Lucas Eugene Scott is a fictional character and the main protagonist from The WB/CW television series One Tree Hill created by Mark Schwahn and portrayed by Chad Michael Murray. Lucas is a talented basketball player and writer and the paternal half-brother of Nathan Scott. The relationship between the two of them is one of the show’s foundations: from being initially estranged and rivals, their dynamic gradually shifts over the course of the series as they set their differences aside and their bond becomes increasingly stronger, turning them into true companions and best friends first and then growing to the point that they eventually begin to truly consider themselves brothers. While striving for his dreams, Lucas also has to deal with his tumultuous relationship with his father, Dan Scott, and is initially the centre of a love triangle designed between him and female leads Peyton Sawyer, whom he’s actually loved since childhood, and Brooke Davis. Ultimately, Peyton turns out to be the one for him, while the relationship between the two of them has become another cornerstone of the show. Haley James, the third female lead and Nathan’s eventual wife, is his best friend since childhood.
The character has been described as popular among teenagers and young adults, not only for his skill at basketball but for his romantic aspirations. Specifically regarding the character's impact on female viewers, Entertainment Weekly stated that his soulful eyes contributed to the show's success.
Character development Casting Chad Michael Murray was the first person to be cast for One Tree Hill. The producers were originally unsure as to who Murray would play. Series creator Mark Schwahn wanted him to play the character of Nathan Scott since Murray had played a bad guy several times before, and he felt it was only natural to give him this role. Murray, however, wanted to portray Lucas due to a connection he felt with the character. He felt that he could inhabit the character as the two share several similarities. Murray's mother left him when he was young, and Lucas was abandoned by his father. Murray's passion for the role led the producers to cast him as Lucas. Murray had turned down the lead role of Ryan Atwood in The O.C. to accept the role as Lucas Scott.
Personality and wardrobe Schwahn said that in designing the show, he created Lucas as "this underdog kid from the wrong side of the tracks" who crosses over to the pretty and popular; he wanted to show what the life of such a person would be like in a basketball atmosphere.
For Murray, in addition to their shared abandonment issues, Lucas's love for literature also appealed to him. Murray had become a fan of the medium during high school, and felt it changed his way of seeing things; it made him rethink his own actions. Lucas has been described as "caught between being charming and a nerd, a hermit and confident". Murray said of the character, "He's very introverted." He described Lucas as an observer, someone who likes to watch people and try to figure out who they really are, as opposed to who they think they are, another aspect similar to Murray's own personality.
Murray never played much basketball before the show, and was more into football while in high school. Because of this, a basketball coach was hired for Murray in order to improve his basketball skills. To go along with the character's personality, a "sedate" wardrobe was designed. Schwahn said of Lucas's wardrobe, "...He was a Levi's guy. He was, you know, he wore a lot of, like, plain T-shirts and things because we just wanted him to represent the everyman." Despite having the character start out this way, the series eventually let his wardrobe evolve. Starting from the fourth season on, he was given some "wilder stuff". Schwahn clarified, "You know, he can [now] rock something from Sean John, which normally would have been Nathan's department." He said the style of the characters really does evolve on the show, especially with the four-year timeline jump.
One Tree Hill's costume designer, Carol Cutshall, stated, "Diesel is so wonderful on [Murray]. Diesel jeans. It's an Italian company. A lot of times, Italian designers cut much more slimly...for a really lean physique." For the adult Lucas, she said that "they've had nice long sleeves and nice long shirts and really slim clothing and that looks best on [Murray]. He doesn't need to be swallowed up. He's got his own style as a person. It's not just up to me. I try to bring in what I think is going to fit him best." With the timeline jump, Lucas's main brands became Diesel, Guess menswear, and Juicy Couture.
Regarding the character's romantic life, Schwahn designed a love triangle between Lucas and the two female leads of the show, Peyton Sawyer, who turned out to be the one for him (although he had actually loved her since childhood), and Brooke Davis, creating an intense fan base rivalry. While describing Lucas and Peyton as soulmates and a "meant to be" pairing, he described Brooke and Lucas as "also genuine" and as having a great dynamic.From the official TheCWSource YouTube channel. He acknowledged that the fan bases are large and "very passionate" about their pairings. "There is a huge fanbase dedicated to Brooke and Lucas, and sometimes [those people] feel a bit betrayed, just as the fanbase dedicated to Peyton and Lucas felt betrayed [in Season 2, and parts of Season 3]," said Schwahn. "That tells me that we've done things correctly – that's the strength of a love triangle."
Storylines
Overview Lucas Scott is the son of Dan Scott and Karen Roe, and the nephew of Keith Scott; he has a younger half brother, Nathan Scott, on his father's side and a younger half-sister, Lily Roe Scott, on his mother's side (she is also his cousin through Keith). He was raised by his mother after his father abandoned them to marry Deb Lee, Nathan's mother. His uncle Keith, who always had feelings for Karen, took over the father figure role. Lucas grew up in Tree Hill, a small North Carolina town along with his best friend and later sister-in-law, Haley James Scott. He shares romantic bonds with Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis, is interested in basketball and literature, and suffers from the genetic heart disease hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Early seasons At the beginning of the first season, 16-year-old Lucas Scott is recruited by coach Whitey Durham to play for the Ravens basketball team after most of the players are suspended for drunk-driving. He soon has troubles with his half-brother Nathan, who is also the Ravens captain, because Nathan wants to remain the star of the team and feels threatened by Lucas's arrival."Pilot." One Tree Hill, The WB. September 23, 2003. Season 1 Episode 1. Encouraged by Dan, who also wants Lucas off the team, Nathan and his teammates make life difficult for Lucas, on one occasion kidnapping him and throwing him into a ditch. Nevertheless, Lucas is determined to stay on the team (although he removes the name "Scott" from his jersey). He’s also had a big crush for Peyton (Nathan's girlfriend) for years, but he’s never had the courage to talk to her, until he goes help her with her broken down car and two finally speak for the first time, immediately developing a deep emotional connection. Disgusted by Nathan's behavior towards his brother, she eventually breaks up with him. Nathan retaliates by pursuing Lucas's best friend Haley, who agrees to tutor Nathan in return for him leaving Lucas alone. Lucas and Peyton’s bond keeps growing as they soon fall in love, but Peyton is initially scared of a romance with him (due to her fear of letting someone in because of the big losses she experienced) and rejects him."Life in a Glass House." One Tree Hill, The WB. November 4, 2003. Season 1 Episode 7."With Arms Outstretched." One Tree Hill, The WB. November 18, 2003. Season 1 Episode 9. Lucas, devastated and heartbroken, starts dating Peyton's best friend, Brooke, as a rebound for her, but at the same time Peyton realizes she has made a mistake in turning Lucas away. He soon ends up cheating on Brooke with Peyton (though they don’t sleep together) because the two can’t deny how they feel towards each other anymore and he knows she is the one for him."Crash Course in Polite Conversations." One Tree Hill, The WB. February 3, 2004. Season 1 Episode 12. On the night that Lucas and Peyton are about to tell Brooke they want to be together, he and Keith are involved in a car accident, and, for the first time in the series, Dan calls Lucas his son so that Lucas can get immediate treatment."Hanging by a Moment." One Tree Hill, The WB. February 10, 2004. Season 1 Episode 13. Lucas wakes up from a short coma and breaks up with Brooke in order to be with Peyton, but she tearfully ends things with him too despite loving him out of guilt for betraying her best friend."Suddenly Everything Has Changed." One Tree Hill, The WB. February 24, 2004. Season 1 Episode 15. Lucas's feelings towards Dan are challenged when he learns that Dan wanted joint custody of Lucas, but Karen refused. He also finds himself in Dan's position when Brooke claims to be pregnant, although this turns out to be false as Brooke was lying to seek her revenge on Lucas for breaking her heart. His friendship with Peyton is broken too once she learns he’s had a one-night stand with new resident Nicki not long after she broke up with him."The First Cut is the Deepest." One Tree Hill, The WB. March 2, 2004. Season 1 Episode 16. However, his relationship with Nathan improves as Lucas realizes that he got a better deal than Nathan, who is damaged as a result of being raised by Dan. Wanting a fresh start, Lucas decides to leave town with Keith. Lucas and Nathan have a final conversation where Nathan calls Lucas his brother and Lucas says, "I'll miss you, little brother." Before leaving with Keith, he goes to say goodbye to Haley and discovers that she and Nathan have married."The Games That Play Us." One Tree Hill, The WB. May 4, 2004. Season 1 Episode 22.