water Hazard* chapter of the 2004 Valve video game Half-Life 2 onto a real photograph of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC. Game UI elements (100 health, 41 suit power) and the airboat handlebars are placed over the real, algae-covered pool scene, with large bold text reading "WATER HAZARD" centered across the middle. The joke draws a humorous parallel between the murky, shallow water of the real reflecting pool and the water environments traversed in the referenced Half-Life 2 level, making it appear as if the game level is set in the real National Mall location.
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WATER HAZARD

Overview

This edited meme superimposes the first-person perspective of the airboat from the iconic Water Hazard chapter of the 2004 Valve video game Half-Life 2 onto a real photograph of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC. Game UI elements (100 health, 41 suit power) and the airboat handlebars are placed over the real, algae-covered pool scene, with large bold text reading "WATER HAZARD" centered across the middle. The joke draws a humorous parallel between the murky, shallow water of the real reflecting pool and the water environments traversed in the referenced Half-Life 2 level, making it appear as if the game level is set in the real National Mall location.

Origin notes

This meme originates from the X.com (formerly Twitter) account @meme_basement, shared via RSS as specified. It is an edited work combining public domain/available photography of the Washington DC National Mall with assets and UI elements pulled directly from Half-Life 2, created as a nostalgic gaming crossover joke for online audiences.

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