🪽

In the past months I couldn’t stop looking at Espresso’s most recent scenes (think from the Dark Enchantress War onwards) and feel that there was something I wasn’t getting. It felt as if something was scuttling right under my nose like a pigeon stealing my bread but flying away the second I turned my head.

So I kept re-analysing everything I could: parts of stories, snippets of text, images, everything. The more time passed, the more puzzle pieces fell together in what had started with me feeling I was simply seeing things to a more assured thought forming properly: Espresso has changed since the end of the Odyssey, and way more than even I would have thought. The last update slapped me in the face with the most blatant showcase of it.

To start, his interaction with Ananas. While he delivered his point as per usual, it was palpable that compared to the past he was way more diplomatic and courteous about it.

To avoid any wrong idea- I’m not trying to say that Espresso is/was rude, mean or anything of the sort- the one thing he is, however, is that he’s extremely straightforward. At times he feels without filters which can result to come off as rude, depending the person he’s talking with or come off as uninterested in talking at all. Remember his kingdom interaction with Gingerbrave? He didn’t mean to ignore him, he was just too caught in his thoughts to realise Gingerbrave was saying hi.

But, if a simple misunderstanding is the best outcome were one to meet a friendly cookie, if faced with a more athouritative figure, the same attitude can be a problem.

This exchange with Elder Vanilla Sugar was the first thing that came to my mind after hearing him talk with Ananas Dragon- notice how Madeleine had to step in to avoid further issues? Obviously there was nothing inherently wrong in what Espresso had said -he was in a rush to find out how to synthesise the Soul Jam in what later became the Magic Candy

Espresso is not stupid but he finds in wasting time a nonsense beyond measure and he will vocalise such. Yet, in the interaction with Ananas Dragon it’s very clear he now seems to be more discerning with his words. Sure, he’s buttering him up but he is getting the job done.

After that, in the morning after, came the moment that I think most fans are grateful for (I for sure am) because we got blessed by Espresso’s Summer Fit. Sillies aside, what got me are various scenes from here on.

This is before the proprieties of the dragontongue song are made clear by Mango Cookie but it surprises me that all the same, Espresso is finding positive sides in things that aid to relaxation more than work. It’s a small bit but it’s nice to see him beyond his researcher side.

“Right time, place and occasion for every dress is crucial for achieving the utmost efficency in your endeavors!” If that came out of Madeleine’s mouth I wouldn’t question it but from Espresso, of all cookies? While he does have an interest in fashion (old screen blurb that was changed), this still comes a bit surprising if even just for the timing since they’re on a mission and not on leisure time- even Strawberry Crepe finds it odd when he excuses it with helping the efficency.

…and right after, this happens.

Apologies for the many screenshoots but I didn’t feel like cutting too much of the scenes here (had to because of tumblr’s limit of images per post), because they are all so amusing! This is genuinely the funniest moment in the whole update for me and I hope we get many of these in the future. It’s so incredibly nice and refreshing to see Espresso’s more playful side, although once again he uses it to his own advantage (but -and I will stress this- he’s not being ill intended and shouldn’t be considered as such).

I feel moments like these make him all the more compelling as a character, when it’s not just the “usual” serious side. While yes, he did have his silly moments, all too often they felt hidden away and not given the proper light they deserve so I’m really glad we got this scene. Sure, the effect of the dragontongue song is definitively at play here but it feels like Espresso is overall more open to be lighthearted.

I really like how whenever we see Espresso as of lately, we’re always in for a good time. Circumstances like these especially shows so well how much he’s changed since the end of the Odyssey.

In the past I had focused so much on Madeleine’s growth because yes, he’s my comfort character but also, all in all, because it’s been very much a point that the game placed a lot of focus on. Financier pointed it out, Espresso pointed it out, Madeleine’s actions during the DEC War pointed it out. It was under the spotlight many times. He’s still our beloved Madeleine but it’s undeniable that he’s become more serious, acting proper for his role as a Knight Commander. He still sports his usual smile and keeps his whimsy but he definitively feels more level headed and responsible.

But Espresso has changed too, and just as much as Madeleine! His changes were just easier to miss because they didn’t impact actions that were related to his work ethic but rather the way he relates to others. This made sure said changes went completely under the radar for me until now, since we’ve had quite the intense updates in the past year.

It was placing these realisations together, however, that gave me a thought.

Madeleine has shown a more serious, proper side as of lately. Espresso has shown a more playful, silly side as of lately.

…have the two influenced eachother?

After all, who was there with Espresso to contain Vanilla Sugar’s temper? Madeleine. Same Madeleine who is knows how to use words (or acting) to get out of a bad situation. Same Madeleine who also enjoys dressing up and for sure has an outfit for each occasion.

And who has Madeleine always been around and visiting? Espresso, who has always prioritised (even to the point of overextending himself) his work, took his role seriously and the responsibilities tied to it.

To clarify, I don’t mean to say that the two weren’t ever those things to begin with -Espresso most surely had playfulness in him, Madeleine definitively knew how to be serious too- but perhaps they hadn’t quite the space or the conditions to show themselves that way, if it makes sense. It seems all more apparent with Espresso who perhaps now is finally in a truly better living situation and can allow himself to be playful and silly because he doesn’t have to just survive every day.

While writing this I felt making such claim could have been wrong on my end; I was worried I was doing a mishmash of things, or rather, seeing a change in Espresso just because I had seen it in Madeleine. I feared the espresseleine worms were making me see connections were there weren’t, so to speak (I do love espresseleine deeply but I don’t want to do the characters wrong in terms of analysis by forcibly linking every aspect of them to one other, which is a bit of a slippery slope easy to do for me, always out of excessive enthusiasm, of course).

But re-reading everything and double-checking things…it really feels like the two are changing and what tugs my heartstrings is that they’re showing the sides they’ve changed the most thanks to one other while being separated.

But they’re still walking together, even if from afar, and that’s all that matters because when they’ll meet again, they probably will be able to speak to one other openly...and understand eachother.