Ancestor

Ancestors are a concept in Troll society. They are historical figures who lived centuries before the set of twelve trolls who are followed in Homestuck. Each ancestor is said to be a close genetic match to a particular troll, and young trolls believe that they are supposed to find clues about their ancestors. The ancestors are also intended to serve as role models for adolescent trolls. Each of the twelve trolls in Homestuck shares the same zodiac symbol and blood color as his or her respective ancestor.

The ancestors of the main twelve trolls were Ectobiologically created by Karkat Vantas. If the Troll ectobiological process follows that of the humans', then it is probable that Karkat first cloned the ancestors and then from the mixing of the ancestors' genes, the current generation of Trolls would have been produced. Conversely, the revealed ancestors look like grown up versions of the current trolls, which suggests that there might have been no mixing process involved at all. This is more in line with the social concept of Troll ancestors who are said to have the closest genetic match with their descendant.

The Ancestors have tend to follow a naming scheme that consists of an eight-letter title and an eight-letter (last?) name, made from two common words. There are some special cases, though, and not all of the titles and names have been revealed. E%ecutor Darkleer broke the pattern when he became Expatriate Darkleer. The Sufferer has two titles, Signless being the other, both of which are eight letters. Mindfang is the only ancestor with a both a first and a last name, and her first name, "Spinneret", is nine letters long. The Grand Highblood does not appear to fit the pattern at all, though it is not certain that is his true title. Her Imperious Condescension is sometimes referred to as The Condesce, which fits.

Terezi, Vriska and Eridan all named their Flarp characters after their ancestors.

While Aradia's ancestor has not been shown, it is mentioned in her introduction page that she retrieved the technology to create Sgrub from the Frog Temple on the instructions of her ancestors.

According to Doc Scratch, the Trolls' twelve ancestors were the original Sgrub players in the Trolls' universe. However, their session became unwinnable, and they chose to perform the Scratch in order to have more favorable starting conditions, losing their memories and knowledge of the game in the process. As part of the bargain they struck with Echidna, though, they would be unable to participate in the new Sgrub session and became the Trolls' ancestors while their own ancestors became the Trolls.

The Sufferer
The ancestor of Karkat Vantas. Like the other Ancestors he was one of the 12 unsuccessful heroes from a scratched session. However, unlike the others he gradually began to remember his previous existence, in a then peaceful Alternia. Inspired by his visions, he spread word of a culture free from conflict and suppression based on blood color. This eventually resulted in a large scale sectarian revolt that would be crushed by the highbloods. After the revolt, he was captured and killed. Even though any reference to the revolt (including in HS 5658 (private journals)) was forbidden, his followers and teachings remained alive in secrecy. His love for his most devoted follower, Nepeta's ancestor, went beyond the four quadrants.

As his name implies, the Signless one was not given a symbol like other trolls normally do. It was through his instruments of punishment (Shaped like the Cancer sign) that his followers gave the signless one a sign.

Both the tale of the Sufferer's peaceful teachings and his martyrdom, and the adoption of the means of his torture as a symbol for his cult following are direct references to Christianity. In this context, the running "longpants" gag provides a parallel to the Holy Shroud of Turin. His Leggings also resemble Karkat's now-memetic HS 005748 (pants.).

The Summoner
The ancestor of Tavros Nitram. According to Mindfang's journal, he was a commander of an army of beasts and a member of the Cavalreapers who by skill and bravery became their leader, then won their undying loyalty by growing or revealing wings much like the God Tier Trolls have. His evolution would inspire his troops to follow him in a revolution against the Highbloods, eventually resulting in the banishment of all adult trolls to space, leaving the planet only inhabited by the young. This is possibly a reference to the fact that Neverland is only inhabited by kids who stay young forever.

According to the Magic Cue Ball, the Summoner was fated to become Mindfang's matesprit, but was also destined to be the one to kill her. Due to his lowblooded status he would not be born for some time after the last entry in her journal was made.

He is somewhat similar to Rufio, and much like how the Signless became a myth over the years, his own actions may have inspired the Pupa Pan stories.

The Ψiioniic
Pronounced "Psionic", The ancestor of Sollux Captor, and a follower of the Sufferer.

He was a mage of unequaled telekinetic ability, who was inspired by the Sufferer to defy his masters and break out of the slavery typically assigned to his low class, or those of his psychic power.

It's unknown what implications the Ψ symbol in this ancestor's name actually have, though it may have something to do with the Condensce, considering the letter resembles a trident, and the same letter is used in the name of Feferi's 2x3dent, Ψdon's Entente.

Or it's possible that Hussie just meant the Ψ to be pronounced as it is in the Greek Alphabet, where it is "Psi".

After The Disciple escaped the E%ecutor, and the Dolorosa was sold into slavery, The Ψiioniic was "enlisted in a far worse, if more prestigious service", implying that perhaps he went on to serve the Her Imperious Condescension in some way, mirroring Sollux's relationship with Feferi. This service was later revealed to be a grafting to the flagship of the Condesce, where he was forced served as helmsman, and direct engine with his powers. It was during his tenure here that the Condesce apparently grew fond of him, artificially increasing his lifespan intill he finaly died during the vast glub while raceing back to the troll home planet.

The Disciple
The ancestor of Nepeta Leijon, the Disciple was The Sufferer's most devoted follower. She listened to every vision he retold, every lesson he preached, and faithfully recorded his scripture. The Sufferer eventually opened his heart to her, and their love surpassed the four quadrants, transcending the grid entirely. She was to be executed along with The Sufferer, but the E%ecutor took pity on on her and allowed her to escape. She absconded with the Leggings, the only remaining evidence of The Sufferer's existence. She spent the rest of her life in caves, recording The Sufferer's teachings on the walls with the blood of slain creatures. Her dedication would be critical to the persistence of his message.

The Dolorosa
The ancestor of Kanaya Maryam. She raised the Sufferer to maturity from just a grub due to a chance meeting while she was running an errand. Due to her Jade blood, she belonged to a rare class whose only duty was to tend to the mother grub in a cavern. Seeing no other chance for the Sufferer's survival, she abandoned this duty after finding the Sufferer to raise him. In time she became his first follower and one of his close circle. After he was executed, she was sold into slavery of vicious sea dwellers, making it likely that she is indeed the female slave Mindfang takes an interest in, as was previously speculated. If this is true, then she was assassinated by Dualscar.

"Dolorosa" is the Latin word for "grieving", and serves as a traditional attribute of the Virgin Mary (in the full form "mater dolorosa", or "grieving mother"), thus bearing a connection to Kanaya's and her Ancestress's Virgo symbol.

Neophyte Redglare
The ancestor of Terezi Pyrope and a neophyte legislacerator who was sent to apprehend Mindfang and bring her to justice after the incident with Dualscar. She is said to be quite talented, but she is still inexperienced, as evidenced by the title "Neophyte". She eventually captures Mindfang, who underestimated her, not knowing about her dragon lusus Pyralspite. Mindfang's sensitive vision eightfold is burned out by looking into the dragon's bright eyes, and her arm is severed by Redglare.

During her trial however, Mindfang manipulates the spectators into turning against Redglare, rather than herself. The rioting spectators pull her from the central court platform and proceed to hang her from the noose intended for Mindfang.

Redglare is also shown to wear the sign of the Sufferer around her neck, signaling that she supported his ideals.

Marquise Spinneret Mindfang
The ancestor of Vriska Serket. Mindfang was a pirate and the leader of a notoriously deadly fleet of Gamblignants. In her youth, Vriska found a journal in an impact crater that told about Mindfang's life and had clues for hidden treasures, including Vriska's dice and massive piles of treasure. Mindfang was also the namesake for Vriska's Flarp character. Through her HS 5407 (journal), it is revealed that she had a kismesissitude with Orphaner Dualscar, Eridan's ancestor, which may have been Vriska's inspiration for her relationship with Eridan. Mindfang seemed to have a habit of playing Redrom games with various trolls, most of them of lower castes, which Orphaner despised and envied. The journal also revealed that Mindfang had a female slave lover who was possibly Kanaya's ancestor, the Dolorosa.

After hearing that Neophyte Redglare was sent to apprehend her she thinks of it as little more than a joke. Underestimating the inexperienced Redglare she is taken by suprise when the Neophyte confronts her, together with her Lusus, the Dragon Pyralspite. She loses an eye and an arm in the confrontation and is taken into custody until her trial. Using her powers of manipulation, however, she successfully turns the onlooking crowd against Redglare instead, leaving her only to deal with His Honorable Tyranny to complete her escape.

Once she escaped, she met with Darkleer, who created a new robotic arm for her. Through use of a certain mysterious item (see below), she is also aware that she is destined to have a flushed relationship with "the summoner" (Tavros' ancestor), who will also be responsible for her death.

In addition to being the owner of Vriska's Fluorite Octet, she has also been shown to be the previous owner of the all-knowing cue ball, having also had communications with Doc Scratch (who called her his protege) in a manner similar to Vriska. Once she retrieved it from Darkleer's home, she hid it with her journal serving as the map, believing that knowing the future caused her more harm than good. It can be assumed that Vriska used the journal to find the ball.

Expatriate Darkleer
The ancestor of Equius Zahhak, skilled in machinism of some kind that is analogous to his descendant's work in robotics. He was banished for sparing The Disciple when he was supposed to execute her. Unlike his descendant, both of Darkleer's horns, as well as his teeth, are at the current point in the story unbroken (Equius's teeth are stated to grow back (usually) in his HS 4111 (introduction page). )

Mindfang escapes from her trial and seeks out Darkleer for a "debt" to be repaid in the form of a prosthetic arm. Mindfang has found that her admiration of Darkleer has vanished over the sweeps (years) as he continues to mourn the situation involving the woman and his banishment. She considers his work to be a good "distraction" for any grieving that might weigh on his mind.

It is later revealed that Darkleer was once known as the E%ecutor, and was tasked with executing the followers of the Sufferer, though he could not bring himself to kill Nepeta's ancestor, The Disciple.

Darkleer is thought by Mindfang to be surrounded by a Void that conceals him from Doc Scratch's omniscience. She left the Cue Ball with him so that Scratch would not be able to locate it. This ability is most likely related to his descendent's role of the Heir of Void, and may provide an explanation for why Vriska was able to keep the Cue Ball hidden from Scratch in turn.

Unknown Subjugglator (Grand highblood)
The ancestor of Gamzee Makara and a member of the subjugglators, presumably the leader.

After Dualscar's kismesissitude for Mindfang failed, he offered her location to the High Blood. Mindfang writes in her journal that this plan either will or already has failed spectacularly due to the subjugglator's sanguinary nature, resulting in Dualscar's death.

He decorated his walls with the blood of his victims. The gory rainbow includes blood of all castes (excluding tyrian purple, Karkat's candy red, and his own), which surely HS 3914 (pleases him).

Orphaner Dualscar
&nbsp The ancestor of Eridan Ampora. He was Marquise Spinneret Mindfang's kismesis, and the original owner of Ahab's Crosshairs. He was prone to jealousy, despising Mindfang's redrom games with other trolls though she was only his Kismesis. Dualscar had Mindfang's potential matesprit, possibly Kanaya's ancestor, assassinated and placed an even larger bounty on her head. It is also mentioned that he had a redrom interest in the Troll Empress of their time, most likely Feferi's Ancestor. "Orphaner" is likely a reference to Eridan's- and possibly Dualscar's- practice of killing other troll's lusi in order to feed Gl'bgolyb, leaving them orphaned.

He attempted to inform the Grand Highblood of Mindfang's location, but was likely killed by the Subjugglator due to the clown's insane and unpredictable nature. However, since both Ahab's Crosshairs and the Fluorite Octet were found on the same ship by Eridan and Vriska, it remains a possibility that Dualscar escaped the Highblood's wrath considering the fact that Mindfang likely would not have come into possession of the crosshairs without Dualscar dying somewhere where she would have access to his remains. (The only source currently available for this information is Mindfang's journal, and she doesn't seem to have bothered with confirming Dualscar's fate, so strictly speaking his fate after meeting with the Subjugglator is unclear.)

Her Imperious Condescension
&nbsp The ancestor of Feferi Peixes, the Condesce was empress during the lifespans of the trolls' ancestors. According to Mindfang's journal, she was responsible for banishing adult trolls from Alternia at some point between the end of the journal and the canonical events, apparently to diminish the risk of rebellions. It is also noted that she has an extensive lifespan and contact to a "deep undul8ing monstrosity" which is likely Gl'bgolyb, Feferi's lusus. Her longjevity allowed her to live intill the current timeline, and due to her distance she lost her connection to Gl'bgolyb allowing it to become Feferi's Lusus. She is currently still alive and raceing home as fast as her ship can carry to the home planet.

She was also the object of Dualscar's flushed ambitions, though it would seem that she did not reciprocate. It is currently unknown as to what relationship the two may have had in comparison to the relationship between Eridan and Feferi, though Mindfang stated in her journal that the Condesce "will never even know his name".

Trivia
With the updates regarding the story of the Sufferer, one may surmise that the slave encountered earlier by Mindfang is the Dolorosa. This makes it match the story in a sense, as Mindfang was apparently surprised by her blood color, which either implied a pretty lowblood, or a highblooded slave. The Dolorosa is jade blooded, which is rare enough in its own right. If this were true, it would mean Dualscar killed the slave (Dolorosa); the Summoner killed Mindfang; Dualscar was possibly killed by the orders of Her Imperious Condescension/The Grand Highblood; and Mindfang killed Redglare. Interestingly, Kanaya killed Eridan (albeit after being killed by him and subsequently revived); Vriska killed Tavros; Feferi was killed by Eridan; and Terezi killed Vriska. This likely has to do with the ancestors HS 5373 (finishing what they started) (ie: revenge) via the young troll kids.