Chel

The Chel emote is primarily used to express suspicious interest, curiosity, or playful mischief. The wide-eyed stare with the slight smile conveys a sense of being intrigued by something questionable or potentially inappropriate. It's often used when chatters want to express that they're paying close attention to something interesting or when something catches their attention in a humorous way. The emote can also indicate a knowing or suggestive look, similar to raised eyebrows.

This emote originates from the DreamWorks animated film The Road to El Dorado (2000), specifically depicting the character Chel with an exaggerated facial expression. The emote became popular on Twitch and other streaming platforms around 2020-2021, particularly gaining traction on platforms like 7TV and BetterTTV as a third-party emote. The specific frame captures Chel with wide eyes and a subtle smirk, which has been edited to emphasize the enlarged eyes for comedic effect.

Common usage scenarios include:

• When streamers say something suspicious or questionable - chatters spam Chel to indicate they noticed
• During flirtatious or suggestive moments on stream
• When something interesting or spicy is about to happen - expressing anticipation
• As a reaction to attractive characters or people appearing on screen
• When drama or tea is being discussed - showing engaged interest
• In response to potentially controversial takes - indicating 'I'm watching this closely'