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Comparison of the Branwen Tribe and the White Fang in RWBY

Composition and Membership

The Branwen Tribe is a small, nomadic bandit group operating in Anima, composed of both humans and Faunus, led by Raven Branwen. Its members, including notable figures like Shay D. Mann and the decoy Spring Maiden Vernal, are described as murderers and thieves who live in a cobbled-together, temporary camp. The tribe’s size is relatively limited, relying on mobility and scavenging to sustain itself, with members trained in combat to raid villages effectively. In contrast, the White Fang is a large, organized paramilitary organization with a predominantly Faunus membership, operating across multiple kingdoms (Vale, Mistral, Menagerie, and likely Atlas and Vacuo). Its rank-and-file soldiers, equipped with standardized uniforms and Grimm masks, are numerous and recruited from disaffected Faunus communities through rallies, as seen in Volume 2’s “Painting the Town….” The White Fang’s broader membership and structured hierarchy, with leaders like Sienna Khan and Adam Taurus, allow it to coordinate large-scale operations, unlike the tribe’s smaller, less formal composition.

Leadership and Philosophy

The Branwen Tribe is led by Raven Branwen, who enforces a Darwinist “survival of the fittest” philosophy, emphasizing strength and self-preservation. Raven, as the true Spring Maiden, wields significant power and uses a Grimm mask to intimidate and conceal her Maiden identity, aligning with her tribe’s ruthless ethos. Her leadership is absolute, with members like Vernal serving as loyal proxies, though her decisions, such as betraying allies or killing the previous Spring Maiden, reflect a pragmatic, self-serving approach. The White Fang, initially founded under Ghira Belladonna as a peaceful advocacy group post-Faunus Rights Revolution, shifted to violence under Sienna Khan and later Adam Taurus. Its philosophy evolved into xenophobic terrorism, aiming to subjugate or eradicate humans out of fear rather than respect, as Blake notes in Volume 5. The White Fang’s leadership is more hierarchical, with High Leaders and regional commanders directing cells, contrasting with the tribe’s centralized, personality-driven leadership under Raven.

Goals and Objectives

The Branwen Tribe’s primary goal is survival and profit through raiding villages in Anima, such as Shion, to steal resources, with no broader ideological mission. Their attacks attract Grimm, which destroy villages, aligning with their opportunistic, predatory nature. The tribe’s brief foray into human trafficking with Weiss Schnee’s kidnapping in Volume 5 was an exception, driven by potential ransom from Jacques Schnee, but abandoned when Weiss escaped. Conversely, the White Fang pursues a radical ideological agenda to dismantle human-dominated society, targeting governments, militaries, schools, and the SDC. Their goals include destroying societal pillars and instilling fear, as Roman Torchwick states in Volume 2, with actions like Dust heists, Grimm breaches, and the Haven Academy attack aimed at systemic collapse. The tribe’s focus on immediate gain contrasts sharply with the White Fang’s long-term revolutionary ambitions.

Methods and Tactics

The Branwen Tribe employs guerrilla-style raids, using mobility and combat proficiency to overwhelm villages, as described in Volume 4. Their tactics rely on surprise and brute force, with members wielding guns and melee weapons, and Raven’s Maiden powers providing a strategic edge. The tribe’s temporary camps and scavenging lifestyle enable rapid relocation to avoid retaliation, as seen when Raven orders the camp moved in Volume 5. The White Fang, however, uses a mix of organized paramilitary tactics and terrorism, deploying large groups of soldiers with firearms, swords, spears, and stolen Atlesian Paladin-290 mechs, as seen in Volume 2’s Mountain Glenn operation. They utilize Bullheads for airborne assaults and Dust-based bombs for large-scale destruction, as in the Haven attack. While both groups engage in violence, the tribe’s localized, opportunistic raids differ from the White Fang’s coordinated, ideologically driven campaigns across multiple kingdoms.

Use of Grimm Masks

Raven Branwen’s use of a Grimm mask, noted in the document as a tool to hide her Maiden powers and intimidate others, parallels the White Fang’s adoption of Grimm masks to symbolize their monstrous image in human eyes. Blake explains in Volume 2 that the White Fang’s masks, inspired by Adam Taurus during a Dust plant raid, are engineered to reflect humanity’s perception of Faunus as beasts, embracing fear as a weapon. Raven’s mask serves a dual purpose—concealing her identity and reinforcing her tribe’s fearsome reputation—aligning with her survivalist philosophy. Both groups use the masks to project power and terror, but the White Fang’s usage is tied to their Faunus identity and systemic oppression, while Raven’s is a personal choice to enhance her authority and protect her secrets, reflecting the tribe’s less ideological, more pragmatic approach.

Relationship with the Schnee Dust Company

The Branwen Tribe has a limited, opportunistic relationship with the SDC, primarily through Weiss Schnee’s kidnapping in Volume 5. The tribe planned to ransom Weiss to Jacques Schnee, indicating a profit-driven motive rather than a ideological vendetta, and abandoned the plan when Weiss freed herself. This suggests the tribe targets the SDC only when convenient, focusing on immediate gains rather than sustained conflict. The White Fang, however, is locked in a years-long, bloody war with the SDC, driven by the company’s exploitation of Faunus labor, as seen in their attacks on Dust shipments, executives, and facilities, like the cargo train raid in the “Black” Trailer. The White Fang’s actions are ideologically motivated, aiming to dismantle the SDC as a symbol of human oppression, contrasting with the tribe’s incidental, profit-oriented engagement.

Interaction with External Factions

The Branwen Tribe operates independently but forms temporary alliances for survival, as seen in Volume 5 when Raven allies with Salem’s Faction to attack Haven Academy in exchange for Qrow’s death and the tribe’s safety. This alliance is pragmatic, driven by self-preservation, and collapses when Raven betrays Cinder to protect the Relic of Knowledge. The White Fang, however, engages in broader, coerced partnerships, such as with Roman Torchwick and Cinder Fall in Volumes 1-3, to acquire resources and weapons for their revolutionary goals. Their collaboration with Salem’s Faction in Volume 5’s Haven attack aligns with their anti-human agenda, though it fractures after Adam’s abandonment. The tribe’s alliances are short-term and self-serving, while the White Fang’s are strategic but strained by their dependence on human allies like Torchwick.

Fate and Legacy

The Branwen Tribe’s status is uncertain after Volume 5, with Raven fleeing to Vacuo and Vernal’s death, leaving the tribe leaderless or fragmented. Their raids and destruction of villages like Shion cement their reputation as a brutal, self-interested group, but their limited scope and lack of ideological drive restrict their lasting impact. The White Fang, by contrast, collapses after the Battle of Haven, with Adam’s expulsion and the arrest of many soldiers, as noted in Volume 5. Their violent legacy, marked by attacks on Beacon and Haven, fuels human fear but alienates moderate Faunus, leading to Ghira’s new rights movement. The tribe’s localized chaos contrasts with the White Fang’s widespread infamy, though both contribute to Remnant’s instability until their respective downfalls.

Speculative Comparison

Speculatively, the Branwen Tribe could expand its influence if Raven returns or a new leader emerges, potentially targeting SDC outposts in Anima for profit, but their lack of ideological cohesion limits their threat compared to the White Fang’s former reach. The White Fang’s splintered cells may persist in regions like Atlas or Vacuo, continuing small-scale attacks, but their loss of centralized leadership diminishes their power. Raven’s Grimm mask could inspire future bandit groups to adopt similar symbols, mirroring the White Fang’s tactic, though without the racial context. Both groups’ reliance on fear—through masks and violence—suggests a shared strategy to intimidate, but the White Fang’s broader network and ideological zeal make it a more systemic threat, while the tribe’s nomadic, opportunistic nature keeps it regionally confined.

Conclusion

The Branwen Tribe and White Fang are criminal organizations with distinct identities: the tribe is a small, nomadic bandit group driven by survival and profit, led by Raven Branwen, whose Grimm mask reflects her personal power and pragmatic ethos. The White Fang is a large, paramilitary force of Faunus seeking to overthrow human society, using Grimm masks to embrace their monstrous image. The tribe’s localized raids and incidental SDC encounters contrast with the White Fang’s coordinated terrorism and ideological war against the SDC. Both use fear and violence, but the tribe’s self-serving goals and smaller scale pale against the White Fang’s revolutionary ambitions, though both ultimately fracture due to leadership failures, leaving legacies of chaos in Remnant.

[l0vely-m0th]

Raven destroying Ruby both physically and mentally in two seconds

[l0vely-m0th]

People say Yang can't flirt because of the "I like your bow" line but she wasn't even trying to flirt there. Let's give Yang some credit, what about the "I’ll save you a dance"/"I love it when you’re feisty"

[l0vely-m0th]

Came across a Bumbleby hater which motivated me to finish this. Bumbleby haters be gone you are not welcome!!!!!

This was the reference

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furries

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get oc’d

what she used to look like (2018)

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is that character bad at taking care of themself or are you just racist. is that character bad at taking care of themself or are you just xenophobic. is that character bad at taking care of themself or are you just misogynistic. is that character bad at taking care of themself or are you just transphobic. is that character bad at taking care of themself or are you just homophobic. and so on and so forth

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aita if i go back in time to my past self and don’t try to change their horrible future

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chomp

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"To be loved is to be changed"

I don't think it's a coincidence that they became a couple in V9. After all, the main theme of the volume was change and personal growth.

[l0vely-m0th]

happy pride month

[l0vely-m0th]

happy pride month

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Finally... Bumbleby as dragons <3

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Ready for some sparring ? 

Want to support my art? Check out Patreon !

[l0vely-m0th]

I’ve always wanted to draw what I think the various Deltarune weapons look like, and I figure why not start with the swords!

The Twisted Sword - The Axes - The Scarfs - The Rings

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It was the other outfit she had in comics! The white dress with kalis jewelry on her and she's smiling happily with ghira and kali

"I'm sorry that I'm your future."

This line is just...heartbreaking. 💜

That little girl is full of light and happiness, and that light was completely diminished...until Yang (credit to Ruby, Weiss, Sun as well) reignited it.

It's so sad that one person can reduce someone to a shadow of their true selves, and how another can put the pieces back together with care and patience.

Some people are just bad for you, while others are so right; and sometimes you just have to endure the bad on the journey towards the good. 💛

[l0vely-m0th]

I only had so many slots y’all. And if you do pick the confession, comment what other moment you adore.