Cookie Run Fandom! I have a theory…!!
In Ovenbreak during The Ultimate Draconic War update, Dark Choco Cookie’s curse was cleansed (really easily lol) by Millennial Tree Cookie. Memories of his childhood returned and he was no longer the thrall of the sword or the darkness, his personality calming, becoming less depressed and guilt-ridden. Though he still carried the Strawberry Jam Sword around, it looked like he was cured/protected from it messing with his life any longer. This result would even seem to lead into his Return of the Prince costume, which released a little later.
(Quotes from his Return of the Prince costume confirming he was cured)
But that’s Ovenbreak. What about Kingdom? In Kingdom, Dark Choco finally finds the strength to cast aside the Strawberry Jam Sword after it urges him to attack Dark Cacao - after Dark Cacao had apologized to his son for not showing him love before Pomegranate Cookie interrupted, enchanting him and causing Dark Cacao to go berserk.
Pomegranate Cookie threatens Dark Choco as he leaves, suggesting the sword’s curse of darkness will engulf Dark Choco’s soul. But the next time we see him, he seems…okay? Was Dark Choco really able to just put down the Strawberry Jam Sword after being its pawn for so many years? The same sword with the the possibility to turn him into the tragic Sovereign of Darkness? With zero side effects??
…My theory is that there is a missing piece of the puzzle.
It’s easy to imagine, since Warmer Together is the next time we see Dark Choco after Citadel of the Frozen Cliff, it happens in immediate succession. But Warmer Together also features a story about the Dark Cacao Kingdom that tells us a little time has passed. The kingdom is in less chaos and the wall has been rebuilt after the CoD’s attack.
It’s hard to say how much time passed between Dark Choco discarding the sword and us checking in on him, but the important thing is that SOME time has passed. In Warmer Together, Dark Choco has gotten rid of his armor and taken up the simple garb of a poor traveler. (He also has a bandage on his leg. Who hurt you, Dark Choco?!)
But there’s something else distinct about his costume. A single leaf sits on his head. And no matter what, no matter where, even in official comics, even at crowded KPOP concerts that he snuck into (!!) the leaf NEVER LEAVES HIS HEAD. (It’s a good friend >w< )
(It really stays on him, through thick and thin!)
But how did it get there??
Here's where it gets fun...
The Dark Cacao Kingdom is a kingdom of harsh snows and near constant WINTER. While Leaf Friend (™) is a big bright green leaf. The trees in the background of Warmer Together are all dead trees, with not a single bit of greenery to be seen on them! Leaf Friend cannot have just fallen on his head. It’s likely that Leaf Friend did not come from anywhere in the Dark Cacao Kingdom at all!
Dark Choco monologues that THIS is the first time he has had peace in a long time. This is also the first time his thoughts are his own instead of the voice of the Strawberry Jam Sword taking control. This moment. Now. This very day. This very second. The FIRST time he’s felt free.
All the while he has this mysterious leaf on his head that absolutely could NOT have come from the Dark Cacao Kingdom!
Now, remember how Millennial Tree healed him in Ovenbreak?
MILLENNIAL TREE COOKIE??
(Oh, gee, look at all those LEAVES)
And let’s not forget Wind Archer, loyal to Millennial Tree...
...who looked like this before gaining cookie form. (And who also has strong associations with matters involving the Darkness! And has also been shown to show at least some sympathy to such cookies...)
Conclusion: Choco's Leaf Friend is not just a random leaf!!
I think Leaf Friend may be the reason that Dark Choco is truly able to break away from the controlling voice of the Strawberry Jam Sword. He might have left it behind on his own, but it is possible the curse of darkness Pomegranate talked about did indeed have an unseen effect on him, and it was only through the intervention of Millennial Tree and possibly Wind Archer that Dark Choco is finally able to be in his right mind again after all those years of being trapped in the darkness.
Now, someone take Leaf Friend away from him and see what happens mwahaha…
romaincrisis
germansingergirl
dailybridgerton
tangentwithtanner
janainaart
snowghoul
