This is just another photo I took of the bottom pic in case people wanna look at it alone without everything else cluttering up around it lol. IDK I'm still kinda proud of it even though I made plenty of mistakes. I need to draw Scratch more because I love Grounder and Coconuts too but there's something about Scratch that hits just right, she's honestly my favorite, and she's probably the most open to interpretation IMHO. Plus ya know more avian rep! And yes yes I know in the cartoon Scratch is usually referred to as "he" but in the moment Grounder calls Scratch his sister, to Masonic, and says it so casually. Scratch defies gender, sexuality, and everything else!



WHOO sorry I ramble a LOT past this point. I just go super stupidly in-depth about my headcanons so buckle up if you're into that! My brain loves analysis and I do love discussion so I don't mean to intimidate anyone who feels differently about this. I love Scratch as a guy; it makes no real difference to me, but Scratch as a woman relieves a very particular itch for me. A nonbinary itch! Anyway...

I headcanon that all of the robots are working with the same attachment section regardless of which genitals are installed so they can swap in and out whatever genitalia they want, they're going off instinct as to what makes sense based on how they were programmed but they don't automatically come with anything so literally all of the robots are just nonbinary by default, take on whatever pronouns felt fitting. For most of them it's he/him because they're predominantly aggressive attack robots and that's a masculine arch-type. Scratch is one of the few who embraces it in a different way down the line because he just simply had no idea there were other options. He got so excited over Masonic but I personally don't interpret it as Scratch being truly interested in Masonic.

Obviously it was a ruse in the first place, they were just trying to capture him, but Scratch was so excited while primping and looks so sweet while cuddling him (lol but without Masonic's consent haha.) I like to think this was Scratch's idea, it certainly wasn't Robotnik's because they ran off before discussing it further, and Scratch looked so disappointed at being rejected and Grounder is so irked at first, you can take it any number of ways (personally I do think of Scratch as aromantic allosexual poly) but because of how Scratch also acts in Babysitter Jitters, where she's definitely not into Sonic (lol hell it was actually GROUNDER'S idea to use the inflatable hedgehog puppet sex doll, I tend to forget that but the cut-away implies as much, then Scratch really got into it before bashing Sonic in the head with a rock.) With Sonic, Scratch is visibly into the attention and is less upset at the rejection and more the insults/pain and suffering from being run over by a steamroller, that I just feel like Scratch wants to be adored as a sexy woman and for me that translates easily into some flavor of nonbinary. Given that Scratch is also comfortable presenting as masculine I headcanon that Scratch is genderfluid, prefers feminine as it's the most separate from her past connection to Robotnik, but she isn't attracted to most men lol sorry.

Like we do have the mildest evidence Scratch kissed a male toad. Scratch very casually says he kissed one once but doesn't confirm the gender, before Grounder confirms that Grounder has kissed a male toad which might be the same one, but there's so little information that could go several ways, we don't even know if the toad was anthro though that's the implication from Grounder, so it doesn't automatically contradict my headcanon.

Nor does the radio incident from Sonic's Song preclude Scratch from liking guys, I honestly still think she'd be into Battle Kukku XV lol, but we really don't see Scratch approaching much of anyone. He tried to impress Breezie once and got bitter at being shot down (and seemed to hold a grudge. I feel like he was disgusted by her romantic reaction towards Sonic's love poem.) He was also VERY into kneeling before Katella and then being stepped on by Katella's heels (IMHO Scratch is definitely into some S&M given the way he smiles sometimes and looks into the pain lol it's rare but it happens more than once plus he loved torturing the Pharaoh, he enjoys giving and receiving pain IMHO.)

And ultimately Scratch did care about Henrietta's well-being, he actually targeted and incurred the wrath of Robotnik to protect her, but he had a head injury at the time and wasn't acting like himself plus I really don't think he's used to affection from anyone besides his twin so Scratch just didn't know how to respond to her cuddling him. It might sound simple but he finds romance gross and outside of media, the twins don't have much reference for dating, plus Edgar clearly never hugged Ellie in the show they watched, so Scratch's observations didn't entail responsiveness. He however DIDN'T push Henrietta away as Edgar was shown to do, so I think he liked it. The twins are touch starved and in need of love and comfort which is why they hug each other when they're scared and also tried to get that from Robotnik a few times at first

Scratch caught Henrietta in his arms which is a literal trust exercise IRL; bare minimum he felt platonic consideration for her needs and is genuinely capable of caring about someone besides Grounder, without harming Grounder in the process. I think Scratch is comfortable with PDA but his aromantic nature and his lack of guidance is what lead to all of that, whether you think he's into Henrietta or not. I'm actually of the opinion he was simply too muddled to respond which is why he seems disinterested but Henrietta was absolutely into him and I know paper thin disguises are common in AoStH but because Sonic and Tails weren't fooled and her dad was confused upon seeing Scratch, I personally headcanon that Henrietta thought Scratch's explanations about himself and the show meant Scratch was Edgar's stunt double! It would make sense for how she found him, how Scratch goes through life, and Scratch only talking about the show while insisting he's Edgar but Henrietta just didn't go into that detail herself lol cuz I'm explaining something the writers didn't so I know it's probably not their intent but it's really hard to tell with AoStH sometimes.

Also, Henrietta didn't even act as enamored towards the actual Edgar which could just be because she was heartbroken however that means she had to be heartbroken over Scratch himself IMHO. I mean yeah, maybe she just needed some time to adjust to the real Edgar but AoStH moves lightening fast with romance and also they had a parasocial relationship, even Sonic wasn't shown to be all over Sonette when he was faced with a similar situation, so I don't believe she got together with Edgar Eagle in the end. I think he just showed up to cheer up a fan and that's it. AoStH is a comedy but when the humor isn't weird cartoon hi jinks it's very much grounded in more realistic emotional drama played for laughs.

But anyway, you can honestly headcanon Scratch as all sorts of flavors of LGBTQA+++ so I'm not fussed if we disagree on the specifics. I'm just explaining my thought processes here. I think Scratch enjoys presenting more feminine and yes more masculine at times, but I headcanon she especially loves being feminine (there's also the cheerleader outfit in the Christmas Special so this doesn't disappear entirely) and she's most attracted to women. lol if it makes you feel better, I headcanon that the Archie Scratch is also nonbinary but loves masculine presentation the most and prefers men. I enjoy Henrietta, I love most of the girls from AoStH, and I just don't personally see AoStH Scratch with guys much even if he banged some. lol I HC Coconuts as pansexual and Grounder as pan or omni but Scratch just feels like a lesbian to me. I think it'd be funny AF to watch her get all flustered with other hot girls or trying to seduce them by pretending she's mysterious, mean, and sultry while actually being goofy AF and adorkable underneath that veneer. It's literally just Scratch as a woman because that's absolutely how he is as a guy... literally nothing changes other than of course the outfits and some of the mannerisms.

ANYWAY thanks for coming to my TED Talk. I'm really very open to most things though I will argue for Scratch/Penelope or even Scratch/Gwendolyn before I'd argue for Scratch/Masonic. I just... yeah. lol but I enjoy discussing pairings! I love all sorts of smut and rarepairs are my jam. You enjoy everything you already enjoy and don't mind my opinions.