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- He's quite the entertaining one, and dependable when it comes to handling matters. The only thing with this guy is... he's got a line he won't cross... having limitations always kills the vibe!
- —Sparkle’s voice line about Sampo
Samkle is the het ship between Sampo Koski and Sparkle from the Honkai: Star Rail fandom.
Canon[]
Sparkle and Sampo are co-members of the Masked Fools, an organization devoted to Aha. Sparkle and Sampo work together on numerous occasions, though Sampo is wary around Sparkle and seems to harbor a dislike and caution around her, aware of her dangerous capabilities, stating if he could, he’d prefer to never talk to her again. Sparkle states she finds Sampo entertaining and dependable, though she dislikes how he has a line he won’t cross. Sparkle has a length of knowledgeability on Sampo’s characteristics, as during the Penacony Trailblaze Mission she is able to impersonate him to a certain degree of success.
Sparkle and Sampo have a similar air of toying with others and showing a childish and teasing persona, all the while dangerous and conniving. Both Sparkle and Sampo are skilled as fooling and deceiving others, a key point of their role in the Trailblaze Missions. They both have a tendency to break the fourth wall, a now common theme for the Masked Fools. However, even with their similarities, Sampo appears to have a stricter ethic in comparison to Sparkle. The two have different definitions of Elation, where Sparkle is willing to do all for her amusement, while Sampo is restrained by his morals and has a line he won’t cross, creating a bigger contrast between them and a subsequent distaste.
Masquerade Duet[]
Upon the Dream Bubble’s completion, the scene cuts to Sampo reminding Sparkle that he’s helped her with all requested tasks at hand. Sampo then asks Sparkle to give back his mask, to which she counters with a retort asking when the Masked Fools started respecting agreements. Sampo gapes for a moment, before Sparkle declares she was joking, adding that she loves seeing the look on Sampo’s face when she jests. She informs him with the details, but later asks what prompted him to desire his mask. Sparkle adds, “This doesn’t seem like the Sampo I know…” and guesses that a catastrophe is coming to Jarilo-VI. Sampo makes no comment on her words.
However, parodying her voice, he says he loves her line “If you’re too late to take the stage, you can work behind the scenes.” Sparkle smiles at this, and comments she values friendship highly. She tells Sampo should a lack of options occur, he can contact her at any time. Sampo tells her to forget it and that staying away from Belobog is the favor she can do for him. He adds that the Elation Sparkle seeks is not something he can stand by, walking off and asking her to say hi to Giovanni for him. Sparkle tells Sampo not to take it seriously and that she is merely spitballing. After Sampo is gone, she mutters in a more solemn voice, “Why so serious?”
Keeping up with Star Rail[]
- She’s like a shining beacon, every scene becomes vivid and interesting with her! Every character comes to life. Interastral Peace Entertainment owes Mistress Sparkle a lifetime achievement award!
- —Sampo’s dramatic, theatrical comment on Sparkle in “Keeping up with Star Rail”
In Sparkle’s Keeping up with Star Rail, Sampo makes an appearance as a co-host. Sampo inquires if he is supposed to introduce Black Swan, to which Owlbert—who will later be impersonated by Sparkle—informs that Sampo is here as Sparkle’s “close friend”, to which Sampo claims he is “not that close” to Sparkle. Sampo asks Owlbert if he has invited as a guest to introduce the Gardens of Recollection Memokeepers, asking what there is to introduce about Sparkle. Owlbert laughs and explains how Sparkle is a top performer in the galaxy, and Sampo asks if they can change the script and add a “little something something” for him. Nevertheless, the episode proceeds after some banter between Sampo and Owlbert as the latter introduces Sparkle and her abilities. As the episode shows Sparkle striking at the enemies on-screen, Sampo expresses his supposed awe and calls her moves “so agile” and states, “Look at those sharp techniques! How smooth and free.” to which Owlbert laughs and tells him, “That’s more like it!” before the dialogue proceeds.
Sampo speaks in a dramatic and feigned tone how Sparkle is truly amazing and how she not only showcases her own acting skills, but others’ as well. As Owlbert continues the explanation, Sampo begs in to marvel and calls her a shining beacon, describing every scene she enters to be vivid and interesting, and how every character comes to life. He claims the Interastral Peace Entertainment owes “Mistress Sparkle” a life-time achievement award. To this, Owlbert chuckles and calls it “a bit too much”, before he asks Sampo to tone it down. Sampo claims it is simply his professional evaluation as a veteran actor. Later, Sampo calls Sparkle’s performance breathtaking and asks if he can watch it for free, and will afterwards declare they will never settle for mediocrity. As the “performance” ensues, Sampo will continue to express how impressive and how much of a “great veteran actor” Sparkle is in a very theatrical and dramatic way.
As the episode comes to a close, Owlbert is impersonated by Sparkle in the blink of an eye. “Owlbert” applauds Sampo, and while laughing, calls Sampo’s acting confined. Sampo asks what it’s confined to, in which “Owlbert” informs Sampo that he has “too many limitations” and that “having limitations always kills the vibe.” Instantly, Sampo is alarmed and asks why those words sound so familiar, and recognize this Owlbert to be Sparkle. Sparkle transforms herself back to normal, in which Sampo, annoyed, declares he knew it and orders her not to leave before paying him. Sparkle disappears, laughing as the episode ends.
Quotes[]
- “Oh my! What a breathtaking performance! Can I watch this for free?”
- — Sampo about Sparkle in the latter’s Keeping up with Star Rail
- “Shouldn't the "Fool" introduce himself to everyone?”
- — Sparkle’s voice line when added to the same team as Sampo
- “Same rule as always — no backstabbing, okay?”
- — Sampo’s voice line when added to the same team as Sparkle
Fanon[]
Samkle gained a following of fans after Sparkle’s Companion Mission Masquerade Duet. Fans find their chemistry entertaining and their relationship very interesting, as both Sparkle and Sampo share many traits in common yet have very distinct characteristics. Many factors led fans to find Samkle as a reasonable pairing, such as facts like their height difference and contrasting colors, and a possible “Partners in Crime” appeal due to their status as co-workers. Another aspect was the “Himbo x Girlboss” trope coming to play where Sampo, an individual initially appearing stupid and airheaded, is paired with Sparkle, coming off as wicked and intellectual from the start. A main pulling factor of Samkle’s popularity proved to be their contrasting views of Elation and different work ethics.
Previously, the pairing was popular for the two looking good together, the hope of future meetings, and the fact that Sparkle disguised herself as Sampo in the Penacony Trailblaze Mission was short fuel for fans who found potential in the dynamic with their contrasting ideals and values. However, Samkle is generally moreover popular as a platonic duo, since Sampo is sometimes viewed as Sparkle’s irritated older brother or the two simply being best friends and partners in crime.
Samkle has very few works on AO3. It is rivaled by Sparkle and Sampo’s more popular ships, namely Sampard and SparkleSwan. However, a lot of fans ship all three at the same time. Samkle is frequently criticized due to a belief that Sparkle likes Black Swan, or the topic of Sampo hating Sparkle, and the possible toxicity of the ship.
A common device used in Samkle fan works is Sparkle being chaotic and teasing while Sampo shows his apprehension and annoyance towards her liveliness. Another theme in Samkle jokes or content is Sampo having a crush on Sparkle while she has a crush on Black Swan — with this theme, the three are in fact sometimes shipped in a poly.
Fandom[]
- FAN FICTION
- Sampo/Sparkle tag on AO3
- Sampo & Sparkle tag on AO3
Gallery[]
Official Art[]
Fan Art[]
- All art in this section is fan made, and must be sourced back to the original artist. It also must have permission from the original artist to be posted here. If your art is here without your permission and you wish to have it taken down, please inform an admin, so that we may delete it.
