Duolingo shocked users on Feb. 11 by announcing the “death” of its famous green owl mascot, Duo. The language-learning app shared the news on social media, saying the cause of death was unknown.
“For years, he tirelessly reminded millions to do their language lessons,” Duolingo said. “But even the most relentless of birds can only take so much.”
The company joked that Duo may have died while waiting for users to complete their lessons. Social media users reacted with sadness, and organizations like the European Space Agency and the World Health Organization joined in the fun. WHO even ruled out smallpox as the cause of death.
However, on Feb. 24, Duolingo posted that “Legends never die” and confirmed Duo’s return. The company had asked users to earn 50 billion XP (learning points) to revive him. Thousands of people participated, bringing Duo back to life.
“Faking my death was the test, and you all passed,” the owl said on social media.