Follow TV Tropes

Following

Wham Line / SCP Foundation

Go To

The SCP Foundation has several of these. Often an entry will lead the reader in a certain direction by deliberately not revealing all of the object's qualities; the Wham Line will then drastically change the tone of the piece:


General examples

  • Classified object classes. Sometimes, an SCP will explicitly state its object class as being one class, but then you open a collapsible and see its true object class and description. The classified object class is usually Keter or Thaumiel, sometimes a rare esoteric class.
  • During earlier times, any use of Object Class: Thaumiel, regardless of obscured or unobscured, is very much a wham line, since it indicates that the SCP is beneficial to the Foundation's goals instead of being the usually expected "dangerous anomaly".
  • Object Class: Apollyon is an even rarer example and has even more impact. As of yet, it has only been utilized in a handful of articles, generally to indicate a Despair Event Horizon on the part of the Foundation, or a world-ending object for which any sort of containment procedure is rendered irrelevant or impossible. Only one (or two) of them has been averted. The Apollyon class originally debuted in SCP-2317, but said article was later revised to better fit the author's original intentions.

Page-specific examples

    open/close all folders 

    SCP- 001 Proposals 
  • From S. Andrew Swann's SCP-001 Proposal: "But we found out that there is a God, and it is SCP-001. And it's a bunch of horror writers."
  • From S.D. Locke's SCP-001 Proposal:
    Object Class: Apollyon
    Description: SCP-001 is the designation given to the Sun...
  • Tanhony's 001 proposal:
    • It is framed as an (at first) unidentified individual finding that the O5 Council has a way of giving immortality. That they are keeping to themselves.
      Hellenstic.aic: No personnel have been considered for death-exempt status in the future.
      Hellenstic.aic: Current death-exempt personnel are: O5-1, O5-2, O5-3, O5-4, O5-5, O5-6, O5-7, O5-8, O5-9, O5-10, O5-11, O5-12, O5-13.
    • The realization that the Ethics Committee has forcefully removed the O5 council from power 34 times.
      Cairo.aic: Primary action count: 34.
    • Of course, at the very end.
      ???: Input: Log off. Goodbye, Hellentic.
      Hellenstic.aic: Logging off. Goodbye, Administrator.
  • From CODE NAME: The Truth, we have the final line in the description of what is, according to the story, the true SCP-001 item, described as the source of all other anomalies; the line itself is only half of the effect, the other half being the other page that the line links to.
    What is the easiest way to hide the identity of SCP-001, the architect of the universe and its infinite hordes of flaws?
  • From Tufto's 001 Proposal, there is an inversion of the shock-by-non-standard-object-class method. Insofar as the SCP Foundation's universe has a Big Bad, it is the Scarlet King. But when he's finally written up as an SCP?
    Object Class: Keter (stricken out) Safe

    SCP- 002 through 999 
  • SCP-006 has this from the last paragraph, which reveals that it is not the dangerous toxic water that the Special Containment Procedures would lead one to believe; in fact, this substance has remarkable qualities that would have such a profound effect on human life and health, that the Foundation is greatly concerned about what might happen if they let others find out:
  • SCP-089: SCP-089-A is meant to be the sacrificial victim willingly given to SCP-089 by SCP-089-B to prevent disaster or mitigate an ongoing one. The longer the time before the sacrifice, the worse things become. A sacrifice done 37 hours after the beginning of a prophesied volcanic eruption limited the casualties to zero. A sacrifice done five years after the beginning of a prophesied religious uprising numbered in the million.
    "For each locution event, SCP-089-A is a healthy, unblemished human infant or child between eight months and six years of age, and SCP-089-B is that child's natural mother."
  • Doubling as an Easter Egg, SCP-231-7 has the following hidden line in her description: "Don't believe it when they say they're trying to save her. Why would they bother? They've got exactly what they want exactly where they want it." This line eventually became so iconic to SCP-231 that it's no longer hidden, just slightly smaller than the text of the text on the page.
  • SCP-592 is a book that describes an alternate, seemingly false history of Earth, that drives people who see certain parts of it insane. Due to this, the Foundation analyzes the book with computers instead of people, and goes through great lengths to prevent people from gleaning information from the book without having it go through the computers first. When the analysis machine analyzes one of the many illustrations in the book, it outputs this robotic but terrifying line:
    "With 100% certainty the PERSONS in the image should have FACIAL FEATURES. With 100% certainty the PERSONS in the image do NOT have FACIAL FEATURES."
  • An accidental example, in the form of Early-Installment Weirdness creating a Meta Twist, occurs at the beginning of SCP-682's entry. It's a recurring theme of the articles that the purpose of the Foundation is not to destroy objects, but rather to study and contain them. Which makes it so startling (at least to a new reader who doesn't know 682 is the second-oldest object on the site) that 682's containment procedures begin with this line:
  • SCP-804:
    "So why did a group of activists throw themselves and their neighbors into the deadly workings of a machine that they thought was going to wipe all human life off of Mother Earth?
  • The uncensored version of SCP-835 clearly shows how the removal of those little black boxes can turn an ordinary article into high-grade Nightmare Fuel:
    "Testing has shown that SCP-835 appears to be made from basic human biological components"

    SCP- 1000 through 1999 

    SCP- 2000 through 2999 
  • SCP-2000, being a bit of a Wham SCP, has several, but three in particular stand out:
    "Object Class: Thaumiel" (see above)
    "Previous attempts to ameliorate violent and sociopathic tendencies in humanity as a whole have already been implemented and deemed successful."
    "Valid Foundation security credentials for Dr. Alto Clef were discovered nearby, although a genetic match could not be established"
  • SCP-2317, on its final iteration:
    Special Containment Procedures: Irrelevant.
  • SCP-2399, after pointing out how technologically advanced the object is and the implications of what happens if it reaches Earth. The SCP Foundation's current procedures is to install an array of satellites to block out transmissions reaching to SCP-2399 in addition to obliterate and hinder any drones that tries to repair said SCP. Luckily however it is effective, if not for the fact that there is an implication when the array was weakened during a bombardment-related incident and that there is a next objective being sent to the SCP itself.
    Unit is out of range of target: Proceed to planet #3 in system [COORDINATES REDACTED]: Priority is target: Cease repairs
  • SCP-2419: After the discovery that the Foundation's actions with SCP-2419 have revived the corpses of several D-class as hostile, nigh-invulnerable zombies, a message from Operator Maddox makes the threat even more terrifying:
    The things in SCP-2419 aren't screaming with fear or pain, Bryan.
    They're not screaming at all.
  • SCP-2571 has this question, which reveals why everyone is so terrified of Cragglewood Park:
    Mr. Blair, have you always been an only child?note 
  • SCP-2718: "We must declare human death a Keter SCP," she demanded, "and contain it at any cost." This is stated by an O5 Council member after hearing of what happens when a person dies.
  • SCP-2740 deals with the house of the Lee family and an ominous presence in the attic that is fencing them in; all attempts to deal with it never actually happen, for some reason. The Foundation finds a Lee who got away, Olivia, and interview her. But they do a little extra digging, and find this out:
    Currently, it is believed that Olivia Lee does not exist, nor has ever existed.
  • SCP-2770 is divided into a man on a raft who appears floating in the ocean and a submarine that destroys any ship that tries to rescue him, materialising out of the nearest body of water. During Incident 2770-C the Foundation try to save the guy by airlifting him to the desert. When questioned, he has only this to say:
    SCP-2770-1: I think you forgot about the water table, you fucking idiot.
  • SCP-2747 destroys narratives "from within" when references to a non-existent work of fiction start appearing on online discussion forums, including a non-existent Satoshi Kon movie on this very wiki and an album from the "now defunct" band Radiohead. Because SCP-2747 is only known from references it's been impossible to observe directly; fortunately the Foundation found a way and it revealed [DATA LOST]
  • SCP-2798 has this line at the end of the article:
    SCP-2798 HAS CEASED FUNCTION. SCP-001 UNCONTAINED. WORLDWIDE EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS ARE NOW IN EFFECT.
  • SCP-2932 is a Foundation-style prison for anomalies, constructed by the Bigfoots (a.k.a. SCP-1000) thousands of years ago. At the end of a series of interviews from the Warden, we get this line regarding a prisoner known only as "Fae", and for whom no other description is given:
  • SCP-2935 is an alternate dimension where everything even down to the microbial level has died at the same time.
    • The investigation team sent into it heads to a nearby SCP site within the universe, and checks up on that universe's 682:
    • And there is the reveal that anyone who leaves this alternate dimension will indirectly (and unknowingly) kill everything in their own universe. How did a Foundation team sent to 2935 Earth learn about this? They discovered a journal entry left by the last known survivor of his dimension, who committed suicide shortly after writing it.
      "Maybe I was the reason. Maybe I... am Death. If it was in there and I brought it back, then I am Death."
      "You know, it occurs to me… if you're listening to this... you're Death, too."

    SCP- 3000 through 3999 
  • SCP-3000 has a big one towards the end:
    "Shanti was Venkat's first wife. Padma was his daughter."note 
  • SCP-3100 has two:
    • First, one of the MTF team gets a look at one of the bodies inside the cave:
      707-09: That's your face. Oh lord, Marsh. It's got your face.
    • Then, after the breach is over, we see an email from O5-6:
      O5-6: Something deep inside the Earth has awakened.
    • Even worse, the coordinates given for this awakening link to the aforementioned SCP-3000.
  • SCP-3117 has an absolutely chilling one at the end, as the GOC operative discusses how the anomaly doesn't properly exist, but comes into existence the more you think about it and attempt to discern its meaning:
    Subject: She's found you. I'm sorry. She's found you. ... Don't think about it. Don't talk about it. Don't try to figure it out. When the dreams start to come, ignore them. Don't tell anyone. And whatever you do, don't look down. Don't look into the pit. She's found you, and if you keep trying to look, if you keep trying to solve this, she's going to-
    Jenner: Stop. Please, I don't understand what you're—
  • SCP-3333 drops a big one in the final log, revealing that the situation has already spiraled completely out of the Foundation's control:
    "A metal dog tag is visible clutched in Specialist 0's hand. It reads "MTF Mod-5: Graham Purcell."
  • SCP-3393 has one in the first line of the description.
    Because of your ability to access this file and read this sentence, you are SCP-3393.
  • SCP-3426 contains one in the tag "pattern-screamer," confirming that the anomaly is not a universal constant like the Foundation speculates, but the Pattern Screamers traveling to the target planets and conquering them. Given that the Foundation thinks 3426 is not artificial, they are seemingly so good at this that they will eventually condemn all sapient life that has ever existed to unreality.
  • SCP-3812 has three.
    • First, from the memo left by Dr. Yamamara: "I usually don’t like to lead into these things with hyperbole, so you’ll have to take me at my word when I say that I believe SCP-3812 is the most dangerous anomaly on Earth, and potentially in the universe."
    • The second was from Addendum 3812.4, where it is casually stated that SCP-3812's lashing out at a redacted SCP (that was producing a field similar to a Reality Anchor's) caused the destruction of a nearby hospital and the "remnants of SCP-███" to be reclassified as SCP-239. The Witch Child, who could manipulate Dr. Clef.
    • The third was also from the Addendum and stated that one of SCP-3812's attacks caused an enormous explosion, resulting in a crater 850 metres wide, and the highly abstract database-bending SCP-2719 to be created and later found inside.

    SCP- 4000 through 4999 
  • SCP-4005 starts off with this:
    Object Class: Safe (stricken out) Apollyon
    Special Containment Procedures 01/07/28: Containment of SCP-4005 is no longer possible.
  • The casual mention of "extant humans" within the Stellar Congressional Protectorate in SCP-4100 is the sudden reveal of the article's Earn Your Happy Ending factor.
  • SCP-4220 has "SCP-4220 refers to the Earth's Moon." This, before anything else, shows why the Foundation is struggling so hard to contain this anomaly.
  • SCP-4240 is an internet creepypasta ritual game that actually works, in some way. The issue is that nobody's actually won the game, and most people who played it have died. That is, until one D-Class , D-28392, finally manages to beat it, and comes out surprisingly okay considering they just spent 25 hours running. They are eventually released for good behavior, and another test happens to try to learn more about the win condition. The next tested D-Class (D-39212) loses, and then we get these lines:
    Analysis of viscera traces from D-39212's shoe showed it to be genetically identical to D-28392.
    The entity released from Site-36 on 01/04/2018 has yet to be found.
  • SCP-4231, when it's revealed who SCP-4231-B (aka Francis Wojciechowski) really is:
    Worked in the now decimated GOC Ichabod campaign under the codename ‘Ukulele’.
  • SCP-4444 has a Wham Caption at the very beginning of the article. The photo itself is pretty standard, featuring former vice president Al Gore and former president George W. Bush. How is the image captioned?
  • SCP-4634 opens with a whammy in the Object Class, which has "Safe" crossed out and replaced with "Archon," an esoteric class that means "can be contained, but shouldn't." The anomaly itself is a set of "Out of Order" signs which cause any room they are placed on the outside of to cease functioning as it was intended. This is all well and good...except that the signs were originally discovered on the inside of a series of monuments all across the Earth's surface, and extremely bad things happened when the Foundation removed all of them. For those who haven't put the implications together, the final line of the article delivers one of the most terrifying reveals on the entire site. What could the universe be used for when it's operational?
    It is considered in the Foundation's best interests to ensure that the universe as a whole remains non-functional.
  • SCP-4666 is overflowing with these, ranging from the ghastly things the Yule Man does to his victims in the dead of night and the information on the "gifts" he leaves for the lucky few he doesn't kill, but perhaps the most effective one is the line at the very, very end of the interview log from a still-living victim that got mutilated into a crude, life-sized doll, when she's asked why she was made into her current state.
    I get sick. When you can't make the toys, you become the toys.
  • SCP-4960: After deciding that the release of Kedesh-Nanaya from her prison was the true starting point of the Foundation, Abernathy briefly waxes philosophic on the details before soberly stating this:
    Dr. Fritz-William Abernathy: And yet, as an old man, facing the end of my (admittedly prolonged) life, I believe that this was the moment that our Foundation truly began. Or, perhaps more accurately: her Foundation.

    SCP- 5000 through 5999 
  • SCP-5000 has this from a transmission made by the Foundation:
    For those who are not currently aware of our existence, we represent the organization known as the SCP Foundation. Our previous mission centered around the containment and study of anomalous objects, entities and other assorted phenomena. This mission was the focus of our organization for more than one-hundred years.
    Due to circumstances outside of our control, this directive has now changed. Our new mission will be the extermination of the human race.
    • Another from the same SCP: a Foundation MTF specialist is interrogated by the GOC and ends up telling his interrogators what the Foundation found to make them do this, causing them to Go Mad from the Revelation. Then he says this:
    MTF Specialist Samuel Ross: ...disgusting.note 
  • SCP-5010, speaking to her interviewer the day after the "suicide" of another SCP:
    SCP-5010: I know that you're the one who killed that poor girl downstairs. SCP-████.note 
  • SCP-5140 describes a phenomenon on Mt. Everest where bodies that drain all heat appear on the mountain, contact with them being fatal and turns them into more instances, and they may or may not be animate and hostile. Creepy but what turns it to mind bogglingly impossible is the last line during an incident in 2024 where global warming causes a huge part of the snow to collapse from the mountain revealing MANY more corpses. How many?
    Currently, it is estimated 45% of Mt. Everest's mass is formed by corpses.
  • SCP-5339 is about a giant, undeveloped arm with a face that has the mind of an infant boy that had gone missing while he was going on vacation with his mother. The Foundation works to raise the SCP as if it were an actual infant, and at the end of the article, SCP-5339 manages to say this.
  • SCP-5775 has a Foundation team exploring the ruins of an ancient spaceship.
    • The first Wham Line comes when the body of a cosmonaut is discovered:
      It says "Voyich"note 
    • Second, at the end, with the ancient spaceship having sent some kind of attack on Earth, we get a response from who they were attacking.
      We have seen your play. We have lost our homeworld, but we will still hold on to our other worlds. You will pay for your actions.
  • SCP-5832 has a particularly brutal one - it's an article describing a small, two-room apartment where a young girl was kept and clearly abused and neglected, though we're not sure why or how. The effect is heightened by the fact that there's no footnote under the drug's proper name explaining its purpose - the reader has to go look it up themselves, resulting in a slight beat that makes the realization worse.
    "A plastic cup sits on the bathroom counter. The contents had congealed, but chemical analysis revealed it to be a mixture of apple juice and mifepristone."note 
  • SCP-5999 has a particularly devious one that's embedded not in the actual article, but rather in the article's edit history. If you open it up and look through the revisions, the edit comment for revision 0 paints the article in a new and far more terrifying light, as the blackboxes could easily be covering "ZK-001-Alpha":

    SCP- 6000 through 6999 

    SCP- 7000 through 7999 

    SCP- 8000 through 8999 

    Tales 
  • The page about SCP-000 was already an unsettling tale about some unknown anomaly screaming out against its containment, but it became much worse when it was tagged as "pattern-screamer," turning it from innocuous (relatively-speaking) to a full-blown Eldritch Abomination.
  • From the Document Recovered from the Marianas Trench, a Foundation agent gives this response to the possibility of hitting the Reset Button on human civilization: "Why not? It's been done before."
  • Two from this tale taking place in the Competitive Eschatology canon, both pertaining to the identity of Death among the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
    • First:
      "I am not Death," 682 said. "I am her Steed."
    • Then, the big bombshell...
      <██13> SCP-098 swarm proceeds to containment facility for SCP-053.
    • The reveals of Conquest and War are pretty shocking as well. For Conquest:
      As to who she was… Well, she had also forgotten her name long ago. The people who came to see her called her SCP-231-7.
    • And for War…
      “Hello everybody! I’m Bobble the Clown, and welcome to today’s show!”
  • This guy gets one served when searching through a Foundation file he wasn't cleared to know about (this was in a ranger station where the rangers were paid of to keep an eye on the anomaly, so security was notably more lax). We don't see the lines ourselves, but O5-2 suggests just dousing everyone with amnestics, since said anomaly was too public to conceal. This suggestion was shot down as unnecessary. Not impossible, unnecessary.
  • The story Duke "Till Dawn features a doozy of a line:
  • Code name: The Truth is about the crew of an FTL spaceship exploring what's beyond the observable universe, revealing everything is a twisted series of replica galaxies, all made of the wrong materials- planets made of glass and hydrogen cyanide, stars made of ice cream, etc. It isn't until after a full year in space and one of the crew giving birth to an Eldritch Abomination that one of them realizes what's going on, but it's too late for them. And after assuring us that the information collected would never see the light of day, we get this bombshell.
    "What is the easiest way to hide the identity of SCP-001, the architect of the universe and its infinite hordes of flaws? Don’t classify it as SCP-001."
  • A Video Oddity shows a series of documentary disks highlighting several explorers showcasing anomalous creatures in the style of most nature documentaries, ranging from animals living in places where they aren't supposed to, to animals that are supposed to be extinct, to animals being outright 'alienlike'. All those documentaries showed that the explorers are (despite being human) not entirely from Earth, as they speak in an unknown language. When viewing the last disc however showing malnourished and diseased humans in a wasteland, one of the inhabitants with severe deformities says this:
    "LET US GO! LET US GO YOU SICK FUCKS!"
  • "New Job" is a message sent by the O5 council to the new head researcher for SCP-999, and details the Foundation's history with the Children of the Scarlet King and Procedure 110-Montauk. The message reveals that SCP-231-7 was actually destined to give birth to a being who would help destroy the Scarlet King. So, how is this relevant to SCP-999?
    "At the risk of causing an XK-Class End of the World Scenario, SCP-231-7 was relieved from Procedure 110-Montauk following the deaths of SCP-231-1 through -6, and was allowed to give birth. SCP-999 was the result."


Top