Template:Spec6 Infobox
Specimen 6, known to some fans as Ben or The Merchant, is a hostile enemy encountered in Spooky's Jump Scare Mansion, starting at Room 310.
Appearance
Specimen 6 is a wooden, life-sized puppet. His eyes are pure white with no irises or pupils and his face usually bears a wide, toothy grin. Specimen 6 wears a simple brown tunic with a brown belt, blue-grey tights, and black shoes. He carries a long, thin, silver blade (likely a needle) and has thin strings attached to his arms and back. Though his face initially bears a smile, he can suddenly switch to a frighteningly angry face at random intervals.
Gameplay
The player first encounters Specimen 6 in Room 310. He will be standing right in the middle of the room as if to greet the player.
Astute players will notice that Specimen 6, at first, does not seem to move, but will turn to continuously face the player. This is because he does not move while he is within the player's sight, nor can he spawn from a door the player is looking at, except in the HD Renovation version. It is impossible to outrun Specimen 6 walking forwards.
However, as soon as the player looks away, Specimen 6 will quickly approach from behind (with a clicking wooden noise) and begin attacking, and he can spawn from doors the player is not looking at.
If the player stares at Specimen 6 for too long, he will disappear and attack.
For this reason, it is important that players exercise caution whenever in a room with several doors without Specimen 6's appearing. He can walk through walls and can also get temporarily knocked down with the axe.
Upon losing all of one's health to Specimen 6, the screen will cut to his face followed by a scene showing a needle approaching a quivering eye. Before the eye is punctured, the scene will change to the text:
"To become a puppet is to rid oneself of the pain and harshness of choice. Now nothing you do is your fault, now you belong to something... You belong to me..."
Lore
There was once a strange merchant. He made handmade puppets and trinkets. Children adored his shop, but his business became so successful, it began to disturb the economy and invoke the wrath and scorn of other local shopkeepers.
The shopkeepers and townspeople tossed his puppets into the river to express their hatred. At this, the merchant exclaimed that his children were drowning, and he dove into the river to save them. As a result, he drowned also. While not what they had in mind, this satisfied the townspeople and shopkeepers.
After his death, the children of the village began to disappear one by one, to be replaced by puppets in their own image. Specimen 6 was eventually found floating in a reservoir where a town once was.
Audio
"The Merchant", Specimen 6's chase theme.
"OUO", the song that plays in the room where Specimen 6 first appears.
Specimen 6's laugh.
Clicking wooden noises heard when Specimen 6 moves.
Specimen 6's death screen.
Trivia
- Specimen 6 is one of the specimens to be made using 3D models instead of 2D art. However, his in-game model is still flat and appears to be 2D up close.
- Specimen 6's facial expressions seem to match those of the Happy Mask Salesman from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, who in both games switched from a somewhat disturbing smile to a startlingly angry face under specific circumstances.
- His clothing may also be a reference to the Nintendo 64 era of Zelda games, in which several NPCs wore similar simple outfits.
- His drowning in the backstory is a reference to Ben Drowned, a famous Majora's Mask creepypasta.
- Specimen 6's movement when the player is not looking at it is similar to SCP-173, one of the most famous creatures from the SCP Foundation.
- This movement could also be based on the Weeping Angels from the TV series Doctor Who, who move when aren't being observed.
- It may also be another reference to Ben Drowned as the player in the creepypasta finds himself pursued by a statue that repeatedly teleports to him.
- One of the masks hung on the walls of his lair resembles the YouTube personality known as ChaoticMonki, a.k.a. Cryaotic or Cry.
- The series of rooms that immediately precede his appearance and shortly afterward strongly resemble the Shadow Temple and the Bottom of the Well from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, complete with similar-sounding music.
Appearance
Gameplay
Specimen 6 now teleports more frequently if the player stares at him for too long and everytime he teleports, he jumps, phasing through the ceiling and then landing somewhere else. He now does his signature laugh when right behind the player and about to hit them. He also always spawns at the entrance of a room.
Trivia
Template:Specimen