Introduction

Roy Edgerton is a video essayist, academic, skeptic, and debunker. He is best known for co-hosting the video series Ray & Roy Question Everything along with his friend Ramona "Ray" Ofori. Roy’s content is based around discussing historical and modern trends, critiquing pop culture, and exploring the context and credibility of various mainstream and fringe beliefs. His intelligent commentary and eccentric personality have earned him a passionate fanbase. Roy himself has a tendency to get consumed by questions and be unable to rest until he can find answers. This tendency drives his work.

Backstory

Early Years

Roy was born in Normal, Illinois and grew up in Chicago. He had a lonely childhood. From a young age, he was interested in finding the answer to every question. He hated for there to be any uncertainty in the world. He liked rules and he didn’t like exceptions. By the time he got to high school, he relaxed a bit and fell in with a group of loud, risk-taking, mischief-seeking hooligans who he considered his close friends.

University

At university in Chicago, Roy majored in philosophy and minored in sociology. In a philosophy class, he met Ray Ofori, and the two soon became best friends. Despite still hanging around a lot of mischief-seeking hooligans, Roy gradually developed more common sense (though not enough to keep him from briefly attempting to enter the pro wrestling world and failing). College was a lot of fun and Roy made a lot of friends. His philosophy studies could be stressful and usually brought him more questions than answers, but even so, it was the most carefree time in his life.

Adulthood

After achieving his master’s degree in 2146, Roy felt like he was done with school. He attempted to go directly into the world of academia, publishing some essays on a variety of philosophical positions. His work was critiqued as messy and surface-level, which he took very personally. What had once been his greatest passion no longer seemed like a viable or compelling option. He had no idea what to do with his life.

At around the same time, Ray, still his best friend, had begun making video essays while working towards her doctorate. This inspired Roy to create video essays of his own on the subjects of whatever he happened to be thinking about at the time. These videos amused Ray, who suggested that they collaborate on a series.

And so, Ray & Roy Question Everything was born. This educational series revolved around them researching various contentious topics (such as theories, controversies and hoaxes in different fields) in an attempt to answer their own questions and hopefully arrive on some sort of truth. Episodes were informative and well-researched, but much of its appeal came from the comedic banter and chemistry between the hosts. The show became shockingly popular in a relatively short amount of time. And with its increased popularity came more exposure for each host’s solo work. Ray and Roy became popular not just as a unit but also as individuals.

In 2160, Roy is now an internet celebrity, and subject to all the anxieties that status can bring. He’s grateful for his success, but his fanbase has gotten a bit intense. Much of his popularity doubtlessly comes from his unusual way of expressing himself. Most people think it’s a persona for his videos, but it isn’t, and not everyone is fond of it. Despite some eccentricities and difficulties, Roy can be very funny and endearing, and he tries to do the right thing both in his personal life and in his work.

Personality

Roy generally comes off to others as just a bit odd. He uses humor to cover the fact that his thoughts are in a near-constant loop of worry and self-doubt, but it’s nonetheless very obvious to anyone who meets him that he is a nervous guy. However, this nervousness doesn’t stop him from trying to befriend people. In fact, he’s an extrovert, although not the most socially skilled person by any means. He loves to talk. He has strong opinions and won’t hesitate to rant, rave, or have a lengthy nuanced discussion about literally anything that is on his mind. And he’s always honest (well, as honest as he can reasonably be).

Roy has an instinctive suspicion of just about everything, but is very trusting of people once he gets to know them. He strongly desires the approval of others and reacts poorly to criticism, so it’s no surprise that being famous absolutely wrecks his self-image.

In social situations, Roy can easily come across as either hilariously entertaining or obnoxious. Even if he comes across as obnoxious, the obnoxiousness comes from a place of genuine enthusiasm for his passions and a desire to make people laugh, things his friends find likable. He is prone to impulsiveness and risk-taking, which can be another way he sets out to amuse people. He is an intense, often troubled person, but he has a sense of humor about it and his love for his friends is strong.

Appearance

Roy is a short, slim man with pale cyan skin and eyes with black sclerae and white irises. He is of mainly English, Chinese, and Eastern European ancestry. He has shoulder-length straight hair in a bizarre, uneven haircut with V-shaped bangs. He dyes his hair white, but it is naturally turquoise, and his roots are usually showing through. He has messy sideburns, and he tends to miss a few spots when shaving. He has a tattoo of an antique computer on his left wrist. He dresses in plain T-shirts and jeans, or in athletic wear, although he isn’t much of an athlete.

Relationships

Ramona “Ray” Ofori (link)

Ray and Roy are best friends who have been inseparable since college. Ray knows Roy better than anyone else, and vice versa. They are great conversation partners who enjoy having debates, discussions, and complaint sessions about anything and everything, no matter how deep or how frivolous.

From philosophy finals to becoming internet celebrities to navigating one-sided crushes, they’ve been through a lot together, and it seems like nothing can break their bond. Of the pair, Roy is the less sensible one, always getting into schemes and mischief and playing devil’s advocate in discussions, which can cause occasional minor conflicts. But they are somehow able to balance each other, with all their similarities and differences working together to make them as close as can be.

Alex and October

These two are Roy’s current romantic partners, and the future of their relationship doesn’t seem bright. Alex is a musician who Roy met at the tattoo parlor, and October is a welder he met while hiking. Things are distant between them. Alex has a hard time reconciling Roy’s online fame with their relationship, feeling like Roy doesn’t spare enough time for him, and October is frustrated by how Roy seems unable to open up to her. It’s likely they will all go their separate ways soon.

Cyril Winters (link)

Roy first met Cyril in 2158, when the famed streamer was visiting Chicago. They ran into each other at a party and hit it off, leading to a week spent together making irresponsible decisions, somewhere between a fling and a bender. Once Cyril's vacation was over, the two kept in touch and occasionally met up. In 2160, Cyril moved to Chicago, and now they hang out more often. Roy would consider Cyril a friend, but he doesn't like him very much. He often finds himself annoyed or exhausted by Cyril. They get along a lot better when Roy isn't sober, and Roy is trying hard to stay sober right now.

& (link)

The oddly-named celebrity who claims to be omniscient is a source of constant torment for Roy’s skeptical mind. So, of course, he decided he had to interview them as soon as possible. Surprisingly, they agreed, but planning for the interview is harder than Roy could have possibly imagined, and now he keeps putting it off. Beyond his ethical concerns about &’s show, the idea of omniscience potentially existing (and being in the same room with him) is just too much for him to handle.

Trivia

• Roy owns an antique drum machine and synthesizer, which he uses to make outsider music that confuses his fanbase.
• He’s been trying to learn Latvian. After over three years of study, he can now talk about a few subjects, badly.
• Sloane is his favorite director, and his favorite movie is Massive Fright.
• He used to be obsessed with sitcoms, an archaic form of entertainment from the 20th and early 21st centuries. Soap operas intrigued him at one point, but he found them too confusing.
• He also used to want to be a professional wrestler. He actually attempted this for about six months. Needless to say, it didn't work out.
• He has a (quite understandable) fear of time travel.
• His haircut is considered bad even by the lax standards of 2160.