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.

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.

[1][2][3] Specifically regarding the character's impact on female viewers, Entertainment Weekly stated that his soulful eyes contributed to the show's success.

Murray had become a fan of the genre during high school, and felt it changed his way of seeing things; it made him rethink his own actions.

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.

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.

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’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.

[16] 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.

Ultimately, it is just Lucas and a broken-hearted Peyton (because boyfriend Jake left her) for the summer and the last shot is of the two of them sharing a meaningful hug on the beach after they’ve finally made amends and reconciled.

[25] In season 3, after having spent the whole summer together with Peyton, growing closer again and forming a great friendship by hanging out, sharing mutual secrets and intimate things, resulting in their bond becoming stronger than it has ever been, Lucas remains at odds with Dan, who accuses him of starting the fire at the dealership that nearly killed him.

Lucas struggles to pay for his heart medication and steals money from his mother, which Haley sees, forcing him to tell her about his condition.

[26] Even after that, Lucas and Brooke still don’t give up on the idea of being together: in fact, when she shows the 82 letters she’s written him during her vacation but did not send and tells him she wants to be with him, he decides to forgive her, then the two agree to start a real relationship.

Lucas rushes into the school to save Peyton, who, during a weakness moment because she's lost a lot of blood and thinks she would die, tells him she loves him and the two share a brief but meaningful kiss.

He is also Nathan's best man for his vow renewal to Haley, during which he and Brooke have a massive fight after he let it slip about the kiss with Peyton during the school shooting: this, in turn, causes Brooke to question her and Lucas' entire relationship, feeling that their relationship has never had emotional connection enough to be a real couple even regardless of Peyton.

He also helps Karen, who is pregnant with Keith's baby, and plans on going to the University of North Carolina when he graduates so that he can be close to home in case she needs him.

They officially become a couple at the after-party, but their happiness is short-lived when Haley gets hit by a car and Lucas tries to tell the paramedics what happened, only to suffer a heart attack.

After the failed attempt of prom in Tree Hill High, the group go on a rescue mission to save Mouth who has become stranded in Honeygrove.

[27] When Peyton comes back home, she reveals to him that she did come to the signing, and then inspires him by repeating his quote "Your art matters, that's what got me here", prompting him to begin writing again.

[29] After remembering the night he proposed, he goes straight to her house, though she is not there, but Brooke, who she is now living with Peyton and has finally completely moved on from him, understands what's happening and teases him about still being in love with her best friend.

After Lindsey calls him to tell him she is seeing someone, he blows up after an opposing player gets away with attempting to injure Quentin Fields, drawing himself a 10-game suspension.

After the two resolve problems and fears of moving in together and their relationship continues to grow stronger, Lucas is offered a movie deal by Julian Baker.

[45] Although he is initially angry, they patch things up, and Peyton convinces Lucas to continue taking a part in the making of the film, despite his reluctance to work with Julian.

Though they initially have problems with Peyton's pregnancy, the fact that she may die if the baby is born,[46] the two are eventually married by the lake where they first met, and have their reception at Tric.

Lucas has been popular among teenagers and young adults, especially among female fans of the series, not only for his skill at basketball but for his romantic aspirations.

Don Williams of BuddyTV stated, "If you're a huge fan of One Tree Hill, chances are you've had a debate at some point about who Lucas Scott should ultimately settle down with".

He added that the shipping fandom can be "an extremely rabid bunch" as lots of fans rooted for Lucas and Peyton from the beginning, while others hoped that he would end up with Brooke instead,[52] but eventually Peyton turned out to be the one for him, as planned from the get-go: in fact, Mark Schwahn, the series' showrunner, confirmed that the two were always supposed to be the endgame couple, describing their love story as a soulmate/meant to be one.

[9][10][53] MTV defined Lucas and Peyton as the generation's Joey and Pacey, "the overly dramatic couple you could not help but root for",[54] and the two emerged as one of the show's supercouples.

"[63] Television Without Pity, on the other hand, stated, "Chad Michael Murray is almost too pretty, looks good pouting on promo posters and modeling sponsored fashions, and can only muster one and a half emotions convincingly.