Genshin Impact became a surprise viral hit immediately upon its September 2020 release. The open-world RPG garnered millions of players within just a week of its release. Any game which enjoys that much popularity is bound to inhabit its own corner of internet culture and memes. However, few jokes have stuck quite as sturdily as describing Paimon as "emergency food."
Paimon is the player's companion since the beginning of the game. She's a tiny flying creature whom the Traveler meets early on in the narrative, and who always refers to herself in the third person. Paimon isn't a playable character in Genshin Impact, but rather acts as a source of guidance and navigation as the game progresses. Regardless, the game wastes no time kickstarting antics at her expense. Within the first half hour of the game, the Traveler meets a knight named Amber. Amber looks toward Paimon and inquires, "And this... mascot. What's the deal with it?" The player then has the option to answer, "Emergency food," to which Paimon retorts, "Hey! That's even worse than being a mascot!"
The mascot comment is already a meta-joke, since even the Genshin Impact Twitter is "run" by Paimon. But fortunately, the game continues to dig in to the "Emergency Food" joke, offering players the option of audibly pondering Paimon's potential edibility on several occasions as the game progresses. Paimon eventually becomes fed up and yells, “No! For the last time, Paimon is NOT EMERGENCY FOOD!” Hardly any time had passed since Genshin Impact's launch before its community had made "Emergency Food" Paimon's nickname.
Genshin Impact: When To Use Paimon As Emergency Food
The Emergency Food joke has spread quickly online. The phrase has become widespread enough that the Genshin Impact Wiki lists it as Paimon's title. It's also been featured in countless memes, as brilliant fan art contemplates the multitudinous ways Paimon could be prepared. Perhaps because it channels fans' frustrations at a lack of a Paimon mute in Genshin Impact, Emergency Food is nothing short of a culinary phenomenon.
Of course, Paimon isn't actually Emergency Food. Or at least, no situation in Genshin Impact has been dire enough yet to warrant eating the small, floating companion. Besides, killing a video game's mascot seems pretty unlikely, even if that mascot might appear delectable. No matter, the Paimon joke will likely remain in the fandom for a long time to come.