Ozpin - Blog Posts

RWBY Characters in Song ♦ Oz-carnations

I WAS WRONG - OH HELLOS

I was born, I was born

I was born at the hands of the potter

And I was torn from the start

I was torn between my god and my father

I was born, I was born

I was born at the dawn of our folly

And I was young, and stubborn to the bone

As I took from the tree that was rotting

☼﹥━━━━━━━━━━━﹤☼

I took my chance and bit down deep

The weight of the world was crippling

Now I'll hide my shame with woven leaves

I was wrong... I was wrong,

I was wrong...

And I'm so, so sorry

I was wrong, I was wrong, I was wrong...

And I'm so, so... I'm so, so sorry

I knew you'd never forgive me

But I was wrong... I was wrong

And I'm so, so sorry

I am sorry...

...

A song that I thought nicely fitted our favorite wizard

➸ "The potter" is another way of calling god in sacred texts. Ozma was brought back to life and given his mission by the God of Light.

➸ Right from the start however, Ozma was torn between the terms of his mission and his desire to see Salem again. Misled by love, he ended up playing god in a misguided attempt to unite humanity. In that instance, Salem can be read as his "god", turning him away from his "Father's" mission.

➸ Salem, or more specifically the Salem we know today, was born at the height of humanity's greatest folly : turning against the gods which prompted their annihilation.

➸ She was young, she was stubborn and determined and she took powers from the gods that revealed themselves to be rotten in the light of day. (Immortality is highly desired but was nothing but a punishment for her)

➸ Ozma was given the chance to come back and see Salem again through a deal with the God of Light, and he jumped at this chance. While this was his choice at the time, the apple he bit into was in truth just as rotten as the gods previous gifts.

➸ We all know how his history with Salem played out. That bridge burned, Ozma has nothing left ahead of him but his task. A daunting task that weighs on him, seemingly impossible because of Salem's existence and her immortality.

➸ And in answer to his loss of hope, the wizard hides away from the world : ashamed and desperate, seeing no end to his fighting... Up until being proven wrong by four young maidens. Four maidens who give him the will to keep trying, for humanity's sake.

➸ The Wizard tries and tries and keeps trying. He struggles and fails and yet still holds on. He has mades mistakes and how he suffers from them. But no matter how many times he might fall, he will always get up, an apology on his lips. Because humanity stays worth fighting for.

If you're looking at this and thinking "wow, biased much ?" then yes Full bias, bias intended, they're MY fav and I get to make them fill out the Valid category 😤

I don't think anyone in the show is more qualified for Chaotic Bastard than Tyrian I like James Ironwood but for legal reasons called "whatever-happened-to-you-in-Vol8" he's going here

Ozpin is smart but also a dumbass. Qrow, Vol 7 Ep 12, need I say more ?

The meme chain continues !

Some fun headcannon includes : - James Ironwood is nearly half metal, and his all of his organs aren't intact. He metabolizes slowly and is actually a lightweight because of this. Since he overworks himself a lot, drinking tends to knock him out cleanly. It's a tactic his friends use to put him to sleep when he's exhausted but refuses to stop.

- Ozpin rarely drinks around others for fear of letting slip out truths he isn't ready to share. Qrow managed to convince him sometimes, and tipsy Ozpin's would always end up sharing embarassing or unpolite anecdotes about his stuck-up political entourage or figureheads of the past.

- Marrow is the baby of the Ace-Opps and a drunk Marrow is a loose canon. There's an unspoken rule that he must be looked after at all time when they go out drinking.

- Oscar and Ren will fall on asleep on one another quickly. Nora and Yang stay up late into the night, they're up to no good and their shenanigans are demultiplied on drinking nights.

- Weiss and Jaune aren't good with alcohool. Jaune has a hard time judging when enough is enough so he often ends up laying on the ground with slight nausea. Weiss knows what to expect and thus drink very little : she prefers to take care of the more inebriated ones.

- Blake, Whitley and Emerald are constantly filmed during drinking nights bc the loss of inhibition make them surprisingly earnest & wholesome :)

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I feel like this chart veers hard into headcannon territory, so this time I'm giving you all the clean version too ! Don't hesitate to reblog w your own interpretation and headcannons ;)

I made some gifs out of Ozpin's apology in Risk for a future music post, but I figured I'd share them with you all Ozpin's fans in the meantime

Prepare for a very soft wizard boy

I still would have liked his apology to be reciprocated instead of just a lowkey "it's okay, trust is hard but we'll trust you again" but well

We have evolved past the need for pretty lies so let's be honest

RT only killed Pyrrha and Ozpin because of how beautiful they are. They knew they would have had too much power in the new engine, and we weren't ready for them.

Now we know better. Give us Pyrrha and Ozpin in the new engine cowards.

I made some renders for the sake of my memes so I'm posting them here in case anyone else can make use of it :D

RWBY Analysis - Ozpin & Ruby, on the concept of leadership

In her song "Burned out", Dodie sings of her fans, how they look up to her and how uneasy that realization made her. For everyone is at the end of the day just as human as their neighbour; and having the hopes and expectations of others put upon you when you're just as lost as them can be a frightening thing. And this... made me think of Ruby & Ozpin.

On the subject of leadership, Ozpin tells Ruby the following : “Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry into battle, but a badge you wear constantly. If you are not always performing at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you?”

While I love this quote, I also have to analyze the drawbacks of this mentality and how they align with both Ozpin and Ruby. At the time, Ruby is a newly appointed leader and unsure of this reality. Ozpin's counsel give her the confidence needed to step up as a leader and take her duties more seriously, which in return appeases Weiss' and make their team all the more balanced. It is, in that context, good advice. A good leader should strive to lead by example and work hard to be worthy of the respect others give them, both in and outside of battle.

However there is one aspect that I find much more complex and that is... what does it mean to "always perform at your absolute best" and to have others follow you ? Note the use of follow, people letting you lead alone as opposed to "standing by your side" or a similar expression. It showcases in my opinion one of the biggest problem of Ozpin's leadership, but one that I feel has been inadvertently repeated by Ruby's.

- - - - - - - -

To cultivate hope and lies

When it comes to Ozpin's lies, I am of the firm belief that he had good intentions. Soo if you think he's the scorn of this earth, this might be a good time to tap out :D Now, this said I have a lot to say on the subject but I'll keep this short to stay on track (& make another unrelated post to develop my thoughts.)

In my opinion, at the core of his lies stand different beliefs. And on the subject of leadership, I think one stands out in particular and aligns with the advice he gave Ruby : the need to perform at your best to give others a reason to follow you.

Ozpin is the reincarnation of a centuries-old wizard and the headmaster of a school : what is one aspect almost every character agrees on upon meeting him ? "Oh, he's wise. He's knowledgeable. He has the answers. He has his shit together. He can tell us what to do."

Inherently, Ozpin's existence inspires respect and reassure. Just like to a child, a parent is all-knowing and unbreakable, Ozpin's status automatically give others the assumption that he knows what he's doing. And this, in my opinion, is one of the core problems of his leadership.

May it be with his inner circle, with RWBY, with ANYONE really; as soon as Ozpin reveals himself there are unspoken expectations that will chain him. He has the knowledge, he was here when it all began, he's the one calling the shots so he HAS to know exactly what to do. In that situation, breaking down and revealing to everyone how lost Ozpin is, how out of his depth... is unconceivable. And this is where Ozpin's conception of leadership becomes a problem as well. If you always perform "at your best" then you keep your doubts to yourself, you hide your sorrows and you put on a brave face. There are expectations in place that Ozpin wants (needs even) to meet. And thus the hopes of others and Ozpin's desire to fulfill them feed one another, as a perfect recipe for disaster. Because the more time Ozpin spends acting as if everything is under control, the more the expectations pile up... And coming clean about his humanity, the fact that he's just as powerless as the rest of them, becomes impossible.

And in that sense, breaking down the pedestal Ozpin had been put on was probably one of the best thing to do for his own mental health (though the method lacked a bit of compassion in my opinion xD)

The other part that somehow causes problem is how RELIANT on him his inner circle is. Despite their apparent friendship, Ozpin is the clear leader and as soon as he's out of comission, everything falls apart. Ironwood is the only one to call out Oz but in the end still wishes for the wizard to tell him what to do in period of stress. Qrow plays spy and takes order but doesn't seem really interested in stading at Ozpin's side as an equal. Glynda is stern but still defers to him etc...

All of them FOLLOW Ozpin but are just a few steps off from standing at his side. And this is something I see reflected in Ruby.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Following optimism up until it fails you

In Vol6, as secrets and lies are brought to the light, the loss of Hope that Ozpin feared so deeply happens. Is it worth it ? What are we even going to do with an immortal foe ? Maybe we should just go home. In that situation, Ruby is the simple soul who manages to keep her optimism, stand tall and say "No. We are taking the lamp to Atlas." And from then on her position as a leader and a bacon of light is reaffirmed. As Jaune put it in V4 "You gave us the courage to follow you."

Now is that, in itself, a problem ? Of course not. In fact I loved seeing Ruby come into herself and take the lead in Vol6. The problem in truth comes after, from the ramifications. From Vol6 onward, Ozpin has essentially been rid of his leader position and Ruby inherited it. And on a surface level sure, they are pretty different. Ruby is certainly closer to her partners : they're a family and they care about each other.

However, she is still clearly put at the lead. The others relied on Ruby's optimism and resilience to get to Atlas, and continue to do so. Setting foot in Ironwood's office, Blake tells Ruby "We'll follow your lead". They trust her, and whatever Ruby does... goes. They lie to Ironwood and Yang expresses some hesitations but eventually rally to Ruby's decision. And I emphasize this again : it is Ruby's decision. They did not pre-emptively discuss this as a group and then let Ruby be the spoke-person. Yang herself in Vol8 criticizes not their actions but Ruby's choices. Ruby calls the shots, Ruby is responsible for what happens, Ruby is their beacon of hope... Ruby is the new Ozpin.

Ruby has to be optimistic, and make the decisions and take risks because she's the leader. When Ruby leaves the room to break down, conversation & strategy stalls : the others don't take the lead. When things go south, it's Ruby's choices that led them here. Ever since Ruby has left Beacon, the only person who consistently encouraged Ruby to express the BAD, to share the negative has been Oscar. Even her silver eyes ask her to focus on only the happy memories to go off without a hitch ! The others comfort, they smile, they trust, they love even. But they don't want depressed Ruby finally grieving, they don't want honest "I don't know what to do" : they try to bring back confident and optimistic "we're gonna try" Ruby Rose. They want their earnest and happy but ultimately perfect leader that gives them reason to follow. In the end, even if they deeply care for her and have no shortage of warm coated reassurances for the teen, they still chain her down with their expectations. Ruby is NOT built for this. And I don't even say that in the "why is a kid calling the shots" sense, but "why is a kid put in a position where she's RESPONSIBLE for calling the shots ?"

Ruby is the youngest of the group apart from Oscar. The others should not rely on her this much to function. Blake telling Ruby that she looks up to her and that they'll follow her lead is admittedly sweet, but still builds up the pressure weighing her down. Blake calling out for Ruby's help when the teen has just been crashed to the ground by the Hound isn't even sweet anymore. They're all supposed to be equals. Blake is just as capable as Ruby. Calling out to your mind-controlled friend to bring them back from the edge is good. Calling out to your 17-old sister who's been beaten up because you need her to fight isn't.

They need to recognize that Ruby should not hold up the place alone. Because yes, they love her. But at the end of the day, Ruby is still the one bearing the weight of their decisions... Alone, even surrounded.

✦ ✦ BURNED OUT - DODIE ✦ ✦

He was certain; So was I There was comfort in her sighs

Dreams and ideas should not be the same thing You waited, smiling for this?

Oh, she'd want it, if she knew She could take it, I thought too Be careful, be cautious but you just wished harder You waited, smiling for this?

"But they love you!" Over and over, "they love you!" Thousands and thousands of eyes just like mine Aching to find who they are

"Oh, they love you!" Oh, you can feel how they love you ! Coated and warm but that's all they can do Words only get through if they're sharp

Oh, how fitting For one so fake Make me a fairy Whatever it takes

And just like a tale my dream was a scam You waited, smiling for this?

I am burnt out I smell of smoke It seeps through her cracks and so I start to choke Sentences sit in her mouth that are templated You waited, smiling for this?

Oh, maybe I'll talk about it... (maybe I'll talk about it) I can just talk about it... (I can just talk about it) I'll never talk about it... (I'll never talk about it) No, I cannot talk about it...

Don't build hope on something broken I am not cartoon. Cry for help, I am not joking I might just leave soon

So we all know about cute boy Ozpin right ?

Well I was looking through some old Vol 1-3 gifs and I raise you...

He's so cute ??? I don't even remember what scene this is from but -

RWBY's Love Language - Part 2

Hello friend ! I'm back at it with a second part and whatever character I can think of ! (Among which best boy Oscar because he deserves it, and also more adults)

Let's go !

***

Oscar Pine

So ! While I love Oscar with my whole heart, honestly guessing his Love Language is no easy feat. One thing for sure : touch isn't is thing even if it's how everyone else chose to communicate their love.

I saw a post a while back detailing how Oscar is always putting his hands up as a barrier when he's scared or uncomfortable and that makes me cry a little instead but it's true TT. Anyway...

In the latest volumes we've got quite a bit of comforting Oscar-talks but I have to wonder how much of that is due to Ozpin's influence really. As a result I've decided to settle on... Acts of Service or Quality Time ! This is based on a few details : when people are upset with him in one shape or form, Oscar was always very eager to prove himself useful, give some aspect of concrete help (such as cooking a Casserole, ringing any bell ?). Plus I imagine that's the exact brand of help his Aunt would have needed most on a farm. Added to that, he always seems fairly happy to be included, be with the others no matter what's going on. Training ? Yay ! A movie with Jaune & Weiss ? Smiling puppy look. Fancy party ? Shenanigans together ! So yea, I love seeing my boy loved and hugged but please everyone settle for the loving he's most comfortable with <3

“She made a choice! A choice to put others before herself! So do I.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. I thought you guys would appreciate a hot meal after... spending all day looking for me, apparently.”

“No, it's okay. These past few days, I've been scared of the same things you were. I don't know how much longer I'm going to be... me. But I did some thinking, and I do know that I want to do everything I can to help with whatever time I have left.”

- - - - - - - - - -

Ozpin

For our favorite immortal wizard aka not quite dead Headmaster... I think the answer is rather obvious. When you're so careful with your words, but also so fiercely devoted to humanity, Words of Affirmation is a must. Ozpin constantly does his best to calm, to reassure. He's good at controlling the conversation and getting people where he wants... Except he more often than not use it to make them think and help them reach an healing ore motivating conclusion. This man is so insisten on giving and cultivating hope, so painfully aware of just how much words can change... There's no doubt in my mind that it's through these very same words that he tries to fight the darkness in others' mind, even when they don't want to let themselves be persuaded. And with some help from the farmboi, Ozpin is gaining in honesty and earnestness. And that can only help in giving comfort.

But to be honest... If you offer him a hug I doubt he'd refuse, and he definitely deserves one. Also therapy. For Oscar too. Everyone in therapy 2k21.

“Ruby. I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet. But at this moment I would not consider your appointment to leader to be one of them. Do you?”

“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.”

“Don't worry, Mr. Arc. Your journey is far from over, and the same might be said for all of you. Unlocking your Semblance isn't the end. It can still grow and evolve. Providing you are willing to put in the work, who knows what could happen?”

- - - - - - - - - -

Emerald Sustrai

Now here I'm gonna go ahead and say that the way Emerald has been taught to express her love and the way SHE would rather preffered to be loved most likely do not align. At the side of someone like Cinder, and even Mercury who isn't exactly the most emotionally vulnerable person; the only brand of love that gets an easy pass is Acts of Service, and that's probably what Emerald is the most used to. I can go on a mission with you. I can help. We go right back to the "I can be useful" mentality and I'm not sure she's been shown any other way honestly. Let's be real though : if someone offered a hug or some gentle words ? She'd probably pout & fuss but I hardly doubt she'd object.

“I don't care about Salem! But I owe Cinder everything. You want to fight her that bad? Be my guest.”

“I just... Cinder was the only family I ever had. She cared about me, taught me things... But without her here, I don't know if what we're doing--”

“I've been working on my Semblance. I can help. I won't tell anybody.”

- - - - - - - - - -

Pyrrha Nikos

What's with everyone and dedicating their whole love toward just helping their teammates anyway they can ?! Stop ! But any way, you guessed it. I'm pretty sure one of Pyrrha's top way of showing love is Acts of Service, and nothing means quite as much to her as Quality Time. For someone who's been put on a pedestal and has a hard time relating to people; both touch and words can be a bit awkward. But if they're wrapped up neatly in a training session or semblance explanations ? Well that's already a more familiar area. Pyrrha gives her whole to her friends and those she cares about. And in exchange, if anyone can simply... be there and spend time with her... May it be at the ball or simply sitting in the courtyard... I'm sure our girl would be delighted.

“Jaune, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask.”

“I'm constantly surrounded by love and praise; but when you're placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become separated from the people that put you there in the first place. But thanks to you, I've made friendships that will last a lifetime.”

“I'll do it. If you believe this will help humanity, then I will become your Fall Maiden.”

- - - - - - - - - -

Qrow Branwen

If I say Gift Giving for the corvid, is someone gonna hit me ? Come on it's fun ! Okay, more seriously... I think this kind of love conversation is kind of a necessity for Qrow. With a semblance such as Bad Luck, making everything complicated... Qrow tries to keep his distance from those he cares about. And since he's an emotionally repressed (but caring) asshole on top of it... Well that kinda narrows down his option. You know what DOESN'T put anyone at risk but can still bring smiles on their face ? GIFTS. Shiny things, souvenirs from his missions all over the world to give to 2 smol nieces. Sounds safe right ? That said, as any good emotionally unavailable character in this show, I gotta say Qrow probably has a thing for helping out and making himself useful in relation to Oz, Tai or the rest of the inner circle. So you know what that means *whisper* Acts of Service.

That said ! When it comes to receiving some love back... Qrow probably likes everything he doesn't allow himself to have. Soft touches, loving & comforting words, spending time with a friend without his semblance making everything complicated... We know that's all he wants.

“You idiot. I know you didn't do this.”

“Look, pal, I'm not sure who you are, but you need to leave my niece alone.”

“No one wanted me... I was cursed... I gave my life to you because you gave me a place in this world... I thought I was finally doing some good...”

- - - - - - - - - -

Clover Ebi

And among our newbies (and gone too soon) friends we have Clover ! Clover was a very good contrast to our dusty old crow but also a great help. Kind-hearted, perceptive and honest; he knew just how to put Qrow's self-loathing in his place and push him to give himself some credit. He always had a nice word or a joke for everyone, and visibly the rock of the Ace Ops : an expert a keeping the moral up and the mood companiable. Evidently, Words of Affirmation was his expertise. Had things gone differently, I'm sure we'd have had time for many more earnest and helpful conversations with this teal-eyed fisherman.

“It's a good thing they had someone to look up to and get them through it. Not everyone is so lucky.”

“I meant deflect a compliment. Those kids wouldn't be where they are without you. You've had more of an effect on them than you realize.”

“We don't have to fight, friend.”

- - - - - - - - - -

Winter Schnee

And today in the "emotionally unavailable" category we have... Winter Schnee ! TALK ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS PEOPLE ! Just - I would say look at Ruby but even she doesn't talk about her bad vibes... Nor does any of the "Words of Affirmation" peeps. Honestly what's wrong with y'all people ? Anyway Winter cares so much. Is it hidden behind professionalism and a stern *big sister* demeanour ? Sure. But it doesn't negate just how much she loves her closed ones. She's fiercely loyal, and even if she doesn't let her personal feelings get in the way of her duty and doing what needs to be done, no one is allowed to say she doesn't care. Countrary to Weiss, Winter doesn't seem as good nor as aware of the love that exists in simply *being* with people. Rather, she's dutiful and ready to help any way she can when given the chance. You guessed it, yet another Acts of Service kind of love... Maybe I'm doing this wrong XD. I'm on the fence about Words of Affirmation as well. Despite her standoffish looks, Winter has always been very open & reassuring during her discussions with Penny. But she's more stern when it comes to Weiss so I dunno x)

“I don't recall asking about your ranking, I'm asking how you've been. Are you eating properly? Have you taken up any hobbies? Are you making new friends?”

“You've grown up a bit, haven't you? You're not the little girl clinging to the family name anymore.”

“You can't just buy trust like everything else! You have to earn it!”

And that's it for Part 2 ! I might do some other characters if people suggest some but I don't have a pressing need to right now. I have many ideas of songs to apply to various characters however so that's prob what my next posts will consist of (or fun templates)

If anyone has tips to create RWBY gifs or links to download the eps in good quality I'll take it ! Good day everyone !

SALUTATIONS !

Saw this on the main tag and figured it was a good way to start off my blog (even if I've already posted/reblogged a few things shh)

Hello friends ! You can call me anything from Nexyra to Nex. She and They are both fine; I'm Ace and an ISFP 2w1. As well as french ;) That's pretty much it sfsjhgfqj I created this blog mainly bc of RWBY content on Tumblr but there are many fandom I care about so there's probably gonna be other stuff later but well.

I'm mostly planning on fun posts like attributing a Love Language to characters, typing them (Enneagram & MBTI are my jam) and also music posts kind of (lyrics + gif) ! Here's a fun jar of RWBY I saw in the main tag. Good way to show who my faves are and what you should expect from this blog haha

(no Ironwood discourse on this post please, I don't condone his actions in Vol8 but I prefer to focus on his character in Vol 7 </3)

In any case... a very good day to you all !

Oh and here's the clean copy !

Inktober Day 29 - felt like drawing some Oscar and Ozpin in the style of a playing card.

This is the kind of RWBY analysis I live for! 

Can we talk about Bumbleby and destiny?

Because I noticed something recently. But let’s start at the beginning, with the incoming class at Beacon:

So here we have at least 100 students (that we can see). It’s a pretty big class, a lot to handle at once, especially when you need to intimately test their unique abilities. Now here’s the wide cut of launch pad for that first test:

Which has only 16 slots. So Ozpin is definitely not launching the whole class here, not all at once anyway. Meaning he’s doing this excercise in batches, specifically sized to make 4 teams per batch. This seems like an ideal way to set up partners in the way he wants, so good move on his part. Put 2 compatable students side by side (bonus if one will look for the other), then space them out with somebody they’d want to avoid, and hope for the best. So he’s got Ruby looking for Yang, Nora looking for Ren (and vise versa), and Weiss looking for Pyrrha, with Jaune, Cardin, Russel, and shadow people to encourage them to find each other. Solid choices- a sister to guide your young SEW, 2 already basically partners, and your predicted top students.

Now, this of course doesn’t go to plan. Pyrrha immediately seeks out and partners with Jaune. Ruby runs into Weiss before she can find Yang. Tenors work out, but I feel like that would have happened no matter what Oz did. Of course, Blake is notoriously missing from this batch. Meaning Ozpin did not intend for her to pair up with any of our mains. That too, obviously, did not turn out as he intended...

Blake finds and follows Yang, but she wasn’t in the same batch, she was already out there. So not only did Blake seek out Yang in the emerald forest, she actively avoided at least one other batch of students and waited for Yang to be launched for quite a while after landing. Sure, this could have been an oversight, but I think that it was written this way purposefully.

See, destiny is a major theme in the RWBYverse. The allusions you’re Blake and Yang being destined for each other are everywhere- from the color scheme, to BatB references, to the ring in the DC comics. But the theme pops up again and again elsewhere, and has motivated many of the biggest moments in the story- from simple things like Pyrrha’s sacrifice to huge arcs like Salem and Oz’s eternal struggle. Some seek to manipulate the destiny of others to serve their own goals. Salem’s entire plan seems to evolve around manipulating destinies, and much of what Oz has done up to this point has been the same, including the partner system. But despite their efforts, they cannot foresee or control people’s choices.

Oz could not predict the series of events that led Blake and Yang to meet at the sleepover. He could not control Blake’s interest in the friendly stranger that awkwardly complimented her bow. He could not have expected her to avoid her objectives until she found the partner she wanted. Blake’s choices shaped her destiny, despite the plans of those attempting to orchestrate it. Her destiny is ultimately her own.

Blake and Yang continually choose to make each other part of their destinies. Yang chooses to try and befriend Blake. Blake chooses to partner with Yang. Yang chooses to open up to Blake to help her. Blake chooses to believe Yang about Mercury. Yang chooses to find and defend Blake at the fall of Beacon. Blake chooses to run to protect Yang, and later to return to her side again. Despite all the world throws at them, they choose each other, again and again and again.

It’s a theme that came up in Ruby’s latest comic as well- the active choice to let in the people you love, to make them part of your life, your destiny. That agency of choice is one of the biggest themes in the story, and one I think will be crucial in its conclusion. In RWBY, anyone who seeks to control people’s destinies is doomed to fail. People’s ability to choose will always undermine any plan who’s foundation relies on their lack of agency. That is Salem’s greatest error, and has been Oz’s as well. But I think, I hope, that our team’s steadfast determination to choose their own destinies will finally teach him that he can’t win through control. And maybe, just maybe, that understanding will save all of Remnant.