“001 needs to make you question reality.”^[1]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-16176.0-16251.7

The first slot, also commonly known as a 001 entry, is the the first entry on a containment fiction series list. Most 001s aspire to explore/explain the origins of the containment organization, be large-scope pieces of lore, and/or be exceptionally classified in-universe, available to top credentials only. The 001 slot is historically a coveted and venerated position for a piece of containment fiction.

Most major containment fiction communities have their own equivalent of the first slot. Some instances are occupied by a single article, while others have numerous potential variants linked on a hub page.

SCP Foundation Wiki(s)

Note: The international SCP Wikis each have their own variation of SCP-001 proposals, in addition to hosting translations of one another’s 001 proposals. For simplicity’s sake, no SCP-001 proposal translations will be counted on this list, only the works original to each community. For in-universe encyclopedic coverage, see the Fandom Wiki entry.

The title on the SCP-EN Wiki Main List is “SCP-001 – Awaiting De-classification [Blocked].”  There are currently over 40 Proposals for SCP-001 on the SCP Wiki -EN.

History (-EN)

/x/ & EditThis

“Barring some serious revision to this one, I’m going to have to vote No on including this as canon. Though the wish-granting Elder God is a very cool idea which I think deserves to be part of another SCP, this is too dramatic. Goat’s blood, the writing of the Ouroboros in blood, the personnel with “no fear of death”, the sealing ground, the various words that the god speaks – all of these read like a Lovecraftian story rather than a clipped, concise report for high-level military personnel. Additionally, it leaves in too many details – the “sacrifice log”, “deep slumber”, “This was the beginning” – and is, overall, far too explicit; “a lost god of this world” would never make it into a military document.

Overall, though it has good ideas, it’s far too cheesy for me, and not worthy of SCP-001. As a rule, SCP’s should raise more questions than they answer.”

—Eberstrom 23 February 2008

The SCP-001 slot has nearly always been viewed as special and set apart.^[2]e.g. https://archive.ph/3QlpV On September 5th, 2007, the day the first non-173 was posted on 4chan’s /x/ board, an anonymous poster humorously suggested that SCP-001 (“SCP-1”) should be “the cursed bones of Draculajesus or something”, ^[3]https://archive.fo/wxQgG#selection-3071.194-3071.199, post 258332 while another joked that SCP-001 should be the final Holder’s Object. ^[4]https://archive.fo/wxQgG#selection-7309.0-7309.6, post 258332

SCP-001 was first referenced in an SCP article on January 20, 2008 when an anonymous user posted SCP-003,^[5]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/448755.xml which, in-universe, was found next to 002 and 001.^[6]post 448774 There was further discussion about 001, but the poster refused to write 001 on the grounds that it was “the origin SCP”, and that it would be impossible to define.^[7]post 448826 Another user supported this decision and stated it would be undesirable for the first several SCPs to be super powerful and resource intensive.^[8]post 448938

The first known, complete, and documented SCP-001 proposal appears on January 23, 2008, in thread #453291 on 4chan’s /x/.^[9]https://archive.vn/1jSvG#selection-10855.0-10855.182 The author, aware of the uniqueness of the slot number, introduced it with:

“I came up with this. If you don’t think it’s worthy of being 001, feel free to change the designation to 004, or eight hundred billion, or whatever.”

While this is the first intact SCP-001 proposal, it may not be the first. An SCP-001 was posted on EditThis two days earlier, on January 21, 2008, but this text is lost and the content of the proposal is not known.^[10]http://web.archive.org/web/20080617143706/http://editthis.info/scp_wiki/?title=SCP-001&action=history The community reaction to the 001 was negative. ^[11]http://web.archive.org/web/20080517151235/http://editthis.info:80/scp_wiki/Talk:SCP-001, see the very top comments As a result, the site Admin blanked the SCP-001 page, locked it to prevent future editing, and added the text:^[12]http://web.archive.org/web/20080418041947/http://editthis.info:80/scp_wiki/?title=SCP-001&action=edit

“BLANKED AND LOCKED UNTIL SOMEONE MAKES ONE WORTHY OF THE TITLE OF SCP-001.”

The original SCP-001 was not archived, nor was there any meaningful discussion about its contents, other than an anonymous message of disapproval for it as the occupant of the 001 slot.^[13]http://web.archive.org/web/20080517151235/http://editthis.info:80/scp_wiki/Talk:SCP-001 While this comment is not signed, the SCP-001 talk page edit history shows the Admin as the first contributor.^[14]http://web.archive.org/web/20080518135653/http://editthis.info/scp_wiki/?title=Talk:SCP-001&action=history

Over the next few months, EditThis members started adding their own “proposals” for the SCP-001 slot to its talk page, which were moved to dedicated pages and given standardized names (“Proposal: [username]”). Several pre-existing SCPs would be nominated for the slot, including the then SCP-579, SCP-Numberless, and SCP-1001.^[15]http://web.archive.org/web/20080616233457/http://editthis.info/scp_wiki/Talk:SCP-001^[16]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-13463.0-13493.37^[17]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-21214.0-21265.142^[18]https://archive.ph/pD5Mo#selection-1936.0-2005.145 Taisajin’s SCP-001 proposal (February 21, 2008)^[19]http://web.archive.org/web/20080518135653/http://editthis.info/scp_wiki/?title=Talk:SCP-001&action=history^[20]https://web.archive.org/web/20080517171343/http://editthis.info:80/scp_wiki/SCP-001/Proposal:Taisaijin^[21]https://web.archive.org/web/20080519001444/http://editthis.info/scp_wiki/Talk:SCP-001/Proposal:Taisaijin is recognized as the first complete one posted to EditThis, followed by Eberstrom’s (March 2008)^[22]http://web.archive.org/web/20080616233457/http://editthis.info:80/scp_wiki/Talk:SCP-001, the header for Eberstrom’s reads “Another proposal” indicating that at least one, … Continue reading and Catalyst’s (April 2008).^[23]https://web.archive.org/web/20080517171333/http://editthis.info/scp_wiki/SCP-001/Proposal:Catalyst, “Last Modified” is the most definitive known timestamp associated with this proposal^[24]https://archive.ph/RQCUo#selection-193.0-207.14

In May 2008, in Thread #573348, discussion of SCP-001 began again, with /x/ user “Alan” proposing a contest where the winning entry would be determined by vote take the SCP-001 slot, and the runner-ups take other slot numbers.^[25]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-14148.0-14217.287^[26]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-14606.0-14681.7 Two SCP-001 attempts were posted here (not including two “SCP-000001″s — one a racist, misogynist take on Anonymous, and the other a crude SCP format of Candlejack), neither of which survived (or, by records, were even ported) to the EditThis.^[27]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-15900.0-15969.37^[28]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-18885.0-18885.64^[29]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-15939.0-15969.1550^[30]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-18885.0-19153.669^[31]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-17781.10-17781.20

“No one writes bad SCPs on purpose. The 001 is a placeholder; perhaps someday someone writes something so epic that it cannot be topped. I don’t believe anything that good could be done by merely trying. I think things are fine as they are, everyone gets to choose their number, and no one has to try to make up something out of this world just so they could be number one.”^[32]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-15366.0-15417.406

Numerous /x/ posts in June 2008 debated what would constitute a worthy SCP-001 article.^[33]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/694756.html, archive^[34]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/697022.html, archive^[35]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/699949.html^[36]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/700144.html^[37]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/700370.html^[38]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/701468.html^[39]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/701832.html^[40]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/704087.html^[41]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/704970.html^[42]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/726440.html, archive^[43]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/729303.html Proposals based on the discussion are posted, including two full-length SCP-001 proposals (“a tear in the 10th dimension” by Anonymous, and “Innocence” a 9/11 tie-in by EditThis user Thomas1617).^[44]https://archive.ph/3QlpV#selection-19444.0-19753.617^[45]https://archive.ph/1QlxE#selection-13712.0-13773.7^[46]https://archive.ph/pD5Mo#selection-1764.0-1815.198 Multiple other drafts of proposed SCP-001s exist in these threads.^[47]e.g. http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/726440.html Many of these proposals attempted to incorporate an origin story for the SCP Foundation.^[48]https://archive.ph/3QlpV#selection-20699.519-20699.613^[49]https://archive.ph/1QlxE It was at this time that Dr Gears submitted his SCP-001 proposal “The Prototype”.^[50]http://web.archive.org/web/20080616233457/http://editthis.info:80/scp_wiki/Talk:SCP-001, “Cog” Discussion about SCP-001 on /x/ would continue sporadically — if only jokingly — in the following months.^[51]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/847528.html

Cooldude971’s essay on the SCP on /x/ and 4chan notes:

“This entire discussion on SCP-001 is significant mainly because its the last time /x/ attempted to influence the early SCP Foundation. After this point, they largely took the role of passive observer.”^[52]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/the-scp-foundation-on-4chan-and-editthis

No official SCP-001 was ever selected on the EditThis wiki. This approach was carried over to the Wikidot website, and made definitive in October 2008.^[53]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-95164/dr-clef-s-proposal#post-282698^[54]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-83241/proposals-for-scp-001#post-2094344

WikiDot

The text for the SCP-001 slot was changed upon the move to WikiDot, from “LOCKED UNTIL SOMEONE MAKES ONE WORTHY OF THE TITLE OF SCP-001” to the current “Awaiting De-classification [Blocked]”.^[55]https://www.diffchecker.com/HQprYcJ4/ The slot was empty for the first week of the WikiDot’s existence.

On July 26, 2008 WikiDot user Lt Masipag first created the SCP-001 page and occupied it with Eberstrom’s proposal, noting in the initial post comment “That’s right. I did it. If anyone hates it, take it up in the discussion page or the forums”.^[56]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-001, rev. 0 A forum thread was created shortly thereafter, titled “SCP-001, What’s up with that?”, with a user noting that the slot was now occupied. A discussion about the apparent definitive occupation resulted, and it was determined that the action was a willfully aggressive annexation of something not-yet decided upon by the greater community. This incident was also the initial impetus for WikiDot and page permissions, per user The Administrator:^[57]https://archive.ph/HBVLt#selection-1227.0-1227.358

“For months, people have been submitting proposals toward SCP-001. Lt Masipag must have known that muscling his way into SCP-001 was going to cause in-fighting and dispute between this sites members. The same way SCP-000 caused so much bad blood before. It saddens me that of all people, one of our own moderators would commit one of the gravest of sins here.

I left all permissions open because I wanted to see how well other could improve the site. We admins are going to have to start locking down pages now, beginning with this one. Lt Masipag will have to submit a proposal for SCP-001 like everyone else.”

Lt Masipag, responding:^[58]https://archive.ph/HBVLt#selection-1641.0-1641.313

“I have to admit, what I did was quite bull-headed, but from what I saw SCP-001 was getting nowhere. There seemed to be a general consensus of agreement on Eberstrom’s proposal, so I thought no-one would make too big an issue of it, or that it would in the least the action would bring some priority to the matter.”

A motion to leave the page blank to maximize immersive intrigue and secrecy was suggested, with notable people seconding it at the time, such as DrClef. It was the suggestion of DrClef to cast the multitude of SCP-001s as potentially false entries:^[59]https://archive.ph/HBVLt#selection-2443.0-2443.167

“My opinion is that the real SCP-001 isn’t anything we’ve posted, or maybe it’s all of them: the Foundation could be running a disinformation campaign to protect it.”

The same day, the Administrator removed Eberstrom’s proposal, and included a notice at the top of the SCP-001 page stating, “Authors are encouraged to submit their proposals for SCP-001 and accept constructive criticism and feedback,”^[60]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-001, rev. 2, 3 as well as a page dedicated for members to submit their proposals.^[61]https://web.archive.org/web/20081016155441/https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/proposals-for-scp-001 This page has been archived and exists on the SCP Wiki currently.^[62]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001

On this dedicated page, the Administrator ported Eberstrom’s proposal, misattributing it as “Lt Masipag’s Proposal – Site 19″ (unarchived).^[63]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.1^[64]https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/lt-masipag-s-proposal This was corrected (by Lt Masipag) the next day, and Jonathan Ball’s proposal (then unnamed) was added.^[65]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.2 Dr Gears added his proposal next, on July 27, 2008.^[66]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.3 The page’s first archive was after this time, including only Eberstrom’s, Jonathan Ball’s, and Dr Gears’ proposals.^[67]https://web.archive.org/web/20080915215333/http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/proposals-for-scp-001

The next addition was on 6 Oct 2008, by Fishmonger; no archive or record of this proposal (“The Game”) exists otherwise. Also on this date, Dr Clef added an entry under his name, but this was initially a placeholder with the title “Something Big Enough to be worthy of being the First SCP”.^[68]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.9 The initial version of Dr Clef’s 001 proposal page states “WIP”, though the first version of “The Gate Guardian” was posted to the page the same day.^[69]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/dr-clef-s-proposal, rev.0-3 The placeholder title on the proposals page was replaced with “The Gate Guardian” on 21 Oct 2008.^[70]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.14

The debate as to which SCP-001 proposal would be the definitive one continued into October 2008, where numerous individuals — including Eberstrom and Dr Bright under an anonymous user ID^[71]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-95164/dr-clef-s-proposal#post-281169^[72]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-95164/dr-clef-s-proposal#post-281999 — nominated Dr Clef’s “The Gate Guardian”.^[73]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-95164/dr-clef-s-proposal#post-282698 As a a result of this discussion, and thanks to Dr Clef’s humility regarding his own entry and his esteem for others’, Dr Clef argued that all should be allowed, with the in-universe justification that only one was the “true” entry, the others being “false in order to throw off spies.”^[74]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-95164/dr-clef-s-proposal#post-282928

“I just wanted to make a quick statement. There have been a lot of people who have made comments about how they want this proposal to be the Real SCP-001. Although flattering, I’m not sure that’s a good idea… I guess all I’m REALLY saying in the end is that everyone should be entitled to their own opinion about what the Real SCP-001 is, and making any one of them the Real Deal Officially kinda takes the fun out of it.”^[75]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-95164/dr-clef-s-proposal#post-283427 — Dr Clef, October 2008

A week later, Dr Clef added the “TOP SECRET” warning introduction along with the fractal memetic kill agent to the proposals page.^[76]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.15

Eberstrom’s proposal was removed on 29 Jun 2011 after its rating was reduced to -5, and it was archived with the expectation that it would be soon rewritten.^[77]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/eberstrom-s-proposal-arc^[78]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/eberstrom-s-proposal^[79]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-76907/eberstrom-s-proposal-arc#post-1188787^[80]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-76907/eberstrom-s-proposal-arc#post-1256014

This page became an official hub (via the “hub” tag) on 22 Mar 2012.^[81]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev. 36 By 2013, users had requested for it to become the proper SCP-001 page, instead of a stand-alone redirect.^[82]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-83241/proposals-for-scp-001#post-1803816 This was approved and enacted by the staff in 2014, and the initial proposals page was archived.^[83]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev. 48^[84]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-001, rev.9^[85]http://www.scp-wiki.net/forum/t-76799/scp-001#post-2125420

The archived page’s original memetic kill agent image was removed in 2019 for not conforming with the site’s CC license.^[86]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-83241/proposals-for-scp-001#post-4230105^[87]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.52

RPC Authority

The title on the RPC Authority Archive I list is RPC-001 – [RESTRICTED].^[88]http://rpcauthority.wikidot.com/rpc-001

The RPC Authority Wiki currently has three proposals for RPC-001. Their basic format and layout for their 001 proposals is heavily influenced by and similar to the SCP Wiki’s.

Both in-universe and out (“dual-universally”), the RPC Authority approaches the 001 slot as reserved for anomalies that require a sufficient amount of attention, though the threshold for that attention is ill-defined. In contrast to SCP’s dual-universal lore of a multitude of false entries to detract from the real one, all RPC-001s are considered “real”. Each is given the 001 designation, with hyphenated sub-designations assigned on an (out-of-universe) chronological basis.

Backrooms/Tech Support

The Backroom’s Wiki’s equivalent to a first slot is Entity-1, which currently has been transitioned into the Enigmatic Entities list. This list was initially set-up in a similar fashion as other first slot entries, with the first additions referred to as “proposals”, and each designated “Entity 1”. ^[89]https://web.archive.org/web/20200824204913/http://backrooms-wiki.wikidot.com/entity-1

The Entity-1 Contest (August 2020) saw the initial canonizing of Entity 1 proposals.^[90]https://web.archive.org/web/20210128181927/http://backrooms-wiki.wikidot.com/entity-1 The contest’s page states:^[91]http://backrooms-wiki.wikidot.com/contest-entity-1-2020

“The M.E.G. have decided the Entity 1 slot would best be used for documenting the most dangerous unconfirmed Entities. Your job is to create a proposal for this list. The Entity can be anything you want (as long as it fits in with the Backrooms tone!). There may be many contestants, but only 4 will be accepted as cannon Entity 1 proposals.”

The rules specified that the Entity-1 proposals must abide by the Entity format, and justify itself as significant enough for the designation in-universe. (Only one entry from this contest remains on the site, and so is the only to currently appear on the contest hub.^[92]http://backrooms-wiki.wikidot.com/the-humans)

In May 2021, the word “proposal” was removed from this page, the entries renamed from “[author]’s proposal” to titles relevant to the works, and the list renamed to a collection of Enigmatic Entities.^[93]http://backrooms-wiki.wikidot.com/enigmatic-entities Like Entity-1, the Enigmatic Entities remain those “powerful enough to cause widespread destruction or instability.” Some notable containment fiction authors have contributed to this list, such as CadaverCommander of SCP-4999 fame and Etoisle, previous admin of the Backrooms Wiki.

It should be noted that The Backrooms itself is Level 0 – “Tutorial Level”.^[94]http://backrooms-wiki.wikidot.com/level-0 Their “Level 0” acts as an on-boarding article to familiarize readers with the basics of subsequent Backrooms content. Level 0 uses the iconic yellow wallpaper Backrooms photo.

Liminal Archives

Liminal Archive’s 001 equivalent is designated Level 1 – The Halls.^[95]http://liminal-archives.wikidot.com/level-1/

Level 1 of the Liminal Archive Backrooms system uses the same picture as Level 0 on the Backrooms/Tech Support Wiki. The articles are fundamentally different both in content and intention. While the Backrooms Wiki is a shallow end on-boarding, the Liminal Archive’s article does not have such an introductory purpose.

Chaos Insurgency Wiki

The Chaos Insurgency Wiki’s first slot has no special designation. The current article is the Bell of Entropy and it most likely has the first slot only by virtue of being the first article posted on the site.^[96]http://ci-wiki.wikidot.com/bell-of-entropy

Wayward Society

The Wayward society notably afforded no article any “first slot” privilege, with the majority of its content being divided among five sections in its Aberration Catalog.^[97]http://wayward.wikidot.com/aberration-catalog

People have been taking SCP too seriously since it began.^[98]https://archive.ph/3QlpV

Trivia

A lesser-known, early SCP-001 attempt — “Alan’s Proposal” — featured compositional qualities highly reminiscent of The Holders, and even was a composite object whose constituent parts should not be brought together.^[99]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-15900.0-15969.1550

The first unofficial writing contest in containment fiction was for the SCP-001 slot.^[100]https://archive.vn/dIUWj#selection-14187.0-14217.287

In an June 2008 /x/ thread, multiple users debated what SCP-001 should be. Suggestions included a living sun, the Bible, a sixth state of matter, a paranormal locator, the tree of Eden, an Egyptian God, the Spear of Destiny, The Sand Man, Buddha, Cthulhu, the “SCP Commander’s” daughter, a clockwork mechanism, Nikola Tesla and/or his works, the birth of the universe in a shoe box, Grigori Rasputin, the atmosphere (discovered to be a cell membrane), the solar system as an atom, a machine that keeps the Earth’s core running, a flashlight that produces darkness, something from the dark side of the moon, various mythological beasts, the Necronomicon, Site-19, the Administrator, “you”, God’s corpse, a giant sperm that was found trying to penetrate the Earth, and a bio-machine giant birthing stump, resembling a large vagina, that leads to the after-life,” this later dubbed the “Vagina of Lost Souls”.^[101]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/694756.html, archive^[102]https://archive.ph/1QlxE#selection-1289.217-1289.237

Numerous later SCP-001 proposals on the EditThis and WikiDot were foreshadowed on early /x/ discussions of the slot’s possible entry:

• Jonathan Ball’s Proposal “Sheaf of Papers”.^[103]https://archive.ph/1QlxE#selection-3148.0-3209.7
• djkaktus Proposal II “Atonement”.^[104]https://archive.ph/9lmD0#selection-1600.0-1661.7
• Captain Kirby’s “O5-13”.^[105]https://archive.ph/pD5Mo#selection-822.0-843.7
• St Andrew Swann’s “The Database”^[106]https://archive.ph/1QlxE#selection-2460.0-2535.7
• Arbelict’s “You Are The Anomaly, Tumor Of The Worlds”/”Swelling of the Worlds”  & Billith’s “The World At Large”^[107]https://archive.ph/pD5Mo#selection-954.0-1029.7

An early SCP-001 attempt was titled “Dues Ex Machina”, the later title and subject matter of SCP-2000, with the ending statement: “HELP US MAKE THIS EPIC.”^[108]https://archive.ph/1QlxE#selection-11536.0-11597.7

Eberstrom’s was favored by some users on the SCP-001 talk page for explaining a piece of lore:^[109]http://web.archive.org/web/20080616233457/http://editthis.info:80/scp_wiki/Talk:SCP-001

“I really prefer Eberstrom’s proposal, because it actually explains how this entire, apparently freakin’ huge, facility remains completely unknown to the public”

Catalyst’s proposal was likely not written by a user with the same username, but instead by the EditThis user “Monkeys!!!”. On the SCP-001 talk page, this user is archived as posting in the edit history the exact phrase which headlines the Catalyst proposal (“Idea – here so I don’t forget”).^[110]http://web.archive.org/web/20080518135653/http://editthis.info/scp_wiki/?title=Talk:SCP-001&action=history This also lines up with following comments in this section three days later by user Genereaver. The “Catalyst” portion of the proposal’s title comes from the role of the 001 anomaly, which acted as a catalyst to the Foundation and its lore. This is referenced in a comment by Genereaver:

“This one, on the other hand, basically says ‘this is how it all happened’, and considering the general nature of the SCPs and how quite of few of them get a lot of their feel from having completely unknown origins, it just wouldn’t feel right to have a known catalyst. Genereaver @ 19:18, 4-14-08”

Eberstrom’s proposal, the only surviving one from the EditThis days, was Site 19, explained it as “a patch of land, of area around 50 acres, continually shifts locations around the world, staying a reasonable distance away from cities… built in order to prevent people accidentally wandering into this patch of land.”^[111]http://web.archive.org/web/20080418042145/http://editthis.info/scp_wiki/Talk:SCP-001 By 2011, this was voted into the negatives and was eventually ARC’d, with the expectation that it would be rewritten. Within the year, user Scantron/Communism will win wrote an SCP-001 proposal (“The Foundation”) that was initially a rewrite of Eberstrom’s propsal.^[112]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-400333/scantron-s-proposal#post-1280139 Rewrites of this were discussed in the following years.^[113]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-632775/rewrite-of-eberstrom-s-proposal Eleven years later, author PlaguePJP wrote an article title “Site-19” for the SCP-7000 contest, which was inspired by Eberstrom’s proposal.^[114]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-15049534/scp-7001#post-5522235^[115]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-15049534/scp-7001#post-5539375 Unrelated to this, a user by the name of “Plague” existed on the EditThis, in 2008. This Plague is archived on the SCP-001 talk page as saying: “I think SCP-Numberless would make a good SCP-1 or possibly SCP-0, but that growing facility is a good one too.”^[116]http://web.archive.org/web/20080616233457/http://editthis.info:80/scp_wiki/Talk:SCP-001

Dr Clef posted a joke SCP-001 to the 001 slot on April 1st 2008 and 2009:^[117]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-001, rev. 4, 20

“Description: SCP-001 consists of the Object Classification guidelines for SCP researchers. Although intended as a broad, simple method of quickly classifying new artifacts in a manner that allows personnel to easily ascertain the basic mindset to take when researching said object, SCP-001 has the preternatural ability to cause frustration, anxiety, and long, meandering debates on the nature of various definitions of the words “threat,” “danger,” and “safe.” Frustration caused by discussion of SCP-001 has led to the firing of several personnel, sixteen suicides, and the destruction of the entire west coast.

Despite this fact, the memetic nature of the SCP Object Classifications prevents SCP Foundation personnel from replacing it with a more nuanced system. Several have been proposed, but adoption of the new methods have been spotty at best.”

The classic top-secret introduction, warning, fractal memetic kill agent, and lore staple that many of the SCP-001 proposals are decoys, were all added to the SCP-001 hub by Dr Clef in August 2008. It was initially part of his individual SCP-001 proposal, “The Gate Guardian”, but was suggested to be the introduction to the hub instead.^[118]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-95164/dr-clef-s-proposal#post-283954^[119]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.15 Dr Clef also seems to have given a formal name to Jonathan Ball’s proposal (“Sheaf of Papers”) at this edit as well.^[120]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev. 15 The title is not mentioned prior to this in the entry’s discussion page or in the proposal’s discussion page.

Dr. Mackinzie’s proposal (“The Legacy”) and S. Andrew Swann’s (“The Database”) were posted within 7 days of one another.^[121]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, revs. 30,31

S. Andrew Swann’s (“The Database”) was initially added to the SCP-001 hub by TroyL, who named it “The Archive” in lieu of not knowing what the author wanted to call it.^[122]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.31 It was updated to “The Database” the same day after asking.

Author LurkD (author of SCP-2521) had a 001 proposal, “A New Day”, released in August of 2014.^[123]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.43 It was a story about the formation of the Foundation and GoIs.^[124]https://web.archive.org/web/20141224064935/http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com:80/lurkd-s-proposal It was criticized for being a re-hashing of others’ material, “ho-hum”, and not worthy of the slot.^[125]https://web.archive.org/web/20141014181954mp_/http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-991823/lurkd-s-proposal The article was deleted by April 2015, presumably by the author given that it seems to have had a positive rating.^[126]https://web.archive.org/web/20150414122843/http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/lurkd-s-proposal It was removed from the new SCP-001 hub in 2015, and LurkD removed the dead link from the archived SCP-001 proposal’s page in 2017.^[127]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-001, rev.14^[128]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.50

User Jekeled has had two failed 001 proposals. The first was titled “…effects may include: agnosia, migraines, aural hallucinations…”, and with the URL title “tigwugummr”, released in Sept 2014.^[129]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.44 It was staff-deleted two days later with a rating of -18.^[130]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-982571/deletions-23:have-you-ever-tried-shawarma#post-2104444 No archive or record of it exists otherwise.^[131]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-001-tigwugummr^[132]https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-001-tigwugummr^[133]https://archive.is/https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-001-tigwugummr^[134]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-83241/proposals-for-scp-001#post-2106748 His second proposal, “Some Cyborg Prayers”, was released on March 9 2016, and was staff-deleted three days later with a rating of -11.^[135]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-001, rev. 15^[136]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-1587895/deletions-33:never-tell-me-the-odds#post-2471662 It is also not archived or recorded in any known place, despite from one line in the deletion record.^[137]https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/jekeleds-proposal

djkaktus’ first SCP-001 proposal was initially titled “The Glowing Children of San Marco”, and was later changed to simply “The Children”.^[138]https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/archived:proposals-for-scp-001, rev.46

On EditThis, there was a similar competition for the SCP-000 slot, as there was for the SCP-001 slot.^[139]http://web.archive.org/web/20080714175943/http://editthis.info:80/scp_wiki/Talk:SCP-024

RPC’s first RPC-001, RPC-001-1: The Primordial Womb & The Stillborn God, was foreshadowed by the original SCP-024 on EditThis.^[140]https://web.archive.org/web/20080613165522/http://editthis.info/SCP_wiki/SCP-024

Quotes

“Here’s the debate: some people feel 001 should be something kick-ass. others think it should be the first object found. I like the first object idea, that it was just the first thing that got SCP started, something that, if not very dangerous, is very hard to contain. Just my opinion. maybe the numbers are even randomly assigned?”^[141]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/694756.html, archive — Dr Gears (as Cog), June 2008, on /x/

---

“I feel like the first SCP object should be something that revealed the ‘truth’ behind the universe, and got us looking for the rest of the SCPs.”^[142]https://archive.ph/3QlpV#selection-6875.30-6875.174 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“001 should be something that was obviously paranormal and dangerous, but could not be contained (at the time), so contact with it lead to the formation of SCP. In their search for 001 they found other objects, but 001 remains on the loose.”^[143]https://archive.ph/3QlpV#selection-9131.10-9131.250 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“The Tesla device is the answer to our prayer’s, /x/. This single device has the potential to explain all paranormal entities, happenings, and items ever conceived. If it can bend and mold the rules of the universe at the will of the operator, it could be used for all sorts of mind-bending, brix shitting situations and ideas. It’s the ultimate source of insanity.”^[144]https://archive.ph/3QlpV#selection-13193.10-13193.374 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“SCP-001 should inspire more mindfuck and more fear than that.”^[145]https://archive.ph/3QlpV#selection-14245.36-14245.97 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“All these posts to make SCP 001 wildly powerful or relevant or inter-connected are stupid. 001 should just be the first thing that was found… Everyone who tries to make SCP 001 so much more EPIC than everything else will only fail. Looking back on the rest of the SCP’s it’s clear that there’s way too much competition. Isn’t there a god or two in the inventory? Yeah. To try to “top” the rest of the list misses the point.

Everyone who tries to make SCP 001 something that explains everything doesn’t understand that that only ruins the story. The beauty of all of this is the figure-it-out-for-yourself nature underlying everything. That’s why the series doesn’t follow, and shouldn’t follow any order.

tl;dr When adding to SCP, our only goal should be to make the series ever more bizarre than before us.”^[146]https://archive.ph/3QlpV#selection-19839.0-19839.1066 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“WHATEVER IS SCP-001 WON’T BE POSTED HERE. No self-respecting writer wants this degree of scrutiny.”^[147]https://archive.ph/3QlpV#selection-21139.10-21139.119 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“In all honesty, the SCP-001 page would only be done justice if it was never filled in. It should link to a 403 page, or something official and top-secret looking. You know, the scariest thing is someone’s imagination?”^[148]https://archive.ph/3QlpV#selection-22975.10-22975.249 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“We’re talking SCP-001 here… if it’s not epic, it won’t be accepted into the SCP wiki, thereby nullifying its validity (hence the “locked until something worthy” notice on SCP-001)”^[149]https://archive.ph/1QlxE#selection-1977.31-1977.212 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“1. 001 is not necessarily the most powerful item. 2. 001 is not necessarily the first item in existence. 3. 001 is a genuine mindfuck. I doubt that the consensus SCP 001 will actually be agreed upon in this circus”^[150]https://archive.ph/1QlxE#selection-2184.0-2263.7 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“If one thing’s for sure, it’s that SCP-001 must not have ANYTHING to do with religions, mythology, or other popular fairytales.<br /><br />It must be serious. Not something from a story made to entertain the people.”^[151]https://archive.ph/1QlxE#selection-3062.0-3123.7 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“i doubt the greatness of your creation. 001 won’t be found for some time”^[152]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/697624.xml — Anonymous user, on /x/

“SCP-001 : humans, containment protocol : earth, oh ! then who has been containing these items ?”^[153]https://archive.ph/RJbkB#selection-6030.0-6105.7 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“The biggest mindfuck ever:<br /><br />there is no SCP-001″^[154]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/699949.xml — Anonymous user, on /x/

“I think SCP-001 should be a collaborative effort, with someone who is really creative, someone who knows how to write, and someone who has insanely good photoshop skills. We might have to dedicate an entire night to developing it, but I’ll be damned if /x/ lets this shit take the coveted position of SCP-001″^[155]https://archive.ph/B1g6I#selection-3056.0-3107.433 — Anonymous user, on /x/

“[SCP-001 is] basically, the Holy Grail of creepypasta.”^[156]http://scparchives.bluesoul.net/x/scp/726440.html, archive — Anonymous user, on /x/

Thank you to Cooldude971, whose past research on SCP-001s is included in the History subsection, and can be found in its original presentation here.