Ponder Stibbons is a wizard in the fictional universe of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. He is employed at the Unseen University as the Head of Inadvisably Applied Magic, Praelector, and as the Reader in Invisible Writings. He does most of his work in collaboration with students at the University's High Energy Magic Building.
Ponder Stibbons and Harry Potter have a number of similarities, but Ponder's character, including illustrations, appeared in fiction long before Potter's.
His entry in The New Discworld Companion states: 'originally rather lazy by nature, he seems to have blossomed to become the youngest and most depressingly keen member of the UU faculty... as one of the few wizards at the University with his head screwed on in any fashion, he appears, quite against his will, to be in the front line'. From here onwards he is one of the major wizards in the books. Ponder likes to think of himself as the University's token sane person.
History[]
His first appearance is as a student wizard in Moving Pictures (1990). His roommate was Victor Tugelbend, who gained a regular income by always getting an exam score of between 80% and 88% (his inheritance would be taken from him if he ever got less than 80%, and he didn't want to get 88% (passing grade) or more because the income was only provided until he graduated). The senior wizards decided to trap Victor and gave him an exam paper with only one question: "what is your name?" Victor, however, missed that particular exam and Ponder, having accidentally destroyed his own exam paper, used Victor's instead. He was surprised to find only one question and tried to take as long as possible answering it: "The answer to question One is: Ponder Stibbons. Which is what my name is."
Upon reappearing in Lords and Ladies, he has become a member of the faculty, specifically the Reader of Invisible Writings in which role he has investigated the in portentia books in L-space
Following the events of Lords and Ladies, he excitedly asks Mustrum Ridcully for permission to stay in Lancre, In order to carry out a field study on The Dancers with their "Iron-loving " properties, Ridcully believing this to be because the young witch Diamanda will be about any day now, and believing Stibbons will have feelings for her, he agrees, remembering fondly his pursuit of Esmerelda Weatherwax.
Being cured of his laziness can be at least in part attributed to his and other fellow young wizards' invention of Hex, the Discworld's first computer, during the events of Soul Music (mirroring the IT boom in a certain other world and proving that young people who will wilfully dodge schoolwork will happily stay up all night working to teach some minor task to exciting new technology).
In The Last Continent he is offered the job as assistant to the God of Evolution, but flees in horror after only a few minutes when he realises that the god's "big project" is, in fact, a cockroach.
As of The Last Hero he has acquired the positions of Head of Inadvisably Applied Magic, as well as Praelector.
Shortly before the events of Unseen Academicals, Stibbons gains the Position of Master of the Traditions, and, as a result of this, holds twelve positions, giving him the majority vote on the University Council allowing him to control it if he so desires. Upon revealing this to Ridcully he asks nervously if anyone noticed that Stibbons was gaining all this power.
In The Science of Discworld, a book which interleaved a story set on the Discworld and real world science, Stibbons creates a device for splitting the thaum, once believed to be the smallest unit of magical radiation particles. The creation of this device borrows heavily from the real world splitting of the atom.
In The Science of Discworld IV: Judgment Day, Stibbons has managed to get the University to fund his Great Big Thing, It later malfunctions dragging a Roundworld librarian through L-space to the Disc.
Hex[]
Stibbons' most successful creation is Hex, a magical computer composed of glass tubes full of ants and other assorted complex systems, such as mice. Hex is initially capable only of simple arithmetic; however as the series continues, and more complex additions are made to Hex, it develops the semi-sapience of a child, the ability to add to and redesign itself, and the ability to do complex spells much, much more rapidly than a team of wizards could (for example, when the wizards were searching for Rincewind in Interesting Times, Hex did in a day what would have taken the UU Faculty several years). Several notable components of Hex are the wheel of ram skulls, the beachball that goes "parp" every fourteen minutes, the Unreal Time Clock and the F.T.B. (Fluffy Teddy Bear).
On Stage and Screen[]
Stephen Briggs' stage adaptation of Mort includes a wizard named "Stibbons" in place of Rincewind's role in the book. The adaptation was made after Ponder was introduced in the novels, but before he became a recurring character, and was intended to avoid having to create Rincewind's distinctive appearance for a minor role.
In the Sky One adaptation of Hogfather he is portrayed by Ed Coleman.
