Overview |
“ I shall defend the Wall with my life. „
Caramel Arrow Cookie (Korean: 흑당맛 쿠키, heukdang-mat kuki, "Brown Sugar Cookie") is an Epic Cookie released in the second part of the Heroes of Dark Cacao update (v2.8). She is of the Ranged type and her position is prioritized to the Front.
She is the First Watcher of the Dark Cacao Kingdom, though she was once briefly demoted and banished from the Black Citadel due to Affogato Cookie's meddling.
Contents
- 1 Game Description
- 1.1 Soulstone Description
- 2 Skill
- 3 Magic Candy Skill
- 4 Changelog
- 5 Character Inspiration
- 6 Appearance
- 7 Personality
- 7.1 Relation to Affogato Cookie
- 8 Trivia
- 9 References
Game Description[]
At the very edge of the continent, atop the tall wall of the Black Citadel, stands a figure frowning into the dark. Night and day, all year round, Caramel Arrow Cookie, the First Watcher of the Dark Cacao Kingdom, will always protect the Cookies from the horrors of the Licorice Sea. A master of the Dark Cacao martial art tradition of the perfect balance and a wielder of the black and white twin blades, Caramel Arrow Cookie's loyalty to her king and subordinates remains unwavering even in exile. Some say the kingdom is but a shadow of its former glory, with values like trust becoming a commodity. But a vow is a vow. Standing there atop the tall wall, Caramel Arrow Cookie is staring sharply at the churning dark waters below. The First Watcher will protect the Dark Cacao Kingdom until the very last crumb.
Soulstone Description[]
This Soulstone holds a piece of Caramel Arrow Cookie's soul. You can feel the resolution and dedication against the raging blizzard and endless darkness.
Caramel Arrow Cookie's Soulstones can be acquired in World Exploration: Crispia Dark Mode Stage(s) 15-15.
Caramel Arrow Cookie's Soulcores can be acquired in World Exploration: Crispia Master Mode Stage(s) 5-6.
Skill[]
- Regular attacks hit up to 2 targets within melee range.
- This skill cannot be used until a target is within melee range.
- Upon using the skill, Caramel Arrow Cookie jumps back a long distance and performs ranged attacks for the duration.
- Each ranged attack targets the 3 frontmost enemies regardless of range, prioritizing Cookies.
- Caramel Arrow Cookie remains resistant to interrupting effects until she can perform her rush attack.
- Caramel Arrow Cookie will cancel her rush attack if no enemies have Arrow Mark at the end of the transformation period.
Arrow Marks | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Relative DMG | 42.7% | 85.4% | 128.1% | 170.8% | 213.5% | 256.2% | 298.9% | 341.6% | 384.3% | 427% | 469.7% | 512.4% |
Data references skill DMG at Lv.80.
Magic Candy Skill[]
Finality of Resolution 10 sec | |
---|---|
Caramel Arrow Cookie's ranged attacks hit up to 6 targets and deal additional area damage. If a ranged attack's target has Consuming Darkness applied, Caramel Arrow Cookie will increase her DMG Resist, ATK, and CRIT%. The final hit will deal additional Darkness-type damage. | |
| |
Gameplay Notes Show Enchants Hide Enchants Level 30 ► ◄ Level 1 |
- Caramel Arrow Cookie shoots 6 arrows regardless of the number of enemies within range, dividing them amongst all available targets. Excess arrows prioritize Cookies, followed by the frontmost enemies. Each arrow will apply Arrow Mark, dealing reduced damage only if another arrow from that attack had already dealt damage to that target.
- Unlike the regular skill version, the rush attack is performed even if no enemies have Arrow Mark applied.
- If the Magic Candy's enchantments are unlocked, Caramel Arrow Cookie gains an undispellable ATK SPD Up buff for the entire battle.
Changelog[]
- The Awakening of White Apathy - June 5th, 2024
- Magic Candy skill Finality of Resolution added.
- The Awakening of White Apathy - May 22nd, 2024
- (Skill) Single Hit DMG updated to Darkness element.
- (Skill) Now inflicts the Consuming Darkness debuff to enemies.
Character Inspiration[]
Despite many of the Dark Cacao Kingdom's Cookies being inspired by Korea's Joseon era, Caramel Arrow Cookie seems to be based on the style and culture of Silla (신라), an ancient predecessors to Korea and one third of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (삼국시대, samguk-sidae) time period. Specifically, she seems to draw heavy inspiration from the Hwarang Corps (화랑), an elite group of young male warriors in Silla best often recognized for their skills in long range horseback archery.[2][3] In fact, Caramel Arrow Cookie's headgear appears to be a jougwan (조우관), a type of equiptment heavily associated with and worn by Hwarang members.
Caramel Arrow Cookie's bow appears to be a stylized gakgung (각궁), or Korean horn bow, a small reflex bow extensively used by the soldiers of the Hwarang Corps. While archery has always been prevalent in Korea, its usage in fighting and wars was heavily utilized during ancient times (including the Three Kingdoms period) partly due to its versatility in the nation's mountainous terrain, which is similar in itself to the mountains of the Dark Cacao Kingdom.
Like many other Dark Cacao Kingdom natives, Caramel Arrow Cookie features a clear yin and yang theming in regards to her color scheme, ideals, and culture. This is especially clear with Caramel Arrow Cookie, as she states herself that her black and white bow "represents the harmony of opposites", much like the dichromatic philosophy itself.
Appearance[]
Caramel Arrow Cookie is a relatively thin Cookie of average height with warm-toned, dark brown dough. Her steely eyes are a deep black with bronze reflections and her brow is furrowed in a tenacious expression. Her mouth is generally slight and humorless and takes a deep plum hue.
Overall, Caramel Arrow Cookie's design utilizes a distinct cloud-like design motif, bringing to mind the stylized, swirling depictions of clouds famously seen in countless instances of East Asian art. Particularly in China, clouds are seen as a symbol of luck[4] and often are associated with yin and yang[5][6], which Caramel Arrow Cookie and the Dark Cacao Kingdom both heavily carry as another contributing motif and theme.
Caramel Arrow Cookie's hair is considerably long, its length billowing down to her feet even while in a pulled-up fashion, and it ends in a stylized, cloud-like swirl of curls. Her long hair is doubly tied in that its length is fashioned into a high ponytail while a higher section is spun into a bun atop her head. Against her forehead sits a lifted bang that drops into two curling strands layering her left eye. The right side of her hair is fully pulled back into her ponytail and two loose strands border her face on either side. Overall, her hair takes a stark obsidian tone as its base and is adorned with spiraling streaks of striking caramel brown, evoking an image of brown sugar spreading amongst dark tapioca pearls.
The First Watcher's attire is modeled after masculine Silla-era clothing. This style of garment can be cleanly labeled as neither the Korean hanbok (한복) (as it is modernly known) nor the Chinese hanfu (汉服) style, though Caramel Arrow Cookie's particular style of dress resembles modern hanbok more than hanfu and thus will be described with terms relating to such throughout this passage.
Utilizing layers, her outfit starts at its base with blanched trousers likely taking a baji (바지) style with tighter daenim (대님) bottoms about her ankles, though her pants are generally obscured by the upper layers of her clothing. She wears bister brown boots which, according to her, are laced with straw to help her traverse snowy expanses.
The second layer contains a long jeogori (저고리) robe split vertically into alabaster on Caramel Arrow Cookie's right and chocolate on her left, in turn rendering her right and left sleeves in the same colors. Her wide sleeves stop abruptly and are gathered into her charcoal black gloves. The length of the robe is mostly masked by upper layers, though a white segment can be seen through a split in the upper fabric and its git (깃) collar is visible near her neck.
The third layer of clothing consists of an elaborate Silla-era dapho (답호) vest with clear triangular shaping: this garment is a deep espresso brown at its base and splits at the jet black git collar upon Caramel Arrow Cookie's chest into a smaller segment of pearl white on her right shoulder. The bottom hem of the dapho features a dull sepia design resembling cresting tides—or perhaps blown snowbanks—watched over by a single starburst at the front. The whole ensemble is held in place by a wide, chestnut gakdae (각대) belt emblazoned by a round bronze ornament bordered by two metallic studs at its front and four studs in a square formation at its back. From this gakdae sprouts a norigae (노리개) consisting of white string and a raven charm and fur tuft at its anterior and a plume of white fur at its posterior. The inclusion of a gakdae in particular is notable as it was generally reserved for officials and, thus, is likely indicative of Caramel Arrow Cookie's high status as the Black Citadel's First Watcher.
Against her lifted hair, Caramel Arrow Cookie wears a stylized jougwan (조우관), a winged head-crest worn chiefly by the soldiers of the Hwarang Corps (화랑). It consists of two tall, cream white "wings" in a familiar swirling cloud stylization that sit tall and parallel from each other alongside a sable semicircle base with a concentric, brown design, resembling an Oreo-half.
This Cookie's implement is a stylized, intricate gakgung (각궁), or horn bow, a weapon used extensively during the Three Kingdoms era of historical Korea. When in one piece, the bow is highly complex yet symmetrical in its shape, sporting numerous sharp offshoots and more hints of cloud-inspired decoration. The bow is dichromatic and expresses a stark black at its top and a cold white at its bottom with both sections holding a single slate diamond shape each at the center of the main arcing sections of each side; the colors of each extremity meet in the center of the gakgung bow, whirling together in a swirling harmony and bringing to mind again the concept of yin and yang. Notably, Caramel Arrow Cookie herself mentions the symbolism represented in her bow, stating "My bow represents the harmony of opposites". Also worth noting is the fact that the diamond shapes upon each half bring to mind the starburst eyes of the Dark Cacao Kingdom's black and white dragons, perhaps indicating that Caramel Arrow Cookie's bow was intended to resemble the two serpents.
When drawn, the "arrow" of the bow consists of a pale shaft and an obsidian tip that appears connected to the body of the weapon. Interestingly, the bow does not appear to have or use a drawstring when an arrow is pulled. Caramel Arrow Cookie's gakgung bow, additionally, is able to split into dual handheld blades with each showing a swirl of color and utilizing more cloud-like shapes in its form. Each blade is, like its constructed form, half-black and half-white and each appears to be a perfect mirror of the other both in color and build.
Personality[]
Caramel Arrow Cookie is a determined, supremely loyal individual with a strong mental fortitude. As the First Watcher of the Dark Cacao Kingdom and the head of its most elite troops, she is as ardent towards her nation as one can be and refuses to back down when it and her comrades are threatened. However, her passion can often boil over and lead to actions fueled solely by her strong emotions and unmoving beliefs; Caramel Arrow Cookie is never one to hold her tongue—and her bow—when her dignity or that of those she cherishes is insulted.
The First Watcher is highly motivated, always being the one to stoke the flames of hope for crestfallen allies or even her own dejected self when things seem grim, as seen with her initial doubt and following self-reassurance upon being cast away from the Black Citadel and demoted in Snow on the Black Wall. Such a fervent yet dignified soul is almost akin to the formidable badlands of the Dark Cacao Kingdom, which Dark Cacao Cookie mentions himself shortly before casting Caramel Arrow Cookie away into the wilds.
Caramel Arrow Cookie's zeal is not attributed to only her homeland, though—her genuine compassion for others often shines from underneath her hardened exterior. This tenderness sometimes is even to a fault, though, as it is what led to her initial removal from the Black Citadel. Prior to her demotion, Caramel Arrow Cookie would put forth extraneous efforts to feed those starving and abandoned by the king in the Dark Cacao Kingdom with her own rations. The collusive Affogato Cookie took advantage of this kindness to twist her actions into a false case of rations stolen from the Citadel's own cupboards, and she is ostracized by order of King Dark Cacao Cookie. Even then, the First Watcher, exiled into the snowy dunes, would immediately go on to protect the vulnerable GingerBrave & Friends from a Snow Lion and guide their way to the Black Citadel. She is highly respectful towards those who deserve such as well, as she is seen going out of her way to honor her passed fellow Watchers at the Chocolate Altar of the Fallen while traveling with her new caravan.
It is said that Caramel Arrow Cookie is particularly accustomed to the wilderness. Upon her banishment, she immediately recollects her survival knowledge, remembering that she must craft twenty arrows per day to fend off all adversaries and that one mustn't fall to the soporific abilities of the Frozen Peak Prowler when facing one. Caramel Arrow Cookie also mentions that she has straw laced to her boots to help her retain traction in the snow, and a piece of loading screen trivia mentions that she is able to read the weather of the Dark Cacao mountains by heart.
Relation to Affogato Cookie[]
Due to his calculated treachery against Dark Cacao Cookie and the Dark Cacao Kingdom in general, Caramel Arrow Cookie despises Affogato Cookie with her entire being. She is exceedingly vocal and unabashed in highlighting Affogato Cookie's conniving nature, calling him a deceitful, sniveling snake and a dishonorable worm at every given opportunity; this sheer animosity is deeply-seated enough that she is more than prepared to strike down the shaman if he dares slither across her path again, as clearly seen in the Rice Cake Incident.
Trivia[]
- According to her loading screen trivia, "Caramel Arrow Cookie learned how to read the mountain weather from the best Dark Cacao mountaineers." Another loading screen states, "Caramel Arrow Cookie became the First Watcher at a young age, with the support of her fellow Cookies. Some jealous and bitter gazes have followed her footsteps ever since..."
- As stated by the Cookie herself, the bottoms of Caramel Arrow Cookie's boots are laced with cords of straw to help her better traverse the snow.
- In the original Korean audio of Cookie Run: Kingdom, Caramel Arrow Cookie speaks in a specific Korean dialect akin to those heard in Joseon-era Korea.
- Caramel Arrow Cookie is the most likely candidate for being the shadowed figure labeled "???" in Dark Choco Cookie's flashback in Cookies of Darkness. Though this character's Korean voice actress (Kim Yul) and silhouette differ from those of Caramel Arrow Cookie, it is likely that her character and design were simply not finalized at the time of the figure's appearance over a year before her proper introduction.
- Caramel Arrow Cookie's original name in Korean (흑당맛 쿠키 heukdang-mat kuki) translates to Brown Sugar Cookie in English.
- Brown sugar is a popular flavor of milk tea in South Korea, which is referenced in her Cookie Decor, April Fools 2022 artwork, and second overworld personal animation. It is unknown why her name was changed to Caramel Arrow Cookie in the English version of the game.
- Upon her release, Caramel Arrow Cookie was referred to as "Sugar Arrow Cookie" in iOS App Store promotional materials. This seems to be either a translation error or a simple slip of the tongue, as the name is never used anywhere else, let alone in the game.
- Caramel Arrow Cookie won the "Miss Earthbread 2024" voting event held across the English social media accounts of Cookie Run: Kingdom in March 2024.[7]
- Caramel Arrow Cookie’s English voice actress, Dani Chambers, also provides the voice of Sugar Glass Cookie, Nougat Cookie, and Granola Cookie.
- Caramel Arrow Cookie's Taiwanese voice actress, Wang Shiwei, also provides the voices of Tiger Lily Cookie and Reverend Mother Cookie.
References[]
- ↑ City of Wizards 🏙 Developer Commentary 💬
- ↑ ‘The Disturbance of War’: The Ancient Origin and Development of Korean Archery — Gwang Ok, Seokgyu Choi, Hee Surk Jeong
- ↑ 고요한 아침의 전투민족, 한국인과 활(弓) — 황한나, Gyeongju-si
- ↑ Clouds in culture and religion — Wikipedia
- ↑ Chinese Customs: Symbolism of Clouds — Nations Online Project
- ↑ Cloud motif and its origin in East Asia — Japanese Mythology & Folklore
- ↑ https://twitter.com/CRKingdomEN/status/1770540855151223213