Meet Nicholas Scratch, the Son of Agatha Harkness

From the forbidden knowledge hidden deep in Doctor Strange's mind to the taboo Darkhold spells chained to Scarlet Witch's soul, the magicians of the Marvel Universe never reveal their secrets. But after a community of mystics banded together and hid themselves away from prying eyes, Nicholas Scratch—the son of Agatha Harkness—accidentally revealed their greatest secret to the world. Since exposing his fellow magic users, Scratch has faced off against the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and even his mother. 

Still, Nicholas Scratch possesses some secrets of his own, and they once came close to destroying the world. Now, let's take a closer look at Nicholas Scratch and break down why he's one of the Fantastic Four's most serious threats.

WHO IS NICHOLAS SCRATCH?

Nicholas Scratch stepped into the Marvel Universe in FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) #185 by Len Wein and George Perez, where he led a small town buried deep within Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Following the persecution of witches and warlocks in the Salem Witch Trials, Agatha Harkness and her coven moved there in the 17th century. They built New Salem as a safe haven that was never included on any map or known to the outside world. At some point, Harkness gave birth to Nicholas Scratch, who grew up to be a powerful warlock in his own right. 

When his mother left the town to return to the wider Marvel Universe, Scratch rose to power in New Salem. In addition to the considerable magic he wielded through a wand called the Satan Staff, Scratch fathered several superhuman children, collectively known as the Salem's Seven. Vertigo, Brutacus, Gazelle, Hydron, Reptilla, Thornn, and Vakume served under their father.

NICHOLAS SCRATCH VS. THE FANTASTIC FOUR

Afraid that Agatha Harkness would reveal New Salem's secrets, Nicholas Scratch targeted her while she worked as Franklin Richards' nanny for the Fantastic Four. Scratch's followers abducted Harkness and the young Richards, and he sent a robot called the Eliminator to destroy every trace of his mother in the outside world. 

The Fantastic Four defeated his machine, then used a unique ore within it to trace its origins back to New Salem. Just as Scratch was about to kill Harkness, New Salem's residents realized his actions had exposed New Salem's existence to the FF, and they banished him to a hellish dimension called the Dark Realm. 

Shortly after that, Salem's Seven tried to restore Scratch, but Harkness and Franklin defeated them in FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL (1963) #14 by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. Scratch eventually found a path into the Negative Zone, and he used that to possess Franklin in FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) #222 by Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz. The Fantastic Four, Harkness, and Gabriel the Devil-Hunter exorcized Franklin, and Harkness removed her son's innate mystical powers as punishment.

THE RESURRECTION OF NICHOLAS SCRATCH

When Nicholas Scratch escaped from the Dark Realm again, he returned to Earth with new powers and a new mission from his master, Dormammu. Scratch took over the town of Citrusville, California, which happens to be the home of Hellcat (Patsy Walker). When Hellcat visited her hometown, she realized that demons had possessed all of its residents, and she called in the Avengers and Thunderbolts in AVENGERS 2000 (2000) #1 by Kurt Busiek, Norm Breyfogle, and Richard Howell. 

After the Avengers defeated the demons and Salem's Seven, Hellcat realized Scratch was helping Dormammu increase his control over the underworld. She ultimately convinced Dormammu's rival Hell-Lords to drain his power. 

When Scratch eventually resurfaced, he attempted to free the ancient cosmic entity Shuma-Gorath in 4 (2004) #25 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Valentine de Landro. Posing as Harkness and then Doctor Strange, Scratch tricked Salem's Seven and the Fantastic Four into summoning the squid-like demon. When Scratch tried to sacrifice both groups to the hungry god, the Fantastic Four and Salem's Seven teamed up with Doctor Strange and Diablo to banish Shuma-Gorath and Scratch to other dimensions.

NICHOLAS SCRATCH'S RETURN

After regrouping in the Dark Dimension, Nicholas Scratch resurfaced in FANTASTIC FOUR (2022) #7 by Ryan North and Ivan Fiorelli. Alongside the Salem's Seven, Scratch ambushed the FF during a traffic jam and briefly sent the heroes into the Dark Dimension. 

After Scratch proclaimed victory and teleported away, the team quickly realized the Dark Dimension had altered their genetic structure, leaving them incapable of digesting food. When the heroes reopened Scratch's portal to the Dark Dimension, they reversed the damage to their genetic structure, but they accidentally unleashed an other-dimensional bacteria that came close to causing worldwide extinction.

Although the Fantastic Four neutralized the Dark Dimension bacteria, Scratch kept tabs on the team—particularly Franklin Richards and his vast reality-warping powers—starting in FANTASTIC FOUR (2022) #18 by North and Carlos Gomez. Although Franklin seemingly lost his powers, he had actually secretly limited them so he could mature at a more natural pace. 

After Franklin briefly reactivated his full powers to save Earth from invisible asteroids, Scratch undid his handiwork. The FF managed to stop the asteroids, but Scratch still watches the team, and he's the only person who knows Franklin's big secret.

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