Written by: Vicktor Duffy, Staff Writer
CONFUSING: Welcome to Homestuck, where nothing makes sense.
Homestuck is an internet fiction series created by American author and artist Andrew Hussie. Although it is primarily known as a webcomic, it also relied on flash animations and instant message logs to tell its story. In addition to its static panels, the series also incorporated browser-based games. It ran from 13 April 2009 to 13 April 2016, being the fourth and most well-known instalment in Hussie’s MS Paint Adventures collection.
The plot of Homestuck revolves around a group of teens who trigger the destruction of Earth by playing the beta version of a computer game, Sburb. After interacting with an alien race of internet trolls, the teens work with them to create a new universe by completing the game. With a complex and nonlinear plot, Homestuck has gained notoriety for its length of over 8,000 pages and 1.2 million words, and its fervent fan community – who have dubbed the anniversary of the comic “Homestuck Day”, alternatively called “413” (spoken as “Four Thirteen”).
A screenshot of Homestuck page 4, depicting John Egbert in his bedroom.
In 2009, on the day of celebrating John Egbert’s thirteenth birthday, he received a beta copy of an upcoming computer game, Sburb. After installing the game on his computer, a meteor storm began outside in the real world. With John and his friends now transported to “The Medium,” they learn that playing the game has started the destruction of Earth. To save the planet, the kids must now finish Sburb and create a new universe. Along with the help of their guardians, John, Rose Lalonde, Dave Strider, and Jade Harley set out to beat the game and save the world.
(Sburb logo, Image from Wikipedia)
John and his friends encounter a vicious adversary named Jack Noir, as they explore their medium. This is simultaneous with the kids being harassed by a group of 12 internet trolls who are bitter after their own failure of a Sgurb session (their version of Sburb) and blame the kids. As this is happening, John and his friends form connections with four of the internet trolls, including Karkat Vantas, Kanaya Maryam, Terezi Pyrope, and Vriska Serket. The narrative then shifts to follow the trolls and their own specific sequence of events that led them to play the game in the first place.
A screenshot of Homestuck page 1994, depicting Karkat Vantas in his hive.
A screenshot of Homestuck page 2195, depicting Vriska Serket in her hive.
Returning to the present, both species collaborate to salvage the kids’ game session. However, due to Vriska’s scheming, the group inadvertently empowers Jack Noir from a simple adversary to an invincible monster. Tensions grow between the trolls, and some even resort to murder, resulting in half of the group’s deaths, including Vriska’s. Finally, the kids receive information from Doc Scratch about the “Scratch,” a reset mechanism that allows them to escape Jack, but will also inadvertently trigger the summoning of Doc Scratch’s master, Lord English, who desires absolute control over all of reality.
A screenshot of Homestuck page 4075, depicting creator of the comic – Andrew Hussie – assaulting Doc Scratch.
Conducting the Scratch, the universe for the kids is restored, and replicas of themselves become guardians to a new group of players. These players are versions of their own ancestors, and John’s late grandmother, Jane Crocker, becomes fifteen years old and the protagonist of the new arc. Jane leads her companions, including Roxy Lalonde, Dirk Strider, and Jake English – who are the mother, brother, and grandfather of Rose, Dave, and Jade, respectively – throughout their own session of the game. Meanwhile, the original humans and survivors of the trolls explore various dimensions over the course of three years.
A screenshot of Homestuck page 4464, depicting Roxy Lalonde in her bedroom.
Following the restoration of the Earth in the new form, the Condesce – an ex-troll leader now working for Lord English – takes control of the planet. Instead of trolls, the four new kids interact online with two aliens, the siblings Calliope and Caliborn. While Calliope becomes their friend, Caliborn exhibits antagonistic behaviour, resentful of their camaraderie. The two cherubs then play their own version of Sburb within a game session, with Caliborn resorting to murder in order to win by having his sister assassinated.
A screenshot of Homestuck page 5250 depicting Jake English kissing Dirk Strider’s severed head in front of an erupting volcano
After the unification of the kids and the trolls in the new session, they form a plan to create a new universe while defeating Lord English, the Condesce, and Jack Noir. The plan is led by John Egbert, who now possesses skills that allow him to retcon previous events in the Homestuck storyline. As the battle progresses, only a handful of characters survive, with Terezi’s guidance helping to alter the timeline with a route towards their victory. Finally, the conflict ends with the defeat of their enemies, and the survivors ready to enter their newly crafted universe.
(A screenshot of Homestuck page 6230, depicting Karkat Vantas and Dave Strider looking at each other.
Overall, the story of Homestuck is a deeply fascinating journey, offering a captivating and immersive experience. Despite its complex narrative and length, which often leads to confusion about key details and events, Homestuck continues to draw in readers with its unique storytelling approach. As readers dive into this nonlinear world, they are often surprised at the beauty and complexity of the plot. From unique characters to interesting world-building, people often find themselves drawn into this world and captivated by a story that remains fresh and enjoyable even upon repeated reads.
A screenshot of Homestuck page 6242, depicting Caliborn plotting the end of the comic
Homestuck has very realistic characters, not in its art-style but in the personalities. Each character has life problems that they struggle through in the comic which makes them more relatable and engaging. Another thing is the plot itself, at times it breaks the fourth wall and makes readers feel like that are with the characters on an adventure. However, the main thing that makes Homestuck great is that it is subtle. It tells a complex and intricate story in such a way that the reader isn’t in any way baby stepped through the process. Whatever the reason, by some power, Andrew Hussie was able to suspend disbelief and create over 28 living, breathing, round characters that together, told a story that rocked the socks of millions and made it so that I can never look at a bucket the same way again.