Poppy

**Poppy** is the primary mascot for the RadicalSoda brand. Originally created on 20 May, 2017, she is featured on video thumbnails for the RadicalSoda series and as the profile image for the RadicalSoda YouTube channel, as well as other social accounts, such as the RadicalSoda Twitch channel, Twitter account and Patreon.

## Character

### Creation

At the beginning of the RadicalSoda series, episode thumbnails featured an illustration of RadicalSoda, which many viewers confused for a woman instead of a man. In response to this, RadicalSoda created Poppy to replace him in his thumbnails, first appearing in the RadicalSoda episode "Sonic Horror Games".

This change was announced in the channel's previous upload, "RadicalSoda Boom - RadicalSoda Update", RadicalSoda stating:

> Is this what you want?! Maybe I'll just make it a girl outright--I'll show you, I'll show you all! If anyone asks just say it's all their fault!
>
>

RadicalSoda would go on to explain the creation of Poppy in more detail in the RadicalSoda episode "Why is there a girl in the thumbnail?", mentioning his other motivations for making the change, such as RadicalSoda thinking it would increase viewership and that he enjoys drawing women.

Poppy's name was chosen as a reference to RadicalSoda, "pop" being another word for soda and was come up with by RadicalSoda's friend Henry, rather than RadicalSoda himself.

### Design

Most depictions of Poppy have her sporting a red-pink collared shirt and blue-purple pants. In her most recent appearences, her brunette hair is shoulder-length and she has a left-swept bangs. Her eyes are emerald-coloured with star-shaped pupils (first seen in the thumbnail for the episode "Sonic Mania #3").

#### Demonetization coin

Beginning with the now unlisted video "3 Ways YouTube Could EASILY Improve the Monetisation Issue", Poppy has been shown with a yellow "demonetization coin". In the aforementioned video's thumbnail, she is shown holding the coin but in subsequent apperances the coin is often part of her outfit, such as being worn as a hairpin or button.

### Personality

Not much is known about Poppy's personality. RadicalSoda himself has explained that he doesn't even know much about Poppy's personality, having not come up with any sort of backstory for the character. Fans have speculated that Poppy is most likely very positive and confident, as she is often depicted with happy expressions and in exaggerated poses and costumes.

## Trivia

* Contrary to popular belief, Poppy isn't a Rule 63 RadicalSoda but a standalone character. While she was initially made with that intention, RadicalSoda confirming this in "Why is there a girl in the thumbnail?", this changed with the release of "Sonic Horror Games".
* Some previous thumbnails featuring Poppy have been retroactivly changed, such as the "Sonic the Hedgehog Voice Actors" and "Big Tiddy Game" thumbnails, RadicalSoda stating this is because he felt the previous artwork was too revealing. Despite this, however, the previous designs are still avaliable on RadicalSoda's Patreon while the updated ones are not.
* Poppy received her first costume in the thumbnail for "Pokemon White Randomizer" on 28 May, 2017; however, costumes would not become a regular occurance for Poppy until "Rule of Rose" on 28 June that same year.
* Poppy's first major style change after her introduction came with the episode "Sonic Mania & Sonic Forces: Thoughts so far" on 19 June, 2017.
* The second major style change, as well as the first time Poppy's costume was detailed enough to change the core of her appearance, came with "Horrorween" on 10 October, 2017. This style remained fairly consistent, breaking only for the Doki Doki Literature club episode, presumably to match the game's own art style.
* Some episodes, such as "Definitely Skyrim", "Sonic Mania Plus", "Bagel Hunter Wii", "Ghost Dog's Crappy Adventure", and "Garfield's Spooky Scavenger Hunt" do not feature a demonitization coin in the thumbnail.
	+ In some instances, this is because the coin is obscured rather than it not being there at all. The Poppy illustration drawn for "Garfield's Spooky Scavenger Hunt", for example, features three demonitization coins on the floor which are cut off in the thumbnail. These are visible in the full art, featured on RadicalSoda's Patreon.
* From the episode "Sonic Lost World" up until "The Pay to Win Pokemon Game", the style Poppy is rendered in would shift substancially in each thumbnail. RadicalSoda has stated in "Why is there a girl in the thumbnail?" that he has been making an effort to keep Poppy's design and style consistent with the release of "The Pay to Win Pokemon Game".

## Gallery

Poppy as seen in the current profile image for the RadicalSoda YouTube channel as of 2023.The previous profile picture used for the RadicalSoda YouTube channel and first one to feature Poppy.The thumbnail for the RadicalSoda episode "Super Mario World", featuring an illustration of RadicalSoda.The thumbnail for the RadicalSoda episode "Sonic Horror Games"; the first thumbnail to feature Poppy.The thumbnail for the RadicalSoda episode "Pokemon White Randomizer"; the first thumbnail to feature Poppy in an alternate costume.The thumbnail for the RadicalSoda episode "Sonic Horror Games 2"; the first video to feature a unique drawing of Poppy.The thumbnail for the RadicalSoda episode "Why is there a girl in the thumbnail?", featuring Poppy in the current style used for thumbnails.
## References

1. ↑ "RadicalSoda Boom - RadicalSoda Update" on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1iSPigrdyr4
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Why is there a girl in the thumbnail? - RadicalSoda" on YouTube: https://youtu.be/r8BORX91KfQ
3. ↑ "The Secret Life of RadicalSoda" on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5HRJE8fdvOQ
4. ↑ "3 Ways YouTube Could EASILY Improve the Monetisation Issue" on YouTube: https://youtu.be/60vYXPH1nGQ
5. ↑ "Thumbnail Art #25 - Vocal Poppy" on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/thumbnail-art-25-17211528?utm\_medium=clipboard\_copy&utm\_source=copyLink&utm\_campaign=postshare\_fan&utm\_content=join\_link
6. ↑ "Thumbnail Art #44 - Garfield Poppy" on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/thumbnail-art-44-23991905?utm\_medium=clipboard\_copy&utm\_source=copyLink&utm\_campaign=postshare\_fan&utm\_content=join\_link