Rusty mountains, foliage, scarves, guiltless candy consumption, turkeys with anxiety, and crowded Barnes & Nobles. All items in the previous list help to usher in Fall’s most dominant character. Nope, not the cable-knit sweater. Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) is BACK. The Starbuck’s original beverage has been nothing colossal success since it’s birthday in 2003. After 11 years, America is only pummeling into further obsession.

This year the company commemorated PSL’s 200 millionth cup by creating a separate twitter account for the flavor. Starbuck’s headquarters has taken the wit and energy needed to grace PSL’s page with clever tweets such as, “Someone just ordered me extra hot. #SettleDownNow.” The profile features photos of the latte in a homecoming tux, a lederhosen, and even includes a pet for PSL, which is a decorative pumpkin made to look like a cat.

What did the pirate say when he turned 80? “Aye matey”. The Warrior Ledger staff give the same reply when asked if they think pumpkin spice receives too much of this season’s spicy love. Is Salted Caramel not ‘fall enough’ to have a twitter account? Cinnamon Dolce isn’t worth making 200 million orders of? Even if we took a step outside of the Starbuck’s monarchy we would notice other coffee shop chains have brews of their own that are being ignored. Flavors like apple-pie, maple, gingerbread, almond, cranberry, and much more are offered this same time of year.

But none stand a chance against pumpkin spice. What are the other flavors next to the gourd king of java? It is this blend that holds the responsibility of bringing the real feeling of fall to America. It is the chosen one. For many Autumn isn’t Autumn unless they’ve had their first cup. The Warrior Ledger staff find it baffling. We ask, does Peppermint Mocha make winter any more winter? Do Cool Lime or Valencia Orange Christen the summer?

John Oliver says in a recent rant, “…Nobody wants anything [pumpkin] from December through August. You can have it whenever you want!” He says, “That bottled pumpkin-flavored science goo sits behind the counter never aging, like Ryan Seacrest.”

The Ledger staff argue that people drink the seasonal beverages because it is considered the “hip thing.” A cup of Starbuck’s joe pretty much trademarks you into the American basic, and if that cup of joe is PSL, then you are just further validating yourself.

Honestly, we don’t hold anything against pumpkin spice. In fact anything that makes Autumn that much more real and savory is well-approved of, and by anything we include everything on the flavor spectrum from trench coats to cornucopias.