Estella & Catherine

Estella & Catherine is the family ship between Cruella de Vil and Catherine Miller

Canon
Catherine was working for the Baron of Hellman when the Baroness's value came up to her with a new born baby in his arms. The Baroness had tasked him to kill her only child, but when he saw Catherine he knew her kind nature would have her help him to keep the baby safe. By spiriting her far away from the Baroness and raise as her own. John also gave Catherine a family heirloom necklace rightfully belongs to the Baron's soul heir, Catherine wore the necklace so it would be part of her daughter's life.

She named the baby Estella Miller and raised her with love and support. When Estella decided to become a fashion designer, from showing talent at such a young age. Although Catherine doesn't fully understand Estella's style and would rather follow the pattern than change it. As Estella challenges the world, her mother becomes one of the people she challenged against. Whenever Estella acted cruel and mean, would call her "Cruella" and tries to get Estella to keep that side of her at bay. Catherine knew that the leave of Estella's mean side is something that she inherited from bio mother, and tries to tame it through love and having her tone it down. Hoping that nurture would win over nature. Because of the black-and-white hair color that Estella was born with and has got other people to act cruel towards her, Catherine has Estella wear a hat to cover it up. Even though Estella doesn't always wear it. After Catherine saw a dog in their house and learned that Estella was the one who found him, she lets her keep Buddy.

Wanting to help Estella reach her dream, and her whole primary school year being filled with black dots, Catherine pulls Estella out of school before she could get expelled. So it wouldn't be on her record when they left to start a new life in London. Estella was excited for their move, but after Catherine states that their move is because there wasn't much choice for the sake of her daughter's education, Estella promises her mother that she would stay out of trouble for now on. Through the booklet on London that shows a photo of a fountain, she asked Catherine if they could go see it. Catherine promised to make it their first stop once they set there, while having a cup of tea as they make plans on how to make things for them in London. During the car ride Estella noticed that Catherine was wearing her best dress and asked her why that is, Catherine explains that they need to make a quick detour before heading towards the city.

Despite the danger of bringing Estella to Hellmen manor, where the Baroness was hosting a gale ball, Catherine was in need of start up money for their new life and hopped that the Baroness would help them. Catherine was also wearing the heirloom necklace and couldn't let the Baroness see her with it, so she gives it to Estella while reminding her that it will hers one day. Although Catherine planned to keep Estella in the car where she would be safe, she still has Estella wear her hat to conceal her hair. Estella had meant it when she made the promise to stay out of trouble, but her love of fashion has her wanting to take a quick peak at the gale. Believing that she would be in and out before her mother comes back, but ended up being chased by three dalmatians and watches them push Catherine to her death.

Estella was traumatised that night, believing that she was the reason her mother was dead. If she hadn't gone inside and provoked the dalmatians into chasing her, Catherine would still be alive and wouldn't be an orphan. After she found herself at the fountain, without her mother or tea, Estella decided that the necklace was gone. Losing a link she would of had to her during a very difficult time in her life.

Although Estella was able to find herself a new family and to do the thing she loves most, designing, she felt that Catherine expected more from her. Becoming a thief isn't a mother's dream for their child and wanted to make her proud of her. Whenever Estella felt like talking to Catherine, she would visit the fountain and layout two cups of tea. While sharing her day or exiting news with her mother's spirit.

When Estella saw the Baroness wear her mother's necklace and was angry at her boss for calling her mother a thief, she makes a plan to steal the necklace. She remembers Catherine telling her that the necklace belongs to her and wanted her only to her mother back. Even if it means tapping into her Cruella alter-ego. After she heard the Baroness's dog whistle, she remembered the night Catherine died and that it was the Baroness who ordered the dogs to push her, and that Catherine's death was never her fault. Now knowing the truth of that night, Estella allows her Cruella self to run free in order to her revenge.

Once John told her the truth of how Catherine is actually her adopted mother while the Baroness is her real mother, Estella goes to the fountain to have it out with her mother. She finally understood why Catherine was off with her whenever she acted cruel and did what she could to ensure that she didn't turn into her birth mother. Estella had tried her best to be kind and good for Catherine, but the truth has her deciding to be cruel and "a little bit mad" Cruella. Despite now viewing Catherine as a lair, she still loved her as a mother and still wanted to get justice for her. By framing the Baroness for killing "Estella" in the same way she killed Catherine, while living on as Cruella de Vil. Leaving her kind, sweet Estella self to be with her mother and tossed the necklace on Estella's coffin from no longer having a reason to keep it or Catherine with her.

Fanon
Although Catherine dies in the first part of the 2021 film and the mother-daughter relationship between Cruella and the Baroness overshadows the one between "Estella" and Catherine, there are those who feel that it deserves attention as well. From the love and support Catherine gave Cruella while raising her like she was her own child, while the Baroness tried to have her killed seconds after she was born. Making Catherine a far better mother than the Baroness. Even though she did force Estella to lock her mean side away, and how it led to Estella and Cruella acting like two separate people in one body.

Fandom

 * https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Catherine%20Miller%20*a*%20Cruella%20de%20Vil%20(101%20Dalmatians)/works