Sprite

The Kernelsprite is an entity released when a Sburb player first opens their Cruxtruder. At first, Kernelsprites are nigh-on-useless, unintelligible balls of light. In order to be useful, they must be prototyped, which involves dropping an object (that gets absorbed indefinitely) into the Kernelsprite. These objects' characteristics determine the sprites personality and abilities.

The Kernelsprites can be prototyped in multiple ways:


 * Twice before entering the Medium


 * Once before, once after


 * Twice after


 * Once, either before or after


 * Never

While it is suggested that the Kernelsprite must be prototyped in order to be useful in any way, it may be possible to complete the game without ever actually prototyping the Kernelsprite. However, it is most certain that we will never see this happen, as all the Homestuck Kids have or are going to prototype their Kernelsprites.

Traits and Likenesses
Though only three Kernelsprites have been seen, they share a few odd characteristics.
 * The Kernelsprites all seem to have two facial features, not following the gag of the guardians.
 * John's Kernelsprite, Nannaquin, has two large eyes and a mouth showing two teeth.
 * Rose's Kernelsprite, the Eldritch Jaspers, seems to break the rule, with two eyes, a nose, and a smiling mouth. However, as the nose and mouth are connected, they could be considered to be one feature.
 * Dave's Kernelsprite, the crow, has one eye (As far as we know) and a beak.
 * Jade's possible Kernelsprite, her Grandpa, has glasses and a fancy moustache.


 * Part of their prototyping involves something that has died.
 * John's Kernelsprite was accidentally prototyped with John's cremated Nanna's ashes.
 * Rose's Kernelsprite, Jaspers, was taxidermy-preserved by Rose's Mother after his body washed up on the river that runs through their manor.
 * Dave's Kernelsprite will be prototyped with the Rambunctious Crow he killed.
 * Jade's possible Kernelsprite, her Grandpa, appears to be dead, with his body being stuffed and taxidermy-preserved.
 * Part of their prototyping seems to involve a doll.
 * John's Kernelsprite was prototyped with his birthday present, the Harlequin Doll, which had been maimed and had a fake arm attached at the time of prototyping.
 * Rose's Kernelsprite was prototyped with the Eldritch Princess doll.
 * Dave's Kernelsprite may be prototyped with Lil Cal; however, Lil' Cal was torn into pieces during his battle with Bro, and when the Sprite is seen, it is of note that Cal was still on the ground.
 * Jade's Kernelsprite may be prototyped with one of the Distinguished Houseguests in the foyer.
 * Kernelsprites seem to suffer from a chronic injury.
 * Due to John hurling glass shards at the doll that was used for prototyping, Nannaquin has only one arm, a scarred eye, and even a damaged hat.
 * Rose's Kernelsprite has no visible injury as of yet, but as it was only recently seen, that may change.
 * Dave is unable to remove his sword from the crow before it gets prototyped, resulting in his Kernelsprite permanently having the sword stuck inside it.

John's Kernelsprite
John Egbert's Kernelsprite is initially prototyped with his Dad's birthday present, the Harlequin Doll, giving it a mangled face and a fake arm. It speaks in complete gibberish, though. When the Sburb meteor threatened John's home and he escaped into The Medium, the Kernelsprite "hatched" into three parts, a black orb, a white orb, and a ghostly looking Harlequin, aka the 'Sprite'. The black orb spiraled off of John's house, which is floating in an abyss, and vanished beneath the clouds, coming to rest in an orb atop a spire in "a kingdom entrenched in darkness." The white orb floated into the sky and left behind a trail of Sburb logos, known as The Seven Gates, eventually coming to rest in a similar orb-topped spire in "a kingdom basking in light."

Rose and John attempted to finish prototyping the Kernelsprite, first using some Betty Crocker cake mix, then using Colonel Sassacre's book (to create a Colonelsprite). Both times the Kernelsprite avoided being prototyped, due to its trickster nature.

It was then accidentally prototyped with the ashes of John's Nanna, whose sacred urn was toppled following the dropping of Colonel Sassacre's text. It evaded John after that, owing to the trickster nature of its harlequin component. It has only recently revealed itself through the classic bucket on top of the door trick, earning it the pranksters gambit. It appears to have a new remix of an old theme (Harlequin) as its signature music (Nannaquin). Its conversations are shown through the Sprite Log, where it is referred to as the Nannasprite. Some readers refer to it as the Nannaquin. It appears to leave a blue goo behind as it phases through walls.



The Nannasprite, having Nanna's memories and personality, helps John by providing needed exposition on where Sburb sent him and where his father is. John's Dad has been kidnapped by Imps and his house has been transported somewhere called The Medium, described by the Nannasprite as "A realm that is a ring of pure void, dividing light and darkness. It turns in the thick of The Incipisphere, a place untouched by the flow of time in your universe." Whether Nanna knew of the Medium before her death or if this information is passed through the Sprite's nature is unknown. It also retains all of Nanna's skills, creating so many cookies that it is surprising that there was enough room to store them all. Finally, as a sprite, Nannaquin seems to have special powers. Her scarred eye launches attacks, such as lasers, while her intact eye offers aid through various means, such as healing lasers. Both eyes are capable of conjuring furniture and kitchen appliances, which glow the same blue light as her lasers and the Nannasprite herself, the purpose of which depends on the eye used. However, an oven created by her intact eye with the purpose of catching and launching John was later used to offensively launch a cookie-infused laser at a Crude Ogre, though it's possible this was a completely different oven created by her scarred eye.

Rose's Kernelsprite
Rose Lalonde's Kernelsprite was prototyped twice before Rose entering the Medium. She initially prototyped it with Jaspers, and Dave prototyped it with the Eldritch Princess. Her Kernelsprite is shown to be very reliable, as it grabbed Rose with a tentacle to rescue her from a fall. It was hinted that Rose would prototype the sprite with Jaspers after Jade mentioned Sburb might be able to bring Rose's dear cat Jaspers back from the dead. Notably, it was prototyped not only both times before it entered The Medium, but the (formerly) living element was introduced before the nonliving element. If this has any effect on the finished sprite, it has not yet been shown. So far, the only notable difference is that Rose's kernelsprite initiates direct physical contact to save Rose, whereas the Nannasprite uses indirect means.

Oddly, Rose's Kernelsprite seems to be in Kernel form surrounded by a orb of light, unlike John's, who only transformed into Kernel form after John entered the Medium. Whether this is a mistake made by the author or a result of double prototyping before entering the Medium is not known.

As Rose is the first person to prototype twice before entering the Medium, the are questions about the effects of double pre-prototyping. It is uncertain whether the Imps be wearing some sort of Jaspers furry suit, or a princess costume, or a combination of the two.

Dave's Kernelsprite
Shown on the monitor in the Skyship Base, it apparently will be prototyped with the remains of the Rambunctious Crow. In its "Sprite" form it resembles a ghostly bird with a katana lodged in its chest. Readers believed it would be prototyped with Bro's puppet Lil Cal, but that looks less likely now since remains of Lil Cal's body seem to rest on the ground under the Kernelsprite during the brief scene. However, it's quite likely that the Kernel hasn't undergone Tier 2 Prototyping yet.

Jade's Kernelsprite
Jade Harley will, almost without doubt, have a kernelsprite of her own like the other Homestuck Kids. However, Jade has tended to break tradition previously, so it is hard to speculate on what her kernelsprite will be. Bec may or may not be involved in the kernelsprite's prototyping. The various Big game trophies might also be used. It may also be prototyped with one of the Distinguished Houseguests sitting on the sofa in the room where Jade encountered her Grandpa. One might suggest that since her Grandpa is dead, his spirit may become her Kernelsprite like Nana became John's, her Grandpa also follows all the traits of the already known kernelsprites so it is highly likely that he will become Jade's kernelsprite. Given that she still has a pair of tanglebuddies in her inventory, it is possible that they will be involved.