Yaana

Lily’s Sun light 

I like to call Pure Vanilla White Lily's sunlight. Not just because of the fun ‘Flowers need Sunlight’ metaphor but also because as her guiding light, White Lily views Pure Vanilla like sunshine in her very gloomy path. 

Isolation is a huge character struggle for White Lily. Throughout school and adventuring she was isolated by others and often intentionally and unintentionally isolated herself. When we are introduced to Lily her curiosity for knowledge and her tendency to isolate is established early on and very quickly. It's interesting that despite how little time we spend with her before Beast Yeast so much of her character gets very well defined and established.

It's also interesting how the very first person White Lily is able to remember is none other than Pure Vanilla cookie. Even before she is able to have any recollection of her past, she remembers her friendship with him and recognizes his statue instantly. She can remember him protecting her, she feels guilty about thinking about him but is eager to tell him something. 

As a student Lily is incredibly intelligent and curious for learning beyond what it is given to her. But was lonely because her scent and advanced knowledge made it difficult for others to connect with her. There was no one who could join her in her endeavors to find knowledge to better the world. No one, but Pure Vanilla cookie. 

No matter what White Lily did, Pure Vanilla was always willing to support and comfort her. Beyond just having similar interests they had the same goals in bettering the world together.  And even after the accident he never resented her, because he understood what her intentions were, he knows where her heart lies. Pure Vanilla is able to see past Lily's actions and understand what she intends to do despite how much she struggles to communicate. He was the first and only person who was able to accept her for the academy incident. He helps her find the courage to seek forgiveness after the damage she has caused. 

He reminds her about the truth that she lives by: to always keep going, because there is always an answer. 

And after her soul has been split in two, after all darkness she unintentionally unleashed upon the world. Devastating cookies all across the world, leading to the sacrifice of countless lives. Unable to forgive herself for it. And despite that, he stands by her without question. Encourages her to keep going forward for he understands that her goals have never changed. 

It's really overlooked by many fans just how important Pure Vanilla cookies are to White Lily cookie. Her only friend throughout school, the two went on adventures together after school and befriended the other Ancients together as well. White Lily is so incredibly guilt ridden, isolated and antagonised (by especially herself. But his support, and kindness is proof that there is an answer. That she deserves to keep going and to find courage to forgive and be forgiven. 

Beast Yeast ep 12 (+ 11 are the Best Beast Yeast eps imo) really emphasizes this. The only reason why she is able to go through any of the Trials is because of the memories she has made with Pure Vanilla cookie. 

Also look at her cute lil face when she is thinking about him here OMG!

She relies on his support so much that the Politician of Deceit tries to use him to get her to give in to deceit. But she knows him, she knows that he will never approve of the horrors she has done. 

Which is true. Pure Vanilla will stand by White Lily as long as her heart is in the right place. Which as Dark Enchantress it never is. (Dude literally sacrificed his whole kingdom because he does not stand for her bullshit) 

But it's even more significant because Pure Vanilla is the one who taught White Lily the virtue of Solidarity. Her first friend who helped her find more. Who made her see the value and power of friendship, for it was his friendship that helped her for so many years. 

I love how White Lily's entire story is her learning that the Truth for true freedom is to have courage to confront her destiny. And from the very beginning he was the person who consistently gave her courage to keep searching for the Truth. 

Pure Vanilla cookie gave White Lily cookie her Truth 

The sunlight that kept her going, encouraged her to grow. 

Pure Vanilla's moon light 

So what does moonlight mean? Well aside from the Moonflower Queen reference, White Lily was like the moon light that illuminates Pure Vanilla's path during the dark nights and saw her as a beautiful enigma. 

Doubt is a constant struggle for Pure Vanilla cookie. Despite being surrounded by those who support and cherish him he is constantly plagued with doubt toward his capabilities, beliefs and understanding of the world. These doubts create an ironic struggle for the hero of truth, for when his judgement is clouded by doubt he falls to deceit (Healer cookie, Counsel of Heroes, Truthless Recluse). It's a very consistent character flaw and his entire story in act 1 challenges him in various ways to deal and overcome his doubts.

And we begin his story with White Lily cookie being a great source of doubt for him. Doubting his own capabilities because of his many failures he sets aside failing to protect as one. And Dark Enchantress further causes him to doubt himself and the friendship he once had with her. 

Pure Vanilla has always been a lovable ball of sunshine since his student days, and despite being popular and well liked by his class, he was willing to push it aside to hang out with the lonesome White Lily cookie. Willing to break the rules and skip classes in order to hang out with her. 

But the reason why he was so drawn to her was because he knew that they had similar interests and goals. White Lily’s curiosity sparked a curiosity of his own, not just for knowledge but for Lily herself. It was through their discovery together Pure Vanilla realised that cookie creation is much more complex than simply “made with love and warmth”. His natural compassion made him drawn to her more lonesome demeanour, but above all else he felt  understood by her and vice versa. The joy of learning and experimenting in order to make the world a better place. It was her companionship that gave him the courage to go beyond what is believed to be possible in order to achieve their goals.   

She guides him to continue in his pursuit of knowledge to overcome his doubts and be free of uncertainty by gaining a greater understanding.   

And after the Dark Flour War, when he believes that she is long gone off a far different and rather conflicting path, his feelings for her still remain. The heartfelt memories still linger strongly even if distorted, the immense guilt out of a place of both deep doubt and but also love. Despite how conflicted he is over White Lily cookie, he can’t stop yearning for her, for it's her friendship where he found certainty in his doubt

I find it interesting how Pure Vanilla ponders telling the cruel truth to his friends in the Lily garden. Even when he believes she is gone he continues to confide with her memories when it comes to the Truth. 

The beginning to Beast Yeast (ep 1-2) was incredibly important for Pure Vanilla’s character because not only is he given a second chance to save White Lily cookie he gains a much greater understanding of her and why things went as terrible as they did. 

He comes to two crucial conclusions: 

White Lily’s goals have never changed 

 It was this doubt in her intentions that caused them to drift apart back in the academy. Their entire relationship is built on a shared desire to better the world through Knowledge. When it became unclear whether or not White Lily was trying to protect or endanger cookies for her ambitions, their friendship started to weaken. 

He never truly understood her. 

This has been bothering Pure Vanilla for such a long time. It's why he struggles so much when confronting Dark Enchantress because he doesn't understand how the friend he has known better than anyone else can possibly willingly commit atrocities to the world they loved together. 

And it's through accepting these doubts, that he can take the chance and make the choice to learn more with no uncertainty, so he won’t let her down again. 

This moment here is the moment I started shipping these two, Pure Vanilla’s journey in Beast Yeast is led by White Lily’s voice, the fragments of her soul calling out to him. And white the embodiment of Deceit tries to taunt him and control him through his doubt, its White Lily cookie that helps him resist Shadow Milk cookie. The light of freedom saved him from the darkness of doubt. It's so sweet yet kinda badass actually. 

The significance of White Lily cookie’s relationship to Pure Vanilla is that she was the one to teach him the virtue of Knowledge. To motivate him to confront the truth, cruel or pleasant in his pursuit of knowledge to gain a better understanding and achieve his goals. 

It's awesome how Pure Vanilla realises that the world and his relationship with White Lily isn’t simple and sweet, which helps him be free from his doubts and insecurities through knowledge. It's his love for her that sets him free, it's their friendship where he can find certainty in. 

White Lily gave Pure Vanilla a sense of Freedom.

The moonlight that he gazed upon in the darkness of the night. 

Slightly out of sync. 

Despite how close they are to each other and despite how deeply they cherish each other, there was also a major element of drifting apart between these two. The underlying message being that: “nothing lasts forever, especially the cookie heart.”  

It started back in School, at the peak of their friendship. The two were almost attached to the hip, sneaking off classes in their own secret garden conducting experiments together. But as their experiments became more and more dangerous they started to drift. Pure Vanilla was uncertain due to the lengths White Lily was going due to her curiosity. Despite promising to himself to stop her when needed, that never came to fruition for he was leaving her alone more and more often until she opened a portal by herself that left the school in ruins. 

Lily’s isolation and Pure Vanilla’s doubt leaving a wedge in their friendship

And despite continuing to be friends and adventuring together with the other ancients their paths eventually diverge. The Sun King became lonely and the Mysterious Moon longed for a distant and cruel light, they departed with goodbyes in hopes to see each other again. 

And even after all that has transpired and the world was shrouded in darkness, fate gave them another chance to save the world and understand each other. But In order for White Lily to defeat her own despair and darkness And in order for Pure Vanilla to find the answers to heal the world they must part ways to bring the world back into light. When confronting their Beasts, Pure Vanilla finally finds Knowledge through understanding and White Lily finds Solidarity through Courage but fate pushes them apart in the final battle because despite all that has transpired The Sun and the Moon must depart to bring the world to light. 

It's interesting how Pure Vanilla used to heal White Lily to the point there are no scratches on her dough. When alone dwelling on her existential dread alone crumbs fall from her dough, this is also how she obtained the light of freedom in the first place . When she ventures into the Catacombs of Silence her dough becomes more and more cracked until it gets burnt, but she finally finds her answers to freedom. 

White Lily is deeply insecure about her own weakness that she looked for every answer without hesitation to feed her relentless curiosity. But her struggle to communicate her prioritising the pursuit of knowledge over communication with friends ended up with her creating crucial inducements that put so many people at risk. And while Pure Vanilla encouraged her to keep searching her answers it also made her feel even more guilty for her mistakes, unable to forgive herself, she further isolates herself to right her wrongs and find her answers but still alone and hurting. 

And in the grand sacrifice for freedom she crumbles away, unable to be healed. 

Pure Vanilla is often hesitant and doubtful of his own capabilities and self worth, but is always willing to sacrifice himself to protect his loved ones and the world as a whole.  But his lack of self-worth and fear to hurt others ends up with him being inactive or passive to prevent hardship to those he cares about. While White Lily inspires him, he is constantly conflicted between protecting the world and fulfilling his duties and standing by her and joining her on her journey. He always prioritises the good of all cookiekind, but he is always left with more doubts, he lets her down again. 

And in the end it's the same, the world was saved but he never got to learn the Truth. 

For as much as these two bring out some of the best in each other they also trigger each other's world flaws and insecurities. They only intend to help each other but they often inadvertently hurt each other because their guilt complexes feed into each other. 

But, despite being in a never ending dance around each other, the nature of the sun and moon they will always meet. There is still hope they can meet again even for a short moment of darkness after the long periods of light. 

Because that's what they mean to each other, they bring each other hope. Dispite it all, dispite eachother, dispite fate. Pure Vanilla and White Lily cookies will always have hope. 

They mean the exact same to each other, they see each other in the same light, with the same goals and the same meaning: 

Education is a powerful Liberator 

Friendship stems from shared Beliefs 

Knowledge and Solidarity are deeply intertwined concepts 

So is Truth and Freedom. 

For Freedom is the Truth 

And Truth is Freedom 

And to obtain them, one must have Hope. 

Light vs Darkness: 

Ok so I’ll make it no secret that I absolutely love Pure Vanilla x/vs Dark Enchantress. These two are so divorced and honestly might genuinely be a contender for my favorite crk Ship. Every one of their interactions is golden to me, the mutual frustration they have with each other is simply delicious, and their arguments are actually quite interesting 

Their interactions in Crispia are the true introduction to their conflict. I love that Pure Vanilla gains a bit of bite when confronting her, he is extremely disappointed in Dark Enchantress but at the same time he genuinely wants to understand her. We see him replicate this with Shadow Milk later down the line, but he's much more firm and frustrated with Dark Enchantress. Because he knows her, he feels betrayed by her and despises everything she is trying to do, but at the same time he feels guilty for not being able to prevent this from happening.    

In turn Dark Enchantress despises his self righteousness and hypocrisy, but her feelings aren't simple hatred for Pure Vanilla, because deep down she does still have her old feelings for him. Feelings of guilt that make her feel weak, so she buries them in her ambitions. She wants to leave behind the memories of her past because they get in the way of her goals, she is able to point out Pure Vanilla’s weakness and hypocrisy but completely fail to see her own. Because she has gone too far into the darkness of her own despair she will never come back to the sun. And she has grown to resent him for abandoning her when she needed him most. 

It's interesting the way Pure Vanilla views Dark Enchantress, because he doesn’t believe White Lily is Dark Enchantress but at the same time he acknowledges her as the same. He doesn’t understand why or how White Lily became Dark Enchantress but he knows that Enchantress isn’t Lily’s true self, and he knows that no matter what Dark Enchantress claims her goals have in fact changed, distorted beyond recognition. He views them as two different individuals who happen to share a past. 

Truth and Deceit, Freedom and Silence. 

Pure Vanilla’s relationship with Shadow Milk clearly parallels his with White Lily. The core difference is that PV and WL’s are about two soulmates being pulled apart, and SM and PV is about two soul mates being forced together. Which is why despite what I post about I am a bit more of a PureLily shipper than a Shadow Vanilla one (but I love both + ShadowLily). But I like all three of them, The Knowledge trio as they are all driven by knowledge in their own ways: PV: Compassion, WL: Curiosity and SM: Control. 

Silent Salt and White Lily have parallels in their relationships to Elder Faerie and Pure Vanilla, how they found their answers for freedom in their dearest partner and despite all the mistakes they have made they have always stood by them but had to seal them away. While I’m not a Silent Lily or Elder ElderLily shipper personally I do believe those two understood White Lily in a way that Pure Vanilla didn’t, mainly because she had the chance to actually communicate with them. 

But it's interesting how White Lily and Pure Vanilla have their relationship with each other antagonised by their respective Beasts. But through using their hope found in their friendship and  accepting the flaws in them, they are able to persevere. 

You guys know I am all about that PureLily-ShadowSalt 2 for 1 combo meal! Shadow Milk definitely sees Silent Salt in Pure Vanilla and Silent Salt sees Shadow Milk in White Lily, which is why they approach each other so similarly. 

But If Pure Lily is a relationship full of hope then it is fitting how ShadowSalt is a relationship full of despair. 

(Lunar Quartet fanart coming soon btw!) 

Misunderstanding 

So Purelily (and White Lily in general) were treated quite weirdly in the fandom. So many fans fail to really understand their beautifully tragic relationship so I’m going to address this briefly: 

No PureLily isn’t “onesided”. As I’ve stated soooo many times here, PV and WL see each other nearly in the exact same way: a source of hope but also guilt. I don’t believe one loves more than the other, although I can see why one can come to this conclusion due to three main factors: 

Matter of perspective: While GingerBrave is the main character of Cookies Run Kingdom, the secondary protagonist is without a doubt Pure Vanilla cookie, who is the ancient he spends the most time with. Which is to say we get more of Pure Vanilla’s perspective of the story than we do for White Lily cookie, giving us more insight into his feelings about her than her feelings about him. ( but I’d argue in Act 1 is pretty even, like BY eps 11 and 12 are a goldmine for WL’s side of Purelily

Different personalities: Both characters express and process their feelings for each other differently: White Lily prioritises her goals and curiosity over all else to the point of having isolating habits. But she does rely on his support a lot, to the point you can argue she puts him on a pedestal to a degree. Pure Vanilla is a yearner who puts the well being of others above all else to the point of being a bit pleasing to people. But he’s conflicted about White Lily, he respects her dearly but struggles to understand her. But both find courage and answers through each other; they are each other guiding light and shooting stars. 

Midsummer Night: this story from the cute costume set parodying Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. Due to the love potion prank Pure Vanilla is madly in love with White Lily, with Lily being more melancholy about the whole ordeal. But the point of the story wasn’t necessary to depict PureLily as an accidental couple “not meant to be” but to symbolize and foreshadow them as doomed who mutually understand that due to circumstance they are destined to walk separate paths. White Lily has accepted that fate will not allow them to be together (which is why she is quite sad) But Pure Vanilla has hope that their love will prevail despite all odds (which entails this is more than a love spell) . It's ‘comical’ how ‘tragic’ it is.

It bothers me how the fandom depicts Pure Vanilla’s feelings as obsessive or shallow because that's anything but the case. The significance of his journey in Beast Yeast ep 1 was him realising that he didn’t understand her, but she needs someone who does. But he doesn't actually believe that ‘someone’ needs to be him. In fact the person Pure Vanilla believes can help White Lily is none other than GingerBrave, who gives White Lily the truth that she had been searching for her entire life. (Which is fitting because White Lily is the first friend Brave makes in the beginning and both have seen the same cruelty of the Witches eating cookies). 

You see, what I love about PureLily is that it isn’t the perfect relationship, it's not fluff without substance, it's not misunderstanding without reason. It doesn’t perfectly fit the mold of the ideal ‘Healthy relationship’ but it's far from ‘toxic’. When you have two deeply flawed individuals of course their relationship carries these flaws, they don’t fix each other, but they give each other hope to better themselves.

It's fine if you don’t like the ship, or each of the characters but you can't claim to understand White Lily or Pure Vanilla as characters without acknowledging how significant they are to each other. Their stories are deeply intertwined and they reflect the whole message of Crk act 1.