Kankri's name was suggested by Tyltalis as a suggestion for Karkat. "Cancri" is the Latin nominative plural form of "cancer", used in the formation of star names in the constellation (e.g. Alpha Cancri, one of the stars in the constellation). Cancri is also the root of the words cancrine, the collateral adjective for crabs, and cancriform, which means having the form of, or resembling, a crab; crab-shaped, and like a cancer; cancerous. It could also allude to the disposition of Karkat being "Crabby". Coincidentally, it also sounds similiar to "cranky."
Biography
Upon entering the door which contains Karkat's secret room locked away memories and dream bubble, a small "scene" (Aranea's exposition) gives more information about some of the post-scratch "dancestors":
“The Seer of Blood played quite a different role on our team from that of his successor, though his potential as a Blood player went similarly unrealized. It was only when he grew up on Alternia did he begin to tap into his abilities, triggering recollection of our lives on Beforus, and what we all went through.
He remembered our more peaceful way of life, and his desire to unite people. As an adult, he was able to do this much more effectively and maturely. Heroically, even. He learned how to inspire others, and be a true leader, even when the odds were stacked against him in his violent culture. It cost him his life, but his message lived on. I believe the Knight of Blood now carries his burden, whether he has decided to accept it or not.
Many of us on Alternia grew up to become secret followers of his teachings. Just as many of us now follow them, though I'd say with a bit more detachment, because we're dead! Speaking personally, I'd refer to myself as more of a "fan" of his story, and what it represents. Both the hidden potential in our friend he never quite found, and the hidden potential in all our people.
During our session, Kankri's trials as a leader were just as frustrating as those of his successor. He found it very hard to get others to take him seriously. While [Meenah] would often try to divide us with [her] troublemaking, and turn us against each other to make us stronger - unsuccessfully I might add - he would try to unite us through proselytizing and lecture, just as unsuccessfully.”
Personality and Traits
He has currently been shown to be slightly naïve (was tricked by Meenah) and rebellious, in a way very similar to a "human teenager". He also tends to educate his companions by preaching long, jargon-filled speeches, parodying the vocabulary and habits of social justice bloggers. He also warns about “trigger w9rds”, which are brought up frequently. It's shown that he is the most long-winded of the characters, to the point where his own ramblings put Karkat in an unusual shocked silence.
While he is obsessed with various forms of persecution and injustice, he brushes off Porrim's stated feelings of persecution as nothing but “pseud9science” and “t99 distracting” from all of his pet issues. (It is unclear whether any of these issues were perceived as significant by anyone on Beforus other than Kankri.) In some ways he's the opposite of Karkat; while Karkat acts like a jerk but has low self-worth and actually cares for everyone, Kankri's tirades of social justice and political correctness mask his arrogant and rather judgemental nature. He can be much ruder to others than Karkat would ever be despite yelling at everyone.
Kankri's calm and dull personality can be broken in mere seconds, however, and he can get very agitated. One of his triggers appears to be being touched. When Porrim was attempting to clear a spot on his face, he got furious and refused to let her help him, and insisted he could remove the mark himself. Then, in Ministrife, he appeared to be frustrated as there was too many people joining the strife at the same time, clustering him. When Kankri gets mad, his punctuated typing style turns into all caps, and his anger is visualized by flames burning in his eyes.
Kankri is committed to a path of celibacy , meaning he refuses to be in any sort of relationship. This is why he doesn't fill quadrants and/or commit to having sex, and seems to indicate that his post-scratch iteration, the Signless/Sufferer, was once celibate when he expresses surprise that the Signless/Sufferer apparently broke this vow with the the Disciple, the post-scratch iteration of Meulin Leijon.
Porrim is fond of him, but she dislikes his unwillingness to see her gender-based persecution as a problem. Nonetheless, she tends to take a motherly attitude toward him, mirroring the relationship between the Signless and the Dolorosa. Unlike the Signless, Kankri is resentful and unappreciative of Porrim's treatment of him.
He is known to have somewhat unrequited flushed feelings for Latula as well, mentioning that he notices many odd little habits of hers. This parallels the complicated relationship between Karkat and Terezi, however the nature of the two relationships differs drastically.
Cronus seems to be somewhat fond of Kankri, as Kankri validates his species identity issues. However, he becomes frustrated at Kankri when he interferes with Cronus's attempts to flirt with Meenah and insults Kankri.
Trivia
His allies gave him the nickname "The Insufferable" for his long-winded speeches and preoccupation with suffering. It is also a pun on his post-scratch iteration, the Sufferer, with whom he openly despises being associated.
He wears his pants hiked up to his chest. As shown in Ministrife, they apparently strongly resemble the Sufferer's pants. Porrim made Kankri a red sweater so that she didn't have to keep looking at them, and also because he appeared to be so cold.
Post-scratch, during the Signless's torture and execution, his pants were hiked up to his chest.
This itself was also a reference to the Pantskat meme, originating from a panel of Karkat in the background where his shirt and pants blended together to appear as though he was wearing ridiculously high pants.
Much like the Signless did post-scratch, he doesn't appear to have a sign. Nevertheless, the symbol "♋", represented as 69, pervades his speech. This was used by the Sufferer's followers in a way of remembrance and respect for him. Why this forms his quirk is still unclear, considering he calls the methods of the Sufferer “pr96lematic”.
It is possible, however, that his sign appeared under different circumstances in the pre-scratch universe and originated from his ancestor. It may also have to do with the fact that B and O are different blood types, and he is a Blood player.
Kankri's naive and rebellious personality and social justice blogger habits were inspired by Tumblr.
Kankri could be seen as depicting "do no evil", as the symbol is often shown crossing its arms.
He and Karkat are the only trolls whose god tiers are not shown with wings. Whether the wings are very small, non-existent, or simply hidden is possible.
Kankri has been seen in Ministrife wearing footie pajamas with many spots whose colors match the hemospectrum, these spots were revealed initially to be grubs, the equivalent of earth babies.
Although never rendered as a talksprite with it, Kankri is shown to have two black stripes on both sleeves of his red sweater on his walksprite. File:2017-04-25 (1).png
, they apparently strongly resemble the Sufferer's pants. Porrim made Kankri a red sweater so that she didn't have to keep looking at them, and also because he appeared to be so cold.
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