Canon • 
Dubiously Canon
Doc Scratch is the first guardian of Alternia, charged with facilitating its “ultimate purpose”,
but also second-in-command of the Felt and the host body of his master Lord English.
Near-omniscient, he is an extremely skilled manipulator, and was involved in both the early upbringing of the troll Kanaya Maryam and the rise to power of the human Rose Lalonde.
Concept and creation[]
Containing partially the genes of Arquiusprite and therefore Lil Hal, Doc Scratch's suggestion that he is like a “kindly human uncle” to Rose Lalonde could in fact be taken more or less literally.
Etymology[]
Doc Scratch's name derives from the name for the billiards foul of pocketing the cue ball - a scratch - and of course from the scratch phenomenon with which he is closely associated. Scratch is also a traditional nickname for the Devil, to whom Andrew Hussie has frequently compared the character.[1]
Scratch's own assessment of his name is that it is “[b]efitting of the passive gunslinger charged with initiating the break”, suggesting the title of Doc may be in tribute to the Doc Holliday famously involved in instigating the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. He also clarifies that it is only a nickname, hinting at its masking of his true identity as a literal host to Lord English.
Biography[]
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Origins[]
Doc Scratch has spawned in “countless universes”, with the same goal of bringing about Lord English's birth every time, and has never once failed in this objective. Though only his specific birth in the trolls' universe is known, he calls the ever-present cue balls his “seeds”, and his genetic template Lil Cal has been known to manifest his master's power in other ways, giving clues as to other ways this objective may be fulfilled.
Doc Scratch's birth.
In the A2 session, his first guardian genetic code was transcribed into five different books; Tavros Nitram, Aradia Megido, Vriska Serket and Terezi Pyrope were all responsible for scrawling the codes “t1CK”, “t0ck”, “8r8k” and “H34DS” into their personal Flarp rulebooks, while Gamzee Makara's “honk HONK” code was written into Karkat Vantas' ~ATH handbook in the blood of the friends he slayed in a doomed timeline and transported back to the alpha timeline by an Aradiabot via Skaia's gates. Gathered together by a young Snowman, as per the genesis of most first guardians the codes within were combined in a Frog Temple ectobiology lab with the genes of a parent template; in Scratch's case, Lil Cal and one of his cue ball seeds. As the Reckoning in the Medium came to an end, the Frog Temple, infant Scratch inside, was caught by another Skaian gate and became the first meteor to strike the planet Alternia.
Overseeing Alternia[]
Having been unable to influence the events of Alternia's pre-scratch iteration, which had been called Beforus, Doc Scratch set about “[rewriting] everything” about the planet's history, creating an entirely new story with the new versions of its inhabitants which fellow author Andrew Hussie referred to as his "troll fanfiction". Among the larger changes Scratch made to the planet were the introduction Gl'bgolyb as “a sentience-warming gift” to the trolls, giving the Condesce leverage over the rest of the race and enabling her harsh regime, as well as seemingly creating or moving its green moon into orbit.
Scratch made this new satellite his home, communicating with the other worlds in his sphere of influence by way of a typewriter somehow capable of intruding upon private chats. Also among his paraphernalia is a series of chessboards resembling the Battlefield's various evolutions, and the very ~ATH manual containing part of his genetic sequence, which he employs as a scrapbook.
Marquise Spinneret Mindfang was particularly tied up in Scratch's manipulative web, being bestowed the backhanded title of “protege”. In footsteps her descendant would eventually follow, Mindfang obtained the upper hand over her mentor by procuring one of his magic cue balls, which was hidden from his sight by a dark pocket surrounding the mysterious expatriate she was giving refuge to.
Far later, Scratch seemingly involved himself in the adventures of the human Joey Claire who found herself in his "neighborhood",[citation needed] delivering her friend Xefros Tritoh encryption software called Scratchware which enabled the pair to communicate without being surveilled,[citation needed] and quite possibly supplying her with various other hints on her journey.
Manipulating children[]
Scratch's visits to the young Kanaya facilitated her awakening on Prospit. Later, he manipulates Vriska Serket into attacking her friends Tavros Nitram and Aradia Megido. He personally distracts Aradia and Terezi Pyrope from helping Tavros simply by standing near them during their Flarp session. He did this in order to facilitate the cycle of revenge that would eventually lead to his own creation, thus ensuring the path of history.
After the Reckoning[]
After the Black Queen is exiled to the Alternian wastelands during the trolls' Sgrub session, she is "given a new purpose" by Scratch, who teleports to the wastelands where she roams. He makes a deal with her that ties her life to the life of the trolls' universe, causing it to end when she dies, and she becomes Snowman.
After arranging the events of Hivebent, he works out a plan with Rose, guiding her along a path she is led to believe would destroy the Green Sun, killing Bec Noir and himself. Scratch suggests that the reason for Rose being sidetracked from paying attention to her friends, harsh methods of learning about the game, and the origin of her black magic powers were caused by unconscious manipulation by the Horrorterrors, so he advises her to ask the Cue Ball for information rather than them or the trolls. He specifically encourages her to ask it if the Outer Gods were evil; whether the answer to that question is inscrutable or not, Rose viewing the Cue Ball's answer to that question causes her to "go Grimdark", the most notable effect of which is to seek revenge on Jack.
At around the same "time," the trolls' version of Jack, Spades Slick, has finally tracked down Scratch, continuing his mission from the Midnight Crew Intermission to destroy The Felt. Scratch's omnipatience eventually runs out when Slick trying to bludgeon him over his dome curls the metal weapon into unusability and offers Slick to partake of a bottomless supply of licorice scotty dogs before asking him something.
Scratch and Disc 2.
When Terezi scratches Homestuck's second disc the comic gradually becomes more glitchy to the point of "unplayability" and the reader is forced to consult Scratch, who offers to repair the damage before the Scratch happens and tell the story while the disc is repaired.
Scratch explains, in roughly sequential order, what would have occurred if Terezi let Vriska go, Rose's battle with Jack Noir, and why Terezi killed Vriska (all originally planned to be a flash animation). After Slick breaks the grandfather clock, giving Vriska a Just death, Scratch picks up his scrapbook and uppercuts Slick out a window for his crimes against his precious timepiece.
Scratch ordering Slick to kill Snowman.
Slick lands on a nearby building; Scratch lands next to the wounded Slick, pulls out his revolver, and then points the handle at Slick, repeating that he must kill Snowman. He then teleports Slick to a currently unknown location and reenters his mansion, dismayed at the mess he must tidy. He lets the reader look through his photos.
Scratch is interrupted during his tidying by a banging noise, and he leaves the reader with his clippings to investigate. The source of the noise turns out to be the young Handmaid, Aradia's ancestor, dressed in a Felt outfit and attempting to break the fifth wall with a chair. The two STRIFE, and a miffed Scratch bludgeons her with his discipline broom. He then begins the story of the Sufferer, Karkat's ancestor, and the stories of their ancestors, attempting to reeducate her of her purpose. As he talks at length about his fanfiction, the Handmaid turns on the fifth wall remotely, and Andrew Hussie breaks into Scratch's manor. The rest of the story up until the end of the next paragraph has this theme song ♫.
Andrew Hussie aggrieves Scratch.
While Scratch continues his story, our author makes his way through his mansion, encountering the Wolf Head in addition to the scrapbook pages and the bowl of “==>” command candies. After eating several of the candies and taking the rest, Hussie assaults Scratch with his own broom while the Handmaid flees. Scratch, while Hussie is assaulting him, becomes inanimate and resembles a lifeless puppet, and has his right leg ripped off by Hussie as a result. This references the Lil Cal Puppet part of his ectobiology.
English emerging from Doc Scratch.
Having been rendered immobile by Hussie, as Universe A dies, Lord English emerges from within, Scratch having been a truly excellent host; the circumstances of his birth repeat, with the magic timepiece “t1cking” and “t0cking” as his “H34D” “8r8k”s open, and the Lord of Time unleashes a Vast “honk HONK”.
When Rose succeeded her plan, it is revealed that Scratch tricked Rose to create the Green Sun instead of eliminating it. She should've asked better questions. Suckers.
Personality and traits[]
Doc Scratch was developed by Hussie with a devil figure in mind. It is no surprise, then, that he is a master at manipulating people and events to his own ends, leading Alternia to live a radically different life than its pre-Scratch counterpart did. From extremely radical changes like introducing a Horrorterror onto the trolls' home planet to more cosmetic changes such as the addition of his own green moon, Scratch seems determined to leave his mark. Hussie aptly describes the planet as Scratch's troll fanfiction, with Scratch changing details of the original planet but keeping the same people.
Scratch is self-assured and believes himself better than amateur manipulators like Vriska and Equius, as unlike them, "He never lies", and he always plays with his cards face up. He also seems to be extremely intelligent and composed, as during the very same conversation with Vriska, he states that even though he tells Vriska what his next moves will be during their matches, she still can't beat him. This is because he is an expert manipulator of people but does not rely on deception to accomplish it—a skill that Vriska envies in both Scratch and Terezi.
The fact that he writes in the color white and that he has no Pesterchum handle (due to typing on a typewriter) indicates that he prefers to remain an anonymous party and work behind the scenes, carrying out his schemes with the least amount of influence possible. He doesn't want to be directly involved in the happenings that lead to fulfilling the planet's ultimate purpose, nor to his employer's entry to the universe, and therefore prefers to coerce others to do it. Figuratively speaking, he seems to consider others to be less than players, mere pieces to be moved into place—or perhaps billiard balls which, when struck by the cue ball, will move, whether they desire to or not. In fact, though only a small portion of the conversation can be seen, in one panel we see Aradia conversing with Scratch via Trollian, highlighting a portion of his text that suggests he doesn't understand the arrival of Jack Noir to the trolls' incipisphere, and isn't supposed to be involved with this particular incident. When he speaks to Vriska it is with an air of superiority, telling Vriska that "The short amount of time I have reserved for arguing with a child has expired."
Scratch punishing The Handmaid.
He has a soft spot for young ladies, as mentioned here, though not in the way one would immediately assume. So far, besides brief conversations with Karkat and Gamzee, all the children he's contacted have been female, and he generally tries to be as civil and polite as possible to them whilst manipulating them. This can sometimes become awkward, as seen in the previous link, though Scratch likely makes it purposefully so for his own amusement.
Being near omniscient, anything unexpected or unexplainable is very troubling for him. For example, Vriska had been able to inch closer to victory during their matches of what appeared to be chess on a game board that looks exactly like the Skaian battlefield after receiving the second Kernelsprite. In addition Terezi had been able to initiate contact with him, despite lacking an account name, an internet connection, and a computer, through the help of Sollux. He refused to tell her his name and instead told her to call him Mr. Vanilla Milkshake, foreshadowing Terezi's future habit of associating colors with flavors. Terezi then explained to him that the only reason Vriska was winning in their games was because she was cheating by using one of Scratch's lost magic cue balls. After being informed of this, Scratch uncharacteristically flips the fuck out and blows up the Cue Ball in Vriska's face, removing her vision eightfold and her arm.
Scratch lashing out at Slick.
After setting all of the conditions for the summoning of Lord English, Scratch claims that he feels he has no further purpose, and has begun to yearn for his own destruction. His relationship with Rose is one part mentorship and two parts creeping her out, with Scratch teasing her and calling her cute even though it skeeves her out. Despite once saying to her [“the plans [Rose was] making were based on assumptions and fabrications of [her] imagination”], Rose ends creating the Green Sun anyway.
Skills and abilities[]
Scratch possesses the far-reaching powers - such as teleportation - and sight of all first guardians: however, having been born into “a host of great intelligence,” his sight reaches the level of near-omniscience. This omniscience is limited by various dark pockets, such as those surrounding Heroes of Void, which he cannot see into but which “effectuate outcomes [he has] foreseen”.
The extent of Doc Scratch's power is also largely limited to “the alpha timeline [...] which boasts exclusive rights both to [his] birth and [his] death”; namely, the timeline which will give rise to his ultimate master and reason for existing, Lord English. Offshoots from the alpha such as the timeline in which Vriska confronts Jack Noir number among his dark pockets, and he is only able to speculate as to what takes place in these timelines based on the rules of circumstantial simultaneity and whatever trinkets he may somehow obtained from that timeline, such as the ~ATH manual containing pictures of the aforementioned battle.
As his name literally suggests, Doc Scratch is also a capable "scratch doctor"; when disc 1 of Homestuck becomes damaged, by teleporting it within himself Scratch is able to repair it to full functionality. For the duration of the disc's repair, however, Scratch is afforded full control over the comic's narrative, an opportunity he takes to fill it with all the troll fanfiction he desires: because it was also Doc Scratch's job to rewrite Alternia's history after the scratch, it could be said that he is able to "doctor scratches" in more ways than just one.
Gallery[]
Merchandise[]
Doc Scratch appears on both the "I: The Magician" and "Ten of Wands" cards in the Homestuck tarot deck.[image?]
Trivia[]
- Though the Trollian window has a pure white background and Scratch's text is meant to be highlighted
to be read, the MS Paint Adventures site's background is actually light grey, and as such his text is readable without highlighting on some screens. - Scratch is about four foot tall, making him the only character given a height in the comic.
- The wolf that harasses Hussie in Scratch's apartment is Gmork from The Neverending Story.
- He bears an uncanny resemblance to the Doctor Who foe Scratchman, who is described as wearing a suit and having a "globe of white fire" for a head.
References[]
- ↑ Andrew Hussie. "It's already evident that Doc Scratch has been manipulating circumstances to help this gruesome series of events unfold. He's always there at the right moment to nudge people in the direction of doing the nasty thing that, deep down, they already know they want to do. Like any self-respecting devil figure would." Homestuck: Book 4: Act 5 Act 1, p. 216.
