Nicholas Scratch
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Nicholas Scratch is a fictional wizard in the Marvel Comics universe. He is predominantly a foe of the Fantastic Four.
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[edit] Character biography
Nicholas Scratch is the son of Agatha Harkness and was a resident of the New Salem, Colorado secret community populated by magic users. Agatha left the reclusive community to live among normal people, and in time even became nanny to Franklin Richards, son of Reed and Sue Richards of the Fantastic Four. Scratch became the leader of New Salem, and brought the community to believe that it had been betrayed by Harkness through her dealings with the outside world. The New Salem witches then abducted Agatha for her trial and execution. They also abducted Franklin Richards in the process, which then caused the Fantastic Four to follow them back to New Salem. Although initially defeated, the Four escaped and confronted Scratch at Harkness's trial, where all of the New Salem community was present. They countered Scratch's claims against Harkness by explaining that they hadn't known of New Salem until Scratch's actions made them aware of it. Outraged, Scratch attacked, swaying the community against him. The New Salem community then banished him to a dimension known as the Dark Realm.
Scratch attempted to return multiple times, seeking to destroy the Fantastic Four in the process, but was foiled multiple times by the intervention of Agatha Harkness, whom eventually disowned Scratch as her son.
Later, after the destruction of New Salem, Scratch resurfaced in the town of Centerville as "Mayor Nicholas." The whole town of Centerville and all of its inhabitants had entered a contract as an amusement park version of "America's Heartland Next-Door." When Patsy Walker returned to visit her hometown, she discovered that the town's whole population was possessed by demons. A team comprised of Avengers and Thunderbolts helped clear the town, which was apparently being victimized by a convoluted conspiracy composed of the amusement park developers, the Sons of the Serpent, and Salem's Seven. After defeating them, the Avengers/Thunderbolts team departed but Patsy selected to remain in Centerville.
Soon Patsy discovered that Scratch was the mastermind behind the ongoing haunting of Centerville. She defeated him and accused him of serving Mephisto, but in reply Scratch called down his true new master Dormammu. Abducting Hellcat, Dormammu then revealed his plans for domination via conquest of Hell, and that Scratch would become Sorcerer Supreme. Dormammu's plans were later defeated by the other Hell Lords causing Hell to freeze over. Dormammu then fled with Scratch.
Scratch had not been seen until he was recently featured in the The Resurrection of Nicholas Scratch three-part storyline in Marvel Knights 4 were Scratch, manipulated Salem's Seven and the Fantastic Four into releasing Shuma-Gorath only for the FF, Diablo, Doctor Strange, and his own children to defeat him and Shuma-Gorath. Scratch was banished to Hell, where he made an alliance with Mephisto.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Like many of the other magicians of the Marvel universe, Scratch possesses vast indeterminate power. He has teleported, fired bolts of force and energy, and has travelled between dimensions. He also has shown the ability to control and influence minds. He has animated gargoyles to serve him.
Scratch wields a staff referred to as the Satan Staff. It seems to serve as a focus for his powers, although the device is not required for his magic.
[edit] Trivia
The name "Nicholas Scratch" is an amalgam of colloquial names for the Devil: "Old Nick" and "Old Scratch" or "Mr. Scratch" (as used in The Devil and Daniel Webster).[1]
