Remove ads

RWBY Thread III: Time To Say Goodbye

Reader mode
Stop: So gotta few things that need to be said real quick.
  • Staff Post
    • so gotta few things that need to be said real quick.
    We get a lot of reports from this thread. A lot of it is just a series of people yelling at each other over arguments that have been rehashed hundreds of times since the end of the recent Volume. And I get that the last Volume - and RWBY in general, really - has some controversial moments that people will want to discuss, argue about, debate, etc.

    That's fine. We're not going to stop people from doing that, because that's literally what the point of the thread is. However, there's just a point where it gets to be a bit too much, and arguments about whether or not Ironwood was morally justified in his actions in the recent Volume, or if RWBY and her team were in the right for withholding information from Ironwood out of distrust, or whatever flavor of argument of the day descend into insulting other posters, expressing a demeaning attitude towards other's opinions, and just being overall unpleasant. That tends to happen a lot in this thread. We want it to stop happening in this thread.

    So! As of now the thread is in a higher state of moderation. What that means is that any future infractions will result in a weeklong boot from the thread, and repeated offenders will likely be permanently removed. So please, everyone endeavor to actually respect the other's arguments, and even if you strongly disagree with them please stay civil and mindful when it comes to responding to others.

    In addition, users should refrain from talking about off-site users in the thread. Bear in mind that this does not mean that you cannot continue to post tumblr posts, for example, that add onto the discussion in the thread, with the caveat that it's related to RWBY of course. But any objections to offsite users in the thread should be handled via PM, or they'll be treated as thread violations and infracted as such.
     
    Last edited:
  • Staff Post
    • In my opinion, Cinder may not be like the Great Villian like the Classics, such as DCAU Lex Luthor, or Xanatos. However she is no Aizen, nowhere near as bad. She had a big plan and half of it was changed from when she started to enact it, she's no Aizen or Madara.
     
    Last edited:
    WiseFoolOfDeath said:
    In my opinion, Cinder may not be like the Great Villian like the Classics, such as DCAU Lex Luthor, or Xantos. However she is no Aizen, nowhere near as bad. She had a big plan and half of it was changed from when she started to enact it, she's no Aizen or Madara.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Ironically enough, she's rather like Black Zetsu: his plan was all of "Get the descendants of the Sage of Six Paths to keep fighting each other until one of them becomes powerful enough for Kaguya to possess." His is the only endgame villain reveal in Naruto that--though silly in its timing--wasn't a convoluted web of master plans. He just played the long game until someone stumbled into doing what he needed.
     
    You know, a thought occurs to me, in 'The Wire' criminals make it a point to avoid crimes (for the most part) that might really tick off the public, the media or the cops, namely killing children and or cops being the biggest examples. I wonder if Roman was maybe holding back in some of his previous fights to lessen the chance of a head-hunt if he killed Hunters in training, instead opting to just bludgeon them down and leave them and or cover it up if he thought he could and that's why he pulled out new skills when fighting Ruby, he had no reason to hold back and he was ticked.
     
    Remove ads
    [Discussion] Volume 3, Chapter 12: End of the Beginning
  • Threadmarks
    • My attempt at a play by play.
    OK, lets see if I can get this working fast this time.

    Wooh right off the bat! Perfectly times refresh yes! :D

    HOLY SHIT! Ozpin and Cinder are fighting and its epic!

    Port and Oobleck lived, they're handling evac!

    Blake's sobbing and apologizing, Ruby looks so sad but kind of numb with shock.

    Sun wants to run despite Pyrrha and Jaune being lost and when Ruby and Weiss run off he says they better be back before calling them idiots, also ZZwei is there.

    Huh Jaune has GLynda's number. Pyrrha kisses Jaune before planning to go back in to help fight. Jaune seems OK with this. Then she shoves him in a locker and launches him to Vale. Foreshadowed, wow, I am actually really moved by both of them here.

    Holy shit awesome Pyrrha uses her Semblance to rocket the elevator up!

    Jaune calls Weiss, damn he looks freaking heartbroken when he's begging for them to save Pyrrha, crying and all, my heart.

    The Grim is resting on the tower, Cinder coos at it and says that'sits home now, then seems... unsure and summons fire, Pyrrha's here! Oh god Pyrrha's here, she's dead.

    Pyrrha is freaking amazing but Cinder isn't going all out, in terms of raw skill though Pyrrha's getting in some hits!

    Also I think Pyrrha can fly, Cinder can, tackle hug! She's about to slit Cinder's throat and the dragons flapped off! Cinder needs her Maiden powers, interesting and the dragon is charging. Towers falling, Pyrrha got elbowed! Haha Cinder Ozpin;s office is made of metal! And giant gears, Cinder is shocked. Pyrrha's out of Aura but what a performance! Ruby is running up the tower, Pyrrha still tries to fight, Arrow to the heel!

    Cinder and Pyrrha have an exchange, Cinder looks angry when destiny is brought up and seems to think the power should be her and shoot Pyrrha!

    She fucking vaporised her!

    Ruby's broken, I can't stop gaping. Holy shit, people called it. Ruby's a fucking Maiden and she's just unleashed the power and vaporised the dragon! Cidnder looks freaked!

    Its all white.

    Ozpin is missing, no contact to anyone outside. Ruby's in her bed, possibly Tai Yang talking to?

    Yep there's Tai, dozing at Ruby's bed-side. Ruby wants to know what's up with Yang, Tai is awkward, Qrow saved Ruby.

    Vale is OK, Beacon, not so simple. The dragon is frozen but keeps attracting Grim. Tai knows about Maidens, calling it now, he doesn't want to tell Ruby.

    Qrow's back, and drinking. Wants to speak with Ruby alone, Tai is less than pleased but goes. Ruby's crying, Pyrrha's confirmed dead :(

    Silver eyes coming back up. Summer was a Maiden. Qrow is explaining the Maidens. Hmm, maybe not, silver eyes means super warriors? Qrow did say some other legends were true, somehting else maybe?

    Qrow is to pick up where Ozpin left off.

    Apparently Cinder can be traced back to Haven. Ruby goes quiet, and seeks out Yang. Yang says she is not OK,but its about more than her arm, fuck she sounds so defeated...

    Papa Schnee has taken Weiss. Atlas is being blamed. Blake ran! Yang is so hurt and angry and the party is split! :( Yang wants to be left alone.

    Ruby says she loves Yang, Yang's to lost to respond.

    Ruby is sneaking off with JNPR... Jaune Ren and Nora, Nora sounds pissed and focussed.

    A smaller more honest soul speech, very nice. Holy shit, the voice wants to snuff out hope as its the best thing against the Grim and such!

    A Raven! Grim rule the school! Glynda is exhausted Blake's running around the city, Schnee is on a plan and her dad looks like a tool.

    Holy shit, epic reveal, the maker of Grim maybe? She;s in this giant red crystal area, she implies all sorts of things that can be taken so many ways and she's all boney white with black lines and red eyes and looks like she;s floating and long since associated with Ozpin apparently.

    It ends at twenty two minutes, ah well, because so much has happened, so many questions!

    She's named Salem, the big bad!
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • GET WRECKED CINDER! FUCKKKKKKKK YEESSSSS TAKE THAT YA DIRTY WHORE!

    After all that bullshit about ultimate power and being unbeatable... she nearly got taken down by Pyrrha FUCKING Nikos, first year Huntress trainee! Nearly. Almost. It. Was. So. Close. So fucking close. :cry:

    She was so close to winning, just on pure skill. The choreography was unbelievably good, I'm rewatching the fuck out of that fight. But then Cinder pulled out the cutscene turnaround by ramming the dragon into the tower and melting her spear. Even then, Pyrrha fought on and continued fucking wrecking her with magnetism- if Cinder hadn't had the full Maiden powers + whatever Grimm control bullshit, Pyrrha won that fight hands down. But she did.

    And so Pyrrha Nikos. Is dead. And it wasn't enough to just let her corpse fall to the ground. Cinder completely fucking disintegrated it. Pyrrha became one with the force.

    And Ruby saw it happen.

    Indeed, this finale very much felt like the end of the prologue to an RPG.
     
    T_T

    The episode begins in grand style, with flashes of an epic fight between Cinder and Ozpin. They're lightning fast, their attacks illuminating the darkened vault. Ozpin demonstrates powerful abilities like a bubble shield, but Cinder is no slouch as a full Maiden, unleashing seething gouts of flame.

    Back up top, Port and Oobleck are alive and supervising the evacuation of Beacon. Ruby returns and finds her sister and Blake, exhausted and hurting, Blake consumed by guilt and grief. Meanwhile, Jaune and Pyrrha are still missing; Nora and Ren refuse to leave, but are too winded by the fight to do anything about it. Ruby and Weiss volunteer to go in their stead.

    Pyrrha and Jaune emerge outside the school--just in time to see Cinder rocketing up from the vault Iron Man-style: Ozpin has fallen. Pyrrha makes her choice a second time: even if she doesn't have the power of a Maiden, she still chose to accept the responsibility of one. Jaune is still confused, tries to stop her--and Pyrrha shuts up her idiot with a kiss. And then shoves him into an abandoned rocket locker for good measure, and sends him back to Vale. She chases Cinder up the tower, using her semblance Magneto-style to fly.

    Jaune is beyond distraught, and calls Weiss and Ruby to save his partner. They approach the school, but the Dragon's beaten them there: it clings to the side of the tower, and a horde of Grimm stands in their way. Up top in Ozpin's office, Cinder soothes the beast--only to be interrupted by Pyrrha, making her entrance.

    It's a ferocious fight, and Pyrrha gets in plenty of good hits, using her Semblance to the fullest. Cinder's kept off guard, but it's clear the new Fall Maiden has the advantage the whole way through. Eventually, Pyrrha manages to get Cinder into a chokehold, her sword at the villain's throat. But it's for naught: Cinder's fire melts through and shatters her weapon, and the Dragon--by its own willing or perhaps under Cinder's control--smashes through the office to break the impasse.

    Pyrrha may be without her sword, but she is far from disarmed--she uses the gears from the rubble of the office to keep up her offensive. But even as she tries to crush Cinder beneath the weight of all that metal, it's not enough: Cinder blasts it all away. It comes down to one final exchange, her shield against Cinder's arrows... but Cinder has the better weapon: it simply passes through the shield and reforms. Pyrrha lives up to her namesake, and falls with an arrow in her heel.

    Down below, Ruby and Weiss finally cut a path through. Just like with the fight against the Nevermore so long ago, Weiss trusts her leader to finish the mission, and creates a glyph path for Ruby to make her way to the top and finish the fight.

    Cinder and Pyrrha, on her knees, unable to stand or fight and her Aura exhausted, have one final exchange. Cinder comforts her opponent, saying that she'll use the full power of the Fall Maiden in ways Pyrrha can't even imagine. Pyrrha has only one response: "Do you believe in destiny?" Cinder seems taken aback and asserts yes. Now, it's the end: Cinder draws her bow.

    Ruby makes her way to the top at the worst possible moment: Pyrrha taking an arrow through the heart. But that's not enough for Cinder: she presses a hand to Pyrrha's forehead, and incinerates her entirely. Pyrrha Nikos is dead and dust in the wind and there's nothing that can be done.

    Except Cinder has forgotten Ruby. And Ruby has powers no one--well, almost--could have suspected: just as flames blazed from Amber and Cinder's eyes with the power of a Maiden, so do too blindingly radiant projections of angel wings burst from Ruby's. Cinder's beyond shocked, but it doesn't matter--Ruby's light is overwhelming, consuming the entirety of the tower and even putting a halt to the Dragon.

    Time passes. We hear snatches of a conversation between Qrow and an unknown man about the fall of the CCT while Ruby apparently lies unconscious. And Ruby finally awakes back home on Patch--we meet Taiyang for the first time (who's voiced by Burnie Burns, fitting enough)! After some comfort and affection, he gives her the barebones: Beacon has fallen, and the Dragon remains. Whatever Ruby did--and she's not entirely sure what he's talking about--has frozen the Dragon somehow, but it survives, and the Grimm are relentless.

    Qrow interrupts for his own debrief. He starts off with a little aside, asking Ruby what was Ozpin's first words to her. And then he explains the legend of the silver eyes--in ancient times, the mark of a great hero, one destined to lead the life of a warrior, so mighty that they could defeat Grimm with a glance. Ruby's not entirely sure what to make of this. Qrow explains his relationship with the disappeared headmaster: he served at Ozpin's behest, and now that he's gone, Qrow will have to take his place.

    Especially now that their enemy's fled to Haven. Qrow takes his leave.

    Cut to Yang, morose in her room. Ruby comes to her, but the reunion is fraught and bitter. Yang is most definitely not okay: Beacon has fallen, the world's falling apart, people are afraid, her arm's missing... And worst of all, Team RWBY is gone. Yang's crippled. Weiss was retrieved be her father to the safety of Atlas. And Blake ran away. Again. So, definitely not okay. Yang will be a long time healing, and so Ruby gives her space.

    Outside, the leaves are falling--and then it's winter. Ruby sneaks out of the house with Crescent Rose and a backpack, and greets what remains of Team JNPR. The fight's far from over, and they have an enemy waiting in Haven.

    Jen Taylor's narrator returns, praising the strength of mankind yet again--and then ruminating on just how she'll crush it. Over a montage of the aftermath--showing Beacon fallen and the Dragon frozen on the tower's side, Glynda lingering in Vale and faltering, Blake dashing across rooftops, Weiss with her father, among other scenes--she asserts that just as mankind can achieve wonders together, alone they are nothing more than ants to be crushed.

    The episode, the volume, and arguably the first season of RWBY draw to a close on her back, as she offers a final challenge to Ozpin for trusting in a smaller, simpler soul. She'll gladly see him burn. She turns to face the camera--and we end on her gleaming red eyes.

    Credits! And more kickass songs for the OST! And then a stinger: Qrow watching over RJNR on a cliffside, Ozpin's cane in hand. He leaps offscreen, jumping off the cliff--and a crow flies away into the sky.

    Jesus Christ it's going to take a while to process this all x_x.
     
    Calling it now, Jen Taylor, sorry Salem, is an alien, like legit alien.

    Also

    While I am always wary of new powers and potential creeps we saw with Amber and with Cinder magic isn't the be all end all in a fight so the silver eyes powers doesn't necessarily terrify me in that respect. However on foreshadowing, some are saying its an asspull, I disagree, Ozpin commented on Ruby's eyes the first time they met and when the Maidens were discussed legends, not just the Maidens, being real was brought up, it was hinted at but not directly explained to the audience which makes sense as they wanted it to be a surprise.
     
    My soul is on fire.
    Grim lady confirmed big bad.
    Qrow confirmed Crow.
    Kill count is Penny, Pyyrah, Autumn and potentially Cinder.
    Jesus christ Jaune sounded so fucking sad.
    No scene with Roman or Neo, the dream is dead forever.

    Time for the exciting adventures of RNJR (Ranger)

    I need a stiff drink.



    But Burnies Taiyang so at least we have that.
     
    Zam said:
    Calling it now, Jen Taylor, sorry Salem, is an alien, like legit alien.

    Also

    While I am always wary of new powers and potential creeps we saw with Amber and with Cinder magic isn't the be all end all in a fight so the silver eyes powers doesn't necessarily terrify me in that respect. However on foreshadowing, some are saying its an asspull, I disagree, Ozpin commented on Ruby's eyes the first time they met and when the Maidens were discussed legends, not just the Maidens, being real was brought up, it was hinted at but not directly explained to the audience which makes sense as they wanted it to be a surprise.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Funnily enough with my Naruto tangent earlier, Salem's a lot like Kaguya in that regard, but with a lot more actual foreshadowing. And I'm actually thinking she's the ultimate Grimm--RWBY is inspired by anime, after all, and it's a classic enough trope for the big bad of an inhuman horde to be humanoid themselves.

    And agreed on the foreshadowing. The first three volumes comprising a single season is a sound structural argument. It's been a long, slow build up from the first episode three years ago to this moment.
     
    *rocks back and forth continually*

    So...team RWBY is split up. So much painful Yangst and in true XCOM fashion the 95% isn't confirmed (though there's plenty of room for angsty Bumblebee interpretations of Blake's departure). Ruby is a maiden, or something like it. Pyrrha...god, Pyrrha...and Oz might be dead too...

    Jesus fucking christ.

    In better news, damn Salem is an awesome villain - that monologue was fantastic - and Qrow continues to be the best person on the planet
     
    Last edited:
    Well, we saw right in the fight that Cinder could dematerialize and reassemble her arrows... so why not Pyrrha? Maybe it was just an elaborate kidnapping and Pyrrha is being held in the same place as Ozpin. Maybe? Please? T_T
     
    Weeble said:
    Well, we saw right in the fight that Cinder could dematerialize and reassemble her arrows... so why not Pyrrha? Maybe it was just an elaborate kidnapping and Pyrrha is being held in the same place as Ozpin. Maybe? Please? T_T
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Well, Salem was talking to Oz like he was still alive, so...there is faint hope. Very, very faint hope. But...jesus, Glynda failing at the rebuilding was a fucking gutpunch.
     
    I am calling it now Jaune is going to die in a fire and Nora to poison.
    JNPR is based off of legends were the heroes cross dressed and often had iconic deaths.
    Pyrrha was based off Achilies who was bathed in the River Styx as a babe but was held by his right foot so his Right heel was his weak point.
    What Happened to Pyrrha? Took an arrow in the heel JUST like Achilies.
    Joan of Arc who Jaune Arc is based on died by burning at the stake.
    Nora is Based on Thor who dies to Jormungandr the serpent that encircles the world he kills it and takes 10 steps before dying to its poison.
    I dont know Ren's legend

    When Jaune goes I hope its putting his sword in Cinder's chest.

    Cinder and Ozpin are most likely Avatars for Goddesses or Gods. Cinder says she said ozpin was arrogant and with the reveal we know which "She" she meant the goddess of the grim from the looks of it.
    Ozpin most likely the same thing.

    I am hoping with the fact Ozpin appears to be alive based on what is said by the Goddess and his Time abilities we may get a do over but I know that is just a hope...

    I want Pyrrha back.
    [/spoilers]
     
    Renewal said:
    Funnily enough with my Naruto tangent earlier, Salem's a lot like Kaguya in that regard, but with a lot more actual foreshadowing. And I'm actually thinking she's the ultimate Grimm--RWBY is inspired by anime, after all, and it's a classic enough trope for the big bad of an inhuman horde to be humanoid themselves.

    And agreed on the foreshadowing. The first three volumes comprising a single season is a sound structural argument. It's been a long, slow build up from the first episode three years ago to this moment.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I was wondering if others would make the comparison to Kaguya XD Apparently some say she looks like the Winter Maiden, I'm fifty fity on whether she made the Grim or joined them at this point. I'm thinking if they did have a collective guiding intelligence, even just "All Grim go here" people wouldn't have lasted as long, but the, maybe there were tons of epic fights and such that allowed it to happen? Probably that.

    I hadn't considered that but it works well and makes sense when I stop and think about it, especially considering season 1's shortness.
     
    Yang has violet eyes that switch to red when she's angry/powered up. Orignially, I thought she must have gotten the red from the Branwen side and the purple from the Xiao Long.

    However, Taiyang has blue eyes. So the violet might have come from the Branwen side of the family after all! Qrow and Raven's eyes are red all the time- perhaps Yang's eyes will become permanently red when she masters her semblance.

    Seeing as Qrow has been revealed to have polymorph abilities despite appearing to use a damage absorb/charge semblance against Winter. I think Yang will unlock animal shapeshift/summon related powers as well, it might be some kind of inheritable ability. Are werebirds a thing? `:confused:

    Either way, all those red-eyed ravens we've seen flying around since V1 are hella suspicious.
     
    Right, so Ozpin is appropriately badass.

    Port and Oobleck! Hurray!

    huh, Cinder can fly now, Azula style. That's a thing.

    Pyrrha... Well, if you're going to make a sacrifice play, I guess now is the time.

    At this point, I'm honestly worried Juane might end up dead from Grimm being attracted to his breakdown.

    Props to Pyrrha, she doesn't let up.

    Oh hey, a callback to the S1 Nevermore fight, neat.

    Shit. All these times I felt a character was going to die, I guess I had to be right sometime. Pyrrha... And worst of all the Ruby, whose whole thing is being fast, just... Isn't fast enough.

    Guess we've got a new mystery in that light, though.

    Oh hey, Taiyang, didn't expect to see you. A lot more 'worried father' than badass, which is a nice touch.

    Taiyang and Qrow seem to have an interesting dynamic. I wonder what's up there?

    So, Ruby seems to have some hidden power out of legend. Thiiis could probably have used some foreshadowing, but I guess it fits well enough.

    So, Weiss has been taken back home, Blake has vanished, and Yang is... Broken. Damn, I've never heard her so somber. It's a real shaker, seeing her so lacking in her usual vigour.

    Meanwhile we've got a new team (Team RRNJ?) on their way to Haven, a new villain, and oh boy that design, that ending song.

    "There'll be no hero in the end," no kidding.
     
    Last edited:
    Guys, Mercury's dad didn't disintegrate in the flashback. He's confirmed dead. Cinder probably sent Phyrra to Salem's dimension for experiments. That is also where Ozpin is. Also, as Glynda was attempting to repair Vale, her cape had a Brown Crown, Ray's symbol. She's a Rayder!
     
    While the rest of the episode was good, the Ruby reveal was a complete anticlimax and IMHO a major letdown. There is virtually no foreshadowing of epic angel Maiden powers. IIRC the only foreshadowing was Ozpin commenting on Ruby's silver eyes. She's a good enough fighter, but not exceptional. We haven't seen any great commanding or anything to indicate that she's particularly special other than being good enough to be on the same level as the rest of her team. No slight bursts of power, no eyes glowing in heated moments, nothing. I mean, during the Ozluminati meetings, Ruby is never even referenced. TBH Yang seemed more likely to be a Maiden, what with her eye color changing. While on one hand it's only one part of the entire episode, considering how huge the impact is supposed to be, screwing up the reveal like that really hurts the show.

    But most of the other stuff in the episode is pretty damn good. First of all, it turns out that all the complaints about Maiden powers being pretty terrible are spot-on. Pyrrha was able to go toe-to-toe with Cinder for a good while, and it doesn't look like Cinder was toying with her. While the angel wings were IMHO an asspull and barely foreshadowed, it still shows that Maiden powers aren't all that great, because despite the Dragon being hit point-blank, all it did was freeze the damn thing. Speaking of Pyrrha, what a way to go. Great fight. This surpasses Oum at his peak in Dead Fantasy.

    I'm sad that Blake ran away again and that Yang is broken down, but at least the former puts more holes in the Bumblebee ship, which is always a good thing. Ozpin is dead. And GOD DAMMIT RUBY why are you running off on your team again? Not going to try and get Weiss back, not searching for Blake, not even trying to help Yang through her ordeal, you terrible sister, you. The show's name is RWBY, not Ruby. While Ruby may be the focus, the name of the title is still her goddamn team.

    Fuck you, Ruby Rose. FUCK. YOU. Terrible teammate and terrible sister.
     
    MinorGryph said:
    Yang has violet eyes that switch to red when she's angry/powered up. Orignially, I thought she must have gotten the red from the Branwen side and the purple from the Xiao Long.

    However, Taiyang has blue eyes. So the violet might have come from the Branwen side of the family after all! Qrow and Raven's eyes are red all the time- perhaps Yang's eyes will become permanently red when she masters her semblance.

    Seeing as Qrow has been revealed to have polymorph abilities despite appearing to use a damage absorb/charge semblance against Winter. I think Yang will unlock animal shapeshift/summon related powers as well, it might be some kind of inheritable ability. Are werebirds a thing? `:confused:

    Either way, all those red-eyed ravens we've seen flying around since V1 are hella suspicious.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Crows are bastards.

    So it's not surprising Qrow would be on friendly terms with them.

    Also, calling it now, Yang is gonna have a talk with her mom. Which will probably precipitate her getting back on her feet.

    Pyrra, just, Pyrra :(

    Though it sounds to me like Ozpin isn't dead just yet. Grim Lady seems like she wants him to witness what she has in store. She wants him to suffer.

    I also think after watching this episode that giving JNPR so much development has begun to make a little more sense. Not as much as they've received and less on Jaun would have been better. But if JNR are going to serve as Ruby's surrogate team for the next volume while they get the band back together it makes sense to have had them introduce from the beginning.
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top