ratLeave

The ratLeave emote is used to express the act of leaving a situation, stream, or conversation quickly and unceremoniously. It conveys the sentiment of "I'm out of here" or "time to leave" in a humorous way. The emote can be used when:

• A viewer is signing off from a stream
• Something awkward, uncomfortable, or cringe happens and you want to metaphorically exit
• Expressing disapproval by symbolically leaving
• Reacting to drama or controversy by distancing oneself
• Joking about abandoning ship when things go wrong

It's typically used in a lighthearted, self-aware manner rather than as genuine hostility.

The ratLeave emote originates from a video clip of a rat or small rodent quickly scurrying away or leaving a scene. This emote became popular in the late 2010s/early 2020s as part of the broader trend of animal-based reaction emotes on Twitch and third-party platforms like BetterTTV, FrankerFaceZ, and 7TV. The specific footage shows a blurry, motion-captured image of what appears to be a rat in rapid movement, creating the impression of a hasty departure.

Common situations where ratLeave appears in chat include:

• Stream endings: When a streamer announces they're wrapping up or when viewers are heading out
• Awkward moments: When something embarrassing or cringe-worthy happens on stream
• Bad gameplay: When a streamer makes a terrible play or mistake
• Controversial takes: When a streamer says something questionable and chat jokingly distances themselves
• Technical difficulties: When the stream quality drops or goes offline
• Drama: When uncomfortable situations or arguments arise
• Raid transitions: When viewers are moving from one stream to another

The emote is part of the "rat" emote family that has become popular across Twitch culture, often used for comedic timing.