RWBY Volume 5 Chapter 14 Critique and Review

Hey, everyone.

So, finally after a long, long wait, Volume 5 Chapter 14, "Haven's Fate" was released this past week and it was... quite disappointing. Seriously, this is the worst RWBY season finale ever. That's not to say that there still weren't parts about it that I liked, but it was pretty meh or less. So, let's talk about it. I'm going to treat the entire episode as one scene, and to keep things that I thought could've been better short, I'm just going to cover all the things that bothered me the most. So, if I don't mention something in "What I Liked," then you can safely assume I either don't care about it or I outright didn't like it.

Critique

What I Liked

1. Blake and Sun: Although this is a very small thing, I did sort of like the way Blake and Sun interacted in this episode, especially the part where Blake stops Sun from running after Adam and the part where Sun turns Blake with his tail. In the former, there was something tender about Blake that I quite liked, almost as if we saw a softer side of her. As for the latter, I just think Blake's squeal is cute. I can't explain why I think that, I just do.

2. Raven and Yang's Confrontation: So, I totes thought there was going to be an epic battle between these two, and you could argue that there was a battle, it just wasn't epic. Anyway, it was nice to see Yang stand up to her mother and push Raven to her breaking point. Not because I wanted to see Raven cry or hurt, but because it's nice to know that for as bad and as tough and as powerful as she is, she's not wholly invulnerable and what her daughter thinks of her does mean something to her. And it's nice to see she has some regret and remorse for the way she left Tai and Yang.

3. After Credit Scene: Speaking of Tai and Raven, this is the last part of this episode that I tentatively like. I say "tentatively" because it depends on what CRWBY is going to do with it. Now, after credit scenes haven't really been considered canon until Vol. 3's, but even then, only Vol. 4's where Oscar meets Qrow in the bar is the only one that has been confirmed since we got to see it in Vol. 5. So, who knows whether or not CRWBY are actually going to make a scene where Raven and Tai have a heart-to-heart, but I honestly hope they do. If it happens in Vol. 6, I'll say I like this scene. If it doesn't, then screw this scene.



 

What Could've Been Better

1. A Bad Ass Case of Battle Blue Balls: It's incredibly disappointing that we never got to see a proper fight in the Haven hall between Team Good Guys and Team Bad Guys. It always happens off screen except for a few key moments, and what action there is seems to be stinted or forced or there's just something off about it, like when Hazel destroys Weiss' Queen Stinger and she just stares at it. Was that supposed to be shock or fear? I don't know because Weiss' face is neither of the two and she doesn't make any vocal reactions. There's not even a gasp or sharp inhale. It's such a wasted opportunity that we never got a big, properly budgeted battle scene in the hall.

2. Black and Yellow: So, we finally have a reunion for Team RWBY, but in all honesty, it doesn't feel good; there's no emotional payoff. It doesn't feel like there was any struggle for the girls to reunite which sounds weird because there was a struggle and an emotional payoff when Weiss hugged Yang, and then when Yang hugged Ruby, but now that all four are together... there's nothing. And I don't know why. It could've been because of the awkward and clunky dialogue, "So, Blake: what are you doing here?" Or it could've been because Yang just accepted that Blake was back without there being a resolution between them. It's too simple, too quick, too dirty. Yang and Blake need to have a long talk, and that's what should have happened. I would've gladly given up some of Cinder and Raven's battle to have a more fitting RWBY reunion. I know RWBY is about the fighting, but these characters are, well, characters, and they need to be developed along with their relationships, and this reunion wasn't properly developed.

This moment ruined the reunion.

Questions/Insights:

1. The Haven Relic: I find it quite fitting that the relic of knowledge should be designed like a lantern as if to "light the way." And I'm guessing that it can be used as a weapon by bestowing upon the beholder knowledge about whatever that person wants. In a war, that's very useful intel. But, these are mere speculations. We are still forced to ask the questions what do they do with it now that they've got it, and will having it make it more difficult for them to hang onto it?

2. Atlas: At the end of the battle, Oscar tells Qrow that they now need to protect Atlas and I have to ask, why Atlas? Why not Vacuo? How does Ozpin know that Salem is going to target Atlas next? Did he read next season's script? Or is he just saying that because Atlas is the next closest? Well, that doesn't make all that much sense since I'm going to assume Remnant is round which means the distance between Haven and Atlas or Vacuo is probably about equal. Not to mention, if distance is a consideration, why didn't Salem attack Haven first instead of Beacon? Maybe it was because Salem new Amber was too young and inexperienced and would make for an easy target, or maybe she didn't want a fully developed Ozpin coming for her sweet ass? Actually, that makes a lot of sense. But it doesn't explain why Oz thinks Atlas is next. If it is Vacuo, that would subvert everyone's expectations.

And what will happen to Cinder when she runs into Salem again?
I hope it's quite painful.

Review

 

Well, what can I say? I've already made note of what I liked and what I didn't, and I mentioned that if I didn't bring it up, I probably didn't like it, so what can I say? The episode sucked. But, I'm not going to say what I think of Vol. 5 in general. Not yet, anyway. I want to re-watch this volume and do an overall critique and review. I'll try to keep it as succinct as possible seeing as how I've already picked out all the small things, and I'll try to analyze what this volume did right, what it did wrong, and whether or not it was effective.

 

But, anyway, you guys, that's it for this week. I'll see you next week (hopefully).

Keep writing, my friends.

More About Bryan C. Laesch:

My Works:

Amazon: My Author Page, My Influencer Page
Facebook: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar
Patreon: Bryan C. Laesch
Twitter: BryanofallTrade
Youtube: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar

Flash Stories & Poetry Day 44: Limerick "RWBY Limericks"

 

Hey, everyone.

Well, I wasn't as busy today as yesterday, though I still was busy. I had a job interview and they nearly hired me on the spot, but they're pretty far away. Hopefully, something better comes down the pipeline. And then afterward, I had a to meet a student I'm tutoring in Spanish. Interesting guy; goes to Cuba a lot and wants to learn conversational Spanish. But he'll probably catch on quickly. Anyway...

Wheel of Genres, turn, turn, turn! Tell me the genre I will discern!





Today's style is... Limerick.

Okay, so, sometimes when you're working on one opus, another opus will pop into your head, fully formed without any work. I honestly thought up a limerick in a few seconds. It was about a character from an animated web series called RWBY, which is an anagram of the four main characters first names. And basically the B-character limerick wrote itself, so I'm going to write it down and try to write limericks for the other three... and maybe for some of the other characters. And if you're a fan of RWBY, you'll probably enjoy this immensely.

Thirty minutes on the clock: 30:00. And... go!

I once met a maiden named Ruby,
She said her friend was a booby,
    She was fond of hoods red,
    And making Grimm dead,
And she had a nice booty.

I once knew a princess named Weiss,
She was quite fond of everything ice,
    Her best friend is quaint,
    Despite Weiss' complaint,
But that will have to suffice.

I once met a cat-girl named Blake,
She was what you could call a flake,
    When I asked her her age,
    She said she was a page,
And fought for justice's sake.

I once met a hottie named Yang,
She started the night with a bang,
    She teased with a kiss,
    But served up a diss,
And beat up Junior's gang.

I once met a bitch named Cinder,
Her underlings were two Kinder,
    She was ambitious at best,
    Willing to kill the rest,
And turned Pyrrha into tinder.

There once was a girl named Nora,
She had an interesting aura,
    She had a great hammer,
    And made such a clamor,
And she never heard of the Torah.

There once was a character Amber,
None of the fans had heard of her,
    She was taken in ambush,
    Qrow had to save her sweet tush,
And now we remember her with myrrh.

***

 

Alright, stop the clock. Five minutes and something left. So, those weren't as dirty as I originally planned. The one with Blake, the one I thought up first, was much dirtier, but I didn't expect any one to really get the reference between page and the original word I had in the last line, "snake," basically me saying she was underage and yet she somehow had knowledge of the size of the narrator's penis. But since none of the others' were all that dirty and there are other words that rhyme with Blake, I changed the poem to fit her character better. Also, when I call her a "flake," I mean it in the sense she's always running away from her problems. But overall, I think Yang's is my favorite with Cinder's being a close second. As for Ruby's, not a lot of things rhyme with her name, so I had to use an near-rhyme. And, lastly, for Amber, for remembering her with myrrh, what does that mean? Well, myrrh was once used in ancient times for embalming the dead. So, you tell me.

 

But anyway, that's it for today. If you want to use the wheel I made, you should be able to access it here. And if you have the time, please check out my books for sale on Amazon which you can find through my author page. The link is below. Also, I reworked my Patreon page, so why not give it a look and consider becoming my patron. I would appreciate it.

Keep writing, my friends.

More About Bryan C. Laesch:

My Works:

Amazon: My Author Page, My Influencer Page
Facebook: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar
Patreon: Bryan C. Laesch
Twitter: BryanofallTrade
Youtube: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar

RWBY Volume 2: The Novelization: Dance, Dance Infiltration

RWBY: The Novelization is not endorsed by Rooster Teeth in any way. Views, opinions, and thoughts are all my own. Rooster Teeth and RWBY are trade names or registered trademarks of Rooster Teeth Productions, LLC. © Rooster Teeth Productions, LLC.

The night of Beacon’s dance finally arrived. The hall was decorated, the DJ was pumping out the jams, and people were making their way in, sometimes in teams, sometimes in couples, and sometimes completely stag. That was the way Ruby went after managing to trip her away across campus in her new high heels. Upon entering, Yang, who was working as the hostess, couldn’t stop from exclaiming, “You look beautiful!”

Ruby’s legs shook. “Can we have a serious talk about how Weiss fights in these?”

Yang laughed as Ruby tried to catch her balance.

Ruby wasn’t the only one not enjoying the change of wardrobe. As Sun made his way across campus, he kept scratching at his abs, itchy from wearing his shirt closed. He also complained about another wardrobe change. “Stupid, dumb neck trap!” he said, pulling on his tie which had been incorrectly placed around his neck instead of his collar. But someone else had a different opinion.

“I knew you’d look better in a tie.”

Sun turned. Standing behind him was Blake in a lavender dress and teal bow. She looked up demurely and Sun felt his heart skip a beat.

Blake walked up to him and grabbed his arm.

“So… does this mean we’re going together?”

“Technically. But my first dance is spoken for.”

“Huh?”

Sun’s question was answered when upon arriving Yang fulfilled her promise and danced with Blake. It was short, but the dance meant a lot to both girls. It marked a new depth and dimension in their friendship. Blake knew that she would be able to trust Yang more deeply, and Yang knew that she could rely more on Blake.

Once finished, Yang graciously surrendered Blake to Sun. She then joined Weiss and Ruby on the sidelines where they could hear Blake laughing and having a good time. “I told you she would come,” said Yang.

“Mission accomplished,” added Weiss.

Ruby looked at them both. “So, what do we do now?”

“Just have fun!” replied Yang as she and Weiss walked off.

“Does that mean I can change out of these stupid things and into my hood now?” But she received no answer. “Stupid, lady stilts.”

“Not enjoying yourself?” asked Ozpin, walking up.

“Uh, no. Everything’s fine. I’m just not much of a fancy… pantsy… dancey girl.”

“Well, you can’t spend your entire life out on the battlefield. Even if you may want to.”

Ruby crossed her arms. “Yeah, that lesson’s been floating around a lot lately.”

“If you think about it, fighting and dancing aren’t so different. Two partners interlocked. Although, one wrong move on the ballroom merely leads to a swollen foot.”

“Or a twisted ankle.”

“It’s not every day that friends are able to come together like this. Time has a way of testing our bonds. But it’s nights like these that can help keep them stronger than ever. Nights like these are ones we’ll never forget.”

Just then, Ruby heard the hall doors open and saw Mercury and Emerald saunter in.

 “You guys are just in time,” said Yang.

Mercury replied, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

***

As the evening wore on with more and more students arriving and even most of the professors, Ruby decided to camp somewhere out of the way. It turned out to be a legitimate strategy as it kept her from moving which kept her from tripping over her shoes.

Someone slid up to her. “I see you’re hiding out by the punch bowl, too,” said Jaune.

“Yep.”

“To the socially awkward,” toasted Jaune.

Ruby snickered and clinked her glass against Jaune’s. “Sorry things didn’t work out with Weiss.”

“Meh. It’s… fine! Neptune’s pretty cool. I get why she went with him.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, come on, not many people can pull off blue hair.”

“No, I mean, Weiss came to the dance alone.”

Jaune choked on his punch. “What?!” he sputtered.

“Yeah. She said she had too much to focus on to worry about boys.”

Jaune looked around, not believing Ruby. He saw Weiss by herself trying desperately to fix a white rose that would not stand up straight like the others in a vase. It fell over and Weiss tensed.

Both Jaune and Weiss heard laughing. They looked and saw Neptune with Blake and Sun, making them laugh. Jaune looked back at Weiss, the pain and longing plain on her face.

Jaune suddenly became very angry. He didn’t know why, but Neptune had turned down a girl that he would’ve gladly gone to the dance with. What could have possibly been his reason? Jaune didn’t know, but he was going to find out. And if necessary, he was going to fix Neptune’s wagon.

“Hold my punch,” he said to Ruby as he walked off.

Ruby did so. But after seeing Jaune leave, her mind returned to the sweet, hospitable boredom that it had been engrossed with before he showed up. So engrossed was Ruby that she didn’t notice when she took a sip from Jaune’s glass.

Jaune moved through the thick crowd of students like an assassin. He gently pushed people away and kept his eyes solely on his target, but then a crimson angel crossed his view. It was Pyrrha, and for a second, Jaune couldn’t believe what he was feeling. He had never seen Pyrrha look so beautiful before. She was wearing a backless, crimson gown. His heart beat quickly.

Jaune noticed something else: Pyrrha was alone and she looked sad. Her expression clashed with her ravishing appearance, and it didn’t seem right to Jaune to see her be so sad as if a fundamental rule of the universe was being broken. Jaune regarded Neptune one more time before deciding to follow Pyrrha up and out onto the balcony. For a second, Jaune thought that maybe she was meeting someone up there, but there was no one around.

“Hey, Pyrrha,” he said unsteadily. What was wrong with him? Why was he so nervous?

“Hello, Jaune,” said Pyrrha in a tone he didn’t recognize.

“You okay?” he asked, crossing to her. “I haven’t seen you tonight.”

“Arrived late I’m afraid.”

“Well… you look really… You look real lovely.”

“Thank you,” she said with a slight blush.

“Your date isn’t going to beat me up for saying that, is he?”

“I think you’re safe for tonight.”

“So, where is the guy?” said Jaune, trying to sound casual.

Pyrrha paused. “There is no guy.”

“Heh—what?”

“Nobody asked me.”

“But… you’re Pyrrha Nikos. How could nobody—”

 Pyrrha turned away. “I’ve been blessed with incredible talents and opportunities. I’m constantly surrounded by love and praise, but when you’re placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become isolated from the people who put you there in the first place.

“Everyone assumes I’m too good for them. That I’m simply on a level that they can’t attain. It’s become impossible to form any sort of meaningful relationship with people.

“That’s what I like about you, Jaune. When we first met, you didn’t even know my name. You treated me just like anyone else. And thanks to you, I’ve made friendships that will last a lifetime. I guess what I’m trying to say is… you’re the kind of guy I wish I was here with. Someone who just saw me for me.”

Pyrrha gave Jaune one last doleful look before leaving. She had hoped that after hearing Jaune wouldn’t be attending the dance with Weiss that he might ask her. But that hadn’t happened. She went anyway because she thought she still might be able to have a good time. But so far, seeing Jaune and admitting everything that was bothering her, her night hadn’t been very enjoyable at all.

Jaune turned. “Pyrrha! Wait!” But she was gone and instead Neptune was in her place.

“Hey, Jaune, right?”

Jaune sighed. “Yeah.”

“This party’s pretty lame, huh? I mean, ballroom dancing. Psh! Still, cute girls though, huh?”

Jaune snapped, his former ire rekindled. “Is that all you think about?!”

“Huh?”

“Do you even care about the girls you’re hitting on? Or how they feel about you?”

“Whoa. Where’s this coming from?”

“How could you just turn her down like that?!”

“Who?”

“Weiss!”

Neptune scratched the back of his head. “I, uh… it, uh… it just didn’t work out. You know?”

“What?! You think you’re too cool?! Too many options?! Weiss Schnee asked you to the dance; what in the world could possibly keep you from go—”

“I can’t dance!” said Neptune, looking away.

Jaune paused, bewildered. “Beg your pardon.”

“I can’t dance, man!” he wailed.

“But…” This didn’t make sense to Jaune. “But, you’re so cool.”

“Thank you. I try really, really hard.”

Jaune paused. The logic of the situation was pretty illogical. “You’d rather break a girl’s heart and go to a dance alone than admit to everyone that you can’t move in rhythm to music?”

“That about sums it up, yeah.”

“Well. I certainly feel a lot better about myself.”

“Please don’t tell anybody. Look, if you want Weiss, she’s all yours.”

Jaune sighed uncomfortably. He knew what he had to do, and he’d do it for Weiss. But for some reason, it wasn’t as difficult as he imagined. “Do you like her?”

“Yeah. I mean, I don’t know her too well yet, but she seems pretty cool.”

“Then, just go talk to her. No pickup lines, no suave moves; just be yourself. I’ve heard that’s the way to go.”

“Yeah, but—”

“Hey! You don’t have to look cool all the time. In all honesty, if you could be a little less cool, I’d really appreciate it.”

Now, Neptune paused. Jaune was making a lot of sense. And he supposed he could dial his coolness down a little. “Yeah. Okay.”

“Go talk to her,” said Jaune. “I guarantee it will make her night.”

“Thanks. You’re a really cool guy, Jaune.”

“Alright. Don’t lie to my face.”

After Neptune left, Jaune sighed again. “Alright. Only one thing left to do.”

***

Inside, Yang was on the second floor of the hall, overlooking the dance as it progressed. She felt very relaxed and content in the moment. She was soon joined by Ruby. “Y’know,” Yang began, “I think we really needed this.”

Ruby looked down at the dance floor. She saw Nora and Ren dancing, Blake and Sun dancing, and even Penny managed to show up. She was being protected by the two Atlesian guards from the other day, but that didn’t prevent her from busting a move solo between them.

“Yeah,” said Ruby, at last. “And you did a great job planning it, too.”

“Aw! Thanks!” said Yang, crushing Ruby in a one armed hug. “It wasn’t all me though. Weiss did a lot, too.”

Ruby had forgotten about Weiss. She stopped struggling long enough to look for her. Ruby saw her sitting along the far wall where all the single girls sat, perched on the edges of their seats, desperate for anyone to ask them to dance when suddenly, Neptune approached. He seemed nervous at first, but Weiss offered the seat next to her and he took it.

Yang sighed. “Tomorrow it’s back to work.”

“Well,” said Ruby with a shrug, “I’m sure we can handle whatever gets thrown at us.”

Then there was a rising chorus of laughter. It turned into outrageous guffaws shortly after.

Ruby looked down. “Except for that.”

Another person who had taken note of the strange change in the dance atmosphere was Pyrrha. For some reason, as the laughter got louder, it got closer to her from behind. She turned and couldn’t believe her eyes. “Jaune…?” she said with a slight smile.

Jaune was standing there wearing a prom dress. It didn’t flatter him, and what musculature he had clashed with the dress’ inherent beauty. It amazed Pyrrha that he had found one that fit him. It was even more amazing that he got it on such short notice. The only thing missing was a good set of heels; Jaune had opted for his regular sneakers instead probably because he couldn’t find a set of heels to match his eyes.

Jaune shrugged. “A promise is a promise.”

Pyrrha couldn’t stop herself. Her lilting laughter joined the chorus. “Jaune! You didn’t have to!”

“Hey. An Arc never goes back on his word. Now, do you wanna stand there and laugh at me, or do you wanna dance?” He offered her his hand.

Pyrrha took it. “I would love to dance.”

Jaune grabbed Pyrrha and pulled her in. She let out an excited squeal, and when Jaune took the lead and swept her away, Pyrrha felt herself swoon.

Somewhere in the background, Nora said, “Ren! This! Is! Happening!”

“Wait. What is happening?”

Nora didn’t explain as she grabbed his hand and led him after Jaune and Pyrrha who had joined the latest dance craze called the Monty. It was a type of line dance composed of sharp kicks, body rolls, and fancy arm flourishes. Everyone in the school was sufficiently impressed with JNPR’s skill—it was almost like they had practiced earlier. Eventually, Jaune spun Pyrrha away from the line to dance with her by himself.

“I had no idea you could dance,” said Pyrrha. Although she did suspect something when Jaune’s footwork improved by leaps and bounds when his cuts hadn’t.

“Yeah, well, these things tend to happen when you grow up with seven sisters,” he explained before dipping her.

Not too far away enjoying the spectacle that Jaune had made of himself was Weiss and Neptune. They kept one eye on each other and the other on Jaune. They were both too embarrassed to admit that they’d rather watch him dance in his dress than talk. But Weiss had a question burning in her mind. “So, what made you change your mind?”

“Huh?”

“You said you were embarrassed before. What made you come talk to me?”

“You’re looking at him,” said Neptune as Jaune pranced around Pyrrha. “You’ve got some good friends looking out for ya.”

Weiss had never considered Jaune a friend. Just that one-guy-who-would-not-stop-with-the-advances-all-due-to-a-silly-misunderstanding. But maybe he had her best interests in mind after all. Seeing her happy was more important to him than having her for himself. No. Not only that, Weiss admitted. He was also making Pyrrha happy; happier than she had been in a while. Her crush on Jaune didn’t get past Weiss. So perhaps Jaune was looking out for everyone and didn’t actually care about the perks of her last name. She may have misjudged him.

On the second floor of the hall also enjoying the show was Emerald and Mercury. Emerald said to the air, “It seems like all the dancers have partners.”

“How long do I have?” came Cinder’s voice, technologically modified.

“We should probably be home by midnight just to be safe,” replied Mercury.

“I’ll keep my eye on the clock.”

At about the same time, Ruby had decided that it was mission accomplished on all fronts. There was no need for her to be there any longer. She bid the hall a bow and turned to leave, unnoticed by Mercury and Emerald. But as she exited, she saw someone running along the dorm building roofs dressed in all black. That didn’t seem right to Ruby as everyone should have been at the dance. Her eyes narrowed and she decided to follow the figure.

Ruby trailed the mysterious stranger all the way to Beacon’s CCT. The trail seemed to have gone cold there, but then Ruby noticed the Atlesian guard, knocked unconscious and lying in the bushes.

Ruby knew then that something was definitely wrong. She pulled out her scroll and entered in her locker’s code. Within seconds, the locker crashed into the ground near her, revealing her scythe. Ruby grabbed it and proceeded inside. There she found four more Atlesian guards all knocked unconscious and one of them was bleeding.

Ruby looked around the atrium trying to discern where the assailant had gone. Unfortunately, there was no sign of him. The only place he could have gone was up.

Ruby called the elevator down where she found two more guards. One of them was still conscious. “Who did this?!”

“I don’t know,” the guard groaned. “But she’s upstairs. In the Communications room.”

Ruby boarded the elevator and prepared herself for battle.

Meanwhile, up in the communications room, Cinder was fast at work at one of the terminals. She inserted her scroll and downloaded the files that had been specially prepared for Beacon’s mainframe. Despite the quick and dirty hack, Cinder’s infiltration didn’t raise any alarms which was fortunate for her as Emerald re-opened communications. “A party guest is leaving.”

Cinder sighed. “Which one?”

“Ironwood.”

“I guess the general’s had enough fun for one night,” quipped Mercury. “Should we intercept?”

A queen Chess piece appeared on the monitor in front of Cinder before it spread to all of the others in the room. “No. We’re done here.” Cinder went to leave when she heard the elevator arrive. She quickly ducked behind the desk.

Ruby stepped out slowly, looking around. “Hello? Is anyone there? Hello?” Suddenly, she stumbled. She looked down at her shoes and cursed them.

A smile spread on Cinder’s face. What a coincidence. Cinder very vividly remembered how Ruby and Glynda had deterred Torchwick several months ago and she remembered the fight they put up. But with Ruby alone, and in shoes she obviously had no idea how to move in, this was going to be sweet—a chance to settle the score.

Cinder stepped out from behind the desk.

“Excuse me,” said Ruby. “It’s not a masquerade party. So why don’t you take off the mask?”

Cinder paused for a second. That was the first thing out of Ruby’s mouth? No challenge? No how dare you? No mention of all the wounded guards? What a strange girl.

“Well?!” said Ruby.

Cinder grabbed one of the Dust canisters on her and spread the Dust out in front of her. Glass shards formed in mid-air, and Cinder launched them.

Ruby spun her scythe, deflecting them. She then open-fired, but just as Cinder did when they first fought, she blocked each individual shot, her clothes glowing every time she did. Ruby flourished her scythe and leapt at Cinder.

Cinder jumped back, dodging the attack. She summoned two glass swords made from Dust, connected their ends to make a bow, and fired three newly minted Dust arrows.

Ruby jumped back to avoid the explosion and tripped over her heels again. She suddenly had the feeling that she might be in over her head.

Cinder had the same feeling, but found it a pleasure. That was until the elevator dinged again with a new arrival.

Ruby looked back and recognized the grizzled visage of General Ironwood. Ruby smiled, knowing the odds had been tipped in her favor. But when she went to face the mystery attacker, she was gone.

Cinder got down to Beacon’s main hall as fast as she could. She was still breathing a little hard as she transformed her spy clothes into a magnificent black dress. She came in through the back entrance and disappeared into the crowd of students just in time as a couple of guards barged in and lost sight of her.

On the dance floor, Mercury and Emerald were managing their way through a waltz. “So, what do you think?” asked Mercury.

“I think Cinder had better hurry. I’m a little worried.”

“I meant, what do you think of my dancing?”

“Why would I care about your dancing?”

“C’mon. Don’t deny that you’re enjoying yourself.”

Emerald scowled.

“Whatever. You want me.”

Suddenly, Emerald felt a tap on her shoulder. Cinder, as innocent as a virgin, said, “Excuse me. May I cut in?”

“Of course,” said Emerald, missing the context.

Cinder gave her a slight critical look, but didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around Mercury.

He smiled; this was truly his lucky night. “And how’s your night been?”

“Hmm, a little more… exciting than expected.”

“Should we be worried?”

“Hardly,” said Cinder with a half laugh. “They’ll be scratching their heads long after we finished what we came here for.”

“So then, what now?”

“Enjoy the rest of the night. After all, it is a party.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Mercury, smiling.

******************

 Keep writing, my friends.

More About Bryan C. Laesch:

My Works:

Amazon: My Author Page, My Influencer Page
Facebook: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar
Patreon: Bryan C. Laesch
Twitter: BryanofallTrade
Youtube: Bryan C. Laesch, Bawdy Scholar

RWBY Volume 2: The Novelization: Welcome to Beacon

RWBY: The Novelization is not endorsed by Rooster Teeth in any way. Views, opinions, and thoughts are all my own. Rooster Teeth and RWBY are trade names or registered trademarks of Rooster Teeth Productions, LLC. © Rooster Teeth Productions, LLC.

 



In the skies above Beacon, a handful of large military airships began to descend toward the school’s docks. They were the new Nero-class airship designed by Atlas. Each one contained hundreds of Atlesian soldiers, human and cybernetic alike. Smaller, duty-bound Rosso-class airships buzzed around Beacon’s tower maintaining a perimeter of control and stability. Ozpin and Glynda, standing in the headmaster’s office, got an eyeful of their maneuverability and were able to appreciate the immensity of the Nero-class.

“Ironwood certainly loves bringing his work with him wherever he travels,” bit Glynda.

“Well, running an academy and a military makes him a busy man,” reasoned Ozpin. “But, yes. Those are a bit of an eye sore.”

A message flashed on Ozpin’s desk telling him that someone was just outside the office and requesting access. “Come in.”

In stepped a middle aged man dressed in a white suit. His hair was short and black with some gray and silver. He had perfect posture and an almost arrogant sense of confidence. And strangely, there was a small metal rectangle above one of his eyes. When he entered, he said, “Ozpin!” in a clear, deep voice that had an unmistakable tone of command.

“Hello, General.”

“Please, drop the formalities,” said Ironwood as he and Ozpin crossed to each other. “It’s been too long.” They shook hands. “And, Glynda! It has certainly been too long since we last met.”

Glynda stepped up beside Ozpin. “Oh, James!” she said sarcastically. Then to Ozpin, “I’ll be outside.”

Once Glynda had gone, Ironwood turned to Ozpin. “Well, she hasn’t changed a bit.”

“So,” began Ozpin. “What in the world has brought you all the way down from Atlas?” He headed back to his desk and poured two cups of hot chocolate. He gave the first to Ironwood who took it in a gloved hand. “Headmasters don’t typically travel with their students for the Vytal Festival.”

“Well, you know how much I love Vale this time of year.” Ironwood reached into this overcoat and took out a circular flask. He added some of its contents to the mug Ozpin had given him. “Besides, with you hosting, I thought this might be a good opportunity… for us to catch up.”

Ozpin scoffed, taking his seat behind his desk. “I can certainly appreciate quality time between two friends. However, the small fleet outside my window has me somewhat concerned.”

“Well, concern is what brought them here.”

“I understand travel between kingdoms has become increasingly difficult—”

“Oz,” Ironwood chided, “you and I both know why I brought those men.”

Ozpin sighed. “We are in a time of peace. Shows of power like this are just going to give off the wrong impression.”

“But, if what Qrow said is true, then—”

“If what Qrow said is true, then we will handle it tactfully. It’s the Vytal Festival. A time to celebrate unity and peace. Therefore, I think it best you try to avoid scaring people by transporting hundreds of soldiers halfway across the continent.”

“I’m just being cautious.”

“As am I. Which is why we will continue to train the best huntsmen and huntresses we can.”

“Believe me, I am.” Ironwood put his mug down on Ozpin’s desk and turned to leave. But before he did, he said, “But ask yourself this: do you honestly believe your children can win a war?”

“I hope they never have to.”

***

Somewhere in the deep reaches of Beacon’s library, a fierce war was already brewing. There were four contenders each vying for dominance of Remnant. Unfortunately, only two of the competitors were into it, while one had no idea what she was doing, and the last couldn’t believe she was wasting her time like this.

“Alright,” whispered Ruby to herself. “Alright.” She pointed across the table at her sister. “Yang Xiao Long! Prepare your kingdom for battle!”

“Bring it on!”

“I deploy… the Atlesian Air Fleet!” said Ruby with enough drama to cause Yang to gasp. She smacked the card on the game board between them. “Looks like I get to fly over your Ursae and attack your walls directly.” Ruby made naroo-flying type noises followed by an explosion with her mouth.

Yang gasped again. “You fiend!”

“And, since Atlas is part of Mantle, my repair time only lasts one turn.”

Yang laughed causing Ruby to gasp. “Pretty sneaky, sis. But you just activated my trap card! Giant Nevermore!” Yang slammed her fist on the table and several of the game pieces fell over.

“What?!”

“If I roll a seven or higher, fatal feathers will slice your fleet in two!”

“But, if you roll a six or lower, the Nevermore will turn on your own forces.”

“That’s a chance I’m willing to take.”

As Ruby and Yang fully engaged themselves in their risky board game, throwing playing pieces around and wailing and gnashing their teeth, team JNPR was just one table over trying to get some studying done. Ren was embroiled in a text book while Nora snoozed right next to him dreaming of pancakes and producing an epic sized snot bubble. Pyrrha was looking over some notes and glanced at Jaune as he read an X-Ray and Vav comic. She cleared her throat, taking the comic from him and slapped a textbook in his hands instead. Jaune sulked until a pewter Nevermore piece hit him the head and he looked at team RWBY. Yang was gloating about her recent victory while tears streamed down Ruby’s eyes.

“Well, Weiss; it’s your turn,” said Yang.

Weiss looked down at the cards in her hand. “I have… absolutely no idea what’s going on.”

Yang sidled up to Weiss. “Look, it’s easy. You’re playing as Vacuo which means all Vacuo based cards come with a bonus.”

“Huh?”

Yang started rearranging Weiss’ hand for her. “See, you’ve got Sandstorm, Desert Scavenge… ooh-ooh! Resourceful Raider. See, now you can take Ruby’s discarded Air Fleet—”

“No!” wailed Ruby.

“And put it in your hand.”

“Okay.”

“And since Vacuo warriors have an endurance boost against natural hazards, you could use Sandstorm to disable my ground forces and simultaneously infiltrate my kingdom. Just know,” said Yang, taking a serious tone, “that I will not forget this declaration of war.”

“And that means…?”

“You’re just three moves away from conquering Remnant!” Ruby sniffled.

Weiss stood, laughing evilly. “Yes. Fear the almighty power of my forces, cower as they pillage your homes, and weep as they take your children from your very arms—”

“Trap card,” said Yang.

“Huh?”

Yang rearranged the pieces on the board with blinding speed. “Your forces have been destroyed.”

Weiss sat back down as tears streaked down her face. “I hate this game of emotions we play!”

Suddenly, Ruby appeared, crying on her shoulder. “Stay strong, Weiss. We’ll make it through this together.”

“Shut up! Don’t touch me,” said Weiss, embracing Ruby fully.

Yang leaned back and put her arms behind her head. “Alright, Blake. You’re up.”

“Huh? Oh, um.” Blake had been in her own world. Not day dreaming, but worrying. “Sorry, what am I doing?”

“You’re playing as Vale trying to conquer the kingdoms of Remnant.”

“Right.”

“Hey!” said Jaune as he walked up. “Can I play?”

“Sorry, Jaune,” replied Ruby. “We’ve already got four people.”

“Besides,” Weiss added, “this game requires a certain level of tactical cunning that I seriously doubt you possess.”

“Uh, you attacked your own naval fleet two turns ago,” said Yang.

“Bring it on, Ice Queen,” dared Jaune. “I’ll have you know that I’ve been told that I’m a natural born leader.”

“By whom? Your mother?”

“And Pyrrha.”

“Hello, again,” said Pyrrha from behind them.

“C’mon. Let me play your hand for a turn.”

“I’m not trusting you with the good citizens of Vacuo.”

“Why not? You’ve trusted me with way more important stuff before. I mean, you told us all that Blake is secretly a F—”

“Fun-loving person!” finished Pyrrha, rushing to cover Jaune’s mouth. “Who we all admire and respect.”

Jaune laughed nervously as Ruby and Weiss smiled nervously. Blake gave them all the stink eye.

“Right,” said Jaune. “That.” He scratched the back of his head. “Ladies, enjoy your battle.”

“Sup, losers?” said someone new coming from behind Blake.

“Hey, Sun,” said Ruby.

“Ruby. Yang. Blake. Ice Queen.”

“Why does everyone keep calling me that?” said Weiss.

“I never got the chance to formally introduce you all to my old friend,” continued Sun.

“Uh, aren’t libraries for reading?” said Neptune.

“Thank you!” said Ren.

Nora snorted awake. “Pancakes!”

“Shut up,” said Sun. “Don’t be a nerd.”

Neptune had a fit. “Intellectual,” he corrected. “Okay? Thank you. I’m Neptune,” he finally said.

“So, Neptune,” started Weiss, “where are you from?”

“Haven,” he said, walking over to her as cool as could be. “And I don’t believe I’ve caught your name, Snow Angel?”

Weiss blushed. “Um, I’m Weiss.”

“Are you kidding me?!” whispered Jaune.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Neptune, eyeing her over.

Sun said to Blake, “I never took you as the board game-playing type."

“Right. Well, I think I’m done playing actually,” she said abruptly. Blake left without giving Sun a second glance. “I’ll see you guys later.”

Once she was gone, Sun shrugged.

“Women,” commented Nora.

Blake went back to her dorm where she was plagued by memories of the previous semester when she confronted Roman Torchwick and the White Fang. But there had been a part later that night that no one else knew about. After RWBY and Sun had called the Vale police, they had been taken to the police department where each was questioned about the night’s events.

Ozpin had been called to investigate matters for himself and pick up his students. While he was there, he spoke to Blake one-on-one. “Well,” he began, “this has certainly been an eventful evening. I’m sure after a night of thwarting attempted robbery, you probably just want to go home and take a nap. But… I was hoping we could have a chance to talk.”

“Of course,” said Blake.

“Wonderful. As you know, in order to enroll in my academy, students must first pass a rigorous entrance exam. Most applicants spend years training at one of the many combat schools around the world. You are one of the few who did not. And you passed the exam with flying colors.”

“I was raised outside the kingdoms,” replied Blake. “If you can’t fight, you can’t survive.”

“Well, you have most certainly survived, Blake. I admire your drive, and I am proud to run a school that accepts individuals from all walks of life. Rich, poor, human…” Ozpin took a sip from his mug, “Faunus.”

Blake eyed him. She was both surprised and not at the same time.

“Why do you wear that bow, Blake? Why hide who you are?”

“You may be willing to accept the Faunus, Professor Ozpin. But your species is not.”

“True. But we are taking strides to lessen the divide.”

“With all due respect,” said Blake, her irritation rising, “you need to start taking some larger strides. Until then, I’d rather avoid any unnecessary attention. I want people to see me for who I am, not what I am.”

“And what are you?”

“I, uh… I don’t understand what you’re asking.”

“How did you know the White Fang would be at the shipyard tonight?”

“I didn’t,” she said honestly. “I just happened to be at the right place at the right time.”

“You wouldn’t have been the first,” said Ozpin with a small grin. “But what happened tonight was not an isolated incident. I may be your headmaster, but I am also a huntsman. And it is my sworn duty to protect this world from the forces that conspire against it.

“Blake. Are you sure there is nothing else you would like to tell me?”

“I’m sure,” she said with barely any hesitation.

“Very well. Thank you for your time, Miss Belladonna,” said Ozpin flatly. He got up to leave, but turned back. “But if you ever need to talk to me, please, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Suddenly, the door to her dorm snapped open transporting Blake back to the present.

“Ugh!” growled Yang, storming in. “We never should have let him play.”

Ruby giggled. “You’re just mad because the new guy beat you.”

Blake got up and started heading for the door.

“See, if you had just attacked when I told you, none of this would have happened.”

“Stop!”

Blake did stop. She looked over her shoulder and Weiss was pointing at her.

“Lately, you’ve been quiet, anti-social, and moody.”

“Uh, have you met Blake?” asked Yang.

“Which I get,” continued Weiss. “It’s kind of your ‘thing.’ But you’ve been doing it more than usual. Which, quite frankly, is unacceptable. You made a promise to me, to all of us, that you would let us know if something was wrong. So, Blake Belladonna! What! Is! Wrong?!” said Weiss, getting in her face before backing up a suitable distance

“I just…” Blake thought about lying, she thought about telling them anything else. This was her problem and she wanted to deal with it her way. But before she could stop herself, an emotional gate swung open and she blurted the truth. “I just don’t understand how everyone can be so calm!”

“You’re still thinking about Torchwick?” asked Ruby.

“Torchwick, the White Fang, all of it! Something big is happening and no one is doing anything about it.”

“Ozpin told us not to worry,” said Yang. “Between the police and huntsmen, I’m sure they can handle it.”

“Well I’m not! They don’t know the White Fang like I do.”

Yang looked at Ruby. They both shrugged. They were game to kick butt any time anywhere.

Weiss however took a breath. “Okay. Between blowing up nightclubs, stopping thieves, and fighting for freedom, I’m sure the three of you think you’re all ready to go out and apprehend these ne’er-do-wells.”

“Ne’er-do-who?” said Ruby.

“But, let me once again be the voice of reason: we’re students. We’re not ready to handle this sort of situation.”

“Well, yeah but—”

“We’re not ready!” firmed Weiss, shutting up Ruby.

“And we may never be ready!” bit Blake. “We can’t just wait with lives at stake until they think we’re ready. Our enemies are gathering. There’s a storm out there and it’s growing deadly! And it’s coming, whether we’re ready or not.”

Ruby suddenly got an idea and looked very excited. “Okay! All in favor of becoming the youngest huntresses to single handedly bring down a corrupt organization conspiring against the Kingdom of Vale, say aye!”

“Yes!” said Yang. She turned to Blake. “I love it when you’re feisty.”

“Well,” started Weiss, “I suppose it could be fun.”

“None of you said aye,” lamented Ruby.

“Alright then,” said Blake with a smile. “We’re in this together.” She somehow felt relieved.

“Let’s hatch a plan!” said Ruby.

“Yeah!” agreed Yang.

Ruby gasped and looked horrified. “I left my board game in the library.”

Weiss shook her head. “We’re doomed.”

“I’ll be right back!” Ruby ran out into the hall and collided with somebody. “Ow. Oh, geez. I’m sorry. Are you okay?” she said to a girl wearing a foreign uniform.

“I’m fine,” said the girl, offering Ruby her hand. “Just… be more careful in the future.”

“Okay,” said Ruby, taking the girl’s hand. “Sorry, again. I’m Ruby. Are you new?”

“Visiting from Haven, actually,” said another girl, stepping up between the first girl and a tall guy.

Ruby looked at the trio before her. The girl she bumped into had shoulder length lime colored hair while the boy had messy grey hair and a cocky smile. As Ruby looked at them, she thought she detected a faint, dangerous swagger to their personalities. But neither was quite as intimidating as the aura radiating off the girl in the middle. She had long black hair and for some reason, she really seemed out of place, almost like she was too old to be attending Beacon. Her aura was also dangerous, but there was no swagger to it. It was real and very intimidating.

Ruby shivered under her practiced gaze that seemed to betray just a hint of burning intensity. But then a stray thought interrupted Ruby’s feelings. “Oh! You’re here for the festival. Oh! But exchange students have their own dormitory.”

“I guess we just got turned around,” said the boy.

“Oh, no worries. Happens all the time. Your building is just… east of here.”

“Thanks,” said the dangerous feeling girl. “Maybe we’ll see you around.” The trio began to leave but they didn’t seem to be making their way towards the nearest exit or even the east exit.

This was lost on Ruby though. “Yeah, maybe. Oh. And welcome to Beacon.”

Cinder couldn’t help a smirk from spreading on her face. The irony was just too delicious.

******************

This entry of RWBY: The Novelization is brought to you by my new novels: Remnants of Chaos: Chaotic Omens and Heroes of Majestia: The Company of Flight. You can buy ROCCO here and HOMCOF here.

Keep writing, my friends.

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RWBY Volume 5 Chapter 2 Critique and Review

Hey, everyone.

This blog entry is brought to you by my new novels: Remnants of Chaos: Chaotic Omens and Heroes of Majestia: The Company of Flight. You can buy ROCCO here and HOMCOF here.

Anyway, this past Saturday, RWBY Volume 5 Chapter 2 came out to the masses. I actually saw it on a different website a week earlier. (No, not Rooster Teeth's.) So, as you can imagine, I've been sitting on this review for a week. I'm actually writing it on the eve of Chapter 3 so all my insights and questions are still relevant before I get to see Chapter 3 and that way, I won't feel stupid for trying to suppose questions that have already been answered. Anyway, moving forward I think I will be writing my critique/review in a different format. I'll break the episodes down by their major scenes and then talk about what I liked, what could've been better, and then offer any insights or questions these scenes may inspire. So, let's get on with it.

Critique

Scene 1: Evil Council

What I Liked: Alright, so the in the first scene, Lionheart and Watts hold a secret meeting/council with Salem and for some reason, Cinder's there too. What I liked in this scene was Professor Lionheart's cringing because I honestly think his fear will turn into hatred and then self-loathing, and then he'll turn good again. I don't want to see him become another Wormtail from Harry Potter, and I hope instead he does redeem himself. Some of the smaller things though that I liked about this scene is that Watts mocked Cinder, we know for sure that she lost her eye now, we know what the purpose of the Seer Grimm is, we know that Watts can make a tail for Tyrian either suggesting Tyrian isn't really a Faunus or Watts knows a thing or two about cybernetics--perhaps both--and, the last thing I really liked is Salem admitting Ruby could be more than a worthy adversary for Cinder. I'd love to see round two and see Cinder lose again.

What Could've Been Better: I think Salem is losing her touch. She's no where near as scary as the first time we saw her, and I think that's because she showed too much emotion in this scene. Like, she actually looked and sounded happy in this chapter. And, she showed that she too doesn't know everything like when Watts admitted that he learned of Spring's location through Qrow. Maybe "a little birdy" is a little too far for her mind to reach, but if Salem knows who's in Ozpin's posse, she should've been able to piece it together. A villain who doesn't know everything or who can't jump to conclusions on their own is more terrifying than one who can't. A truly terrifying villain should be in control at all times or at least the air they are, so then when something happens that is outside of their control, the audience knows how f*cked they are.

Another problem I had with Salem was her threatening Lionheart. I mean, he helped to find Spring and was just urging her to find Spring before Qrow does. Why did she feel the need to choke him and threaten to kill him? Has he become short with her minions as of late? Even if so, who cares. Is it really that important to keep him that far under her boot? I don't think it is unless there's something to Lionheart that we don't know.

Questions/Insights: The only major insight in this scene is the hint about how powerful Ruby's silver eyes can be. Now, Salem has said things before that make it sound like Cinder hasn't reached her full potential, but if the power of the silver eyes could match the power of the Maidens, what does that mean for the world of Remnant and the relics? Where do the silver eyed warriors fit into the creation story? I really hope we get more info on the silver eyes.

Scene 2: Lancer Fight

What I Liked: Onto the Lancer fight, there are a few quite satisfying things to see here. The first is the gravity Dust crystals. Gravity is one of the those types of Dust we haven't seen and we're not really sure what it does. In Chapter 2, it makes objects defy gravity; in RWBY Chibi, it threw Ruby back several feet. But, since RWBY Chibi isn't canon, I'm going to guess that defying gravity is actually what gravity Dust does. It was also exciting to see a new Grimm and the battle scene was pretty spectacular, especially the ending where Weiss' Gigas performed Omnislash on the Queen Lancer.

And finally, I really liked seeing Weiss' glyphs being used as shields to slow the airship before it crashed and as a way to keep her rooted to the airship without falling. Since Weiss is my favorite character, I do try to understand what all the varieties of her glyphs do, and black does stupefy me a little since in Vol. 3 Ch. 1, it looks like Weiss' black glyphs helped her kick what's-his-face across the arena unless they were actually there to stop her from flying after him.

What Could've Been Better: Now, despite the fact that I was excited to see a new Grimm, it is a bug Grimm. What's wrong with that? Well, tell me: what's the lamest type of Pokémon? Bug, right? I rest my case. Another problem is that the Lancers that hooked the Atlesian airship didn't try to pull the airship apart like they did to the ones from Anima. Why? It could be because the Atlesian one is made of metal, but I suspect it was actually because of plot armor. If the Lancers could pull the hull of an airship apart, and they can hook into metal, they should have been able to tear the Atlesian airship apart. Also, that part where Weiss used an avalanche to kill the Lancers was stupid. I was hoping for something more like out of Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. I was hoping the islands would move together or not all the Lancers could squeeze into the space and kill themselves. That would've been cooler. And my last problem with this scene was that Weiss extracted the Dust from the cartridges before loading them into Myrtenaster. Why is that a problem? Because it's inefficient. It would make more sense to load the cartridges straight into her sword. Now, maybe they were rifle cartridges and Weiss had to separate the Dust from the projectiles, but I don't think that's what happened in this scene. And how exactly does the hammer on Myrtenaster trigger the Dust without a primer attached to it? It could be that the hammer pushes the Dust into a small recess that then allows it to flow down along a hollow channel in the blade, but without ever seeing what the other end of the hammer looks like, who really knows.

Questions/Insights: This scene didn't offer any insights, but it did provoke a question out of me: why was the cargo ship unofficially carrying Dust? The pilot said he wasn't officially carrying Dust, but in actuality, he was. Why is that the case? Is he a smuggler? Does he actually work for Raven and her bandits and he was delivering Dust to them? I mean, why else would he have all that Dust and be on his way to Anima? Unless the original plan was to go to Mistral, but he seemed awfully committed to making it to that shore/beach. I think he was on Raven's payroll.

Scene 3: White Fang Betrayal

What I Liked: Despite the fact that I don't have much respect for bad guys regardless of who they are, it was interesting to see Hazel trying to reassure Sienna and then later tell Adam that no one needed to die. He also seemed a lot more charming and talkative than he did when he was at Salem's evil council in Vol. 4. Maybe he doesn't much care for Salem, but I did enjoy his honesty, boldness, charm, and aversion to murder. I also liked how Sienna saw the White Fang attack on Beacon for what it actually was: a failure and good reason for humans to hunt down the White Fang with prejudice rather than a successful campaign. I actually quite liked Sienna because she believed in a sensible use and show of force rather than an all-out war, and I sincerely hope Sienna somehow comes back from the dead to rip off Adam's face.

I also enjoyed how Hazel now doesn't seem to be willing to trust Adam. Perhaps Adam's fall will come sooner than later since he's not being completely honest with Hazel.

What Could've Been Better: Adam's obvious hubris is obvious. It's pretty clear that while he may be popular, with him at the helm of the White Fang, they may be a lot more dangerous, but I agree with Sienna, the White Fang cannot win a war against humanity and especially not when most Faunus would fight against the White Fang. So, it's pretty obvious Adam has set himself on the road to ruin. Not to mention, everyone saw his plan to kill Sienna from a mile away. He had no reason to climb those stairs other than to kill her. Sienna should've been suspicious. Also, I don't care for his new clothes. Some in my RWBY FB group have suggested that he looks a bit like a Sith now, and while that is true, to me he looks like a lowly Sith warrior, not a Dark Lord of the Sith. Or at the very least, he doesn't look like a leader anymore like he did when he had his Yakuza suit. He just looks like a punk or a sh*tlord now instead of a cool guy. (I mean, he wasn't actually cool, but he did look like it.)

Questions/Insights: I only picked up on one insight in this scene and that was the fact that the leader of the White Fang is called "High Leader." I don't know about the rest of you, but I get a Nazi "der Fuhrer" vibe off that title. I mean, "Fuhrer" does mean "leader," and Hitler was called "Der Fuhrer," or rather, "The Leader." That's not too much of a jump from "High Leader." Makes one think the White Fang is about to start taking inspiration from Nazi Germany.

Scene 4: Raven Returns

What I Liked: The only thing I liked about this short scene is that Weiss ran into Raven. Why do I like that? Well, remember, Yang is out looking for Raven which means there's a good chance Yang will find Weiss, too, and we get that much closer to team RWBY reuniting. Add to that, if you remember in my last critique post, I mentioned how everyone seems to know who Raven is and that she's Yang's mother. So, I do wonder if Weiss knows as well. It does seem like Raven knows who Weiss is, but does she know that Weiss is on Yang's team?

What Could've Been Better: Do you remember how last time I criticized the fact that with Chapter 1 we had now seen most of the scenes from the Vol. 5 trailer? Well, now we've seen all of them. Which brings back all those questions I asked last time: are there going to be more trailers, is all the really important stuff only in first two chapters, or is the rest of Vol. 5 going to be packed with revelation after revelation? Doesn't really matter what ends up happening--it'll still be interesting to see, but I'm really hoping it's either the first one or the last one.

Questions/Insights: All questions are above.

Review:

So, what did I think of it overall? Well, when I first saw it, I liked it better than Chapter 1. But after doing the critique, I felt negative about it. Now, on the eve of the release of this post, I feel sort of ambivalent. I mean, I love the new information and the hints that are dropped, but the presentation needs a little work. So... yeah.

Anyway, that felt fairly organic, so I think I'm going to follow the same format hereon out for the rest of Volume 5. So, expect the next critique and review of Chapter 3 next Thursday. Also, I'll be bringing back the edited versions of RWBY: The Novelization this Friday. So, until next time...

Keep writing, my friends.

More About Bryan C. Laesch:
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