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TabberCanonGrayedCanon • link=Lord English/Dubiously Canon}}Dubiously Canon
For the juvenile version of this character, see Caliborn.

Lord English is an indestructible, all-powerful demon summoned at the end of the universe, although his time travel abilities allow him to appear prior to his actual summoning. Though the demon's true form is an amalgam of various powerful identities, he was originally the cherub Caliborn, who obtained unlimited power and unconditional immortality by clearing a dead session of the game. As a result, he apparently cannot be destroyed by ordinary means, but only through the exploitation of a number of time-based glitches and loopholes.HS He is the leader of the Felt on Alternia, and his current appearance resembles that of an adult cherub, sans wings. Vriska Serket describes English as the 8ig 8ad, saying English was the guy who stacked the whole deck against us from the start, rigging shit to go haywire, wiping out our race, 8lowing up universes, exterimin8ting ghosts, slaughtering dark gods, and shattering reality itself. English was the "demon" summoned by the unhackable.~ath file. He is the overall Main Antagonist in Homestuck as a whole.

Concept and creation

Andrew Hussie has cited various inspirations for Lord English's design. Among them are various Marvel comic book characters, including the reptilian Lizard and the radiation-fueled Hulk - both of whom take further inspiration from the classic tale of Jekyll and Hyde, and the latter of which is further referenced as a movie poster on the walls of Jake's room - as well as the skeletal archvillain the Red Skull. Additional inspiration also came from the Street Fighter series' Mike Haggar, known for his muscular physique and wearing no more than a pair of overall trousers in his early appearances, and the stereotypical "pimp" character Huggy Bear portrayed by Snoop Dogg in the 2004 Starsky and Hutch film (which has been extensively referenced in Hussie's prior work Problem Sleuth). All of these elements were combined with aspects of Lil Cal's appearance to make the Lord English design, which Hussie had already developed long before English was first mentioned in the first Homestuck intermission.[1]

In the billiards schema of the Felt, Lord English is the cue stick, manipulating events and commanding the rest of his gang through his cue ball proxy just as Caliborn sunk the balls in his session through the placement of his cue ball bombs; his peg leg and cane both resemble cue sticks.

As a Lord of Time, English is also similar in some respects to the time travelling Time Lords of the popular English science fiction series Doctor Who, the protagonist of which is known to at times wear suspenders and a bow tie, and even more occasionally a long scarf of many colors. The Doctor is also known for his small time machine, which contains a larger space on the inside, something which is evidently true about English's Cairo Overcoat.

Etymology

A cue ball's spin is referred to as its "english".[2] Caliborn himself adopted the name English after his first defeat at the hands of Jake English, who overpowered him with a blast of Hope; Jake's Grandma took this name to remind her enemy the Condesce of her own greatest fear, making the name's presence in Homestuck a closed temporal loop.

Attributes

Physically, English seems to be a hulking, veined, dark green wingless cherub with clawed appendages, a pool cue peg leg, and a head that bears more than a passing resemblance to that of Lil Cal, except skeletal and fanged, with billiard balls for eyes. English's muscular appearance is due to Caliborn's fusion with Arquiusprite, a prototyped sprite of Equius' remains and Lil Hal, within Lil Cal. As he "hatches" from Doc Scratch during the second intermissionHS, his leg stump bleeds candy red blood before his peg leg appears.

English owns a Cairo Overcoat (a mirror to Mobster Kingpin's Chicago Overcoat) that represents the spacetime continuum and gets damaged when time-related things get out of hand, and a Backup Coat, that may or may not possess the same qualities. The Cairo Overcoat can turn into an Egyptian sarcophagus, which English can entomb himself in in order to travel throughout time once inside a universe. It is possible that the Cairo Overcoat is a vague representation of an actual pool table, or perhaps only the felt fabric on which a game of pool is played (similar to how English himself represents a pool cue). Since Sburb is played on the spacetime continuum, these two analogies mesh together almost perfectly. English has been shown to have in his possession a golden scepter similar in appearance to the King's Scepter, atop which is a glowing, multi-colored orb that possibly represents the Green Sun. This scepter seemingly demonstrates a more controlled form of Weapon/Object Duality, as it has been shown to morph into a golden assault rifle. Andrew Hussie met his supposed end by this transforming scepter.

English has supposedly never known any form of defeat. In addition to his invincibility, multiple incarnations of him exist simultaneously in multiple universes, making it virtually impossible to permanently end his existence. Despite these overwhelming factors, Aranea believes that Jake is destined to best English in combat, which would mark the demon's first defeat and send hope to others that one day he may be destroyed forever, which is likely in reference to Jake's hope-powered defeat of Caliborn, which directly led Caliborn to become English.

A statement made by Dave indicates that he believes he himself is meant to kill Lord English at some point, which is also believedHS by the Condesce, who attempts to encourage Dave to fulfill his role. Dave's sword, Caledfwlch, has also been stated to be capable of harming English, due to one of its components being the magic cue ball. As the sword was originally found as part of Dave's quest, it would seem likely that Dave indeed is the one destined to defeat English. It is mentionedHS that there is a weapon capable of destroying Lord English, possibly 'in one shot'. This is in reference to The Treasure.

It is hinted that although English is an adult cherub physically (aside from his lack of wings), he has not matured mentally since his souls were placed into Lil' Cal. Hussie confirms this, saying that Caliborn used the dream self game mechanic to predominate over Calliope in an unnatural way, meaning he skipped critical parts of his maturity and transition into a healthy adult by killing her. This is, in fact, why he never sprouted his wings.

It is strongly implied that English somehow has constant access to the limitless power source that most cherubs can only use during reproduction. This power is mysterious and near boundless, and flashes various rainbow colors, just like English's powers.

In [S] Collide, English is shown taking on many God-Tier trolls at once. Given that they presumably used all of their abilities on him at once off-screen, this would make him stronger than even the combined strength of many God-Tier players. Vriska implies that his attack power is stronger than anyone else she's aware of, since he can kill ghosts and no one else canHS. Also according to Doc Scratch, English is stronger than Bec NoirHS.

Hussie has also confirmed that English has the powers of a first guardian.

Biography

Dark influence on Alternia

Instances of Doc Scratch have spawned in countless universes ... [and] never once failedHS to complete their ultimate objective of summoning Lord English. The most prevalent instance of Lord English in Homestuck, however, was brought into being at the death of a Doc Scratch who lived on Alternia's green moon, having been created from the combined genes of Lil Cal and a magic cue ball, with the genetic code that makes up all first guardians. As such, this Lord English has both the powers of a first guardian and of various souls trapped within the puppet, Caliborn chief among them. As he is born, he reenacts the encrypted genetic code that led to Scratch's birth, 8r8king from the first guardian's H34D and releasing a Vast HONK. Using these first guardian powers, he retrieved the Cairo Overcoat which had been in author Andrew Hussie's possession.

From the end of Alternia's timeline, English used the Overcoat to travel back to the very beginning, becoming the master of the troll race behind the scenes through agents such as Doc Scratch and his Handmaid, and taking up the role of leader of the Felt; his influence over Alternian culture, particularly through the clown religion, leads him to become seen as a mythological figure representing D34TH 1TS3LFHS, as well as one half of a pair of Mirthful Messiahs alongside his second in command. When a youthful Handmaid attempted to escape Scratch's custody, thinking English was yet to be born, the Lord of Time stopped her, and announced the truth: he is ALREADY HERE. At some point during his dominion over Alternia, he also contained a station observing the progress of one Karkat Vantas in an immense temporally-locked vault for unclear reasons.

Ravaging the Furthest Ring

Eventually arriving once more at the end of the timeline, from the ruins of Scratch's apartment English travelled to Hussie's home by breached fenestrated plane, where he destroyed the author's robotic duplicate, assaulted poor Ms. Paint with his cane, and eventually gunned the author himself down. Taking a white wand from Hussie's possession, Lord English symbolically takes control of the conductor's baton.HS As the Condesce arrives back on the destroyed troll homeworld from her own crusades in space, she confronts the Handmaid and is forced to take up the role of English's new servant, continuing his plans during her subsequent time on Earth.

Leaving his cane/rifle at the scene of the crime, Lord English travels from there into the Furthest Ring, and quickly begins destroying everything in sight, including both dream bubbles and the ghosts dwelling within, seemingly in search of one thing: the ghost of a version of his sister with the potential to destroy him. In this crusade, paradox space began to take critical damage, and for whatever reason its inhabitants the Horrorterrors were caught in the crossfire; just as the Squiddles are masked psychic projections of these beasts, their assailant became the peglegged ins8tia8le fishermanHS Skipper Plumbthroat.

Collision

The rampaging cherub is eventually confronted by an army of ghosts including Meenah Peixes and Karkat Vantas. Karkat leads the charge in the ensuing battle, but is instantly vaporized and sent back to the land of the waking by a blast of Lord English's rainbow breath. Disrobing of his coat, English dives into the fray, tearing through the army with ease with both his immense physical strength and unbreakable immortality powers. Meenah is able to evading his punches long enough to land several impressive but totally ineffectual hits, and with Tavros Nitram as a distraction Aradia Megido freezes the beast in time, allowing other members of the army to barrage him with further attacks. English quickly breaks free of this spell, however, and knocks the combatants away again to continue his massacre of the army. Despite Davepetasprite^2's determined effort, they too are beaten back by English with a triumphant roar.

At this moment, Vriska Serket arrives with Lord English's own ultimate weapon, which supposedly contains four legendary heroes with the ability to beat the cherub back. A supermassive black hole created by his sister roaring at his back and absorbing the Green sun link, one of his sources of power, English's ultimate fate is left up in the air as John Egbert and his friends escape to a new world unburdened by his influence.

Gallery

Merchandise

Lord English is depicted on the "XIII: Death" card in the Homestuck tarot deck.

Trivia

  • Lord British is an otherwise invincible NPC in the Ultimate series of RPGs who could only be killed through the manipulation of various oversights and glitches in the series' early installments.
  • English may represent the titan Kronos/Cronus from Greek mythology, a universal ruler and force of evil, who overthrew Ouranos/Uranus (as in Calliope's handle).
  • Jake's introduction pageHS says he would "give [his] RIGHT LEG" to go real-life adventuring; English himself has no right leg.
  • In the Intermission, English's name appears as Lord English, without the flashing pool ball sequence replacing the "o". This detail doesn't appear until Doc Scratch's introduction in Act 5 Act 1.
  • Oftentimes, one frame of the Lord English .gif images will show his overcoat displaying the colors of a Hero of Time, his aspect.
  • The numbers of English's eyes correspond to the paired numbers of Quarters' coins. 8 is always paired with 8, 7 is always paired with 10, 6 is always paired with 9, and 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are paired with 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 respectively.
  • The only two letters to remain black, not changing color at all in English's threatHS to his Handmaid, were L and E, the initials of his title.

References

  1. Andrew Hussie. "This is exactly how I pictured LE looking before I even made the Felt intermission. I think if I revealed him then, practically everyone would say, yeah that’s about right. Just a nasty, monstrous looking mob boss with some gaudy accoutrements. In time, as the mystique surrounding him accumulates, people get other ideas. I think some wanted a more suave motherfucker to bust onto the scene, someone perhaps sleek, dapper. This doesn’t fit the concept at all, nor suits anything we knew about him previously. Doc Scratch is his smooth, well mannered counterpart. He already fills that role. LE as Scratch 2 is a really boring idea to me. LE as a big, no-nonsense brute, functioning as Mr. Hyde to Scratch’s Dr. Jekyll, is much more interesting. (Hey, there’s another bullet point for the reference slurry, if you’re taking notes, re: Jekyll/Hyde.) So instead of some elegant dude too dashing for words who exploded from the screen of the yaoiest anime you ever saw, he looks a bit like this and this and maybe some of this and a smidgeon of this and oh yeah some of this and a whole fuckload of this and just a pinch of this, ok wait maybe not that last thing." :o - LE factoids. November 4, 2011.
  2. PoolDawg Staff. Understanding the “English” of a Cue Ball.


Homestuck Characters
Pre-scratch
Kids
Heir of Breath Breath Aspect Seer of Light Light Aspect Knight of Time Time Aspect Witch of Space Space Aspect
JohnLogo John Egbert RoseLogo Rose Lalonde DaveLogoSlashed Dave Strider JadeLogo Jade Harley
ectoBiologist [EB]
ghostyTrickster [GT]
tentacleTherapist [TT] turntechGodhead [TG] gardenGnostic [GG]
Post-scratch
Kids
Maid of Life Life Aspect Rogue of Void Void Aspect Prince of Heart Heart Aspect Page of Hope Hope Aspect
JaneLogo Jane Crocker RoxyLogo Roxy Lalonde DirkLogo Dirk Strider JakeLogo Jake English
gutsyGumshoe [GG] tipsyGnostalgic [TG] timaeusTestified [TT] golgothasTerror [GT]
Post-scratch
Trolls
Maid of Time Time Aspect Page of Breath Breath Aspect Mage of Doom Doom Aspect Knight of Blood Blood Aspect
Aries Aradia Megido Taurus Tavros Nitram Gemini Sollux Captor Cancer Karkat Vantas
apocalypseArisen [AA] adiosToreador [AT] twinArmageddons [TA] carcinoGeneticist [CG]
Rogue of Heart Heart Aspect Sylph of Space Space Aspect Seer of Mind Mind Aspect Thief of Light Light Aspect
Leo Nepeta Leijon Virgo Kanaya Maryam Libra Terezi Pyrope Scorpio Vriska Serket
arsenicCatnip [AC] grimAuxiliatrix [GA] gallowsCalibrator [GC] arachnidsGrip [AG]
Heir of Void Void Aspect Bard of Rage Rage Aspect Prince of Hope Hope Aspect Witch of Life Life Aspect
Sagittarius Equius Zahhak Capricorn Gamzee Makara Aquarius Eridan Ampora Pisces Feferi Peixes
centaursTesticle [CT] terminallyCapricious [TC] caligulasAquarium [CA] cuttlefishCuller [CC]
Pre-scratch
Trolls
Witch of Time Time Aspect Rogue of Breath Breath Aspect Heir of Doom Doom Aspect Seer of Blood Blood Aspect
Aries Damara Megido Taurus Rufioh Nitram Gemini Mituna Captor Kankri Vantas
Mage of Heart Heart Aspect Maid of Space Space Aspect Knight of Mind Mind Aspect Sylph of Light Light Aspect
Leo Meulin Leijon Virgo Porrim Maryam Libra Latula Pyrope Scorpio Aranea Serket
Page of Void Void Aspect Prince of Rage Rage Aspect Bard of Hope Hope Aspect Thief of Life Life Aspect
Sagittarius Horuss Zahhak Capricorn Kurloz Makara Aquarius Cronus Ampora Pisces Meenah Peixes
Cherubs
Muse of Space Space Aspect Lord of Time Time Aspect
Calliope symbol Calliope (Alt) Caliborn symbol Caliborn
uranianUmbra [UU] undyingUmbrage [uu]
Guardians
Dad Roxy Lalonde
(pre-scratch)
Dirk Strider
(pre-scratch)
Becquerel
God Cat Rose Lalonde
(post-scratch)
Dave Strider
(post-scratch)
Brobot
Supporting
Characters
Jane Egbert Jaspers Lil Cal Jake Harley
John Crocker Mutie Lil Hal Jade English
Sprites
Nannasprite Jaspersprite Calsprite
Davesprite
Jadesprite
Tavrisprite
Gcatavrosprite
Fefetasprite
Jasprosesprite^2
Arquiusprite Erisolsprite
Davepetasprite^2
Carapacians /
Exiles
Wayward Vagabond Peregrine Mendicant Aimless Renegade Windswept Questant Writ Keeper
Agents
Jack Noir (B2) (Dead Session) Draconian Dignitary (B2) Hegemonic Brute Courtyard Droll
Midnight Crew
Spades Slick Diamonds Droog Hearts Boxcars Clubs Deuce
The Felt
Lord English Doc Scratch Snowman
Denizens
Typheus Cetus Hephaestus Echidna
Hemera Nix Yaldabaoth Abraxas
Consorts
Salamanders Turtles Crocodiles Iguanas
Underlings
Imps Ogres Basilisks Liches Giclopses
Other Black QueenBlack KingSkaian armiesGenesis FrogLususAncestors (The Condesce)HorrorterrorsBetty CrockerColonel SassacreCaseyGuy FieriInsane Clown PosseMaplehoofRambunctious CrowHalleySerenityMSPA ReaderMs. PaintAndrew HussieSawtoothSquarewaveHis Honorable TyrannyCalliope and Caliborn's parentsAngelsFantrolls
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