I like that RWBY Relic theory.
I mean Oz made it clear back when everyone first arrived at Beacon that knowledge will not free them of burdens and it's how they use that knowledge. Yang is the one who has been looking for answers for most of the series, and if the truth she learned hurt her. She learned about Magic, Salem, Raven, had to face fear, doubt, and she could of pulled out. But she took that knowledge she learned and has moved forward, instead of running and hiding like her mother did.
Ruby herself is caught in the struggle of Choice. People are looking to her to lead them, and currently her choices have lost them an ally and the greater foe is at their door. Now the lives of a Kingdom rest on the choices she makes over the next 2 days, and she was already having a rough time trusting herself and her calls (as indicated by her talk with Qrow).
I wonder how this theory would tie into Weiss, Blake, and their character arcs.
Especially good insights there on Yang, less sure on Ruby, but I can definitely see her being unsure of her call as you noted.
That's a good question to be honest, I feel like, hmm, OK well in a sense Blake could be said to have rejected destruction so I kinda find the idea of placing her in a position to wield destruction and grapple with that kind of power interesting.
And this is why Ruby and friends are trying to still fight, to still hope.
They know what it's like to lose hope, to just want to curl in a safe corner and stay there.
I don't really agree with their take, Ironwood hasn't turned off his emotions, he's running on pure emotions and is just pretending he doesn't have them, he's scared utterly witless and just wants to get away no matter the cost, anything he says is just a desperate rationalization.
I think Ironwood's storyline might be one of my favorite examples of the "Good guy becomes/is revealed to be a bad guy" trope. They writers did setting up things that pointed towards him being a villain while also successfully making us believe that those hints were just fakeouts.
I think Ironwood's storyline might be one of my favorite examples of the "Good guy becomes/is revealed to be a bad guy" trope. They writers did setting up things that pointed towards him being a villain while also successfully making us believe that those hints were just fakeouts.
Good insights there, yeah its one of those things where any of the individual little bits can be shrugged off or even be viewed as a mistake but when in his first few volumes he:
Won't let Penny socialize.
Brings an army to a festival pf peace.
Is working with the evil mega-corp & Weiss's personal antagonist.
Betrays his own ally to steal his job, even though his own plan was really bad.
Tries to spend time justifying and making excuses for the dead robot girl while other people are dying.
Well some of that alone is pretty sus, but put it together and you have the foundations of a morally compromised control freak, utterly convinced of his own righteousness and with a very shaky grasp on loyalty and a penchant for violence and bad plans.
She has good taste. Also goodness we're just 3 days away. Fucking hell this final spurt is agony. Especially with the IRL Mantle election happening during the countdown.
Speaking of the Mantle Election though. With Volume 8 being only a few days away I wonder if this volume will expand on a interesting choice the writers made for the Atlas arc:
The choice to give Robyn Hill a lie/honesty detector Semblance, and specifically the fact that it's not just a neat little quirk that handwaves why she believes Blake and Yang's claims so readily, but is actually presented as a known and strongly verified if not outright legally recognized factor.
Robyn: You're all aware of my Semblance. Let's settle it here and now, General Ironwood.
Not only does Robyn's Semblance seem to be public knowledge, but it's characteristics appear to have been studied extensively enough that all the highest echelons of Atlesian society trust that Robyn cannot use it for false testimony (ex: by making it glow red when someone is telling the truth or green when she's lying) as not even Ironwood is able to come up with any form of protest against it being used.
And that's rather fascinating because it implies some very interesting things about both the Semblance itself and the personality that formed it. If any of you have watched Avatar The Last Airbender there is a infamous character named Toph who had the ability to detect (very accurately guess) when someone was lying by sensing their heartbeat and stuff like that through vibrations. She semi-often got used as a lie detector to interrogate bad guys or detect Impostors who were acting sus.
However the sequel series Legend of Korra introduced a complicating factor to such a power, when the person with the power to detect lies is the one who was lying he was able to sow a great deal of misinformation and internal strife, since everyone was relying on the truthseer to ferret out moles. Even after that incident any use of a truthseer had the problem that unless you're personal friends with them and can trust them completely (like with Toph), you're limited in how much use you can get out of such living lie detectors because you kind of have to take them at their word that they themselves are not being dishonest.
Now that's a direction the writers could take with Robyn but the story does not seem to have room for it and I find the alternative much more compelling. Another take on the living lie detector concept is Gail Curmen from the webcomic Thunderstruck, and that take had an interesting twist. Gail had the power to detect whether or not people were telling lies or being honest, but she also had a passive and more subtle ability that was tied into it: Other people could tell when she was being truthful.
Now on the face of it that seems like more of a drawback than a power. After all it's kind of hard to bluff your way past guards or send villains on wild goose chases after McGuffins you've secretly stowed away if they can instantly tell that you're not being truthful. But there is an advantage to it. If you're a straightforward and honest person who doesn't like or have much talent for lying to people in the first place then it's not much of a drawback. And if you honestly want to help someone then it's so much easier to talk sense into them if they KNOW that you're saying the truth when you claim to be there to help. Gail for example manages to talk down a paranoid demon possessed imprisoned mob boss by truthfully telling him that his long dead brother is actually alive and that she wants to help get him back.
So bring this back to RWBY again. Let's assume that Robyn's power works somewhat like Gail's. It's a conceptual Truth/Honesty power that cannot be used deceitfully and it has been scientifically proven that its physically/metaphysically impossible for Robyn to fake the results it shows. That is a Big Deal. THE BIG DEAL in fact. A lie detecting Semblance is useful, but a lie revealing Semblance is a complete game changer. It's a bit of a missed opportunity that we never saw or heard any election posters/slogans calling out Robyn as "the only honest politician".
But let's talk examples. One thing that I've seen a lot of people complain about is Robyn "robbing" a military convoy prior to the election and how Ironwood should have had her arrested. Now it's already been pointed out plenty of times that Ironwood can't do so due to MAD. The convoy Robyn held up was itself performing illegal actions and trying to arrest Robyn for illegally holding up the convoy would mean exposing Ironwood's own illegal actions in sending the convoy out into the tundra for his pet project.
What has not been explored much (as far as I know/remember) is how Robyn's Semblance plays into this. Assume the Semblance itself cannot lie about the results it's detecting, and that this is a scientifically verified and publicly known fact. Any trial against Robyn Hill where Robyn is willing to own up to her own illegal actions now becomes political suicide for anyone who has criminal activities of their own that Robyn interacted with during the course of her own crime.
Say Ironwood arrested Robyn. In that case Clover, Ruby, Qrow and Penny are all witnesses and would likely be called up to testify. And then, well....
Atlas Judge: Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you Brothers?
Clover: I do.
Atlas Judge: Good. Then hold Robyn's hand while you make your testimony and maybe we'll be done with this in time for lunch.
I would not be surprised if Robyn is written to be aware of facts that sound roughly like this and is exploiting it by making aggressive moves that she knows she can get away with because she's the only person in this game that has nothing to hide. Which again brings up how Semblance that Reveals rather than Detects the Truth says some interesting things about her personality (if hers is one that is tied to personality). It's not the Semblance of someone who just wants to know what the facts are for themselves, it's the power of someone who wants everyone to know the Truth.
Also as an aside, with Robyn being in jail I think it could be interesting if she can bond with Qrow and help him be more accepting of his Semblance and himself if unintentional Semblance activation is something she has struggled with and gotten in trouble for herself. Like if her Semblance is actually a passive one that automatically activates whenever she lies, while revealing lies in other people is something she discovered later by pumping extra large amounts of Aura into it.
As noted on SV I love, love, looved this breakdown and analyze, it has some very interesting world building applications regarding Atlas's study of Aura & Semblances, and some hilarious implications regarding her debates with Jac XD
Jac: I care about Mantle.
Robyn: Take my hand and say that.
As noted on SV I love, love, looved this breakdown and analyze, it has some very interesting world building applications regarding Atlas's study of Aura & Semblances, and some hilarious implications regarding her debates with Jac XD
Jac: I care about Mantle.
Robyn: Take my hand and say that.
I actually had a thought on that. Notice how we never get any hints that Jacques is confronting Robyn directly in debates? Or how Jacques "loves to hit below the belt and had his own daughter declared legally insane to strip her of her inheritance" Schnee with his world class PR teams never seem to try a smear campaign against Robyn?
The worst accusation he threw against Robyn was that she had less chance than him of getting people their jobs back... Which is technically true, since he was the one who took away the jobs in the first place and can give and take them as he sees fit. I would not be surprised if Jacques has been very careful about what statements he makes during the campaign precisely because he does not want Robyn to call his bluff.
I actually had a thought on that. Notice how we never get any hints that Jacques is confronting Robyn directly in debates? Or how Jacques "loves to hit below the belt and had his own daughter declared legally insane to strip her of her inheritance" Schnee with his world class PR teams never seem to try a smear campaign against Robyn?
The worst accusation he threw against Robyn was that she had less chance than him of getting people their jobs back... Which is technically true, since he was the one who took away the jobs in the first place and can give and take them as he sees fit. I would not be surprised if Jacques has been very careful about what statements he makes during the campaign precisely because he does not want Robyn to call his bluff.
Oh snap, that's an excellent insight there, and not one I had considered, but yeah given his PR team and general scummy disposition I can totally see him avoiding anything he could be called on easily. Which would have made the campaign a pain in the ass, but given he did legit want the embargo ended he could at least back that up, and it was a popular position he shared with Robyn too.
Ya all want a Youtube video that's really worth watching?
It's short and to the point, it's hilarious, it's cleanly edited, it has no long winded tangents by self-important internet celebrities and it's so true that it hurts (but in a good way).
Probably not optimal from a business perspective but holy heck is it sweet for us fans. Especially with how hype Torrian's new take on the show is shaping up to be.
Also aaah, aaaah, the Grimm’s body is so upsetting, what the fuck.
Like amazing design work, and the fact she designed it so it can land airships is genius but also aaah. I love how she controls it though and the way its body works, just, my texture brain is creaming.
Honestly the more people dismiss and disparage Neo as just a tool at best, the more inclined she is gonna be to cut somebody and I am here for it.
Em & Merc are back and with new outfits!!!
Also oh Emerald, honey... (shakes head)
Tyrian is having the time of his life, though Cinder is sniping back, look-at them go. Interesting that Salem knew he was there, where to find him and sent someone to pick him up so fast he beat Cinder there.
Also wow, Salem is in a mood, in V4 I was so impressed with how she managed her minions, now she almost seems Adam-drunk on her power over them and others.
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Yeees the crater is a Faunus town and gosh they even need to share bowls of water, that’s depressing, but I love the world building. Was hoping to see WF guard forces there, but I knew that was always a slim chance.
Also huh, I wonder if Ozpin is like... Floating around Oscar’s body so he can see what Oscar doesn’t?
Interesting how calm things have become, has Salem stalled the attack?
Poor Oscar, you tried sweetie, it was worth a shot... pun not intended.
Also yeeees we hear Joanna at last and hey May is organizing stuff, fitting for Maid Marian, loving this, very efficient stuff here and aah that soft hug!
Ooh Oscar is keeping secret, I am intrigued!
Also I love how stern Joanna is, you get the vibe she wishes she didn’t have to be, but dammit this is not an ideal situation. You can tell she’s worked under touch circumstances like, if not as bad, as this before and so is just compartmentalizing everything so she can work.
The crater idea is clever and something I was expecting/hoping for, woot!
I like how they are flashing between the conversation and people’s actions its super efficient storytelling but its also very dynamic and keeps any one scene from dragging on and taking up unnecessary time, I’ll have to remember this.
Very interesting debate, I love how uncomfortable everyone clearly is and they’re all making understandable points. Honestly a touch shocked by Nora’s position but I can see it and you can practically see people’s heels getting stuck in as they go back and forth until people from the sidelines jump in. Also Penny was so intense and badass!
Gosh that Ironwood interruption was just, like, chilling, legit.
I love how you can tell how rehearsed this is VS how quickly he starts unraveling the moment Ruby even slightly contradicts him and wow, blaming other people for problems he created really is a recurring Ironwood trait, not that I’m shocked but its nice to see that rearing its head again so overtly. A shame some people will take it seriously.
Oh wow, did Marrow have tears in his eyes?
See how militantly obedient those doctors are? No surprised they’re the types who’d be fine hacking off Ironwood’s arm and shoving on a new prosthetic just cos he’s impatient. Also oof, did Winter suffer some permanent injuries from her fight that Aura won’t fix?
Hey its the councilors and Harriet’s poking her head out.
...
What the FUCK!?
Ironwood does not like it when people say he’s afraid. I guess after Oscar this shouldn’t be a shock but fuck, I liked Sleet, he hated Jac & Ironwood!
Marrow & Elm seem the most upset.
Oh Harriet looks troubled too as does Winter but quickly suppressing it.
Something like 90% of the trailer was just from this episode!? Wild stuff, hat ending was great, legit surprised Salem never held the Relic before (When I saw the trailer) But that is interesting rather than a problem and that Grimm is creepy, also love the body language and facial expressions, the animations and set design is just top tier!
Also i occurs to me Salem has seemingly mostly withdrawn her forces, which makes sense, Mantle doesn’t have anything she wants so why waste bodies on it now that its basically screwed anyway and functionally defenseless.
Oooh awesome editing/animation work for this theme song, those images within characters are great.
Harriet contrasted with Qrow was unexpected.
What is going on in Oscar’s head, Salem has wings, I sense fanart, aaaaah!
Oooh JNR is divided and Nora focus, eeeh!
Oh gosh Winter's new outfit and Schneebling & schnee Family feels!
Haha, love Salem sending her forces at Ironwood as his side disintegrates, guess you should have looked after the place providing all your resources rather than pillaging it!
Cool bit with the mirror and we got some heavy Pietro & penny feels going!
Oooh the teams are gathering, but aaah, I need some Blake/Yang content for my soul XD And also love the contrasted in the foes emphasizing each groups important task.
...
Well the ending of that theme song was a gut punch!
