She’s a purple raven. She does handsprings and shakes her booty. She hangs out with the fans. But the thing people seem most excited about when it comes to Violet, the new Golden State Valkyries mascot, is that she’s wearing glasses.
Vi, as she’s also known, made her debut during Monday’s halftime show between the Valkyries and the Connecticut Sun, doing this.
The online fawning began immediately.
This fan (@84hoopscrew on TikTok) quickly lapsed into giggles at the first sight of Violet, and just kept saying the word “cute.”
@84hoopscrew “Violet you’re turning Violet” (name that movie) Thoughts on the new @Valkyries mascot? 🐣🐦⬛💜 #wnba #goldenstatevalkyries ♬ original sound – 84 HOOPS Crew
A Valkyries fan named Tan (@failedviner on TikTok) processed his feelings in a video posted on Tuesday — and they mostly had to do with eyeglass representation.
“I’m excited as a glasses wearer,” he says. “I never considered the possibility of a mascot of a basketball team just wearing glasses — and prescription glasses at that.”
“So many times, you’ll see the glow-ups and it starts out with the quote-unquote ugly version wearing glasses and then the glowed-up version has no glasses and I just want to see more glow-ups where you keep the glasses,” he continues. “I want to see a fully confident person in their glasses more often.”
@failedviner thank you @Violet @Valkyries #sports #wnba #nba #basketball ♬ original sound – Tan | YT: failedviner
The explanation for Vi’s eyewear doesn’t entirely make sense, with her official Valkyries online introduction stating: “Because she is near-sighted, she sports gold glasses helping her achieve the excellent eyesight that ravens are known to have.”
She’s the one raven who doesn’t come already equipped with excellent eyesight, you guys! Just go with it!
Another TikTok-er named Em Woods (@emwoodscasual) is confused by just how much she instantly fell for Violet. “Maybe it’s the glasses,” she says in her video, seemingly perplexed. “Why do I love this bird?”
@emwoodscasual Getting a mascot right is really difficult. I think the @Valkyries nailed it with Violet #wnba #goldenstatevalkyries #valkyries #wnbabasketball #womenssports ♬ original sound – Em Woods
The emergence of Violet came five days after a giant gold-speckled egg appeared outside the Chase Center, which the Valkyries claimed to be “baffled” by.
At first sight, many X users took the opportunity to point out that Ellie, the elephant mascot for New York Liberty, finally has some competition in the sassiness stakes.
Looks like there’s a new East Coast-West Coast rivalry brewing…
