A Look Back (and Ahead) at C.A. Cupid
Love is in the air with the release of a brand new G3 Monster High release.
With Valentine’s Day coming up, who better to write about than one of my favorite Monster High releases, C.A. Cupid. Chariclo Arganthone Cupid, adopted daughter of Eros and Psyche, first made her debut in 2011 as a Walmart exclusive with the Sweet 1600’s series in Mattel’s then relatively new Monster High line. She got a signature release the following year in the same look as her debut doll.
Monster High’s Cupid doll is one that clearly defines the aesthetic the original waves were aiming for. She’s one of the more unique dolls within the entire Monster High line with her white body that faded to black around her arms and legs, her angular face with distinctive lip design reminiscent of a heart and her cotton candy pink 1950’s-esc hair style. And let’s not forget her bone-like wings, which add even more distinction to her look. Even among Monster High dolls, which were known for their freakishly fabulous looks, Cupid definitely had character and style.
Looking back, I didn’t realize that we only had one version of Cupid released under the Monster High brand. It makes me think that Cupid’s sole reason for being released was to be a bridge to Mattel’s spin-off series, Ever After High, which was released in 2013. That would account for why her Signature doll was basically a re-release of Sweet 1600 with no major changes other than box design.
For those who are not familiar, Ever After High, similar to Monster High, followed the stories of the royals and rebels found within fairy tales. With characters like Raven Queen (the daughter of the Evil Queen), Apple White (the daughter of Snow White) and Madeline Hatter (daughter of the Mad Hatter), the Ever After High line had a different aesthetic, but just as much punch to it to make it as successful and popular as Monster High.
In Monster High and Ever After High canon, Cupid became a transfer student to the fairy tale themed high school, which is how she helped bridge the gap between the two doll ranges. Within the Ever After High doll line, Cupid saw many more releases than with Monster High. In this post, we’ll be going through the many faces and looks of C.A. Cupid and looking forward to what is to come for this delightful character.
Before Cupid could transfer to Ever After High, she needed a bit of a makeover. Ever After High’s Cupid took the ‘creepy’ out of Monster High’s creepy sweet design, losing the white as snow skin and angular face, but keeping the sweetness. In 2013, Cupid made her Ever After High debut, being released in the second wave of core dolls. She was also featured in Thronecoming (2014), Through the Woods (2014) and the Toys R Us exclusive Heartstruck (2015). Her original Royal or Rebel release was re-released in 2015 with the First Chapter Core doll re-releases.
Cupid’s Thronecoming doll is one of my personal favorites in the entire Ever After High line. (Linked above is a blog post I did years ago on Cupid. Skip past the missing pictures to get to the article!) She’s just so pretty, head to toe! I’m also a big fan of Heartstruck, though I have no recollection of ever seeing her in stores. I wish I had, because I would love to own her! Her wings look magnificent and I love the yellow and pink in her outfit.
Continuing on, Cupid was also seen in their more budget’y lines, Birthday Ball (2016), Back to School (2017) and Sweet Treats (2018). I am personally not a fan of the final three Cupid’s released. They lack creativity and character, which was unfortunately something that could be said about most of the releases in the final years of the line. They’re a complete departure from what made the early releases so good. And while it pains me to say it, I feel like many of these final releases might have been released to get rid of stock bodies and heads in the cheapest way possible. Compare, for example, the amazing first wave of Thronecoming dolls to this sad second wave of budget Thronecoming dolls, released shortly before the demise of the line. It’s such a stark difference.
Monster High dolls took their final bow in 2015 and shortly after, in 2016, Ever After High was also discontinued. Throughout the years, Monster High has seen a few different relaunches and is now on its third re-branding. Up until now, the current iteration of Monster High has mostly featured the main ghouls, with different dolls being tossed in for various lines here and there. Well, in a surprised move on Mattel’s part, it’s now Cupid’s time to shine in her new re-tooled look to fit the current day line.
Now known as Cupid Asteria, she is being released alongside Frankie, Draculaura, and Cleo in the new line Scary Sweet Birthday. (Clawdeen also seems to be part of it.) It’s interesting to me that we are seeing this new Cupid in a release that is themed around Draculaura’s sweet 1600 birthday, just like back in 2012. Nice callback, Mattel!
More in line with what we saw in her original Monster High release, Cupid now has shimmery white skin and a head of pink curls. Her wings are a mix between Monster High and Ever After High’s version, still looking like bone but in a more artistic design. Her outfit is chic and fits her character well. Honestly, the more I look at pictures, the more I like her!
The Scary Sweet Birthday line should be available wherever you shop for dolls. Their release date is currently still unknown, but it’s worth checking the doll aisle next time you’re out! So there you have it— a look back at Cupid of the past and a look forward at her 2025 re-imagining. What is your favorite version of Cupid? Are you excited to see her back? Share your thoughts in the comments!