Genshin Impact: The Wanderer / Characters

With the revelations about his fate after the third Archon Quest Interlude and the consequences surrounding it, there will be unmarked spoilers. Read at your own risk!

Scaramouche, "The Balladeer" / Kabukimono / Kunikuzushi / Shouki no Kami, the Prodigal / "The Wanderer" / "Hat Guy"

Introduced: December 7, 2022 (v3.3 "All Senses Clear, All Existence Void" [first half])
Voiced by: Luyin (Chinese), Tetsuya Kakihara (Japanese), Min Seung-woo (Korean), Patrick Pedraza (English)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wanderer_9.png

Eons Adrift

^{Click here to see his appearance as The Balladeer}

^{Click here to see his appearance as Shouki no Kami, the Prodigal}

^{Click to see his appearance as the Kabukimono}

"How dare you die like this... and break your promise to me...? What a joke... it's just ashes... nothing left but ashes... if only I could've burned to death in that fire, too... no, in fact, I wish I'd never been born at all..."

Rarity: 5★
Element: Anemo
Weapon: Catalyst
Constellation: Peregrinus, the Pilgrim

The former sixth-ranking Harbinger of the Fatui. Originally the first in a line of puppets created by Ei, the Electro Archon, to hold her Gnosis in her place, a series of tragedies drove him into misanthropy. At the invitation of its founder Pierro, he joined the Fatui, where he quickly rose up its ranks until he was given a name and a place among the Harbingers. Centuries later, the puppet now known as Scaramouche returned to Inazuma twice to wreak havoc, the second forcing Yae Miko to hand him the Gnosis in exchange for the Traveler's life, before being recruited by Dottore, his handler and second-ranking Harbinger, to become Sumeru's new God of Wisdom and displace Kusanali/Nahida, the Dendro Archon. After being defeated by the joint efforts of the Traveler and Nahida, the latter nevertheless takes him under her care, eventually revealing to him that the Doctor orchestrated his descent to madness. Broken with despair over realizing he had been lied to his whole life, Scaramouche tried to erase himself from Irminsul, though his body survived, albeit amnesiac; with the Traveler and Nahida's aid, the Wanderer, as he is now known, regains his past memories and now strives to—in his own, vitriolic way—atone for his sins, both by helping the two from the shadows as well as swearing vengeance upon the Fatui, Dottore in particular.

The Wanderer imposes his will by sending wind razors to swiftly tear apart his foes. His Elemental Skill, Hanega: Song of the Wind, blows away surrounding enemies as he enters the Windfavored state, wherein he levitates in midair and upgrades normal and charged attacks turn into the stronger and wider-ranging Kuugo: Fushoudan and Kuugo: Toufukai, respectively, the latter in particular having a negated stamina cost; in addition, the state has its own stamina meter in the form of Kuugoryoku Points that are depleted and can be consumed whenever he dashes in midair or reaches for a higher elevation. His Elemental Burst, Kyougen: Five Ceremonial Plays, stomps a wind vortex that blows away surrounding foes and immediately ends his Windfavored state.^note

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General Tropes

The Ageless: Due to his nature as a puppet designed to achieve "Eternity", he retains a youthful appearance in spite of having lived for centuries. He will never physically age, cannot suffer illness, and shows resistance to even supernatural ailments such as the Tatarigami and Abyssal corruption.
Animal Motifs: In the fairytale rendition of his past, Nahida portrays him as a kitten living among the foxes of Inazuma. This comparison seems quite apt, as his personality is very comparable to feline stereotypes. He is fiercely independent, having formerly been known mostly for his abrasiveness and arrogance. Even after mellowing out a bit, he's still very much someone that is standoffish and reluctant to admit to his desire for companionship, coming and going as he pleases and dumping gifts on the Traveler as a display of fondness.
- To drive the feline connection even further, his 2024 birthday art shows him relaxing in a tree with multiple cats. While he complains about them walking all over him, it seems like a hollow complaint since right after that he talks about plans to spend time playing with them.
Antagonistic Offspring: His resentment towards his "mother" Ei has driven him to repeatedly cause strife and chaos in Inazuma over the centuries. He took on the name "Kunikuzushi" ("Country Destroyer", a stock villain in Kabuki Theatre) as a slight against her and her devotion to her ideal of Eternity. As a Harbinger, his manipulations led to the near-total destruction of the Raiden Gokaden, and he later oversaw the Delusion Factory in Yashiori that helped supply weapons for the Sangonomiya Resistance. His ultimate goal, however, was to steal the Electro Gnosis for himself and become a god, fulfilling the destiny he believed she had denied him. Even after his Hazy-Feel Turn, he still resents her decision and believes her good intentions don't excuse her abandonment of her "child."
Arch-Enemy:
- Of the first three Harbingers the Traveler encounters, they develop a beef with Scaramouche in particular, thanks to his sadistic attitude and the role he played in Teppei's death during the Inazuma Archon Quest, with the fight with him in the climax of that of Sumeru having far more buildup than Tartaglia's or Signora's before him.
- In the aftermath of the third Archon Quest Interlude, he swears vengeance against Dottore for murdering Niwa, his first friend, and using that to manipulate him into joining the Fatui.
Artificial Human: Towards the end of the Inazuma Archon Quest, Miko reveals that Scaramouche was a prototype divine puppet that Ei made, then left on his own after deeming him inadequate to hold the Electro Gnosis. Later, he was discovered by the Fatui, who he found so amusing he decided to join them and cause even greater chaos.
Artificial Intelligence: Though an artificial being, his mind is indistinguishable from that of an ordinary human. He possessed emotions from the moment of his creation, and naturally developed a complex personality over time with absolutely no signs of any programming to limit his functions. This starkly contrasts him with the Raiden Shogun, a far more limited puppet with strict programming and very little in terms of individual personality or emotions. Though plagued by a feeling of lacking a "heart", his ability to dream and even receive a Vision mark him as possessing a far more complex intelligence than any other puppet encountered in the series.
Become a Real Boy: His search for a heart was spurred due to his desire to experience human emotions. As the Wanderer, he claims that he's given up on becoming a human, but Nahida tells him that he already possesses the emotions expected of one, and is just trying to bury them.
Breaking Old Trends:
- Downplayed with regards to his promotional art. The Wanderer is the first playable character since Rosaria whose Wish artwork pose does not completely match that of his Character Introduction; in the former, his kasa is missing and his arms and hand gestures are readjusted, but his facial expression and overall pose remains similar to that of the latter.
- Of the weekly bosses, Shouki no Kami is the first one where the entrance to his Trounce Domain after defeating him once in the story is in a different location for subsequent rematches; in his case, the Trounce Domain entrance to his boss fight is in the eastern outskirts of Sumeru City, while his boss fight during the Archon Quests is accessed inside the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
- He's the first Harbinger boss to not switch elements in the middle of their fight. Prior to him, both Tartaglia (Hydro, Electro) and La Signora (Cryo, Pyro) would switch elements (explained as switching from their Vision to their Delusion or vice versa) in the middle of their fight.
Broken Tears: Sheds these in his Character Teaser while burning down the house he lived in with the nameless child after the latter's death.
Brought Down to Badass: Several times throughout his long life, he's lost his powers and been reduced to merely an extremely durable puppet. When Ei decided to set him free, she placed a seal on his powers in the hopes he would live as an ordinary person. Instead, he would learn to forge and wield a sword from the people of Tatarasuna, several of which were vital in the development of Inazuma's martial arts. He spent an unknown period of time as a wandering swordsman, until he was recruited into the Fatui and developed into an agent specializing in exploring the Abyss. His accession to godhood was brief, and erasing himself from Irminsul cost him the rest of his divine powers. Though no longer a god or close to one in power, his resolve allows him to obtain a Vision and begin fresh with powers that are entirely his own and not inherited from his creator.
Corrupt the Cutie: Dottore's mission in Inazuma centuries ago brought him into contact with the kabukimono, still an innocent and pure being. He claimed to begin a new experiment, seemingly interested to see whether he could fill the puppet with hatred and corrupt him as a future recruit for the Fatui. Though he survived absorbing the filth in the Mikage Furnace without being cursed, being told that Niwa betrayed him served as the "second betrayal" that would drive him to become cautious of humans. In a manner, the Traveler is also responsible for "corrupting" the innocent Wanderer, by helping him regain his lost memories, though in this instance it is justified, as after knowing that his crimes were already fated to happen even after he erased his role in them from within Irminsul, he declares that he had no choice but to bear responsibility for them.
Culture Chop Suey: After becoming the Wanderer, his identity is a mix of Sumeru and Inazuma. He has a Sumeru vision since he obtained it there, has learned multiple dishes from the country and his new outfit has some elements of Sumeru's style mixed with his original design. His specialty dish is Shimi Chazuke (based on Inazuma's Unagi Chazuke), and his specialization in the Akademiya centers around Inazuma's History and Politics.
Culture Equals Costume: In the "Unreconciled Stars" event, the Traveler and Paimon, then in Liyue find Scaramouche's attire to be foreign-looking, with him explaining that he came from Inazuma, where it is revealed that he was a prototype in a series of divine puppets Ei/Beelzebul developed to rule Inazuma and carry the Electro Gnosis in her place. When he becomes Wanderer, his outfit, while keeping elements from Inazuma like the Kimono top, the obi belt and the pleated shorts, also features elements from Sumeru's clothing like the bronze leaf ornaments, the draped stole over his left shoulder and the sumeru patterns on his veil.
The Cynic: The Wanderer is always quick to assume the worst about others, whether it be the other Harbingers, Yae Miko, or people in general. He even has a hard time believing that Nahida took him in for benevolent reasons, although he considers the possibility.
Cynicism Catalyst: While his abandonment and Niwa's alleged betrayal left him in a vulnerable state, the kabukimono still held on to hope when he befriended a similarly nameless and abandoned human child. The two promised to live together as a family, but unfortunately, the child was already dying from the effects of the Tatarigami. The child's sudden death was the kabukimono's first experience with how fragile human lives actually were, and this proved to be the final straw. The grief and despair drove him mad, and after failing to kill himself, he would start down the dark path that led him to join the Fatui as one of its most hated and feared Harbingers.
Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: Gender inverted and deconstructed. During his days as a puppet, Ei deemed him inadequate to hold the Electro Gnosis when she saw him crying in his sleep, but neither did she have the heart to either destroy or assert control over him. Instead, she put him to sleep so he could decide his direction in life once he woke up, even leaving him a feather containing her symbol, presumably meant to help him. However, regardless of her intentions, he saw Ei's action as abandonment, her symbol only bringing him more trouble than it is worth, thus giving him the mother (pun intended) of all mommy issues.
Dark and Troubled Past: There's very little about his past that isn't dark or troubled, leaving him a fairly nihilistic and bitter person even after allying with the Traveler. Dottore murdered his dearest friend and framed the man for his crimes, tricking the kabukimono into believing Niwa had murdered an innocent and left a human heart as a parting "gift". This horror caused him to abandon his first home, wandering aimlessly until he befriended an orphan that soon died from illness. Driven mad by his grief and rage at being abandoned, the puppet would join the Fatui and willingly become a nameless tool that divided his time between the Abyss and Dottore's lab. As a Fatui Harbinger, he took part in the organization's schemes to weaken the other nations, carrying out political assassinations, inciting civil war, supplying dangerous Delusions to the resistance, and otherwise aiding in the organization's crimes. The mercy and compassion shown to him by Nahida and the Traveler are a stark contrast to the cruelty he endured for centuries in a wasted pursuit of godhood.
Deadpan Snarker: He already had a few shades of this pre Hazy-Feel Turn, but his playable appearance has him casually adopt this demeanor in his voice-overs.
(About The Captain) "The ever-righteous Captain," "the brave and fearless Captain," "the nigh-invincible Captain"... Even my mechanical ears demand maintenance after listening to so many compliments from the members of the Fatui."
Defrosting Ice King: While he is still very haughty towards his allies while fighting, Wanderer himself has mellowed out significantly as a playable character, opting to talk to most people with a flatter tone than he ever did as Scaramouche, even if he's actively snarking them. He still avoids expressing any sort of pleasure, even as he gives food for the Traveler in his birthday message.
Despair Event Horizon: Has the unfortunate experience of experiencing two of them. First, in the Wanderer's teaser trailer, he attempted suicide after finding out that the little boy he was taking care of had died, then upon discovering the truth behind Niwa's "betrayal," he attempted to erase himself.
Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: His entire existence has been framed through a desperation to have purpose, to be useful to others. Having been rejected by his creator and left to his own devices, he has been plagued by a feeling of emptiness and a belief that he was meant for more. After joining the Fatui, he came to believe that all honest relationships are based solely on transactions, and his value was based solely on how useful he was to others. He expresses little surprise at being abandoned by Dottore, viewing his defeat as a sign that he has lost his value to the Fatui. The agreement with Nahida is initially framed through his potential value as an informant and assistant, which she at first humors to convince the Traveler to go along with things, but after his "rebirth," Nahida points out to him that not all relationships are based on usefulness, and argues that he already knows this deep down.
Distinguishing Mark: He has an Electro symbol (an inverse mitsudomoe) on the nape of his neck, marking him as the prototype puppet created by Ei, as the Raiden Shogun puppet has a regular mitsudomoe symbol on her neck as well.
Doomed Hometown: Tatarasuna, the mining region that is initially plagued with balethunder and endless storms. As the kabukimono, he lived with the local people and was a central figure in the Tatarasuna Mystery. By the time the Traveler passes through the region and begins dealing with the multitude of problems, the locals that did not succumb to disease or madness had abandoned the area, leaving behind ruins of a once-thriving village and smithing operation.
Does Not Like Spam: He hates sticky food like dango and anything that "makes [his] teeth feel like they're fusing together", in total contrast to his mother Ei, who loves dango and sweets.
Dreamworks Face: It's hard to see, but in his official art his right eyebrow is a bit raised, thus qualifying as this.
Driven to Suicide: In the Wanderer's Character Teaser, after the death of the child he was taking care of during his pre-Fatui life, he sat down in the burning house they were living in, initially planning to burn himself along with it until something came along to stop him. His attempt at erasing himself from the past in order to save those who died at Tatarasuna also carries implications of this, and then "More About Wanderer: IV" voiceline outright confirms that when Wanderer entered Irminsul, his only wish was to never be born at all.
Wanderer's Character Story 5: The puppet was a discarded milksop, the Kabukimono unaccomplished and sheltered, and Scaramouche was a schemer — one who eventually went against divine decree, seeking to go against the tides of the world. But what of it? Once upon a time, these inhuman hands had shut a great blazing furnace without caring if his ten fingers were burned to a crisp. Now, these hands grasped at the tiniest possibility, twisting the truth to fulfill his wish. Yes, embrace it, embrace it with this form that shall be obliterated! To ruin with this life, as worthless as flowers and feathers and the dawn dew! Farewell, world! The future shall be what it will. Farewell nonetheless!
Duel Boss: The last battle of the third Archon Quest Interlude pits him against a recreation of the Shouki no Kami in a solo fight.
Elemental Hair Colours: Downplayed, then defied. As the Shouki no Kami, his purple hair matched his usage of the Electro Gnosis, but he was also able to wield Anemo, Cryo, Pyro and Hydro. Afterwards, he loses the Gnosis and gains a green Anemo vision.
Elemental Eye Colours: Downplayed, then defied. As the Shouki no Kami, his purple eyes was the same colour as the Electro Gnosis in his possession, but he was also able to wield Anemo, Cryo, Pyro and Hydro. After he lost the Gnosis, he gains a green Anemo vision instead. However, he can temporarily play this trope straight when activating his burst, where his eyes glow Anemo teal.
Emo Teen: Essentially what his personality devolves into when he becomes the Shouki no Kami, he spends the entire fight spouting lines, that a teenager thinks are nihilistic and deep, but just fall straight into this trope with a bit of Chuunibyou involved. Even the ascension materials all but call him a pathetic child using mirrors to avoid judgement and using symbols to emulate the Shogun all with his usual denial.
Reality...is PAIN.
Exposed to the Elements: While his commentary about different nations' weather suggests he can feel temperature in some manner, he doesn't seem to require protection from the elements. His flashback cutscene shows him walking barefoot in the snow, and his cameo in "Song Burning in the Embers" shows that he never bothered to bundle up like his fellow Harbingers when staying at the palace. Instead, his only compromises to the frigid weather in Snezhnaya were a pair a closed-toed boots and wearing his uniform coat over his shoulders like a cape.
Eye-Obscuring Hat: Masks are commonly worn among the Fatui to conceal their identities, but Scaramouche instead uses the wide brim of his hat to hide his face from view. This mannerism continues on after he becomes the Wanderer, though he seems to do it more often to avoid showing his emotions.
Fairytale Motifs: His character teaser, "Ashes", centers on him being compared to the toy soldier from Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale The Steadfast Tin Soldier.
Feather Motif: His Orphan's Plot Trinket is the Plume of Luxury, a golden feather given to him as a parting gift from his creator. This feather is an important aspect of his various identities, as the physical reminder of his divine origins. As the newborn Kabukimono, he wore it tied to strings and low on his chest, as the "proof of identity" that tied him down. As Scaramouche, he had abandoned wearing the feather and instead chose to wrap himself in a villainous identity. Whether he still kept it during his time with the Fatui or not is unknown, but the feather returns when he is reborn as the Wanderer. Instead of being tied by literal strings, the ornament is attached to his Anemo Vision as a symbol of his newfound freedom.
Foreshadowing:
- Even though Scaramouche's very first appearance in the "Unreconciled Stars" event barely reveals any major information about him, a closer inspection of his back during his conversation with the protagonists shows the Fatui's insignia in one of his belongings.
- His Inazuman heritage and similarities to the Raiden Shogun's appearance hints at a connection. The end of the Inazuma Archon Quest reveals he was a prototype of the Raiden Shogun puppet that Ei had let go out of sentiment, which is further reinforced by the description of the Surpassing Cup artifact lining up with this.
- The "Case of the Eccentric" is an early clue to his involvement with Tatarasuna and the Raiden Gokaden. His ability to fool so many experienced swordsmiths with an altered blueprint, bringing scandal and ruin to the Isshin Art, makes perfect sense once his past is revealed as having been friends with Niwa Hisahide, a distant relative of the Kaedehara Clan and fellow practitioner of the Isshin Art. His knowledge of weaponsmithing would later go on to serve as the basis for his field passive, which halves the Mora cost of ascending bows and catalysts.
- Flavor text from the Husk of Opulent Dreams artifact set give an insight to Scaramouche's past life. In particular, the Song of Life (Sands of Eon) tells of his origin as a vessel for the Electro Gnosis, who was eventually deemed defective by Ei after he developed emotions; however, because she did not want to either kill or assert control over him, she instead left him out alone in the world, while later puppets were built such that the Gnosis was no longer necessary. When he woke up, he subconsciously began yearning for a heart, only to receive one filled with evil, which inevitably drove him mad. That heart belonged to his friend Niwa Hisahide, who was murdered by Dottore, who in turn lied to the puppet that Niwa betrayed him and that the heart was from a servant he slew during his escape.
- The "Hues of the Violet Garden" event in 2.6 reveals Scaramouche's involvement with the downfall of the Raiden Gokaden, and at the end of the event Albedo reveals the Five Kasen folding screen he made, detailing in particular that Akahito (modeled after Kazuha) was secretly harmed by Kuronoshi's sabotage. The folding screen that is supposed to have Kuronushi's portrait appears empty, but when the Traveler splashes water on it, it appears, revealing Scaramouche's likeness. The furnishing item that is redeemed as a reward after the completing the event's story does not have his image no matter what is applied to it. This was actually a hint of the main plot point of the Archon Quest Interlude Chapter Act III: No one remembers Scaramouche after he erased all traces of his existence except the Traveler, but the consequences of his actions remain unchanged, such as Kazuha suffering from the decline of his clan.
Forged by the Gods: He is the creation of the Electro Archon Beelzebul, created using technology from the lost civilization of Khaenri'ah. This unique nature made him an ideal subject for Dottore's experiments, including an attempt at creating an artificial god.
Gameplay and Story Integration: As a result of tampering with Irminsul, Scaramouche manages to erase everyone's memories of him (excluding the Traveler; Paimon and Nahida regain their memories of him after finding a preserved fairy tale based on Scaramouche's backstory written by the latter), making it as though they don't even know who he is or if he even exists. As a result of this, Childe, the Raiden Shogun, and Yae Miko's voicelines talking about Scaramouche become permanently inaccessible; NPC dialogue and (most) item or location descriptions mentioning Scaramouche is changed to completely omit him.
Gameplay and Story Segregation:
- The player can pull him from the gacha, then play as him in the open world exploration even before completing Interlude Chapter Act III; before that point, he is still your enemy as the Scaramouche, a Fatui Harbinger who has not awakened his Anemo Vision nor taken up the identity and attire of the Wanderer yet. You can also bring the playable Wanderer into the first (non-imaginary) Shouki no Kami boss fight, making there be two of them without explanation.
- Zigzagged when it comes to Fatui enemies in the overworld; they will attack him on sight just like any other party member. While it makes sense post-Sumeru arc, where he no longer has ties to the Fatui nor do they even remember him, this makes less sense prior to completing the Inazuma story arc, where he is still active as a Harbinger.
- In their conversation at the delusion factory, Signora condescendingly tells Scaramouche that the only reason he is ranked 6th among the Fatui Harbingers is because he is able to take more abuse than a normal human [his real ranking is attributed to the intel he brought to the Tsaritsa], Dottore states that Scaramouche is the most resilient test subject that he ever had. However, as a playable character the Wanderer is a Glass Cannon with low defense and HP.
- Despite his insistence on wanting to become Nahida's personal helper and does occasionally assist her at times, the two have very little synergy with one another, as Anemo and Dendro have no elemental reactions with each other, and Nahida's burst is not enhanced by Anemo.
Guyliner: He wears bright red liner at the corners of his eyes, though it isn't clear whether it's actually cosmetics or part of his inherent design. In his early days, it added to his eccentric and noble appearance in comparison to the humble smiths living at Tatarasuna. As Scaramouche, it suited his adoption of theatrical details to his clothing and mannerisms, and as the Wanderer, it remains a sharper detail in his otherwise softened appearance.
Go Mad from the Revelation: Witnessing for himself the truth about Niwa's fate and Dottore's personal involvement in the tragedy completely broke him. He goes from laughing hysterically over it, to being strangely calm and even friendly towards the Traveler. But this revelation is too much for him to bear, and he clings to the vague hope that he might be able to alter the past and prevent those tragedies from occurring. Using the last of his divine powers, he tampers with Irminsul's records of the world and attempts to erase his own existence completely. He survives this suicide attempt only because the laws of the world do not allow one to completely erase themselves without creating a paradox, causing his "rebirth" as the amnesiac Wanderer.
Hates Their Parent: For a definition of the trope — while not so much his parent as his creator, had Ei chosen to keep and raise her prototype puppet instead of leaving him to fend for himself, he would not have maddened into misanthropy or played such a significant role in the tragedy of the Raiden Gokaden, the exacerbation of the Inazuma civil war by the Fatui, and the whole "building a god" plan in Sumeru. Even after becoming the Wanderer, he is still extremely resentful of what he perceives as Parental Abandonment.
Hidden Depths: Though abrasive and seemingly uninterested in mundane, "human" interests, he actually has a wide range of talents and surprisingly domestic hobbies. Even at his worst, lore shows his more gentle side in interacting with children and the elderly, showing them patience and respect unseen in his interactions with other mortals. As he begins his new life as the Wanderer, he also begins to indulge in a number of hobbies that take the Traveler by surprise. In spite of not requiring food, he is a talented cook that can make a variety of dishes from different cuisines. He also takes up sewing and toy-making, relearning skills he had first learned centuries ago to recreate mementos from his past. During his time in Sumeru, he begins an earnest-while academic career, writing essays on the history and socio-political issues of Inazuma, which are well-regarded among other scholars.
How Dare You Die on Me!: His inexperience with human mortality left him unprepared for his young friend's death. As a result, he irrationally saw this as abandonment and raged at how the child had dared to betray him by dying.
Humans Are Insects: Scaramouche makes his disdain for humanity well-known, looking down on them as fragile creatures destined to short, meaningless lives. In particular, his boss form has several voicelines calling the player a variety of insulting terms such as "vermin" or "worms". However, this trope is played with during his breakdown within Irminsul — he refers to the people of Tatarasuna as harmless "insects", even as he's preparing to erase his own existence in a desperate attempt to save them. As the Wanderer, he's still prone to insulting his opponents by comparing them to bugs.
I Have Many Names: Over the centuries, he's gone by numerous aliases and titles, making up for his lack of a personal name. To the smiths of Tatarasuna, he was the kabukimono. Later, he would adopt the alias "Kunikuzushi" to symbolize his resentment towards his homeland. As a Harbinger, he was granted the title of "Scaramouche," the Balladeer. As the newborn God of Arcane Wisdom, he is the Shouki no Kami. And after erasing himself from Irminsul, the amnesiac puppet simply calls himself a wanderer. It is only after facing his past and accepting his lost memories, that he finally receives a real name from the Traveler. Afterwards, Nahida also gave him the alias "Hat Guy" for his academic pen-name.
I Just Want to Be Loved: Heavily implied by his Motive Rant. He considered Ei leaving him a grave betrayal, he was deeply upset by the blacksmiths who took him in fearing his puppet nature, and he lost his sanity completely after a child he befriended died, after which he renounced both humanity and the gods.
I Minored in Tropology: During the Akademiya Extravaganza, the Traveler and Paimon are shocked to see the Wanderer representing the Vahumana Darshan. After a bit of prodding, he admits that he had written several historical and political commentaries out of "boredom". This caught the attention of the Akademiya, and Nahida ended up enrolling him in Vahumana without consulting him. Judging by the reaction from several people in the audience, he's actually a talented writer with insightful thoughts on historical, social, and political theory.
Immortal Immaturity: Though he's over 400 years old, his behavior tends to match with his youthful appearance. As Scaramouche, he was a mean-tempered boss prone to treating his subordinates badly and basing his personality and dress on theatre villains in his quest to dismantle the Raiden Gokaden. As the Wanderer, he's temperamental and struggles to be honest about his feelings, putting up a front.
Important Hair Accessory: Only started wearing large hats after experiencing his third "betrayal," with his two most recent hats being a part of his Fatui attire and his unaffiliated "Wanderer" garb.
Interface Spoiler: The Wanderer's presence in Character Archive reveals both his playable status and the fact that he gets an Anemo Vision at some point in the story.
Irony:
- Twofold occurring as a playable character. Ei as a playable character can't cook but has a Sweet Tooth; the Wanderer, on the other hand, can actually cook something good (based on the description of his Specialty dish) but hates sweets.
- In the past, he sought to obtain a heart for himself to become human. The heart that he obtained (and rejected) was withered and cursed with darkness. He eventually discovers that the heart was taken from his friend Niwa, who was murdered by Dottore, which protected him from the Tatarigami's curse.
"It" Is Dehumanizing: Yae Miko refers to him as an "it", a disdain that has become mutual over the centuries. While Ei couldn't bring herself to either destroy or control him, Miko admits to the Traveler that she had considered killing "it" to prevent problems in the future. Little surprise that the Wanderer has such a low opinion of her in turn, and suggests she's more cruel and uncaring than she appears.
Jerkass: Scaramouche is a jerk who looks down on pretty much everyone. He mocks the Sangonomiya soldiers who used Delusions, treated his subordinates like crap while he was in the Fatui, and is an all-around cynical, unpleasant individual. He keeps the attitude even after becoming a playable character.
Jerkass Has a Point: Even if she didn't realize her actions could be interpreted as Parental Abandonment, Scaramouche isn't wrong on deeming Ei's actions as such, given he didn't see her as his creator, but as his mother. This is what started his Start of Darkness, after all.
Late-Arrival Spoiler: Teasers and cutscenes posted on the official YouTube channel that feature him after Chapter III, Act III became permanently available don’t even try to hide that Scaramouche/Wanderer is a prototype puppet created by Ei that she set free.
Like Father, Like Son:
- Story-wise, Scaramouche and his creator/"mother" Ei both have great difficulty coping with grief and loss, resulting in a lot of problems for people around them, though the way they dealt with these feelings differ. Ei grew fearful and sought to protect herself by going into seclusion, creating a Body Double that had been manipulated into enacting repressive laws by corrupt elements within the Shogunate in collusion with the Fatui, until the Traveler and Miko managed to reach out to her and urge her to confront both her grief and the problems she unwittingly created. By contrast, Scaramouche actively lashed out at the world he felt betrayed him, nearly destroying the Raiden Gokaden and, as a Harbinger, helped the Fatui escalate centuries-old tensions between the Shogunate and Watatsumi into civil war with the aforementioned laws. In addition, both attempted to ascend/depart from the mortal plane, referencing the concepts of samsara and nirvana in a way. Ei calls the mortal world an illusion and a dream, and meditates in the Plane of Euthymia, while Scaramouche attempts to become a god, with one of his voicelines as a boss being "reality is pain" with the devices used to power up his Setsuna Shoumetsu being called a "Nirvana Engine." Ei and Scaramouche's arcs both end with them fighting the mechanical incarnation of their past selves in a plane of consciousness or dream, Magatsu Mitake Narukami no Mikoto and Shouki no Kami respectively.
- Gameplay-wise, The Wanderer's attacks and the Raiden Shogun's Elemental Skill-augmented attacks look very similar, only differing in color. They also have near-identical utility passives that halve the cost of ascending weapons, with the difference being that the Wanderer's affect catalysts and bows, whereas the Raiden Shogun's affects swords and polearms.
Like Father, Unlike Son: In contrast to his mother, he hates sweets, and his favorite drink is tea (the more bitter, the better), while Ei loves sweets, especially dango. Also he is surprisingly good at cooking, which leaves the Traveler baffled, according to the description of his specialty dish, while Ei can't cook at all.
Lost Orphaned Royalty: As the Wanderer is the Electro Archon's creation, he can be seen as a "prince" of sorts. After Ei left him out alone in the world, his early days as the kabukimono were spent among the people of Tatarasuna, who accepted him as one of their own and didn't pay much attention to his origins despite being able to tell from his clothing that he came a noble background, with only high-ranking Shogunate officials such as Niwa, Katsuragi, and Nagamasa being aware of his connections to the Electro Archon.
Lost Technology: The technology used to create him is mentioned to have ties to Khaenri'ah, and the Electro Archon took it as fate when she stumbled upon the information. As such, there are mysteries about where the technology came from and how exactly it happened into Ei's hands exactly when she needed it.
Madden Into Misanthropy: The "three betrayals" stripped away his innocence and his faith in the world, leaving him resentful of the gods and unwilling to ever trust humans again. He swore to close himself off entirely, and wandered throughout Inazuma until Pierro convinced him to join the Fatui. Centuries of being experimented upon by Dottore and sent to dangerous missions in the Abyss as a nameless tool for the Fatui further twisted him, until he became feared and avoided for his sharp temper and mistreatment of his subordinates.
Mayfly–December Friendship: His "third betrayal" is experiencing the death of a child he befriended, which broke his promise to live together as family. This made Scaramouche realize the mortality of humans, and how he will always outlive them. This prompted him to shut his heart and never form friendships with humans again, claiming that humans "can't be trusted."
Mirror Character:
- The Wanderer and the Prized Isshin Blade are both products of Inazuma's forging arts that spent a period of their lives in Snezhnaya, were corrupted by outside influences, have connections with Kazuha, hold grudges towards the Raiden Shogun and wanted to prove their worth, disregarded human lives, spent some time Walking the Earth, and eventually tried to atone for their transgressions through the erasure of their identities. The key difference between them is that the Wanderer managed to recover his memories and is actively working on redeeming himself while the Prized Isshin Blade gave up his consciousness and became an ordinary sword.
- In a surprising twist, he shares somewhat of a similar background with Collei, with their experiences with the Fatui filling them with rage and mistrust against other people for their perceived betrayal. Both would end up in a foreign nation, where they caused a crisis and were ultimately taken under the wing of a caring local, eventually giving them the chance to start over and obtain a Vision.
- The Wanderer and Albedo both have Medium Male body models, are Older Than They Look, were created after the Cataclysm with Khaenri'ahn arts, wear white, black and blue, have a Distinguishing Mark that identifies them as Artificial Humans, were abandoned by their female creators then later taken in by their Long-Lived female acquaintances with Pointy Ears in a foreign land, are a "prince" of sorts and are proficient with a sword. Yae also once said that the Wanderer as the kabukimono was a disaster waiting to happen (and he did end up causing grave internal conflict in Inazuma twice), while Albedo is concerned about losing control and destroying Mondstadt. However the Wanderer is the prototype of the Raiden Shogun puppet while Albedo (or more appropriately, "Subject 1") is Rhinedottir's successful attempt at creating the "Primordial Human" after numerous accidents and failed creations like Subject 2. The Wanderer also prefers bitter tea while Albedo likes desserts, and the Wanderer's Distinguishing Mark is located at the nape of his neck while Albedo's mark is at the front of his neck.
  - Subsequently, the Wanderer also shares some similarities with Subject 2, both having been rejected and sealed away by their female creators for being failed creations, their desire to Become a Real Boy and gain acceptance for what they were intended to be causing them to became the Psycho Prototype after being freed, and attempting to Kill and Replace the "true" version of who they wanted to be. The one difference is that Subject 2's Distinguishing Mark is not visible on his body, which Albedo theorises is because he wanted to blend in better with humans, while the Wanderer's artificial origins has always been known to the people around him.
- Like Xiao, the Wanderer is an immortal male Anemo vision holder with similar abrasive, cat-like personalities stemming from abusive pasts of serving under a morally dubious god for centuries who is now atoning for his bad karma through the duties given by the Archon who granted him a Meaningful Rename and act like a harsh Tsundere towards the Traveler with repeated interaction.
Morality Pet: Nahida is actively working on being one for him, offering both purpose in his new life and attempts at emotional support. While he complains on the surface about her efforts to help him, she's successful in coaxing him into being more social and one of the few people he treats with respect. It's also hinted that Niwa remained one for him, even during his time with the Fatui. During the "Case of the Eccentric," he spared Kaedehara Yoshinori after recognizing him as Niwa's descendant, and likewise expresses interest in atoning to the survivors of the Kaedehara clan.
Moses in the Bulrushes: After Ei left him, he was discovered by Katsuragi, who brought him to Tatarasuna, where he was accepted as one of their own and learned how to act like a human.
Mysterious Waif: He served as one during the historical Tatarasuna Incident, with tragic results. After he was discovered by Katsuragi, he came to live as one of the locals and was noted in historical documents as the mysterious "kabukimono." His divine origins drew the attention of the Fatui, leading Dottore to murder Niwa, his first friend, in a seeming attempt to "test" whether the puppet could be corrupted. Convinced that he had been betrayed and rejected by his human friends, the puppet became more antagonistic towards humans and ended up following Pierro into the Fatui in order to capitalize on his unique nature and powers.
The Napoleon: Compared to his Fatui minions, Scaramouche is comparatively short, and will fiercely berate them for simply giving him a suggestion.
The Needless: As a puppet created to withstand the ravages of time, he doesn't have any of the basic needs of a mortal. From living among humans, he's learned to imitate them and indulges in various normal behaviors such as eating and drinking, but has no actual need to do so. Likewise, he does not actually need to breathe and has no visible breath in cold environments of Dragonspine. His character story also describes him as tireless, a trait that made him an ideal fit for missions deep into the Abyss. Sleep is therefore another thing he does out of choice, but not necessarily something that he must do to survive.
Never Be Hurt Again: The trauma of losing his family thrice in a row, in three separate ways, left him determined to never let anyone or anything close to him again. Instead, he became increasingly sharp-tongued and cruel to others and secretly obsessed with obtaining godhood in order to shut himself off from the world.
"My chest will never again be defiled by worldly filth. I will scrub away every last trace of human emotion."
No Need for Names: His character story reveals that after abandoning the name "Kabukimono," he decided that names were pointless and he would never accept another from mortals. He would remain nameless for the following century, simply called "puppet" by the Fatui until his achievements earned him a seat as the sixth-ranking Harbinger. Only then did he accept his new titles from the Tsaritsa, accepting Scaramouche the Balladeer as his new name and identity. As the playable character, he mentions in his introductory voiceline that he's gone through a variety of names and titles but doesn't care much about any of them anymore, and tells the Traveler to call him whatever they like.
Older Than They Look: He has a slight build and uses the same model as other young male characters that share models with the male adults that are short. In reality, he is an immortal being designed to withstand the effects of Erosion, created somewhere around 400-500 years ago.
Orphan's Plot Trinket: As the kabukimono and the Wanderer, he carries with him a golden feather that Ei gave to him as a symbol of her protection. During the Tatarasuna Incident, he used it to request an audience with the Shogun, unaware that Ei had already sealed herself away. The Raiden Shogun puppet refused to meet with him, but word reached the Grand Narukami Shrine and earned him a meeting with Yae Miko instead. By the time she arrived with help, the incident had been (seemingly) resolved and the feather was returned to him.
Parental Abandonment: In a manner of speaking. Ei abandoned him because despite deeming him unsuitable to hold the Electro Gnosis, she did not have it in her to either destroy or assert control over him. Nevertheless, he saw Ei as his mother and thus interpreted it as this, grew to hate her for what he perceived as cruelty, and this became part of his Freudian Excuse when becoming Scaramouche. It's quite telling that the lyrics of his boss theme go directly from declaring his "tyranny/absolute power" in Ominous Latin Chanting to asking Ei why she abandoned him in Japanese^note.
Pretty Boy: A short guy whose physique and face could be argued that Ei shaped perfectly, and which also hides his true nature. Flavor text for the Surpassing Cup also states that he was "born with a face fairer than any other," and he is also described as "the beautiful puppet" in the Husk of Opulent Dreams pieces.
Purple Is Powerful: He has purple hair and eyes just like the Raiden Shogun, with purple being a major element in his clothing as both the divine puppet and sixth-ranking Harbinger. Likewise, his Shouki no Kami form, as a man-made god, has purple tones throughout and a central purple core housing the Electro Gnosis. As the Wanderer, he changes to blue tones with a small amount of purple accents after losing much of his previous power, but remains quite strong with his Anemo Vision.
Robot Wizard:
- As Scaramouche, he's one of many divine puppets created by Ei for the intention of housing the Electro Gnosis, and he would later have his powers unsealed when he joined the Fatui, though what his innate powers and abilities are is never stated.
- As Shouki no Kami, he's a mechanical God harnessing the power of every element except Geo and Dendro.
- As the Wanderer, he is granted an Anemo Vision, allowing him to cast Razor Wind and use his wind powers to fly.
Really 700 Years Old: His creation took place somewhere around 400 - 500 years prior to the game, in the aftermath of the cataclysm that shook Teyvat's established order. That makes him slightly younger than the likes of Miko or Nahida, but older than his "sister", the Raiden Shogun.
Really Was Born Yesterday: Resembling a young man, he possessed the physical and cognitive abilities to pass for an amnesiac youth in the eyes of Tatarasuna residents. However, he was essentially a newborn when found by Katsuragi and had little understanding of the world or human behavior. This lack of experience made him vulnerable to manipulation, and left him ill-equipped to handle the tragedies he experienced as the kabukimono.
Real Men Hate Sugar: He expresses a dislike for sweet things, in contrast to his mother's love of sweets. Instead, his signature dish uses tea to achieve a pleasant, bitter flavor.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Electro Archon's creations contrast each other in this manner, echoing the classic Japanese dynamic of a passionate and logical pair. Scaramouche/Wanderer has always been defined and heavily controlled by his emotions, with a very human-like personality and a defiant will strong enough to earn a Vision. In contrast, the Raiden Shogun is a puppet with little personality or emotion of her own, logical and unchanging to a dangerous degree. Interestingly, the usual visual side of the trope is reversed with the Red (Wanderer) dressed in blues while the Blue (Raiden Shogun) wears purple as their creator's Body Double.
Ret-Gone: In the third Archon Quest Interlude, after finding out the truth about the Tatarasuna incident and learning that not only did Niwa never betray him, but that he was murdered by Dottore, Scaramouche used the last of his lingering divinity to undo Niwa's death and erase all traces of himself. Unfortunately, that still did not change the fact that Niwa died, merely the circumstances thereof, nor did it erase Scaramouche from existence, since according to the laws of Teyvat, one cannot fully erase themselves from the world. As a result, Scaramouche became an Un-person instead - he still exists, but all records of him in the world changed to replace him with stand-ins or omit him entirely.
Ridiculously Human Robots: He is the prototype of a series of divine puppets created by Ei to hold the Electro Gnosis using technology related to the lost knowledge of Khaenri'ah. According to Aqaba's essay, there were notes stating that when he arrived in Tatarasuna, he had puppet joints, but those disappeared over time, while Nahida seems to imply that he was crafted from Irminsul wood. He is nearly indistinguishable from a human, with his exact properties left somewhat ambiguous beyond being immortal and highly resistant to physical harm. He jokes about his ears being mechanical, is stated to need repairs when injured in the past, and does not have visible breath in cold environments (such as Dragonspine). He doesn't require food or sleep, but is fully capable of indulging in them, has the ability to produce tears, and after blocking the Shouki no Kami's attack he is briefly seen wiping away a small reddish-brown streak from his cheek, implying that he can bleed. As such, he displays a puzzling mixture of inorganic and organic traits, and appears more human than his counterpart, the Raiden Shogun.
Robotic Reveal: At the end of the Inazuma Archon Quest, Miko revealed that he is the first of a line of puppets made by Ei to hold the Electro Gnosis, which culminated in the Raiden Shogun. Ei intended to discard him, but instead chose to seal his powers and let him go out of sentiment after he "awoke" to a mind of his own. Years later, he would be discovered by the Fatui, who would then manipulate him into joining their ranks.
Sentimental Homemade Toy: In the distant past, his child companion had a cloth doll modeled after the kabukimono. He burned the doll along with their shared home, but after becoming the Wanderer, he decides to remake it. His "Tiny Doll" story recounts how he spent time learning to sew, and crafted the doll as his new "traveling companion", carrying it in his sleeve or hat.
Series Continuity Error: It is well-established after the Archon Quest Inversion of Genesis that the kabukimono was found in Shakkei Pavilion, a domain located in Tatarasuna, which led to his subsequent adoption by the community living there. However, in the Divine Will cutscene, he was shown to have been abandoned by Ei in front of the Slumbering Court domain, located on Seirai island. Which begets the question of whether the change in location was intentional, and if it was, how and why was the kabukimono taken across a significant distance across sea to be kept in another domain?
Shout-Out:
- His entire character is one gigantic reference to "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen:
  - His Harbinger title, Scaramouche, calls to mind the line "Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the fandango?"
  - The theme that is used during his first appearance is called "Ominous Fandango."
  - The lyrics of the song can be appropriately used to describe his backstory: The first stanza describes how after being put to sleep and left in Shakkei Pavilion by Ei, Scaramouche is found by Katsuragi after a landslide. "Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me!" refers to his usage of the Electro Gnosis during his brief apotheosis as Shouki no Kami. The stanza starting with "I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me" describes how he suffered from his three "betrayals" which always ended with him alone and friendless, in some part due to Dottore's manipulations, as well as mentioning "Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me," referencing Ei, whose divine name is Beelzebul (a corruption of Beelzebub), initially planning to house the Electro Gnosis in him. In his character teaser, he says the line, "I wish that I'd never been born at all," the last line of the second refrain, and his Collected Miscellany trailer is titled after the last line of the song, "Any Way the Wind Blows."
  - The official announcement for his playable appearance was made on October 31, 2022, the anniversary of the release of "Bohemian Rhapsody."
- His backstory as an artificially created child abandoned by his parent shortly after his birth, leading to tragedy as the child lashes out at the world and at his parent, despite having a happier outcome, is quite similar to the plot of Frankenstein.
Signature Headgear: He wears a large ornate umbrella-shaped kasa hat, both as Scaramouche and as the Wanderer. As the former, it is black with a translucent black veil decorated with Inazuman designs at the back, two round, bell-like accessories attached to the sides of the kasa by red threads, and a kabuki mask adorning the top of the hat. As the Wanderer, he sports a blue one, but also forgoes the veil and replaces the original accessories with new ones that resemble vajras attached by blue strips of cloth on the sides of the hat, while the kabuki mask gets replaced by a lotus flower; his voiceline when it's raining has the Traveler ask if they can use his hat as an umbrella. It temporarily vanishes while his Elemental Skill is active, as it transforms into magical boosters that allow him to fly. It is such an inherent part of him that he was enrolled into the Akademiya as "Hat Guy".
Significant Birth Date: His birthday, January 3, was the day of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, when control over the Japanese government was effectively taken back by the eponymous Emperor (né Mutsuhito) from the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Significant Wardrobe Shift: In the distant past, he wore white and light purple clothing prior to his "third betrayal" sending him down a darker path. As a Harbinger, he wears darker shades of black, red, and purple in an Evil Costume Switch. As a playable character, his clothing retains some of the black parts but also adds softer shades of white and blue, suited to his Anemo Vision and shifting from a deadly foe to a reluctant ally of the Traveler.
Simple, yet Opulent: When he was taken in by the swordsmiths, the clothing he wore was relatively simple but the quality of the material revealed a noble background. Notably, prior to adopting his signature hat, he sometimes wore a long veil similar to the kind worn by noblewomen in East Asian history.
Stock Shōnen Rival: Checks off many of the boxes. Starts off as a villain? Becomes one of the Traveler's most personal enemies? Arrogant Jerkass? Similarly colored outfit and opposing hair color to the Traveler's? Uses numerous elements just like the Traveler does in his boss fight and ultimately goes under a player-chosen alias? Check to all of the above. For bonus points, his title as a playable unit is the "Wanderer," and his Vision's element is Anemo, the same one the Traveler started with, furthering the parallels between the two.
Strong Family Resemblance: Whether intentional or by accident, in his early days, he bore a strong resemblance to Makoto, the previous Electro Archon. Beyond the physical resemblance, he wore the same shades of purple in his clothing and a veil with a similar floral pattern to her kimono sleeves as the Kabukimono.
Super-Toughness: Like the Raiden Shogun puppet after him, he was designed to withstand incredible punishment and even Erosion. In the distant past, he survived entering the overloaded Mikage Furnace, and his character teaser shows that he failed to kill himself by staying inside a burning hut. Dottore praises him for being the most resilient test subject he had ever worked on, while Signora claims that he only earned his rank from being able to take more punishment. In short, he is an artificial being designed to never age, who does not need to eat, drink, or breathe, and can withstand both physical and supernatural attacks that would kill a human. This made him an ideal agent to deploy into the Abyss, during his centuries among the Fatui.
That Man Is Dead:
- After ascending to godhood, Scaramouche abandons all of his former titles and completely cuts all ties he had to the Fatui. If the player attempts to name him one of his old names, he will reject them.
- Scaramouche drops another one of these during the third Archon Quest Interlude in an attempt to rewrite history via erasing himself from existence so that those who died in the Tatarasuna Incident have another chance at life.
"From this day forth, "Balladeer" and "Kabukimono" will cease to exist."
Tin Man: Deconstructed. In the past, he was a kind, soft-spoken puppet who believed himself to be without a heart. Unfortunately, this made him a prime target for manipulation by Dottore, who exploited this mistaken identity by killing off his friend and giving him what he thought he wanted in the form of his friend's heart, claiming that it belonged to a servant that his friend killed. The idea that what he wanted was given to him by someone he trusted in an act of cruelty caused him anger and sadness. While the Tin Man's heart inspired him to become a better person by reinforcing his humanity, the Kabukimono became worse after receiving his placebo heart. As the Wanderer, he still fits the trope after receiving his Vision as it's clear he cares more than he lets on, but it's more of a Hidden Heart of Gold, and it doesn't change the fact that he committed countless atrocities precisely because he once believed he was heartless.
Token Evil Teammate: Even moreso than Tartaglia, as while he (Scaramouche) deserted the Fatui, he is still the same vorpal-tongued cynic who once crossed swords with the Traveler. Justified due to regaining his original personality after deciding to bear responsibility for his crimes in the past, realizing that changing Irminsul wouldn't change their outcome in the end.
Troubled Backstory Flashback: The Traveler involuntarily sees his memories of his Dark and Troubled Past upon making contact with Hapaysia, who had gone mad from connecting with his consciousness in the Irminsul.
Used to Be a Sweet Kid: For a given measure of "kid," since he is an artificial human, but Ei deemed him unfit to carry her Gnosis due to being too "fragile," having seen him shed tears in his sleep, though she chose to leave him be instead of killing or asserting control over him. When the Traveler, Paimon, and Haypasia tap into his consciousness midway through the Sumeru Archon Quest, they learn that he was later found by an Inazuman blacksmith who took him in, then befriended a child. However, after these two also seemingly turned on him, he came to believe that humans aren't trustworthy and grew to loathe humans and gods alike. Before he regained his memories, the Wanderer reappeared as a polite if slightly ditzy Nice Guy eager to repay others for even the smallest kindnesses, hinting at his original personality.
Walking Spoiler: Due to heavy ties to the game's lore, connections to the Fatui, eventually becoming a playable character, and the ramifications surrounding a certain significant choice he makes that changes Teyvat forever, nothing, and we mean nothing in the next two folders will be marked at all since it goes into more detail regarding his time as both Scaramouche and The Wanderer.

Tropes applying to Scaramouche

Achilles' Heel: The giant puppet he's hooked up to as the Shouki no Kami grants him an appropriate amount of power (and size), but it's still a machine, and can be overloaded if too much energy is sent through it at once. Nahida weaponizes her Neo-Akasha Terminal for this purpose in the boss fight against him, absorbing energy from his attacks and sending it back at him to either stun him or deal a hefty amount of damage depending on the phase.
A Dog Named "Dog": He was only ever addressed as the "puppet" during his first 100 years with the Fatui as he had abandoned the name that his deceased family had given him, and didn't see the need for a new one.
Alas, Poor Villain: The aftermath of the climactic battle against the Shouki no Kami presents Scaramouche's defeat as anything but satisfying, instead focusing on him pleading for the Gnosis. In his desperation, he manages to tear himself free from the machine, even though the Sages had warned him his body would become fused with it and unable to function on its own, and as a result falls to the ground headfirst, with the light leaving his eyes before he even lands, as he realises that the one thing that he perceived to be the meaning of his existence has been taken away from him once again. He is ultimately abandoned by Dottore as a failed experiment, and falls into a coma.
"Once more... I have lost my heart. It hurts..."
And Then What?: Nahida theorizes that he seeked godhood just to prove to Ei that he was worthy of it, and didn't actually have a plan on what to do with it once he had it.
Angst Coma: After making a futile effort begging Nahida to not have the Electro Gnosis taken away from him, Scaramouche lost consciousness and fell out of the Shouki no Kami. Nahida then hid away his comatose body, and by the time of the third Archon Quest Interlude he woke up.
Anything but That!: Scaramouche begs for Nahida not to take the Electro Gnosis after he is defeated. When she does, he falls into an Angst Coma.
Army Scout: When he first joined the Fatui his role was to lead a company on Abyss exploration missions. After 100 years the results of his efforts earned him the promotion to Harbinger.
Beta Test Baddie: According to the flavor text of the Husk of Opulent Dreams artifact set, he was supposedly made to hold the Electro Gnosis, but Ei deemed him unfit. He longed for a heart, and found it, only to realize it's devoid of blessing and instead filled with cruelty. He held onto that heart regardless, because he'd rather feel hatred than nothing at all.
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Pretends to be friendly to the Traveler, Paimon, Fischl, and Oz upon meeting them to obscure his position as a Harbinger. Thankfully, when trying to interact with them a second time, Mona reads that he is dangerous and teleports the gang out of there. He reveals his true colors later in the scene when he is alone with his underlings.
Cain and Abel: Implied. During the Shouki no Kami boss fight, he will deliver a mocking response to defeating the Raiden Shogun, the puppet his "mother" considered a success.
"Your shadow has faded, Beelzebul."
Calling Parents by Their Name: During his boss battle, if the player has the Raiden Shogun in the field, and she falls in battle, he will address her as Beelzebul.
The Chessmaster:
- He orchestrated the Inazuman civil war, having helped the Fatui manipulate the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions into tricking the Raiden Shogun into enacting repressive laws and at the same time supplying the Sangonomiya Resistance with Delusions to further escalate the conflict until Miko simply handed him the Electro Gnosis in exchange for the Traveler's life. It should be noted that he did all that without lifting a single finger, having only manipulated things in his favor until they had no choice but to go along with him. Even Signora, who is noted to be quite shrewd herself, had to ambush Venti to get his Gnosis.
- The "Hues of the Violet Garden" event reveals that it wasn't even the first time he altered the course of Inazuman history. Decades prior, he destroyed three of the five schools of the Raiden Gokaden and drove the fourth into near-obscurity, all the while making it look like their decline was completely natural. Because of this, the Yashiro Commission began to fall into decline along with the Kaedehara and Kamisato clans for multiple generations with the Kamisato clan only starting to regain its reputation by the time Ayato took over as clan head while the Kaedehara clan essentially ceased to exist with Kazuha left as its only surviving member.
Climax Boss: The Traveler's confrontation with him marks the halfway point of the game's story, and the conversation they have with Nahida after his defeat marks a major turning point in what the Traveler thought they knew about their sibling.
Control Freak: Snaps and angrily berates his subordinate for suggesting another action instead of following his orders, displaying his assertive authority over others.
Curb-Stomp Battle: After hyping himself up as Teyvat's newest god, it doesn't take much legwork on Nahida's end to show him how powerful an Archon really is. With just an Akasha Terminal of her own design, she's able to instantly trap him in a Lotus-Eater Machine, not unlike the one the Sages created earlier in the Sumeru Archon Quest, then simulates his battle with the Traveler through precisely 168 loops so the Traveler could then use the combat data to take him out. The Terminal would continuously fire Dendro bolts that gradually wear down the Shouki no Kami, with the blasts it fires once you collect enough energy taking out a solid quarter of his health. When you keep in mind that this is a Paimon-sized robot Nahida built in about two days versus a Humongous Mecha that the Sages spent the better part of a year working on, it quickly becomes apparent how utterly outmatched the Balladeer was.
Death from Above: Due to the sheer size of his boss form (the Traveler doesn't even reach up to his ankles, and he's also floating), he has a significant advantage in height, with many of his attacks involving projectile showers, forming a javelin of Electro and slamming into the ground, and infusing his hands and feet with Electro to Ground Punch and Shockwave Stomp. Furthermore, he also has a One-Hit Kill move where he charges up an energy ball from the ceiling of the boss arena and throws it down at the player when it finishes forming.
Deus est Machina: His boss form is a multi-armed, gigantic armored puppet that he pilots from inside the head of the puppet as part of his successful ploy to become a god.
Deity of Mortal Creation: Dottore and the Sages worked together to transform Scaramouche into a manmade god, with the intention of having him unseat Kusanali. Using the stolen Electro Gnosis and Scaramouche's unique constitution as a divine puppet, they successfully created a newborn god in the form of the Shouki no Kami. Nahida confirms that he has ascended to godhood, but the process of infusing Divine Knowledge had been interrupted. This proves vital in defeating him, and without the Gnosis to power him, Scaramouche loses his godhood and much of his powers.
Developer's Foresight: The dialogue of the Traveler's encounter with him in the Delusion Factory changes depending on whether the player took part in the "Unreconciled Stars" event. If they had, Scaramouche displays familiarity towards the Traveler and cuts to the chase. Otherwise, he makes a proper introduction with the splash text and everything to prevent players who didn't participate in "Unreconciled Stars" from being confused.
The Dreaded: When he was approaching the Traveler, Fischl, and Mona in Mondstadt, the first thing Mona did was grab the other two and teleport the hell out of there. The former two had met him before but had no idea who he was; he mutters to himself afterwards that it would have been a perfect opportunity to kill the Traveler but for Mona's quick thinking. This makes sense with the reveal that he was really a Harbinger, and even more so as an Artificial Human created by the Electro Archon, with Mona sensing his true nature. And that is before he gained an Electro Gnosis that grants him the powers comparable to that of an Archon.
Dub Name Change: In some languages, Scaramouche's code name was the Balladeer, like one who sings or writes ballads. In the East Asian languages (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) his code name was instead the Skirmisher, which ties more closely with the Commedia dell'arte archetype his title is named after. There were also a few localisations that gave entirely different meanings, such as Russian, where he was the Storyteller, or Turkish, where it was the Adulator.
Dub Pronunciation Change: Due to Alternate Character Reading, "Kunikuzushi" is pronounced as Guóbēng in Chinese.
Elemental Personalities: After becoming the Shouki no Kami, his personality can be easily described in two words — Psycho Electro.
Establishing Character Moment: His second appearance in the "Unreconciled Stars" event has him approach the Traveler's group casually, like before, only this time Mona instantly teleports them all away. He then wryly admits that he was about to attack them and when one of his men speaks out of turn, Scaramouche fiercely berates him, setting up that though he seems harmless, he is both dangerous and temperamental.
The Evil Prince: In a manner of speaking, at least. Scaramouche was created as a prototype vessel for the Gnosis, a symbol of the Archon's divine rule, and later discarded with the Raiden Shogun eventually installed as the ruler of Inazuma. Denied the divinity and throne that he viewed as his birthright, Scaramouche schemed to take them by any means necessary. He assisted the Fatui in destabilizing Inazuma from within, overseeing the Delusion factory that supplied the deadly weapons to the Watasumi resistance. And once Miko trades him the Gnosis in exchange for the Traveler's life, Scaramouche abandons the Fatui and begins a personal mission to claim the godhood his creator had denied him. Instead of trying to overthrow his mother, though, he travels to Sumeru and takes part in the attempt to overthrow the current God of Wisdom.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: While talking one-on-one with the Traveler during their first conversation near the end of the Sumeru Archon Quest, he doesn't get why the Traveler is willing to put in so much effort to protect the world, telling them to let go of their "misguided guardian complex." A little while later, he gets annoyed when Nahida steps in between him and the Traveler, angrily asking her if she's "having fun proving a false sense of heroism" to herself.
Evil Counterpart:
- To Baal, also known as the first Electro Archon, Raiden Makoto. Both have similar beliefs that all things are fragile and impermanent that contrasts Ei's flawed understanding of eternity that things can be preserved. Scaramouche most notably points out the flaws of Ei's ideology late in the Inazuma Archon Quest, and the cutscene depicting his backstory midway through that of Sumeru shows that his pre-Fatui clothing even shared the same white-and-light-purple palette as Makoto's kimono. But while Makoto sees the beauty in transience, Scaramouche has a more nihilistic approach and mocks the worthlessness of the human lives. Even after becoming the Wanderer, he still has the view that "bitterness is the true flavour of life," which he expresses in his Serenitea Pot lines.
- The Sumeru Archon Quest also posits him as one towards Nahida/Kusanali. Both were created by Archons for the purpose of serving as their replacements, but were prevented from fulfilling said purpose because of factors beyond their control—he was deemed unfit by Ei to hold the Electro Gnosis after seeing him shed tears in his sleep, but ultimately sealed his powers in a well-meaning attempt to give him a normal life, while Nahida was immediately shunned by the Sages once they considered her inferior to Rukkhadevata. However, whereas Nahida remained all-loving despite the injustices dealt to her, who is at worst insecure over living under the Greater Lord's shadow, Scaramouche became a bitter misanthrope who deems himself above humans.
- To Kazuha, by way of the revelation in the "Hues in the Violet Garden" event that Scaramouche orchestrated the series of events that led to his clan's fall from grace. As playable characters, both share the same Inazuman homeland, Anemo Visions, Medium Male body models, a penchant for wanderlust, a history of grievance with the Raiden Shogun, and a brief stint of using Electro powers in the climax of Archon Quests. However, Kazuha's red outfit contrasts with the Wanderer's blue; where Kazuha is wise enough to recognise the dangers of becoming obsessed with the past and does not dwell on his personal loss, Scaramouche could not make peace with the "three betrayals" he experienced, and continued his vain attempt to chase after godhood. Even after the third Archon Quest Interlude, the Wanderer still seeks revenge against Dottore and the Fatui for their manipulation of him.
Expy: His boss fight where he pilots a gigantic, armored puppet bears a resemblance to the Arahato; both are sleek, gigantic pilot-assisted robots roughly the height of a five-storey building, both bear a similar crown on their foreheads, and both are fast and nimble that betray its colossal size. The difference between the two was that the Arahato lacks two additional arms, and its only appearance is in the single animated short and the webcomic (where it plays a prominent role).
Face of an Angel, Mind of a Demon: Scaramouche is described in lore as having great beauty but his actual personality is cruel and bitter. He initially behaves in a friendly manner towards the Traveler, playing innocent until showing his true nature.
Faux Affably Evil: When meeting the Traveler in Mondstadt, Scaramouche acts polite and cordial, but when Mona teleports the group away, he reveals his true colors as he admits he missed a perfect chance to kill the Traveler and berates one of his men for speaking out of turn. When the Traveler meets Scaramouche in Inazuma, he doesn't even bother putting on a polite front.
Foregone Conclusion: His announcement as an upcoming playable character (under the name "Wanderer") before the release of the finale of the Sumeru Archon Quest, where he became the Final Boss and was waving huge death flags up to that point, guarantees his survival towards the end of the Quest.
For the Evulz: Played straight at first, since the Traveler's initial encounters with Scaramouche made it seem like his motivation for joining the Fatui boiled down to the fact that he finds the shady organization of masked people amusing, and he loves to taunt and toy with his opponents at every chance he gets. However, this later gets deconstructed when more of his backstory is revealed and his motivation turns out to be a result of a Freudian Excuse from being abandoned by Ei and losing his friend Niwa at the hands of Dottore, unaware that he had been manipulated behind the scenes.
Freudian Excuse: Scaramouche was a puppet created by Ei to hold the Electro Gnosis, but eventually deemed unfit for the task. Unwilling to either kill or assert control over him, she instead sealed his powers and left him to slumber, never expecting him to wake up. Scaramouche saw this as abandonment, and the lack of guidance left him emotionally unequipped to handle the tragedies that unfolded in his life, which caused him to deem humans worthless and the gods loathsome.
Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: That said, during the third Archon Quest Interlude, though they have come to understand the roots of his misanthropy, the Traveler, Paimon, and Nahida conclude that his experiences still do not justify the atrocities he has committed since.
Godhood Seeker: His ultimate goal in Sumeru seems to be to somehow replace Kusanali as their Archon. Even before that, he yearned for the Electro Gnosis that was meant to be his "heart."
Gods Need Prayer Badly: As part of his plot to make Scaramouche the new God of Wisdom, Dottore runs an experiment on Sumeru's citizens in which he makes them worship the Traveler through their Akasha terminals. Dottore comments on how the experiment is a success, meaning he will move on to making the people worship Scaramouche enough to elevate him to godhood.
Gone Horribly Right: The Electro Archon intended to create an immortal vessel indistinguishable from a living being, but her initial creation was ultimately too human. He was too gentle to serve as the vessel for the Gnosis, and would end up viewing her decision to set him free as Parental Abandonment, developing an emotional attachment to her that she likely never intended. In sharp contrast to the cold and robotic Shogun, who follows her programming strictly and without fail, Scaramouche is an emotionally unstable being that has caused considerable damage to Inazuma over the centuries. Instead of a puppet, what Ei created was a child who grew to resent her and their homeland.
Hated by All: Downplayed. Apart from the Traveler developing a grudge against him for helping distribute Delusions that killed Teppei, according to Viktor neither do most of his fellow Fatui have any love for Scaramouche, what with him being difficult to work with. The only person who remotely showed any friendliness to him was Dottore, and even that was less out of any goodness in his heart than it was out of his usefulness to the Doctor's experiments. Eventually the Traveler tones down their vitriol with him upon learning of his past and motivations, and how the Fatui played a role in his misanthropy. Once Scaramouche erases his existence via Irminsul, everyone's hatred of him is removed along with their memories of him.
Holy Halo: His full boss form includes a ring with several Electro symbols that resembles the mythological Raijin's ring of drums, similar to the Raiden Shogun's.
Human Weapon: In sharp contrast to his creator's intentions, Pierro explicitly describes him as a weapon when recruiting him. After extensive experimentation by Dottore to unseal his powers and learn from his unique nature, he spent most of his time on dangerous missions into the Abyss. Miko further notes that the Fatui had modified him beyond his original specifications, turning the puppet Ei had hoped could live a normal life into a weapon to use against Inazuma.
Humongous Mecha: His boss form is a gigantic, armored machine with four arms that is able to wield multiple elements in battle. The Shouki no Kami is powered by the Electro Gnosis, and Scaramouche controls it from within the machine's head. A flashback reveals that he would have to become fused with the machine, giving up use of his original body in the process. After he breaks free from the machine, he is left in an extremely weakened state and loses most of his power.
I Warned You: He once warned Signora not to let herself get too overconfident in her abilities or else there will come a day where she’ll end up biting off more than she can chew. She doesn’t listen, which eventually leads to her getting herself slain by the Raiden Shogun after grossly underestimating how much more powerful the Traveler had become by the time of their duel in Inazuma.
Immortal Apathy: The death of the young boy he befriended was Scaramouche's first real experience with the frailty of human life, and how suddenly they could just die. Afterwards, he swore to never become attached to mortals again, and actively sought to become apathetic as a "superior" immortal. By the time the Traveler encounters him, he argues that human life has no value because of how brief and often insignificant it is. Much like his creator, he makes the comparison of human lives to a water bubble, something fragile that only exists for a brief moment.
Inferiority Superiority Complex: Scaramouche is infamous among the Fatui for his arrogance and utter disdain for humans. But as the Traveler got to know him better during their time in Sumeru, it becomes clear that he was driven by resentment towards Ei for her perceived abandonment of him. So great was his desperation to fulfill his original purpose that he is willing to let Divine Knowledge consume his identity, and he becomes protective of Haypasia as his "first follower" because she accepted him after glimpsing his past memories.
It Amused Me: His reason for joining the antagonistic Fatui is because they seemed fun to him. Of course, this was after the senior Harbingers partially uprooted his life in Tatarasuna.
Just Following Orders: When confronted in the Delusion Factory by the Traveler for his misdeeds, he claims to be doing this. Later, while watching him follow Nahida's instructions to scour Irminsul on her behalf, the Traveler wonders whether he was just as compliant to orders in the Fatui.
Kick the Dog: The Skeletal Hat artifact describes him slapping a subordinate because their highly-expressive reactions amused him.
Kubrick Stare: He is fond of giving them whenever he appears in the main story, first in the Inazuman Archon Quest◊, then in Act III of the Sumeru Archon Quest◊.
Lack of Empathy: When the Traveler confronts Scaramouche in the Delusion Factory, Scaramouche not only displays zero remorse for distributing Delusions, but even mocks the Resistance for willingly using a power that might kill them. He even goes so far as to mock Teppei's death, though this was partially to rile the Traveler up enough that the Tatarigami would feed on their anger and weaken them enough for him to make another attempt on their life. Justified as he purposefully closed his own heart in order for him to not feel positive emotions such as empathy.
Mean Boss: Exaggerated, to the point he almost skirts the line onto Bad Boss. The Unreconciled Stars shows Scaramouche treating his subordinates poorly; after one of them suggests to go on with the old approach^noteTrying to capture instead of the change of plan Scaramouche issued, the guy wastes no time on talking him down. That said, it's implied he isn't as bad as La Signora, a Bad Boss herself who regularly kills minions just to show her power.
Laughing Mad: Lapses into this inside Irminsul after learning of Dottore's involvement in Niwa's death.
Meaningful Name: Both of the names he has used for himself in recent centuries are villainous archetypes in theatre. Kunikuzushi, used during his sabotage of the Raiden Gokaden, literally means "destroyer of the country" and was the title for scheming villains from Kabuki Theatre. Likewise, his Harbinger title, "Scaramouche," is a conniving villain from Commedia dell'Arte that is also sometimes a type of puppet.
Mythology Gag: To sister game Honkai Impact 3rd.
- One of his attacks as a boss is to spawn numerous dimensional portals behind him that shoot Electro projectiles onto the player, and it looks extremely similar to an attack used by the Herrscher of Void.
- Scaramouche bares similarities to the Herrscher of Dominance, a villanous puppet driven by their despair and resentment towards the world. Both foes start out taunting and playing with the protagonists, before a final battle using a Humongous Mecha that sees the hero defeat them by drawing on the strength of their friends.
My God, What Have I Done?: His 5th Character Story as "Wanderer" heavily implies that it was more than finding out the truth behind Niwa's "betrayal" and the Tatarasuna incident that motivated him into trying to Retgone himself from history in an attempt to prevent the tragedy that occured, having spent centuries of his life causing strife over a story built on lies, which could be why he thought the best solution to fixing the Tatarasuna incident was to erase himself entirely. Sadly, this doesn't work the way he thought.
Scaramouche: "...Those who died in Tatarasuna because of me deserve another chance at life."
Character Story 5: He also knew himself to be craven, and for that he had remorse. If he had been then more like he was at present... if he had learned to be less trusting... Would those he had viewed as friends have met such a ruinous end? Traitor, hero, god, discarded detritus — all these identities would cease to matter to one who leaped into the flux.
No-Nonsense Nemesis: Unlike either Signora or Tartaglia, he doesn’t mess around when he wants someone dead.
- In the "Unreconciled Stars" event, the first time he encountered the Traveler, he had to stand down or else he would incur the attention of the Millelith, and he hoped to catch them off guard in their second encounter, and would have succeeded had Mona not sensed him as a threat. The only reason why he doesn't bother trying to kill them in their third encounter was because he discovered an Awful Truth when he examined the meteor core and wondered why Pierro didn't tell him.
- In Inazuma, when the Traveler has him cornered in the Delusion Factory, rather then fight them himself, he riles up their emotions so that the Tatarigami will weaken them, then tries to strike them down. He only backs down because Yae Miko gives him the Electro Gnosis in exchange for their life.
Non-Uniform Uniform: As shown in "Song Burning in the Embers", Scaramouche refused to wear his Harbinger's uniform coat properly, instead turning it into a hooded cloak.
Pet the Dog: Zig-Zagged. When the Traveler informs him of Dottore attempting to kidnap Haypasia, who he admits to having a fondness for as his "first follower," he mocks their transparent attempt at trying to pit the two against each other, but nonetheless summons a lightning storm on the Fatui agents mounting an attack on Pardis Dhyai and forcing the survivors to retreat. At the same time, that same storm did hit Tighnari, albeit non-lethally.
Pride Before a Fall: He openly sneers at The Traveler that he can't believe they'd be foolish enough to confront him once he becomes "a true god", saying there's no way they'd be able to defeat him. Since The Traveler has literally defeated ancient gods, along with two other Harbingers (when not crippled by Cutscene Incompetence, that is) he's really tempting fate here.
Psycho Prototype:
- Supposedly because he lacks a "heart." According to flavor text from the Husk of Opulent Dreams artifact set, he longed for and got one, but it turned out to be filled with "selfishness, hypocrisy, cunning, and curses", driving him mad. He kept this heart regardless, because getting rid of it would render him incapable of feeling anything at all. In his flashback midway through the Sumeru Archon Quest, however, it's stated that he had a close relationship with a blacksmith before the latter seemingly abandoned him, and later a child who died soon after, and only afterwards did he deliberately give himself this heart.
- His Character Story reveals that he served as the basis for several notable advancements made by the Fatui. Namely, Dottore was able to develop his segments after spending decades studying and experimenting on Scaramouche.
Puzzle Boss: Downplayed. His boss fight still involves quite a bit of brute force, but unlike past bosses, the Shouki no Kami has a titanic amount of health, and damaging him is heavily reliant on the Neo Akasha Terminal built by Nahida; using it in a bare minimum will prolong the fight significantly, so full use of it is encouraged. The design choice of a weapon/tool with gimmicks to counterbalance a boss with massive amounts of health brings to mind certain bosses from FromSoftware titles, most notably Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy as a massive, dual-phase boss heavily damaged and stunned by a particular item.
Red and Black and Evil All Over: As the Balladeer, he dresses in mostly black with bold accents of red, purple, and gold. This choice of clothing differs greatly from the soft colors he wore as the kabukimono, and fits with his choice to embrace an identity as a hateful villain. This color scheme is further adopted by his Shouki no Kami form, contrasting the "new" God of Wisdom with the purity of the Dendro Archon as a maiden in white.
Rōnin: After the death of his young friend, he wandered Inazuma as a vagrant swordsman without a home or loyalties of any kind. According to flavor text of the Skeletal Hat artifact, Pierro stopped him from drawing his sword on Fatui guards that tried to block his way. Whether or not he continued using a blade at all after his powers were unsealed is unknown.
Rule of Three: He describes his Start of Darkness as being the result of suffering "three betrayals":
- The first was from Ei, who was for all intents and purposes his mother, deeming him unfit to carry the Electro Gnosis upon seeing him shed tears in his sleep and, in a misguided attempt at mercy, sealing his powers and leaving him so he can live a normal life without the pressures of godhood weighing on him.
- The second was from Niwa Hisahide, who befriended him and proceeded him to teach him how to smith, only to grow fearful of him upon learning of his nature as a puppet. However, the third Archon Quest Interlude reveals that not only did Niwa not betray him to begin with, but he was murdered by Dottore as part of his plan to manipulate the kabukimono, as Scaramouche was then known, into joining the Fatui.
- The third and final was from a sickly young boy he befriended and who promised to be his friend forever, only to succumb to illness soon after. This was the final straw for the kabukimono, who decided to close off his heart.
Sequel Hook: During the "Unreconciled Stars" event, Scaramouche mentions Pierro and something about the stars in the sky being fake before taunting the Traveler, Paimon, and Mona before vanishing. This is later carried on by Dottore where he reveals info to Nahida about the skies in Teyvat being fake.
Shock and Awe: As a show of his apotheosis near the climax of the Sumeru Archon Quest, he uses the Electro Gnosis to summon a thunderstorm to strike down the Fatui operatives who came to kidnap Haypasia (and forcing the rest to flee), and also non-fatally strikes Tighnari.
The Sociopath: Scaramouche displays all the traits of a classic sociopath. He's manipulative, arrogant, easily angered, and displays a total lack of remorse for his actions. Part of this stems from how he views himself as "a human who surpasses all others", judging from the Surpassing Cup's description^{What the description says}, but also partly due to having been driven mad into misanthropy through a series of betrayals.
Sphere of Destruction: As Shouki no Kami, his ultimate attack called Setsuna Shoumetsu summons a giant Electro sphere above the player that he'll unleash after charging it up for a while. If allowed to happen, the sphere will One-Hit Kill your active on-screen character regardless of any defence buffs and shields you have active on them. The only way to counter it before he can unleash it is to destroy the Nirvana Engine turrets to recharge your Neo Akasha Terminal and aim its Charged Attack at Scaramouche to paralyze him.
Straw Nihilist: A trio of perceived betrayals left him with the belief that the world was cruel and devoid of meaning, viewing humanity as inherently untrustworthy and the gods as unreasonable. To this end, he wandered without any real goals beyond amusing himself, ultimately joining the Fatui simply because it seemed interesting. He argues to the Traveler that human lives are ultimately empty and meaningless, so the Delusions given to them at least allowed them to briefly enjoy having power.
"It took three betrayals for me to finally understand: The world is just an elaborate tapestry of lies."
Then Let Me Be Evil: He embraced the belief that he was a being without a heart, feared and rejected by humanity and the gods alike. This resentment caused him to become bitter and cruel, filled with hatred over the mistreatment he'd received simply for existing. It was only after his defeat that he learned that Dottore had been manipulating him, fabricating a betrayal so that he would become filled with hatred.
Touch Telepathy: His ascension as the Shouki no Kami granted him the power to read and speak into the Traveler's mind after the latter tried to take Hapaysia to safety near the climax of the Sumeru Archon Quest. Even after his defeat and losing most of his godly powers, he has enough to initiate a private telepathic conversation with the Traveler after they grant his request to hold their hand during the third Archon Quest Interlude.
Tragic Villain: Though cruel and responsible for many atrocities, Scaramouche proves to be a tragic figure driven by self-hatred and pain. He expresses a willingness to let the Divine Knowledge erase his identity, viewing his ascension as an escape and taunting the Traveler for worrying about him. After his defeat, Nahida takes the chance to take him under her care and encourages him down a path of reform with the hopes that he might one day be able to make peace with his past and begin making amends for his crimes.
Underestimating Badassery: As he ascends to godhood, he sneers at Nahida's domain of Wisdom and Dream. In truth, he's already lost the fight the moment Nahida enters the room and places him under an illusionary loop.
The Unfought: A unique case. Scaramouche is never faced in battle with his powers as a Harbinger essentially unrevealed. Instead, the Traveler only faces him in battle after his accession to godhood and merging with a Humongous Mecha to become the Shouki no Kami. This new form grants him numerous unique powers, different from the Balladeer or the Wanderer.
Unfulfilled Purpose Misery: During their conversation in Pardis Dhyai, Scaramouche readily admits to the Traveler that he has no problems with his identity being erased when he becomes the new God of Wisdom. Instead, he argues that this will finally fulfill his intended purpose. His desperation when his ascension is stopped and the Electro Gnosis is retrieved shows that this isn't simply the arrogant ravings of a would-be god, but a glimpse of his deeper insecurity over "failing" to become a vessel for his creator.
The Unreveal: What powers Scaramouche uses and how he fights on his own is never really answered. Mona teleports the party before he could attack in "Unreconciled Stars", he leaves at the end without a fuss, he drugs the Traveler when confronted during the Inazuma Archon Quest and when a fight finally happens during his apotheosis. What little is known is that Dottore broke the Electro Archon's seals on his power, and then further modified him into a weapon powerful enough to rival the god-like lower ranked Harbingers.
Unwitting Pawn: The records of Irminsul reveal that the Fatui had been manipulating him for the majority of his life. Dottore learned of the existence of a divine puppet while working at Tatarasuna, plotting with Pierro to eventually corrupt and recruit him into the Fatui. To this end, he killed Niwa, the kabukimono's first friend, and then lied to the latter about his betrayal, setting the stage for his Start of Darkness and Pierro offering him to join the Fatui. Over the centuries, Scaramouche was experimented on and used to sow chaos for the Fatui, unaware that he'd been tricked from the start. Learning the truth about Niwa sends him over the Despair Event Horizon, resolving to use the last of his divine power to erase his role in the Tatarasuna incident and his history as the Balladeer from existence.
Villainous Breakdown: When Nahida is removing the Electro Gnosis from his Humongous Mecha, Scaramouche completely drops his smug demeanor and he desperately begs her not to remove it, even trying to force his way out of the puppet and straining the plug cords connected to him in his attempt to stop her. The moment it's removed and the cords connecting him snap, he falls out of the puppet and is knocked unconscious when he slams the ground.
"No! Wait! Please, anything but the Gnosis! That's mine! Don't even try...! I'll never... I'LL NEVER GO BACK!!!"
Villainous Rescue: While the Traveler and their allies are trying to prevent the Fatui from kidnapping Haypasia, the Traveler contacts Scaramouche through Haypasia and tells him about the situation. Scaramouche, annoyed that the Fatui are trying to harm his first follower as a god, unleashes a thunderstorm that wipes most of the Fatui out (while simultaneously injuring Tighnari).
What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Flashbacks and his Character Story reveal just how poorly he was treated during his time in the Fatui, further explaining his misanthropy. Almost as soon as the kabukimono accepted Pierro's invitation, he spent decades in Dottore’s lab, being studied and experimented on to further the Fatui's knowledge of ancient technology as well as unseal his power. He then spent considerable time on missions exploring the Abyss, returning for critical repairs before being sent back. It was only when he returned with considerable successes and proved himself that he was given a seat among the Harbingers, as well as a name, "Scaramouche," as prior to that he was simply a nameless puppet assigned taxing missions. And even after that, some of his fellow Harbingers continued to treat him like a tool, with Signora mockingly calling him a puppet.
Wild Card: The "Labyrinth Warriors" event has Tartaglia mention that after he obtained the Electro Gnosis, Scaramouche hasn't reported back to the Fatui or Tsaritsa, seemingly having gone rogue, and that he was sent to Inazuma to investigate his whereabouts.
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: As the Traveler learns more about Scaramouche, his actions become framed in a more explicitly tragic light. Ei saw him as too gentle to be able to serve as a vessel for the Electro Gnosis, and he was a truly innocent being until a triad of perceived betrayals drove him mad, unaware that much of these tragedies were orchestrated by the Fatui to draw him into their ranks. So desperate was Scaramouche to fulfill his original purpose that he claims he doesn't mind completely losing his identity in exchange for being a god, hinting at severe self-loathing. The flavor text for the "Mirror of Mushin" material dropped from his boss fight further hints at his desire to separate himself from the outside world, viewing it as a source of endless pain. When he learns the truth of Dottore's hand in the death of his old friend Niwa, Scaramouche takes the last desperate step of using his divine powers to erase himself from Irminsul.
You Can't Thwart Stage One: Scaramouche ends up getting nearly everything he wants. During the Inazuma Archon Quest, Miko was forced to pawn away the Electro Gnosis to him in exchange for the Traveler's life. During that of Sumeru, he worked with Dottore and the Sages to become a god, using the Electro Gnosis and Divine Knowledge Capsules to become Sumeru's God of Wisdom. While he never gets to use the Capsules, the Traveler and their allies were not fast enough to stop him—by the time their plans reach their conclusion, his ascension is already complete. Were it not for Nahida's assistance during the Traveler's battle against him, he would have been completely unstoppable.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: He ends up on the receiving end of this, after the Traveler and Nahida defeat the Shouki no Kami. Dottore seemingly declares the project in Sumeru to be a failed experiment and doesn’t ask of him in the conversation with Nahida when negotiating for the two gnoses for the Tsaritsa. Fortunately for Scaramouche (and unfortunately for the Fatui), the Dendro Archon is far more merciful and takes him under her care.
0% Approval Rating: Being assigned to work for Scaramouche seems to be something everyone in the Fatui dreads and hopes to avoid. His terrible attitude and sharp tongue are infamous among the rank-and-file, who'd rather work for anyone else. Even Signora inspired more loyalty in her subordinates, while there's not a single Fatuus that has anything nice to say about him.

Tropes applying to The Wanderer/"Hat Guy"

Actually Pretty Funny: His reaction to learning Kazuha was able to take on the Raiden Shogun's Musou no Hitotachi and came out of it unscathed in his voiced lines has him react to that information with laughter.
All for Nothing: After learning that not only did Niwa, his first friend, not betray him to begin with, but that he was murdered by Dottore, who then lied to him about said betrayal, Scaramouche decided to use the last remnants of his divinity to try and make things right for Niwa by erasing himself from history. Unfortunately, Niwa's death is already set in stone, so his actions did little but change the circumstances of Niwa's death. One silver lining is that Scaramouche's time in the Fatui has been erased, and they are now unaware of his existence, saving him the trouble of having to conceal himself.
Aloof Ally: He is quick to offer cynical explanations for Nahida's protection and his willingness to aid the Traveler. Even after the story's conclusion, he continues to deflect and several of his voicelines involve denying that he's changed at all.
"I'll never be one of the good guys. I'm just here to pay my dues after what you've done for me."
Amnesiacs are Innocent: When the Traveler finds him after he tried to erase his existence, the Scaramouche without his painful memories is a far cry from his old snarky and sadistic personality, instead being a polite if slightly ditzy Nice Guy that is eager to repay others for even the smallest kindnesses. It's likely that this was his original personality when he was first created by Ei.
Amnesiac Dissonance: Reconstructed. As the Wanderer, he resolves to face the past that he cannot remember. Guided by Nahida, he travels through his lost memories and confronts the Shouki no Kami, the symbolic form of his failed ambitions and bloodstained past. In embracing his painful memories and past self, he gains the resolve necessary to receive an Anemo Vision and wields his new power to destroy the Shouki no Kami.
Amnesia Missed a Spot: A literal example occurred in the third Archon Quest Interlude. According to Nahida, the now-exiled Sages kept a backup record of Scaramouche's history, presumably to rein him in. When she took control of the Akasha towards the end of the Sumeru Archon Quest, she saved the data, albeit encoded as a fairy tale to protect it from any alteration to Irminsul, such as Scaramouche trying to erase himself from existence in a misguided attempt to undo Niwa's death.
The Atoner: As the Wanderer, he chooses to face the truth about his past sins. Even after regaining his memories and original sour personality, he still shows a willingness to answer for his crimes. Most notably, he gives the Traveler permission to reveal the truth to Kazuha on his behalf the next time they visit Inazuma.
Blue Is Heroic: Heavily' downplayed. While his Good Costume Switch consists of a white and blue outfit, he is still the same jerk he was as the Balladeer, mainly as a result of regaining his memories.
Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: His dynamic with Nahida as a cynical reformed criminal working on redeeming himself while Nahida patiently and smilingly gives him opportunities to encourage his better nature.
Canon Identifier: His playable incarnation is referred to as "the Wanderer."
Conditioned to Accept Horror: His lines at low HP has him either sigh and comment, "I'm used to this" or "Nothing worth mentioning" or laugh, as he has already gotten used to pain through the injures he acquired during his Abyss expeditions. When he, the Traveler, and Paimon visited one of the recreations of his memories, they saw Dottore and Azar discussing their plans to turn Scaramouche into a god; the latter explains that the Balladeer's body would become permanently bound to his Humongous Mecha if successful, rendering him unable to move independently of it, and his response was to simply turn to Dottore and remark, "Nothing worse than what I've been through before then, Doctor?"
Cutscene Power to the Max: Most playable character in the game has demonstrated incredible feats in cutscenes that they cannot quite pull off in actual gameplay, one way or another, but the Wanderer is particularly guilty of this. In his character demo, the Wanderer proceeds to Neck Lift an Electrohammer Vanguard and use his flight powers to propel both high above the Sumeru landscape. In actual gameplay, the Wanderer's flight ability does not last long enough to accomplish this Dragon Ball Z-esque feat and would have no way for to reach such a height from ground level.
Deadly Ringer: The catalyst that is both introduced with his release and tailor-fit for his playstyle, Tulaytullah's Remembrance, is an ornate bell based on the ''ghanta'', a ritual bell used in Hinduism. Notably, the bell is typically paired with a tool known as a vajra, a divine weapon associated with thunderbolts. Paired together, the tools represent wisdom and compassion, with the bell's ringing associated with emptiness and the transcendent nature of things on the path to enlightenment.
Developer's Foresight: When you are given the opportunity to give him a new name, he'll refuse the names of Kunikuzushi, Scaramouche, or his title as the Balladeer as they are names that he had chosen to discard, and using an old name beats the point of being born anew. He will also refuse the names of the other members of the Harbingers, such as Dottore/Zandik or Signora/Rosalyne. If you decided to name him with the same user nickname you are currently using for your Traveler, he expresses amusement.
Attempting to name The Wanderer anything related to the Raiden Shogun: "...This is a bad idea."
Attempting to name The Wanderer anything related to the Fatui Harbingers, even Dottore: "You can't be serious." / "Is this supposed to be your attempt at a joke?"
Attempting to name The Wanderer with his previous aliases: "...Hmph. I have no need for these names anymore."
Attempting to name The Wanderer after Major NPCS, like Paimon or Nahida: "That won't work."
Naming The Wanderer after yourself: "You want to share your name with me? Huh, not a bad choice."
Eyelid Pull Taunt: He has this as one of his idle animations. In the English version, he also blows a raspberry at the same time.
Flight: His Anemo Vision grants him the ability to become airborne in a similar fashion to a Helicopter Pack for his Skill, with two circles of Anemo appearing behind him like jet engines when he moves forward. During the third round of the Interdarshan Championship, he utilizes it to an almost unfair advantage, snatching the Diadem of Knowledge from Layla's hands before she can react then speeding too far away in a matter of seconds for her and Faruzan to catch up on foot, and performs mid-air acrobatic spins to dodge Tighnari's multiple arrows. Only Cyno, who has the most physically demanding job out of all the contestants, was able to give the Wanderer some competition and slow him down.
Fragile Speedster: The Wanderer is among the fastest characters in the game, with high attacking speed and movement speed. But being a catalyst unit, he also suffers from low Defense and Max HP, so his maneuverability is vital.
Gathering Steam: The Wanderer's second Constellation upgrade, Niban: Moonlit Isle Amidst White Waves, increases the damage potency of his Burst by 4% for each Kuugoryoku Point spent beforehand (to a maximum boost of 200%, equivalent to at least 50 points, meaning it will max out once the Kuugoryoku gauge is less than half, or 70 points if the pool was extended through entering the Windfavored state with a Hydro effect active [provided he has unlocked his first-ascension passive]). As the Burst automatically ends the Windfavored state, this incentivizes players to let him loose with the state for as long as possible before using it as a finisher.
Glowing Eyes of Doom: His eyes glow green with Anemo during his Burst.
Go and Sin No More: The third Archon Quest Interlude centers on the question of what to do with Scaramouche, who has been spared by Nahida despite his attempts to usurp her place as god of Sumeru. The Traveler has every reason, both personal and practical, to want him punished for his crimes, but Nahida counters that his unique insight into the Fatui and ability to access Irminsul make him a valuable ally. After learning the truth about Niwa, his first friend whose apparent betrayal was one of the reasons he became a misanthrope, he attempts to erase himself from existence and becomes the amnesiac Wanderer. With the help of the Traveler and Nahida, he faces his past sins and resolves to make amends through becoming a servant of the God of Wisdom. He departs with a promise to use his second chance to help the Traveler on their journey.
Good Costume Switch: It is debatable how "good" he has become after his Hazy-Feel Turn and getting his original personality back, though he does agree to aid the Traveler willingly. As a playable unit, he switches his black-and-purple costume for a white and blue one; unlike previous bosses-turned-playable (Tartaglia and the Raiden Shogun/Ei), Scaramouche is the first who changes his attire in the transition from an enemy NPC to a playable character.
Good Is Not Nice: He may become a playable character, but that does not mean he became a nice person. Rather, he retains the same cynical, vorpal-tongued attitude he had when he was Scaramouche.
Hazy-Feel Turn: Despite casting aside his status as a Harbinger and joining the roster as a playable party member, it's clear from his voicelines and animations that the Wanderer is still as much of an unpleasant, arrogant sadist as he was as the Balladeer.
Hates Small Talk: From Chat: Exchanging Pleasantries:

"There's no need to exchange pleasantries. It's rather pathetic to force a conversation just to occupy silence."

Heavenly Blue: His rebirth as the Wanderer sees him change from dark, villainous colors to softer shades of blue. This suits his overall Warrior Monk motif and use of Anemo, as well as his self-described role as the Dendro Archon's "helper" on a path towards redemption.
Heel–Face Reincarnation: Nahida explains his situation to him as a sort of reincarnation, with the Wanderer born from the removal of Scaramouche from Irminsul's records. Likewise, his decision to reclaim his lost memories is framed as facing his karmic debts.
Hello, [Insert Name Here]: At the end of the third Archon Quest Interlude, the Traveler is given the chance to give him a new name. He will not accept any of his previous names or the names of other playable characters or Harbingers (and will be especially annoyed if you try to give him another Harbinger's title or name him anything related to the Raiden Shogun).
He's Back!: As the amnesiac Wanderer confirmed his resolve to reclaim his past sins, Kusanali returns his memories as Scaramouche to him, and afterwards intervenes in time to defend the Traveler from a laser beam from the Shouki no Kami, going back to his old sour personality in the process.
Hidden Heart of Gold: He has some moments of this during the 3.6 "A Parade of Providence" event, showing Nahida's influence on him is working.
- When he overhears the interaction between Traveler and Layla about the latter's anxiety in locating the Swiftflies, The Wanderer steps in and advices her that she should use astrology to solve her problem.
- When Tighnari faints in the desert, he suddenly shows up to snark about how fragile humans are against extreme environment changes... then he hands the Traveler a waterskin for Tighnari to drink from and leaves.
I Owe You My Life: At the end of the third Archon Quest Interlude, the Wanderer thanks the Traveler and Nahida for revealing the truth of his past to him and giving him a chance to start over, even finding satisfaction in becoming a useful helper for Nahida, something that he was never given the chance to be for his creator, Ei. He then decides to aid the Traveler as a way to pay them back. Doesn't mean he'll be nice about it though.
It's Personal: By the end of the third Archon Quest Interlude, he swore vengeance on the Fatui in general for manipulating him; with Dottore having a special place on his hit-list for murdering his first friend Niwa then lying to him that the latter betrayed him.
Jerkass to One: Inverted. All of Wanderer's voicelines about other characters are negative, ranging from mild distrust to outright hatred, except for Kazuha, whose clan is related to that of his first friend Niwa, and Nahida, who he respects for her compassion towards him.
- This also extends to his voice lines about his former co-workers, the other Fatui Harbingers. He has nothing exactly nice to say about any of them, but the worst he can come up with for Il Capitano is annoyance at how much praise the man gets - and without actually claiming the praise isn't earned.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold:
- Increasing the Wanderer's Friendship level has him start to somewhat soften up towards the Traveler. His Ascension quotes have him acknowledge the efforts they put into making him stronger, albeit he does warn them at the last Ascension not to place too much trust in him as an ally.
- His 2023 Birthday message involves him complaining about Nahida's efforts to get him to socialize more, noting that he's not a pleasant person to be around. In spite of these complaints, he ends up befriending a group implied to be the Gourmet Supremos and spends the day cooking with them. Since he doesn't like sweet things, he insists that the Traveler take everything and definitely not tell him about it.
Kind Hearted Cat Lover: Though still abrasive towards most people, his 2024 birthday artwork and flavor text show that he's befriended the local cat population. He still tries to put on an aloof attitude, but fails once the cats begin playing on top of him.
Laser-Guided Amnesia: Because one cannot simply erase oneself from the memories of the world when there's only one version of said person, as it will result in a paradox and is therefore against the laws of Teyvat, Scaramouche ended up becoming the Wanderer who had no memories about his past beyond recognizing his origin as a puppet.
Leaning on the Fourth Wall:
- In his Serenitea Pot lines, he comments on the lack of furnishings by saying that the Traveler's realm has areas that look empty.
- One of his lines when sprinting is "quit following me".
- In his 2023 birthday message, he lampshades how peculiar it is that he's gifting you something on his birthday.
- His "About Vision" line pokes fun at the rampant fan-theories about a Vision's element having some specific meaning or pattern.
  "You think there's some kind of meaning behind the element of Anemo? Hah, why did that thought even occur to you? The gods aren't guided by any kind of rationality or moral compass. Haven't I shown that to you already?"
- If you use Nahida's skill "All Schemes to Know" to read his mind in the "A Parade of Providence" event:
  "Do you really think you can see through me?"
Licked by the Dog: Though he remains abrasive as ever, the Wanderer seems to have earned the trust and friendship of the elusive Aranara. His web-event includes a sequence of him meeting with one along his journeys, and the majority of his official artworks feature him interacting with them. Considering that the Aranara rarely allow anyone but children to see them, that the Wanderer has managed to earn their approval demonstrates that he's changed more than he would ever admit.
Light Is Not Good: A rare non-villainous version. While he gets a white-blue palette that looks like a Good Costume Switch of his old costume as Scaramouche as a playable unit and is now firmly on the Traveler's side, his personality is anything but nice and he still remains the jerkass that he once was as Scaramouche, which is the result of getting back his original personality after he was rendered amnesiac.
Meaningful Rename: At the end of the third Archon Quest Interlude, he decides to adopt a new name and asks the Traveler to choose one for him. He will reject any attempt to use his previous names or ones that are already taken.
Mechanically Unusual Fighter: The Wanderer can use his Skill to hover in midair, which changes his normal and charged attacks, increasing their damage potency and radius as well as negating the stamina cost of the latter. This state also has its own "stamina meter" in the form of Kuugoryoku Points, which is naturally depleted throughout the duration of the state and can be consumed for either dashing in midair or increasing his elevation. Additionally, if he has activated his first-ascension passive, contacting Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro upon activation provides him with various buffs for the duration of his airborne state, instead of Swirl-related effects or elemental absorption usually associated with his fellow Anemo Vision holders.
Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal: While initially just cooperating with Nahida and the Traveler out of necessity, learning that Pierro and Dottore were responsible for the Tatarasuna incident drives him to sever all ties with the Fatui. He swears revenge against them, throwing his lot in with the Traveler and accepting a place as Nahida's servant. Even worse for the Fatui, his tampering with Irminsul means no one remembers Scaramouche, making him a loose end the organization doesn't realize they need to deal with.
Mundane Utility: Unlike Sayu, his stamina still regenerates while he's under the Windfavored state. By alternating between his regular and Windfavored-enhanced sprint, the Wanderer can indefinitely maintain his increased movement speed, making him prime explorer character.
Mystical Lotus: His hat prominently features a lotus flower, a symbol of enlightenment and transcendence in Eastern cultures. This perfectly matches his symbolic rebirth as the Wanderer, embracing the sins of his past and beginning a journey of atonement.
Mythical Motifs: In Japanese Mythology, the storm gods are a pair of siblings that control thunder and wind. The Anemo-aligned Wanderer represents Fūjin, god of wind, while his Electro-aligned "younger sister," the Raiden Shogun, represents Raijin, god of thunder.
Nature-Loving Robot: In contrast to his artificial nature, he shows a distinct fondness for the outdoors and a somewhat reluctant affinity for the natural world. Inside the Serenitea Pot, his favorite sets both involve outdoors and he talks about the forests of the three regions he's called home over the centuries. He expresses a clear preference for the wilds of Sumeru, with the "Fluttering Footsteps in the Fields" web-event showing him befriending the Aranara during his travels. His character trailer features a small bird trying to befriend him, with him reluctantly accepting its company with a minimal fuss.
Nice Guy: Briefly when the Traveler meets him again after he removes himself from Irminsul, they get a taste of what he was like before the "three betrayals" corrupted him. He's soft-spoken and polite at all times, and he's first encountered working at a fruit stand without pay since he wanted to express gratitude to the merchant running it. This all goes away once he fully regains his memories, but he's still nowhere near as cruel as he used to be.
Nice Mean And In Between: The Mean (angry, bitter, and caustic after regaining his memories) to Ei's Nice and Tartaglia's In-Between of the three bosses-turned-playable-characters.
Nun Too Holy: As the Wanderer, he's explicitly described as dressing (but not acting) the part of a ''shugenja''. Nasty personality aside, however, he actually is on a religious journey of sorts, working to make amends for his past crimes, while serving the God of Wisdom as her self-declared "helper."
One-Steve Limit: Enforced. He will refuse any names that are already taken by existing playable characters.
Paradox Person: The Wanderer was created when Scaramouche attempted to retroactively remove himself from existence with Irminsul. Since it's a rule that this is not possible, it only succeeded halfway, wiping Scaramouche from everyone's memories but dumping his still-existing self back into the world with amnesia (and a spiffy new outfit).
Pensieve Flashback: The latter half of the Archon Quest Inversion of Genesis follows the Traveler and the newly amnesiac Wanderer being guided through the memories of his past life by Nahida as he tries to comprehend the person he once was.
Pen Name: Among Vahumana scholars, he is known as the history and socio-political essayist Hat Guy.
Person with the Clothing: He's introduced as "Hat Guy" in the "A Parade of Providence" event. He claims Nahida picked the name for him.
Please Kill Me if It Satisfies You: It's hinted at, with him making flippant comments about facing all the people that are waiting to take revenge on him for his past crimes. While most of those comments are played off as him being snarky, he's more serious in stating his willingness to face punishment from the surviving descendants of the Raiden Gokaden.
"Let them stab their blades into my chest if they so desire. ...Maybe that's how it always should have been."
Power Floats: The Windfavored state lets him outright fly, even if only temporarily.
Power Stereotype Flip: Similarly to Xiao, the Wanderer's personality doesn't allign with the typical one of wind/Anemo; he remains an abrasive, cold, arrogant and rude guy who rarely concerns with what other people think of him, and while he can show acts of kindness, he's still in the process of recovering his humanity.
Power Tattoo: He has several marks on his neck, the sides of his torso, belly, his forearms, the back of his hands and the sides of his hips that glow green with Anemo when he fights.
Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: As the Traveler is about to be hit by a laser beam from Shouki no Kami, the Wanderer moves and successfully blocks the attack with his newly received Anemo Vision. Having regained his memories, he tilts his hat up to glare at the Shouki no Kami, uttering a single word to show that he has reverted back to his original personality:
"Die."
Psychic Block Defense: Zig-zagged. In the event "Parade of Providence" the player can read his mind using Nahida, but he's the only character that is aware that the player is trying to do so, and will call them out on it.
Psychotic Smirk: Greets the memory version of his boss form with this after receiving his Vision, and smirks during his burst animation.
Razor Wind: His normal attacks take on the form of wind blades.
Redemption Demotion: While he remained The Unfought as a Harbinger, he was ranked sixth among them and even Miko was cautious about dealing with him since he's the prototype divine puppet. As the Shouki no Kami, he ascends to godhood and serves as the final boss of the Sumeru archon quest. These divine powers are completely exhausted by the time he becomes the Wanderer, having been used to erase himself from Irminsul. In their place, he obtains an Anemo Vision. How the Wanderer compares to his past self is unclear, but at the very least he has gone from being a literal god to a Vision holder.
Reduced Mana Cost: A variant—the Wanderer's fourth-ascension passive, Gales of Reverie, grants his Kuugo attacks a 16% chance to gain the Descent effect (with the rate increasing by 12% every time either attack fails to trigger it, meaning every eighth Kuugo attack is guaranteed to do so) that negates the Kuugoryoku Point consumption of his first midair dash, during which he will also fire four Anemo-elemental arrows that each deal damage based on 35% of his Attack stat.
Reformed, but Not Tamed: His playable appearance is justified by this as of the third Archon Quest Interlude. He plainly states that he has no intention of changing his behavior and seeks bloody vengeance against those who wronged him, Dottore especially. His usual attitude is present everywhere in his character, from his moveset (his Elemental Skill lets him hover in the air, making him literally above everyone else, and his Elemental Burst has him deliver an aggressive stomp) to his voicelines (the vast majority of which is filled with copious amounts of snark). Despite this, he is grateful to Nahida and the Traveler for giving him a new lease on life and is willing to work with them, having developed a genuine (if begrudging) respect for them.
Regenerating Mana:
- Among the four possible buffs to the Windfavored state triggered whenever he unleashes his Skill with surrounding elements (provided the Wanderer has unlocked his first-ascension passive), Electro allows his Kuugo attacks to restore 0.8 Energy whenever they hit opponents.
- The Wanderer's sixth Constellation upgrade, Shugen: The Curtains' Melancholic Sway, gives Kuugo: Fushoudan the ability to restore 4 Kuugoryoku Points whenever the pool has less than 40 points (with at least 0.2-second intervals, as well as liited to five instances, for a total of 20 points), besides giving him the ability to deal an extra strike with 40% the potency of the original.
Sequel Hook: Before parting ways with the Traveler at the conclusion of the third Archon Quest Interlude, the Wanderer asks a favor from them. Though history has been rewritten to erase memory of his involvement in the Raiden Gokaden, he asks the Traveler to reveal the truth to the surviving descendants on his behalf, such as Kazuha. He further states his willingness to face punishment from them, a theme already explored in Kazuha's Story Quest, itself a prerequisite to unlock this Interlude.
Shockwave Stomp: His Burst conjures an Anemo vortex to kick down to his enemies, damaging them in a wide radius and automatically ending his Windfavored state.
Sliding Scale of Gameplay and Story Integration:
- One of his talent ascension materials is a drop from the weekly boss fight with Shouki no Kami, which thematically fits the climax of the third Archon Quest Interlude, where as part of his journey to break free from the influence of Dottore and the Fatui, the Wanderer confronts a recreation of his past identity as Shouki no Kami.
- Apart from his creator Ei being knowledgeable in weaponsmithing, the Wanderer presumably further refined his skills with his Tatarasuna friends. Fittingly, his utility passive, Strum the Swirling Winds, halves the Mora cost of ascending Bows and Catalysts.
Status Buff: His first-ascension passive, Jade-Claimed Flower, bestows up to two kinds of buffs to the Windfavored state (out of a possible four) depending on which first two elements he comes into contact with at the time he triggers his Skill. Hydro adds 20 points to the Kuugoryoku Point pool; Pyro increases his Attack stat by 30%; Cryo increases his Critical Rate by 20%; and Electro allows him to restore 0.8 Energy every time his Kuugo attacks hit opponents. His fourth Constellation upgrade, Yonban: Set Adrift into Spring, allows him to gain a third, random buff that wasn't manually triggered.
Super Mode: His Skill puts the Wanderer in the Windfavored state, wherein he will float in midair and his normal and charged attacks are turned into, respectively, Kuugo: Fushoudan and Kuugo: Toufukai, which enjoy greater damage potency and radius, in addition to a negated stamina cost for the latter. In addition, the state has its own "stamina meter" in the form of Kuugoryoku Points, which are gradually depleted for the duration of the state, with additional consumption whenever he dashes in midair or increases his elevation; once all his Points are depleted (or uses his Burst), the Windfavored state ends (or reset if the Wanderer uses his Skill anew); normally, the Wanderer has a maximum of 100 points, which can be extended to 120 if the Skill is triggered with a nearby Hydro effect (provided he has activated his first-ascension passive).
Supreme Chef: In sharp contrast to his creator, the Wanderer turns out to be a very talented cook. The description of his specialty dish has the Traveler completely shocked at his skill, and his 2023 Birthday message involves him being dragged into joining a "cooking interest group". He ends up making a large number of delicious desserts, which he offloads on the Traveler.
Took a Level in Kindness: While calling it "kindness" would be generous, by the end of the third Archon Quest Interlude, he does become a little bit more patient with the world. As a Harbinger, he was notorious for his terrible temper, and used to slap his subordinates for the slightest of transgressions just to see their terrified expressions. Compare that to his Character Demo that takes place at some point after the quest, in which he puts in effort to ignore the two Fatui agents that keep pestering him, and only starts beating them to a pulp once it becomes clear that they are not taking the hint.
Tsundere: He maintains his proud attitude and sharp tongue, reacting with embarrassment or denial when caught acting with kindness or vulnerability. More or less, he's still learning to let people close again, after centuries of bitterness.
- Several of his voice lines involve him denying any fondness for the Traveler or insisting that he's still a dangerous enemy, and one of his idle animations has him scoffing and hiding his face under his hat when caught admiring his Vision.
- In his character trailer, he repeatedly tries to shoo away a small bird before reluctantly accepting its company.
- His 2023 birthday message has incredible Tsundere energy. He initially complains about Nahida trying to get him to socialize more, insisting that being around him is a terrible experience for others. (He ends up befriending the Gourmet Supremos and spends the day cooking with them.) He goes on to complain that he made too many things he doesn't like, and insists the Traveler take the numerous desserts (one of which just so happens to be Nahida’s favorite food) from him. But he insists that he doesn't care if the Traveler eats them or not, they can throw them away for all he cares. Definitely don't tell him about it.
- He puts up some resistance at Nahida's continued usage of "Hat Guy" to address him in the 3.6 "A Parade of Providence" event, but when Nahida teasingly asks if he doesn't like it, he just turns away and sighs.
- When Nahida implies that he could continue Sachin's research and make it beneficial as a registered Vahumana scholar, he objects at first, but after Nahida assures him of her support in his learning journey, he just makes an annoyed face and doesn't comment further.
- If you play against him in a TCG battle, he will say that it's a childish game but will be satisfied if he wins the match. Conversely, if he loses, he will be annoyed over it.
Unknown Relative: Following the erasure of his Scaramouche identity from Irminsul, Ei now no longer remembers the prototype puppet known as "Kunikuzushi" who woke up from slumber and went on to cause chaos in Inazuma. Only time will tell if she will ever recognize him again. That said, it remains uncertain if the voice line is gone because she doesn't remember creating him, or if it's because both "Kunikuzushi" and "Kabukimono" are no longer in the memory of Teyvat, leaving the possibility that Ei could still remember him as a puppet she sealed away, but will have no reason to assume he has awoken or gone through any sort of hardship. Why give the Traveler information about a random prototype she made, if he's not relevant to their journey? The same goes for Yae Miko's line regarding "The Balladeer."
Unusual Halo: His hat turns into a halo of Anemo energy when he flies.
Upgrade Artifact: A variant—his third and fifth Constellation upgrades, Sanban: Moonflower Kusemai and Matsuban: Ancient Illuminator from Abroad, add three levels to, respectively, his Burst and Skill.
Walking the Earth: In the new history where Scaramouche's existence and presence have been expunged, as far as the Wanderer can remember, he is simply the Raiden Shogun's prototype puppet who has walked around Teyvat with no clear destination or goal for years.
Warrior Monk: As the Wanderer, he draws numerous comparisons to an ascetic in both his manner of dress and his overall lifestyle. Nahida compares him to a shugenja from Inazuma, though he chooses to not use that term for himself. At the story's conclusion, he embraces a new name and identity, declaring himself Nahida's "helper". He resolves to continue his journey across the world, while serving the God of Wisdom as the Shogun serves Ei.
Weaksauce Weakness: Long-range attacks when he's airborne. Normally, characters will simply flinch when hit by minor projectiles, allowing them to continue wailing on the enemy. In the Wanderer's case, even the weakest hilichurl arrow shot will knock him down from his airborne state, thus requiring him to air-dash to recover, dodge the attack entirely, or have a shield provided for him beforehand.
Weapon Specialization: The Wanderer's Wish banner runs concurrent with that for Tulaytullah's Remembrance (5★). Its Ascension substat of Critical Damage (9.6–44.1%), which complements his natural growth in Critical Rate, while its "Bygone Azure Teardrop" passive increases its wielder's Attacking Speed by 10–20% and, within fourteen seconds after triggering their Elemental Skill, increases the potency of their Normal Attacks either at a rate of 4.8–9.6% per second or by 9.6–19.2% whenever such attacks hit enemies (to a maximum of 48–96%), hence letting the Wanderer get a lot of mileage out of his Windfavored state.
Wistful Amnesia: As the Wanderer, until he recovered his memories as Scaramouche, he wanders from place to place yearning for something that is missing and this is why he readily agreed to go with the Traveler and ask for Nahida to see his memories as Scaramouche to find that missing "something".
You Can't Fight Fate: Ultimately, he learns that his efforts to save Niwa by erasing himself were pointless. Even without his involvement, fate would still play out in a similar manner. Niwa would still die trying to repair the Mikage Furnace, and the Raiden Gokaden would still be nearly eradicated. The circumstances might have been slightly different, but fate would still cause the same tragedies to occur with or without him.

Characters / Genshin Impact: The Wanderer

With the revelations about his fate after the third Archon Quest Interlude and the consequences surrounding it, there will be unmarked spoilers. Read at your own risk!

Scaramouche, "The Balladeer" / Kabukimono / Kunikuzushi / Shouki no Kami, the Prodigal / "The Wanderer" / "Hat Guy"

Introduced: December 7, 2022 (v3.3 "All Senses Clear, All Existence Void" [first half])
Voiced by: Luyin (Chinese), Tetsuya Kakihara (Japanese), Min Seung-woo (Korean), Patrick Pedraza (English)

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Characters / Genshin Impact: The Wanderer

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With the revelations about his fate after the third Archon Quest Interlude and the consequences surrounding it, there will be unmarked spoilers. Read at your own risk!

Scaramouche, "The Balladeer" / Kabukimono / Kunikuzushi / Shouki no Kami, the Prodigal / "The Wanderer" / "Hat Guy"

Introduced: December 7, 2022 (v3.3 "All Senses Clear, All Existence Void" [first half])Voiced by: Luyin (Chinese), Tetsuya Kakihara (Japanese), Min Seung-woo (Korean), Patrick Pedraza (English)

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Introduced: December 7, 2022 (v3.3 "All Senses Clear, All Existence Void" [first half])
Voiced by: Luyin (Chinese), Tetsuya Kakihara (Japanese), Min Seung-woo (Korean), Patrick Pedraza (English)