a revelation that can easily fly under one’s nose is that Jade’s Grandpa’s expedition to the Medium actually happened contemporaneously with the events of Homestuck’s first four acts; Jake’s mysterious appearance on the Land of Wind and Shade is the very same expedition on which he took one of Typheus’ minions as a trophy.

so when Jade observes that her Grandpa got his fourth wall “years ago”, what that actually means is that he’ll pilfer it from a bureaucrat’s office sometime today; and if we’re lucky, we might even be able to spot the moment he gets his hands on it.

and as it happens, at the actual scene of the crime, the given time frame is a much cagier “some time ago.” so when was it? when did Jake get the opportunity to pop over to Derse and take the fourth wall, so to speak?

the answer is literally two pages earlier when Andrew Hussie makes his first appearance as a character in his own webcomic. the fourth wall is stolen from Noir’s office between panels, at the exact moment the fourth wall officially disappears from Homestuck the comic.