Sorry If The Writing Is Confusing Smilk Has Way Too Many Names - Blog Posts

I can't help but wonder...

What if I got him by my side?

Oh, cookie angst. This duo is everything to me, the themes, the contrast, the parallels, the colors 💛💙 I don't know how to properly describe it, like they are meant to be together, as foes, as friends, as companions. I felt this since Shadow Milk got introduced; but with chapters 7 and 8, this feeling got stronger.

...I would have gotten to drawing this if I wasn't busy with college.

But anyway, since you decided to read whatever I wrote here, can I comment on the legendary costumes' story?

It's a post-corruption/didn't fully became a beast SMilk, not his pre-corrupted form. His whole conversation with Truthless Recluse, I admit, got my head spinning. He talked about everyone having their truth, noting that TR's is "to protect others from anguish". He also mentioned that he went through the same despair as TR (continuing the canon of SM seeing himself in PV).

I wondered if the story shed some light into how Shadow Milk turned into a Beast. It is already known that he turned to deceit because of cookies around him choosing it as well and there's no further elaboration.

So, did he just corrupt just because? No, absolutely not. I think there were two traits of the Fount of Knowledge that were at play. First, I think he was somewhat of a crowd pleaser, as the Sage, he always tries to put on a show, make something entertaining, answer any inquiries. As a Beast, sure his showmanship is to entertain himself, but his whole deceit thing is giving those cookies what they want.

Second, and most important, I'm quite sure SMilk fears/hates rejection. Turning to falsities is rejecting knowledge after all.

Shadow Milk Cookie became who he is as a way to lash out at the rejection of his knowledge, to give them the performance they wanted to see.

Tangent but, when Pure Vanilla offers him his friendship, the whole fearing rejection explains why not only he rejects it, but in such fury, leaving the whole showman act. (Image below to break monotony, I'm just proud of this little section)

I want to go back to the truths the Sage comments on, what's his that make him curse himself? Going by the Recluse's, I guess is 'to give others knowledge', but that alone couldn't give him despair. I think there has to be a second part to the statement.

At the end of the story, the Recluse is gone, and the Sage hears cookies still pursuing the truth. So, the Truthless Recluse 'complete' truth will be 'to protect others from anguish (here, the cruel truth), but there would always be cookies seeking it' And with that logic, the Fount of Knowledge is 'to give others knowledge, but there will always be cookies that will reject it'.

No matter his title, prestige or merit, not everyone will like it. Could the Fount had gone insane searching for a knowledge that will get everyone to accept him, could it be that when he reached the Peak of Truth, he felt like the universe pulled a sick joke on him.

The Sage's eureka at the comment of the Peak of Truth having nothing be his realization that what he found was technically something he already knew, but denied for so long. Laid there, not as a sick prank, but a challenge to finally shed the lie. I mean, his other theory was that someone took all there was. (Does this make sense?, I'm still doubting my read)

But yeah, that Sage of Truth overcame his despair by accepting every part of that truth and still trying to live by the first part. And can I gush about his characterization? He's so jolly and enthusiastic, open for new ideas.

And the way he describes himself, a scholar and academic, but also a performer and an artist. Is just lovely how his showy persona is not just part of the charming liar act. Though that got me thinking, was the Fount also like this?

I mean in that era, cookies sought him out, he had his Spire of Knowledge and is very hinted he is connected to the Blueberry Yogurt Academy. Then is the Sage's "Not like those academics" line.

Wouldn't it be interesting that as the Fount, his way of giving knowledge was restricted by academia, that he wasn't able to be fully himself and when he became Shadow Milk Cookie, in a way he found freedom.

If that were the case, the Sage is even a happier situation as he can do what he wants as himself. And hey, I can make a parallel to Pure Vanilla, as he forgoes his title, like PV stops being king. He is in a humbler position, no spire but talking in a town square, where he found his crowd.

Though is kind of a sad that in a way the story still implies that he has no friends. Sure, lots of cookies see him every day, but they are there for the knowledge, not the Sage himself as they don't know or want to know about him. I guess his path would only be lonely...

Unless someone who understands came his way.

Anyway, thanks for reading my very long essay, I wanted to also speak of my early prediction of SM and PV switching sides and how this costume set somewhat gives me some of that, but again this is long, so I'll just leave it there. Have a sketch of the Sage of Truth and Compassionate Pure Vanilla having a tea party.

Below the art background without effects.

And the main part isolated.