someone has mentioned the rose symbolism of Pearl & Apo before but I have to talk about it to
in some vampire mythology, roses are said to be excellent weapon against vampires: the scent keeps them away, the petals harm them, and a wild rose upon a vampires coffin will trap them there
Apo and Pearl were some of the most determined fighters of the castle vampires. Notably, Pearl seemed strangely immune to witnessing the supernatural occurrences around her for about half the series
despite being an actual hunter of werewolves, the vampires never could find or attack Pearl, even when she was all alone.
Additionally, Apo is probably a major force keeping the humans alive in the final episodes. Most of the vampires were occupied being led on a wild goose chase increasingly alike Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote than killing the humans, and not one of them died while Apo could protect them.
Avid, who used to be someone Apo cared deeply for, betrayed her, and she staked him in turn (with the help of Legs), leaving him heavily weakened and more vulnerable to Owen and Pyro.
Martyn died due to lack of knowledge. Ren do to fear and trauma, and Scott Fucking Goldsmith. (They can never make me like you) Legs died due to sacrifice.
Not to mention that one time Apo probably saved Pearl’s life.
and finally: Apo and Pearl were the only characters to sacrifice their humanity for other people. Apo’s sacrifice was done in desperate hope the vampires wouldn’t turn or harm anyone else, a sacrifice to keep them at bay.
Pearl’s sacrifice is both devastatingly similar and intriguingly opposite. Pearl also sacrifices her humanity so that no one else must suffer that fate…but by doing so, she’s also freeing the vampires from Oakhurst. Only the rose may lift the barrier keeping the vampires of Oakhurst